Leviticus 25:1, 8-17 Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 7-8Matthew 14:1-12
Aploste Matthew's gospel tells the tragical story of John the Baptist’s beheading. The story itself of the imprisonment and martyrdom of John.
These extraordinary sufferings of him who was the first preacher of the gospel, plainly show that bonds and afflictions will abide the professors of it. As the first Old-Testament saint, so the first New-Testament minister, died a martyr. And if Christ's forerunner was thus treated, let not his followers expect to be caressed by the world.
That is the death by which he must glorify God; and because it was his who died first after the beginning of the gospel, though the martyrs died various kinds of deaths, and not so easy and honourable as this, yet this is put for all the rest, Rev. 20:4, where we read of the souls of those that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus
The reasons for this barbaric action appear outlandish. John the Baptist disapproved of Herod’s divorce from his wife and unlawfully taking his brother’s wife. John the Baptist did not change his message to accommodate Herod, but rather he was willing to be imprisoned for being true to God’s word. A drunken Herod ordered to have John the Baptist beheaded because he promised to give Herodias’ daughter anything she wanted. Herod was weak. He succumbed to temptation. He became a vehicle for vengeance. His weaknesses led to the death of a pious and holy man.
May Lord grant us strenght to overcome all weakness and trials of life .
Saint John the Baptist pray for us ! Amen
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