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

<strong>Commentary</strong> on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2
This likewise serves to show the power of the word of God, that the voice of the holy man, even
when shut up in prison, wounds and tortures in the keenest manner the mind of the king’s wife. 368
26. And the king being sorry. His heart, as we have said, was no longer influenced by religious
sentiments; but, foreseeing the detestation that will be excited by such a crime, he dreads both the
loss of character and positive harm, and consequently repents of his levity. And yet he has not the
courage to give a refusal to a dancing girl, lest he should incur the reproach of unsteadiness; as if
it were more dishonorable to retract a rash and foolish promise than to persist in a heinous crime.
With the wonted vanity of kings, he does not choose that what he has once uttered shall be recalled,
and orders that the prophet shall be instantly slain. We infer that Herod was at that time supping
in the castle of Macherus, where, Josephus tells us, John was imprisoned, (Ant. 18. 5:2.)
On account of the oath, and of those who sat at table with him. It deserves our attention that
the Evangelists state this to be the reason of his grief; and hence we infer that, though he had sworn
a hundred times, yet if there had been no witness, he would not have held by his oath. No inward
feelings of religion constrained Herod to do this, but the mere love of power drove him headlong;
for he reckoned that he would sink in the estimation of those who were present, if he did not fulfill
his engagement. Thus it frequently happens that ungodly men fail to perform their duty, because
they do not look to God, but are only intent on this object, that they may not incur the reproaches
of men. 369 But though Herod had kept before his eyes the sacredness of an oath alone, and not the
dread of the opinion of men, he committed a more heinous offense in fulfilling a foolish promise
than if he had violated his oath. First, he was deeply in fault for such haste in swearing; for the
design of an oath is to confirm a promise in a doubtful matter. Next, when it appeared that he could
not be relieved from his engagement without involving himself in an aggravated crime, he had no
right to implicate the sacred name of God in such wickedness; for what could be more at variance
with the nature of God than to lend his countenance to a shocking murder? If a private loss is at
stake, let him who has made a rash oath suffer the punishment of his folly; but, when a man has
taken the name of God in vain, let him beware of doubling his guilt by employing this as a pretense
for committing some enormous crime. Hence it follows, that monastic vows, which are attended
by open impiety, do not bind the conscience any more than the enchantments of magicians; for it
is not the will of God that his sacred name shall give support to what is sinful. But this passage
teaches us, that we ought to beware of making promises without consideration; and next, that
lightness must not be followed by obstinacy.
28. And gave it to the girl. It was an additional aggravation of this detestable crime, that the
head of the holy man was made, after his death, a matter of sport. But in this way the Lord sometimes
gives up his people to the pride of wicked men, till he at length makes it evident that their blood is
368 “Ne laisse pas d’espouvanter asprement, et navrer au vif le coeur de ceste femme;” — “fails not vehmently to alarm and
cut to the quick the heart of the woman.”
369 “Et ne se soucient seulement que d’eviter le blasme et la moquerie des hommes;”— “and are only anxious to avoid the
censure and ridicule of men.”
157
John Calvin