The Motley Crew

May 19, 2010

The Questions

Read Matthew 14:1-12

1. Why would Herod Antipas jump to such a quick conclusion that Jesus is John the Baptist raised from the dead?

2. Why do we jump to conclusions?

3. When will we stop jumping?

4. Herodias was the granddaughter of Herod the Great. She was the daughter of Aristobulus. At this point she had been married to her father's brother, Philip of Rome. And now she has eloped with her half uncle Herod Antipas who was already married. So now two marriages have been disrupted and these two are living together without being married as John as preaching it is not lawful for you to “have her.” What should John have preached?

5. What should we preach?

6. I wonder who wanted John dead more – Herodias or Herod Antipas.

7. Does “like mother like daughter” seem to fit here?

8. Why would Herod carry out such a disgrace?

9. What would you do if you were one of John's disciples?

10. How far away is Jesus' death from here?

The Motley Crew

May 19, 2010

Some Suggested Answers

We opened with prayer.

Read Matthew 14:1-12

John the Baptist Beheaded

1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, 2 and he said to his attendants, "This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him."

3 Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, 4 for John had been saying to him: "It is not lawful for you to have her."5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered him a prophet.

6 On Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for them and pleased Herod so much7that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist." 9 The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted 10 and had John beheaded in the prison. 11 His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. 12 John's disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.

1. Why would Herod Antipas jump to such a quick conclusion that Jesus is John the Baptist raised from the dead?

Answer: Superstition and, most of all, an evil/guilty conscience.

Superstition and an evil conscience are combined in making this cowardly criminal jump to the conclusion that Jesus, who is now for the first time brought to his attention, is John the Baptist returned from the dead …. That, Herod asserts, explains the miracles reported regarding Jesus [that is, that the reincarnated John must have miraculous powers]. Lenski, p. 555.

Herod claimed to be a Sadducee, and hence held that there was no life whatever after death, but under the terrors of a guilty conscience his creed undergoes a change. Hence his first thought when he hears of the deeds of Jesus is that the murdered John has risen from the dead. B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary; John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible; McGarvey and Pendleton's Bible Commentary; Lutheran Study Bible, p. 1611.

2. Why do we jump to conclusions?

Answer: Insecurity. What we know about them, and what I know about me.

We don't always have the facts. Sometimes, we are influenced by what we hear, especially gossip, and there's a lot of that.

We also have preconceived notions, and our own superstitions.

Is our faith a superstition? Maybe so, but first let us tell others about Him, and then let those others decide. A cult? Well, we meet at specific times of day on specific days of the weeks. Especially in the past, there has been a dress code.

Some of this is insecurity on our parts, and if I'm insecure, I might tend to jump to conclusions.

Gossip can feed into my insecurities and preconceived notions. If I hear negative gossip about someone I like, I tend to disregard it, but if I hear negative gossip about someone I don't like, I might tend to believe it. The case of the recent appointment to the Supreme Court is an apt example. Without any proof, wildly negative gossip is circulating on the World Wide Web.

One member told of a church where the pastor was accused of having an affair with the church organist. Members of the congregation jumped to conclusions … either for or against … and the church split in two.

3. When will we stop jumping?

Answer: Soon, I pray.

When I know more, I'm less likely to jump to conclusions. Perhaps I'll be less inclined to jump to conclusions when that time comes that “I shall know fully, even as I am fully known .” I Cor. 13:12.

On days when I'm closer to the Lord, I'm less inclined to jump to conclusions, and more inclined to reject gossips and gossipers. And spending time in prayer, and with His Word, also makes it easier to reject gossip.

Walking a mile in another's shoes/moccasins is a help way to remember not to jump to conclusions. As Scout in “To Kill A Mockingbird” observed, sometimes, we only have to stand on the porch of another.

Sometimes we need to remember that most people are having really bad days.

4. Herodias was the granddaughter of Herod the Great. She was the daughter of Aristobulus. At this point she had been married to her father's brother, Philip of Rome. And now she has eloped with her half uncle Herod Antipas who was already married. So now two marriages have been disrupted and these two are living together without being married as John as preaching it is not lawful for you to “have her.” What should John have preached?

Answer: “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

Leviticus 18:16 (NIV). "Do not have sexual relations with your brother's wife; that would dishonor your brother.”

Leviticus 20:21 (NIV). "If a man marries his brother's wife, it is an act of impurity; he has dishonored his brother. They will be childless.”

Lev. 18:6 (NIV) " 'No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the LORD.

Note: Herodias was the niece of both Philip of Rome and Herod Antipas. Such a marriage is also prohibited by Jewish law.

Herod's crime was a public outrage. … It was plain adultery and within the forbidden degrees of consanguinity [that is, the marriage to a niece]. Lenski, p. 557.

This marriage of Herod to his brother Philip’s wife was a violation of OT law (Lev. 18:16; 20:21). In addition, both Herod Antipas and Herodias had each left marriages to enter into this union. The NET Bible.

