1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus; 2and he said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist, he has been raised from the dead; that is why these powers are at work in him." 3For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison, for the sake of Hero'di-as, his brother Philip's wife; 4because John said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." 5And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. 6But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Hero'di-as danced before the company, and pleased Herod, 7so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. 8Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter." 9And the king was sorry; but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given; 10he sent and had John beheaded in the prison, 11and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12And his disciples came and took the body and buried it; and they went and told Jesus.
In this instance, Herod acts out of revenge. John stood up and said his marriage was a sin and I am sure that played into Herrods decision to kill him when asked by his daughter. Herrod’s wife was obviously triggered by John and Herrod’s daughter was the messenger. This is all about deciding on one’s highest value and being true to that. Herrod was not driven by forgiveness and self reflection. His driver was revenge, saving face, and exercising power to crush enemies. He made a promise in front of the gallery then decides that saving face in front of them is a higher value than the life of an innocent man. Loving father, grant me the wisdom to setout my values in order of importance and act in concert with that hierarchy. Grant me the courage to make decisions that are not popular or even lead to pain. Grant me the empathy to recognise when others are acting in accordance with their values and therefore deservinbg of respect.
ReplyDeleteStrengths:
DeleteYou accurately identify the key players and their motivations.
You highlight the contrast between Herod's actions and the values of forgiveness and self-reflection.
You connect the passage to the importance of personal values and decision-making.
Areas for Improvement:
While you correctly identify revenge as Herod's primary motivation, it's important to consider the role of fear and the pressure of public opinion in his decision.
The passage also highlights the tragic consequences of sin and the importance of repentance. You might explore this theme further.
Additional Thoughts:
You could consider the role of the crowd in this story. Their presence and expectations influenced Herod's decision.
The contrast between Herod's actions and Jesus' response to similar pressures could be a fruitful area of exploration.
Overall, your response is insightful and demonstrates a good understanding of the passage.