Commentary on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2.pdf

<strong>Commentary</strong> on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2
in his absence. John alone comes into his presence, and reproves him boldly to his face, if by any
means he may be brought to repentance. Hence we learn with what unshaken fortitude the servants
of God ought to be armed when they have to do with princes; for in almost every court hypocrisy
and servile flattery are prevalent; and the ears of princes, having been accustomed to this smooth
language, do not tolerate any voice which reproves their vices with any severity. But as a prophet
of God ought not to overlook so shocking a crime, John steps forward, though a disagreeable and
unwelcome adviser, and, rather than fail in his duty, scruples not to incur the frown of the tyrant,
even though he knew Herod to be so strongly held by the snares of the prostitute, that he could
scarcely be moved from his purpose.
5. And though he wished to put him to death. There is some appearance of contradiction between
the words of Matthew and Mark: for the former says that Herod was desirous to commit this shocking
murder, but was restrained by the fear of the people; while the latter charges Herodias alone with
this cruelty. But the difficulty is soon removed. At first Herod would have been unwilling, if a
stronger necessity had not compelled him reluctantly to do so, to put to death the holy man; because
he regarded him with reverence, and, indeed, was prevented by religious scruples from practising
such atrocious cruelty against a prophet of God; and that he afterwards shook off this fear of God,
in consequence of the incessant urgency of Herodias; but that afterwards, when infuriated by that
demon he longed for the death of the holy man, he was withheld by a new restraint, because he
dreaded on his own account a popular commotion. And here we must attend to the words of Mark,
Herodias lay in wait for him; 359 which imply, that as Herod was not of himself sufficiently disposed
to commit the murder, she either attempted to gain him over by indirect wiles, or labored to find
some secret method of putting the holy man to death. I am more disposed to adopt the former view,
that she employed stratagems for influencing the mind of her husband, but did not succeed, so long
as Herod was prevented by remorse of conscience from pronouncing sentence of death on the holy
man. Next followed another fear that the business of his death should excite the people to some
insurrection. But Mark glances only at what prevented Herod from yielding immediately to the
entreaties of the prostitute; for Herodias would have wished that, as soon as John was thrown into
prison, he should be privately executed. Herod, on the contrary, reverenced the holy man, so far as
even to comply willingly with his advises: Herod feared John Now the fear which is here mentioned,
was not a dread arising from a mistaken opinion, as we dread those who have obtained some
authority over us, though we reckon them to be unworthy of the honor. But this fear was a voluntary
respect; for Herod was convinced that he was a holy man and a faithful servant of God, and therefore
did not dare to despise him. 360 And this deserves our attention; for though John knew by experience
that it was, in many respects, advantageous for him to have some share in the good wishes of the
359 “Herodias cherchoit occasion;” — “Herodias sought an opportunity.”
360 “Estoit aucunement contreint en soy mesme de luv porter l’honneur, et ne l’osoit pas mespriser;” — “was somewhat
constrained in himself to bear respect towards him, and did not dare to despise him.”
154
John Calvin