The Herod family was just a mess. It's not known that John was ever in the presence of Herod, however, his criticisms “trickled up” to Herod and especially Herodias.

5. What should we preach?

Answer: The same thing that John preached.

Pastor Eddie has long believed that couples should not live together prior to marriage. Couple that co-habitate only have a 45% success rate. By way of comparison, there is a 95% success rate for those who worship and pray together. This is what Pastor Eddie tells the confirmands. And he will not marry a couple who are living together until after they are living apart prior to the marriage.

6. I wonder who wanted John dead more – Herodias or Herod Antipas.

Answer: Herodias. She probably nagged Herod about killing John, plus Herod like to listen to him. See: Mark 6:19-20:

19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to,20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.

Now when many others came in crowds about [John the Baptist], for they were very greatly moved [or pleased] 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 rebellion, (for they seemed ready to do any thing 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 would be too late. Accordingly he was sent a prisoner, out of Herod's suspicious temper, to Macherus, the castle I before mentioned, and was there put to death. Now the Jews had an opinion that the destruction of [Herod's] army [of 36 A.D.] was sent as a punishment upon Herod, and a mark of God's displeasure to him. Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews (18.5.2)

because they counted John as a prophet; a holy good man, and who was sent of God; Jews respected him as such, believing him to be a true and real prophet, and treated him with honour and reverence, suitable to his character; wherefore Herod was afraid, should he take away his life, that the people would mutiny, rise up against him, and revolt from him. John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.

7. Does “like mother like daughter” seem to fit here?

Answer: Historians saw she probably learned to dance like that in Rome when her mom was married to Philip. I think they were both pretty loose and greedy.

Note: Herod the Great had two sons by the name of Philip. The elder son fell out of favor with his father, and lived out his life in Rome. This is the Philip that Herodias was married to. The other son named Philip remained in his father's favor, and inherited a portion of Herod the Great's empire after Herod died; this son is referred to as Philip the Tetrarch.

The spectacular dancing of Salome, the daughter of Herodias, … was thoroughly pagan and had been learned while the girl and her mother lived at Roman with Philip. Lenski, p. 558.

It was not customary for the ladies of high rank to dance beyond the limit of the harem. The Oriental dance of a libertine character. But her wicked mother [Herodias] induced her own daughter [Salome] thus to degrade herself in order to accomplish her revengeful purpose. B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary

Danced in their midst. It was a shameful exhibition of lewd dancing prearranged by Herodias to compass her purpose for John's death. Salome had stooped to the level of an αλμε (alme), or common dancer. Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament.

One of our members used an excellent description: salacious.

Salome, a daughter by Philip, Herod's brother, was afterwards married to her uncle Philip, the tetrarch of Iturea (Luke 3:1). B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary; The TNIV Study Bible, p. 1643; The Archeological Bible, p. 1585. According to the Lutheran Study Bible, Josephus identified her as a teenager, aged 12-14. However, other commentators write that she was older than this.

This display of John's head on a platter must have gruesome, but living in Rome, Salome might have seen gladiatorial contests where such would have tended to harden one's heart.

It was pointed out that public beheadings are still performed in some parts of the world. It was observed that that type of punishment might cut down on speeding between Priceville and Carridale St.

8. Why would Herod carry out such a disgrace?

Answer: To impress the guests, plus pride and ego. He wanted to please his wife, Herodias. He was probably drunk, and maybe even had a crush on Salome, his step-daughter.

One member summarized the situation succinctly: He got drunk, shot off his mouth, and was then too embarrassed to recant. The combination of alcohol and seductive dancing took its toll.

First he made the promise and then acknowledged or sealed it with an oath, thus making it absolutely irrevocable. … An oath added to such a promise is directly forbidden in Lev. 5:4, etc. No promise or oath of this kind is binding [to the Jews]; when it is made, it must be confessed as sin (v. 5) and retracted, and pardon must be sought. Lenski, p. 559.

Leviticus 5:4-5 (English Standard Version)
… or if anyone utters with his lips a rash oath to do evil or to do good, any sort of rash oath that people swear, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and he realizes his guilt in any of these; when he realizes his guilt in any of these and confesses the sin he has committed, he shall bring to the LORD as his compensation for the sin that he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin.

The king was sorry. The Greek word thus translated is very strong, and denotes a very great grief, and sorrow. For the oath's sake, and them which sat with him. It was not so much his regard for the oath which he had taken, but his shrinking from the taunt of the guests, if they should see him draw back from his plighted word. B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary; John Wesley's Notes on the Bible.

Men who do wrong always have some flimsy excuses for their sins. A man here orders a judicial murder of the most revolting type "for the sake of his oath" ... He was probably maudlin with wine and befuddled by the presence of the guests. Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament.

9. What would you do if you were one of John's disciples?

Answer: The same.

Acts 18:25 (New International Version)
He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.

Acts 19:3 (New International Version)
So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?"
"John's baptism," they replied.

