The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 67

expected. Salome, Herod's own niece, the grea&-granddaughter of Mariamne, the descendant of the long line of AsmolllBBn princes, so utterly forgot the delicacy Jf a Hebrow maiden and the decorum of a princess as to dance alone in the midst of Herod's nobles when excited with feasting and heated with wine. Vashti, the Persian queen, had forfeited the crown rather than even appear at such a banquet, Palome, it seems, came unbidden, and in all the bright beauty of her early youth danced before the assembled guests. It was unbecoming, indecent. But the guests were delighted; and, strange to say, Herod too was pleased, though it was his own niece, and now his step- daughter, who was thus transgressing the accepted rules of society. Feasting and wine often lead to sin. A simple life is safest for a Christian. 2. Herod'a rash oath. In his excitement and folly he promised her with an oath whatever she would ask. He invoked the holy Name of God at this wild, dissolute feast. He swore to what he knew not. Wine and luxury help the devil in his work of sla.ying souls. The plot had been laid. The princess was instructed by her wicked mother. The malice of hell lurked under the girlish beauty of Salome. That fatal oath was to bring the most awful guilt upon the soul of Herod. For Salome claimed his promise. "I will that thou forthwith give me in a charger the head of John the Baptist." She would have it immediately. The tetrarch was weak and vacillating; she would hold him to his wicked oath. She would have it there and then on a charger-on one of the great dishes, perhaps of silver or gold, which had been used at that gorgeous banquet; a thing ghastly and horrible exceedingly. The king was sorry. He had hated John ; once he wished to kill him. But not now. He feared the people; his old reverence for John returned; he shrank from the fearful deed. But he had sworn; all his courtiers had heard him. He had not cared for the shame of his niece; but he thought it shame that a prince should break his word, should be false to his oath. He thought much more of those half-drunken guests who sat around than he thought of God. For, had he thought of God's honour, his conscience would have told him that to break such an oath was far less insulting to the honour of God than to keep it. It was sinful exceedingly to swear as Herod had done, and so to expose himself to the snare of the devil But it was beyond all com- parison more wicked to keep that wicked oath than to break it. Herod's grief did not eave him; it was only the sorrow of the world; not godly sorrow, not repentance. 3. The martyrdom. The wicked woman gave him no time for thought; she forced him to send an executioner immediately, John was beheaded in the prison. It was a noble death, the death of a hero, the death of a high saint of God. Salome might bear the bleeding head upon the golden charger-a strange burden for a young and beautiful princess; Herodias might exult over it in her gratified malice. The holy martyr's soul was safe in the Paradise of God. Herod might wear his blood-stained diadem; John had received the crown of glory that fadeth not away. He has left behind him a glorious example. Let us ask God to give us his grace that we may truly repent according to the Baptist's teaching; and after his example constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth's sake. 4. The burial. The disciples of John cared for his decent burial. Herod, conscience-stricken, perhaps, already, did not hinder them. They laid his body in the grave, and then went and told Jesus. It was as he would have wished. He himself while living had sent his own followers to Christ. "Behold the Lamb of God l" he snid to them; and now that he was dead, to whom should his disciples go but to the Lord whom he had honoured, before whose face he had been sent P We should go to Christ in all our troubles; we should tell him. He will listen; he will give us his loving sympathy. He will be a Father to the fatherless, and a Husband to the widow. In our great and in our little troubles, in the bitter sorrow of bereavement, in the petty vexations of daily life, let us tell Jesus. If we come to him in faith and love, we shall never come in vain. LEBBONB. 1. Christians are sometimes called to rebuke vice; let them do it fearlessly when it is their duty. 2. Much feastiag often leads to sin; the Christian must be temperate in all things. 3. Rash oaths are full of guilt; take not God's holy Name in vain. 4. One sin leads to another; hate the beginnings of sin. 5. Bring all your troubles to Christ; he will help you to bear them. Vere. 13-21.-Thefeeding of the.five thousand. I. Tu LoRD's DEPABT1.TBE rno111 GALILEE. 1, He went by ahip into a deserl p~ Ria apostles had returued from  70 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [oH. uv. 1--36.