This Is John the Baptist and These Are His Enemies

The classic tension between king and prophet in the Bible can only be understood in light of a third, malevolent character.  Like the king, this character stands in opposition to God, even when it proclaims its love for the prophet. The mob, as we’ve said for weeks, has a part to play in human tyranny.  In Matthew 14, Herod’s fear of this third party leads him into direct conflict with God’s law.   It really doesn't matter that the crowd reveres John the  Baptist. Their perverse relationship with Herod, motivated by their own fears, can't but lead to destruction. As the Jesus said, "From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force." Matthew 11:12 Richard and Fr. Marc discuss Matthew 14:1-5. Episode 310 Matthew 14:1-5; Music from https://filmmusic.io: “Limit 70” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★