The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-12-29
THE LESSON STORY.
HerOd Antipas, In his luxurious

HerOd AntipaSs IN his luxurious pal
ace at Tiberias, terror-stricken at the story
of the words and works of Jesus,-this is
remarkable fact to contemplate.
Herod had been wont to sheer or smile
at such trivialities. But now, on coming
from his southern castle Macharus to his
new palace on the shore of Lake Galilee,
to be told of Jesus, threw him into nerv-
Gus fever, and caused his eyes to become
bewildered by apparitions. Astonishing
is his explanation of the news of Jesus
which he has heard, -astonIshng indeed
for Roman and a Sadducee: John, 70ltom
/6ezeaded, he is risen !
Why this panic in the royal palace
What has turned the Roman soldier to a
nervous weakling? What has caused even
one of the Herods to become a slave of
superstition?
The story which explains Herods de-
moralized state is in tragic qualities only
surpassed in the New Testament by that
which it prehgures, the story of the cross.
1. HerOd Keeps the Faithful
Prophet in PrisOn,-vs. 1920.
Herod imprisoned the Baptist because
he had said to him 1t is not ka7gful for
thee to haze thy 6,0tFer'S qOit5.
We recall that Herod, while visiting his
half-brother Philip in Rome,-a citizen
brother, because his royal inheritance had
been withheld from him,-had fallen UNI
der the sensual fascination of his brothers
wife Herodias BY appealing to her am
bition he had led her to forsake her hus-
band, and with her daughter Salome fol
low him to his palace in Galilee. Herod,
we recall, had been for many years the
husband of the daughter of the powerful
Arabian prince Aretas, whose princedom,
Nabatea with Petra for its capital, was at
the southwark of his province of Perea.
The taking of Herodias was therefore on
Herod's part in politics as daring as it was
in morals wicked. 1t caused a moral
shock among his Jewish subjects. His
Arabian wife promptly returned to her
father and Aretas Immediately began
preparations for war. While Hero1 had
the powerful support of Rome, and may
not have feared the Bedouin warriors of
Aretas, there could be no question among
the people that the man who had weakly
fallen under the beguilement of an ambi
tious woman, was criminally blameworthy.
But Herod according to Jewish conces-
sion, was king, and therefore not held
amenable to common law. The Jewish
scribes, for selfish ends, had palliated the
kings sin. The Herodians had fattered
the royal craven as a white-souled saint
But the Baptist was brave enough to tell
him the truth He told Herod he was a
law-breaker. This meant rebellion against
a wicked tyrant. 1t was moral defiance of
Rome.
The scene of this heroic declaration has
been by many scholars supposed to be the
palace of Herod it being assumed that
the curious king had sent for the prophet
to come to his court, and that the invitation
had been accepted. We, however, must
think il improbable that John, who Stunned
even the temple, would accept an invitation
to visit such kings court. Il seems to
us to fit the facts to believe that Herod,
because of his curiosity to hear the prophet
whose fame filled the land, and not unlike
ly desiring to make the Baptist his par
tsan for political ends, had with Herodlas
at his side visited the Baptist at his
preaching station in the Jordan valley.
The 81 5ht of the handsome Herodias, thus
youchsafed to the people, would be Ro-
man method of soliciting popular favor.
1t was to the royal couple inconceivable
that the Baptist coull speak to them any
other than words of fattery.
But the plainest statement of fact
namely, that Iierod kept his brothers wife
by his side unlawfully,-was Johns terrific
arraignment of the sinners who thought to
shield their sin under their purple.
From the day when the Baptist made
TINS sublime declaration, Herodias became
his deadly foe. She was skilled in plots
and diplomacy. But Herod was not so
readily her tool as she had expected.