but no intimation is found in the record that John re- quired evidence to give him satisfaction. (See below.) Be that as it may, it is certain that John still continued to present himself to his countrj'men in the capacity of witness to Jesus. Especially did he bear testimony to him at Bethany beyond Jordan (for Bethany, not Beth- abara, is the reading of the best MSS.). So confidently, indeed, did he point out the Lamb of God, on whom he had seen the Spirit alighting like a dove, that two of his own disciples, Amlrew, and probably John, being convinced by his testimony, followed Jesus as the true Messiah.
3. But shortly after he had given his testimony to the Messiah, John's public ministry was brought to a close. He had, at the beginning of it, condemned the hypocrisy and worldliness of the Pharisees and Saddu- cees, and he had now occasion to denounce the lust of a king. In daring disregard of the divine laws, Herod Antipas had taken to himself the wife of his brother Philip; and when John reproved him for this, as well as for other sins (Luke iii, 19), Herod cast him into pris- on. Josephus, however, assigns a somewhat different cause for Herod's act from that given in the Gospels: " Now some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod's army came from God, and that very justly, as a punishment of what he did against John that was called the Baptist; for Herod slew him, although he was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness one towards another and piety towards God, and so to come to baptism. Now when others came in crowds about him — for they
I were greatly moved by hearing his words — Herod, who feared lest the great influence John had over the people might put it into his power and inclination to raise a re- bellion (for they seemed ready to do anything he should advise), thought it best, by putting him to death, to prevent any mischief he might cause, and not bring himself into difficulties by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it should be too late. Ac- cordingly he was sent a prisoner, out of Herod's suspi- cious temper, to Machserus, the castle I before mention- ed, and was there put to death" (.1 7it. xviii, 5, 2). There is no contrariety between this account and that which is given in the New Testament. (See Lamy, Diss, de vinculis Joa. Bapt. ; Van Til, Le Joa. Bapt. incarcera- iione fictitia Ilerodiana vincida antecedente, L. B. 1710.)
[ Both may be true : John was condemned in the mind of Herod on political grounds, as endangering his posi- tion, and executed on private and ostensible grounds, in order to gratify a malicious but powerful woman. The scriptural reason was but the pretext for carrying into effect the determination of Herod's cabinet. That the fear of Herod was not without some ground may be seen in the popularity which John had gained (Mark xi, 32; see Lardner, Works, vi, 483).
The castle of Machterus, where Jolm was imprisoned anci beheaded, was a fortress lying on the southern ex- tremity of Penea, at the head of the Lake Asphaltites, between the dominions of Herod and Aretas, king of Arabia Petrwa, and at the time of our history appears to have belonged to the former (Lardner, vi, 483). It was here that the above-mentioned reports reached him of the miracles which our Lord was working in Judrea — miracles which, doubtless, were to John's mind but the confirmation of what he expected to hear as to the es- tabUshment of the Messiah's kingdom. But if Christ's kingdom were indeed established, it was the duty of John's own disciples, no less than of all others, to ac- knowledge it. They, however, would naturally cling to their own master, and be slow to transfer their allegiance to another. With a view, therefore, to overcome their scruples, John sent two of them to Jesus himself to ask the question, "Art thou he that shoidd come?" They were answered not by words, but by a series of miracles wrought before their eyes — the very miracles which prophecy had specified as the distinguishing credentials of the Messiah (Isa. xxxv, 5; Ixi, i) ; and while JeSus
JOHN"
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bade the two messengers carry back to John as his only answer the report of what they had seen and heard, he took occasion to guard the multitude who surrounded liim against supposing that the Ba]>tist himself was shaken in mind, by a direct appeal to their own knowl- edge of his life and character. Well might they be ap- pealed to as witnesses that the stern prophet of the wil- derness was no waverer, bending to every breeze, like the reeds on the banks of Jordan. Proof abundant had they that John was no worldling, with a heart set upon rich clothing and dainty fare — the luxuries of a king's court — and-they must have been ready to acknowledge that one so iniu-ed to a life of hardness and privation was not likely to be affected by the ordinary terrors of a prison. But our Lord not only vindicates his fore- runner from any suspicion of inconstancy, he goes on to proclaim him a prophet, and more than a prophet ; nay, inferior to none bom of woman, though in respect to spiritual privileges behind the least of those who were to be born of the Spirit and admitted into the fellowship of Christ's body (Matt, xi, 11). It should be noted that the expression o St lUKpunpoQ, k. t. X., is understood by Chrysostom, Augustine, Hilarj^ and some modern commentators to mean Christ himself, but this inter- pretation is less agreeable to the spirit and tone of our Lord's discourse. Jesus further proceeds to declare that John was, according to the true meaning of the proph- ecv, the Elijah of the new covenant, foretold by Malachi (iii. 4).