And she came in immediately with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that you give me at once on a platter the head of John the Baptist.
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Bede
AD 735
His love for the woman prevailed. She forced him to lay his hands upon a man whom he knew to be holy and just. Since he was unwilling to restrain his lechery, he incurred the guilt of homicide. What was a lesser sin for him became the occasion of a greater sin. By God’s strict judgment it happened to him that, as a result of his craving for the adulteress whom he knew he ought to refuse, he caused the shedding of the blood of the prophet he knew was pleasing to God…. Already holy, John became more holy still when, through his office of spreading the good news, he reached the palm of martyrdom.
I will that forthwith thou give me in a dish the head of John the Bapist. You will say, John the Baptist was not, then, a martyr, because Herod slew him not because of his faith, nor because of his rebuking him for his adultery, but for the sake of pleasing this dancing girl, and fulfilling his promise. I answer by denying the conclusion. For, 1This girl asked the head of John at the instigation of her mother, who wished to cut off John for reproving her adultery. Herodias, therefore, was the virtual cause of John"s death, because she impelled Herod to behead him2nd Herod assented to her. Knowing the malignant disposition of his wife, he gave way to her, and killed John 3Herod himself desired to kill John , as Matthew says expressly ( Matthew 14:5); but he did not dare to do it through fear of the people, who made great count of John as a holy man. Lastly, many are of opinion that probably all was done collusively and of set purpose—namely, that Herod had suggested to Herodias that she...
