But on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them: and pleased Herod.

“Mystically, John represents the Law; for the Law preached Christ, and John came of the Law, preaching Christ out of the Law. Herod is the Prince of the people, and the Prince of the people bears the name and the cause of the whole body put under him. John then warned Herod that he should not take to him his brother’s wife. For there are and there were two people, of the circumcision, and of the Gentiles; and these are brethren, children of the same parent of the human race, but the Law warned Israel that he should not take to him the works of the Gentiles and unbelief which was united to them as by the bond of conjugal love. On the birthday, that is amidst the enjoyments of the things of the body, the daughter of Herodias danced; for pleasure, as it were springing from unbelief, was carried in its alluring course throughout the whole of Israel, and the nation bound itself thereto as by an oath, for for sin and worldly pleasures the Israelites sold the gifts of eternal life. She (Pleasure), at the suggestion of her mother Unbelief, begged that there should be given her the head of John, that is, the glory of the Law; but the people knowing the good that was in the Law, yielded these terms to pleasure, not without sorrow for its own danger, conscious that it ought not to have given up so great glory of its teachers. But forced by its sins, as by the force of an oath, as well as overcome by the fear, and corrupted by the example of the neighbouring princes, it sorrowfully yields to the blandishments of pleasure. So among the other gratifications of a debauched people the head of John is brought in in a dish, that is by the loss of the Law, the pleasures of the body, and worldly luxury is increased. It is carried by the damsel to her mother; thus depraved Israel offered up the glory of the Law to pleasure and unbelief. The times of the Law being expired, and buried with John, his disciples declare what is done to the Lord, coming, that is, to the Gospels from the Law.”

“Here is a twofold accusation against the damsel, that she danced, and that she chose to ask an execution as her reward. Observe how Herod is at once cruel and yielding; he obliges himself by an oath, and leaves her free to choose her request. Yet when he knew what evil was resulting from her request, he was grieved, And the king was sorry, for virtue gains praise and admiration even among the bad.”

“It should be known that it is customary not for rich only but for poor mothers also, to educate their daughters so chastely, that they are scarce so much as seen by strangers. But this unchaste woman had so brought up her daughter after the same manner, that she had taught her not chastity but dancing. Nor is Herod to be less blamed who forgot that his was a royal palace, but this woman made it a theatre; And it pleased Herod, so that he swore with an oath that he would give her whatsoever she should ask of him.”