The fact that John's disciples report the tragedy to Jesus shows that they automatically turned to him. The answer Jesus had sent to John (Matt. 11:4) must thus have satisfied John. From Acts we know that some of John's disciples sought to continue by themselves (Acts 18:25; 19:3), but most of them now probably followed Jesus. Lenski, p. 561.

In Matthew 11 is is reported that John sent a message to Jesus, asking "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" Jesus replied: "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."

Note: there are still communities that are professed disciples of John the Baptist. They call themselves the Mandæans. There are only a few thousand adherents; they live towards the mouth of the Euphrates on the borders of Iraq and Iran. See: http://www.askwhy.co.uk/christianity/0255Mandaeans.php

Life has these disruptions, but Christ is the cornerstone.

10. How far away is Jesus' death from here?

Answer: One year. These events happened just before Passover, 32 A.D. As we continue our study of the Gospel of Matthew, we will be examining the life and teachings of our Lord in the last year of His life.

We closed with prayer.

Next week: The Feeding of the 5,000, the only miracle reported in all four Gospels.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 15:5-6

Parallel Scripture

John the Baptist Beheaded

For Additional Study:

Online Resources

Book of Concord in PDF Format, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod <http://www.lcms.org/graphics/assets/media/LCMS/TrigBOC.pdf> (2MB file)

These texts are in the public domain and may be copied and distributed freely. The source of these translations is Triglot Concordia: The Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921).

A number of other Lutheran texts can be found in the Belief and Practice section of the website of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod: http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=112

John Gill's Exposition of the Bible.
<http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/gill/matthew11.htm>

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary.
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/mh/matthew11.htm

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
<http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/mhc/matthew11.htm>

Jamieson, Faussett, and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible.
<http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/jfb/matthew11.htm>

B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary
<http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/johnson/matthew11.htm >

Greek Interlinear Bible, http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/Greek_Index.htm
Based on NA26/27. A word-by-word translation of the Greek New Testament.

John Lightfoot's Bible Commentary
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/light/matthew12.htm

J. W. McGarvey and Philip Y. Pendleton, The Fourfold Gospel or A Harmony of the Four Gospels (Cincinnati, The Standard Publishing Company, 1914)
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/four/matthew12.htm

The NET Bible. <http://bible.org/netbible/> A completely new translation of the Bible with 60,932 translators’ notes. It was completed by more than 25 scholars – experts in the original biblical languages – who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Excellent notes, citing both the Greek and Hebrew, as needed. Greek and Hebrew fonts available without cost.

Harold H. Buls - Sermon Notes <http://www.pericope.org/buls-notes/index.html> and a second collection, Sermon Notes of Dr. Harold H. Buls <http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/wittenberg-bul.html>. Adapted from Exegetical Notes, Series A, Festival Season Sundays, Gospel Texts, by Harold H. Buls, Concordia Theological Seminary Press: Ft Wayne IN, 1980, pp.9-12.

W. Robertson Nicoll, The Greek Expositor's Testament. Vol. 1. Five Volumes. (New York: George H. Doran Co., ca. 1910). Excellent notes on the Greek text and summaries of commentators. Available at Google Books (www.books.google.com) and the Internet Archive (www.archive.org; easier to find here than at Google Books).

Other Additional Resources:
http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/SPLC/Motley%20Crew%20Research%20Resources.html

Other Resources

Barker, Kenneth L., ed., TNIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006)

Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions. Readers Edition. (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2006)

Davies, Benjamin, ed., Baker's Pocket Harmony of the Gospels (Baker Book House, 1975). Formerly printed as Harmony of the Four Gospels.

Goodrick, Edward W. and John R. Kohlenberger III, eds., The Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999). This is the second edition, originally published as the Zondervan NIV Exhaustive Concordance. It was originally published as The NIV Exhaustive Concordance. It should be distinguished from The NIV Complete Concordance by the same authors.

Green, Jay P., ed., The Interlinear Greek-English New Testament. Vol. IV. Second Edition. (Hendrickson Publishers, 1985)

Halley, Henry H., Halley's Bible Handbook. New Revised Edition (24^th Edition). (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1965)

Hickie, W.J., Greek-English Lexicon to the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1977). This is a reprint of an older edition, originally published by Macmillan, August. 1893. A contemporary review described this as "A handy little volume, compiled on sound principles from trustworthy authorities." The 1911 edition is available online and for download at http://openlibrary.org/b/OL17866849M/Greek-English_lexicon_to_the_New_Testament

Hoerber, Robert G., ed., Concordia Self-Study Bible. NIV (Great Rapids, Zondervan: 1973, 1984).

Lenski, R.C.H., The Interpretation of St. Matthew's Gospel (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1943, reprinted 1964)

The Lutheran Study Bible (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2009).

Nave, Orville J., ed., Nave's Topical Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1979)

New Bible Dictionary. Second Edition. (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1962)

NIV Archeological Study Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005)

Rogers, Cleon L. Jr., and Cleon L. Rogers III, eds., The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998)

Strong, James, ed., The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990)