Mark 6:20

WHERE HEROD FAILED

‘For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.’

Mark 6:20

There is no greater peril than the peril of playing with spiritual convictions, or than that of amusing ourselves with God’s truth, taking pleasure in hearing it, yet not making it the rule of action, or really doing anything to promote those objects.

I. Where Herod failed.—The story of Herod contains a remarkable instance of this. We can quite imagine with what emotions of alarm the lewd king may have heard the tale of the wild unearthly man, with his proclamation of a heavenly kingdom at hand, to whom the whole nation flocked. The impure Herod saw in John one whom the shadows of eternity appeared visibly to encircle. To hear of him was, as it were, to enter into the cloud, and as he entered, he feared.

II. Yet ‘he did many things.’—What those many things were which Herod amended at the bidding of John we vainly surmise. A few of the grosser corruptions of his foul course were perchance removed, but he could not be turned to a thorough reformation of his own life. The only voice which had ever stirred the better spirit within him was quenched in blood, and the last state became worse than the first.

III. Warnings.—From Herod’s history we learn (a) how it may happen that a man who has manifested a certain interest in and deference to religion will yet turn against religion when it assails his cherished idol; (b) how religious instruction, when not honestly followed out, becomes itself a snare.

Bishop Woodford.

Illustration

‘What is it worth—to feel an abstract respect for religion? What is it worth—to like preaching, to be moved by preaching? What is it worth—to prefer to hear a strictly solemn ministry? What is it worth—to delight in pictures of truth? What is it worth—to do “many things” for conscience sake? All that Herod did! It is very evident that Herod was a weak character. Do not think little of weakness of character. It is the cradle of almost all that is wrong. He had strong convictions. He made a partial surrender of himself to God. But Herod never showed the marks of real conversion. His religion was wrong in its foundation. It was a religion of nothing but fear.’