Love Can Be Wrong, and Saying So Can Be Costly

Read Matthew 14:1-12

      John the Baptizer “had been saying” (14:4) that it was a violation of God’s Law for Herod to have taken his brother’s wife as his own (Leviticus 18:16; 20:21).  The language indicates that it was not something John mentioned one time, but a regular theme in his public preaching.  And he didn’t just preach “about” Herod, but “to” him, thundering as an Old Testament prophet, zealous for repentance and God’s righteous judgment. 

      But calling sexual sin by its correct name was unforgivable in the eyes of the powerfully placed Herodias, the woman whose love-life John so intolerantly condemned.  Without authority to order his death herself, she found opportunity to manipulate both daughter and husband into bringing about the desired result by other means, and with flourish, too – John’s head served up on a platter for Herod’s birthday feast. 

      Standing up for God-revealed standards of right and wrong has always cut across the grain of human sinfulness, and has often provoked a hostile response.  It’s nothing new.  But, as our Lord said, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (5:11-12).