“Above, the Lord showed the power of evangelical teaching under certain parables; here he shows it by deeds. And he does three things: first he shows to which effects it extends, through a likeness of deeds; second he shows the sufficiency of evangelical teaching; third, how it is to be kept in purity. The second is in chapter 15, the third in chapter 16. Concerning the first, first a false opinion is set forth; second, the occasion; third, the opinion is disproved. The second at "Herod had seized John," etc.; the third at "which when Jesus had heard, he withdrew from there." He says therefore: "At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of his fame." And this is not to be referred back to that particular day, but to the time in general; for Mark 6:1 and Luke 4:16 do not narrate in the same order, since they narrate this after the sending of the disciples, as is found in Mark 6. Hence it is uncertain which of them keeps the order of the history. Nevertheless, what is said, "at that time," is said in order to denote the negligence of Herod, because it was only after the miracles that he then for the first time heard the fame of Jesus: for this sloth is usual among the rich, that they do not care about small things. 1 Timothy, last chapter, 17: "Charge the rich of this world not to be highminded, nor to trust in the uncertainty of riches," etc. "Herod the tetrarch heard" — this is to distinguish him from Herod the king, under whom Christ was born, as is found above in chapter 2. Hence, when that one had died, Christ returned from Egypt. This Herod was his son, and was tetrarch. His father was made king by the Romans, and had six sons, of whom he killed two during his own lifetime; another, the firstborn, he killed at his death, when he was already having himself put forward as king, while the father was still living. When he had died, Archelaus took the kingdom for himself, and, following his father's malice, could not be tolerated by the Jews. Then they went to the Romans, and the kingdom was divided into four parts: two parts were given to Archelaus, another to Herod, and another part to Philip. Hence this one was tetrarch and prince over a fourth part of the kingdom. "He heard the fame of Jesus." In this he was reprehensible, that he had already lived so long a time, and Jesus had worked miracles, and yet he heard of it only then for the first time; hence that saying of Job 28:22 is fulfilled: "Destruction and death have said: With our ears we have heard the fame thereof." "And he said to his servants: This is John the Baptist," etc. Some have said that he held the doctrine of the transmigration of souls: for Plato and Pythagoras held that a soul, going out from one body, enters into another body. Holding this opinion, Herod, as they say, believed that the soul of John had passed into the soul of Christ. But this cannot be, because he had killed him only a little before; but Jesus was thirty years old; hence he did not believe this. Likewise, he had already worked miracles before the beheading, and before the imprisonment, as is found in John 3. Herod, however, is to be praised, because he believed in the resurrection, concerning which Job 14:14: "Thinkest thou that a man once dead shall live again?" Likewise he had another good quality, that he believed the resurrection comes about in a better state; therefore he believed that he would then work miracles which he had not done before the resurrection; hence he says, "and therefore powers work in him," because he has come to a higher state; hence men will rise again in a better state. Hence the Apostle, 1 Corinthians 15:43: "It is sown in weakness, it shall rise in power." But here there is a question, because Luke says that he heard and was in doubt; hence he said, "John I have beheaded"; but here Matthew speaks without doubt, when he says, "This is John." Augustine resolves this, saying that it was not from himself, but he heard it from others. Hence when he first heard it, he doubted, but as the report grew, he assented. Hence Luke related the first stage, but Matthew the second. Or it can be said otherwise, that Matthew too touches on Herod's doubt, so that it is read interrogatively: "Is this John?" "For Herod had seized John." These things had happened before; hence he does not follow the order, but treats of the death of John incidentally. But there is a question, why the Evangelists treat of John incidentally, and Chrysostom asks this. He resolves it thus: because they intended principally the deeds of Christ, but other things only insofar as they were referred to Christ. Therefore here, as a consequence, he treats of the death of John. And first he treats of the imprisonment; second, of the death, at "but on the birthday," etc. Concerning the first he does three things: first he sets forth the imprisonment; second, the cause; third, the beheading. "For Herod had seized John, and bound him, and put him in prison." He touches on the order, since first he seized him, bound him, and imprisoned him; and so it was also with Christ. He touches on the cause when he says, "because of Herodias, his brother's wife." Herod and Philip were brothers. Philip had the daughter of Aretas, king of the Arabs. This man had enmity with that king of the Arabs, and also with his brother Herod, so that the king of the Arabs, out of hatred for Philip, took back his daughter, and granted her to Herod. Concerning this John you should understand that he was a man of great power; hence it is said of him: "He himself shall come in the power of Elijah." Likewise you should note that he is also called a martyr, because he died on account of a rebuke concerning the faith, because he died for the truth; and Christ is the truth. For he was saying to Herod: "It is not lawful for thee to have her." It should be known that Antipater, the father of Herod the king, was a foreigner, but he was a proselyte, hence his sons were Jews. But it was commanded in the law that, while a brother was living, another should not have his brother's wife; therefore John, as a zealous keeper of the law, said, "It is not lawful for thee to have her." "And wishing to kill him, he feared the people." Sometimes it happens that when someone does not want to avoid a sin, he falls into a greater one. Hosea 4:2: "Murder, and theft, and adultery have overflowed, and blood hath touched blood." Hence when he did not want to avoid adultery, he incurred murder. And when he wished it, he feared the people. A disturbance of the people is greatly to be feared; Ecclesiasticus 26:5: "For three things my heart hath feared: the accusation of a city, and the gathering together of the people, and a false calumny." Likewise the fear of the Lord takes away an evil will; but the fear of man does not, although it may cause it to be deferred. Therefore, because he could not act on account of fear of the people, he deferred it. "But on the birthday," etc. Here concerning the killing he does three things, since he could not act on account of fear of the people: first the antecedents are set forth; second, the killing; third, the subsequent events. Concerning the first, three antecedents are set forth: namely, the dancing; the promise; the request. He says therefore, "but on the birthday," etc. It was a custom among the ancients to celebrate the day of birth, against that saying of Ecclesiastes 7:2: "Better is the day of death than the day of birth." It is not read that anyone celebrated a birthday except this man, and Pharaoh king of Egypt. Hence on the birthday the daughter of Herodias — for so she was called — danced in the midst, that is, in the banquet hall, and in this she is rendered culpable, because in wantonness she forgot the royal hall, in which such things ought not to be done; and it pleased Herod, against that saying of Ecclesiasticus 9:4: "Use not much the company of her that is a dancer." And it follows, "whereupon he promised with an oath," etc. Behold an incautious promise, and a rash oath. Ecclesiasticus 23:9: "Let not thy mouth be accustomed to swearing, for in it there are many falls." And, forewarned by her mother, she said, "Give me here in a dish the head of John the Baptist." Here the request of the woman is set forth. Women are sometimes devout, and have a changeable disposition; hence when they are devout, they are most devout, but when they are cruel, they are most cruel; Ecclesiasticus 25:22: "There is no head worse than the head of a serpent; there is no anger above the anger of a woman." And in the same place it is said: "All malice is short compared to the malice of a woman." For a man would scarcely think what a perverse woman thinks. The mother therefore asked, that she might satisfy her anger. Likewise she feared lest Herod, on account of the words of John, might at some point be converted, and put her away. "And the king was struck sad, because of the oath." Here it is determined how he is killed. Chrysostom: here an example is given that honesty is honored even by the impious, as is found in Wisdom 5:1ff. Jerome says that he who before wished to kill him but feared the people, is now saddened. Why then does it say that he was saddened? He resolves it: it is the custom of men to relate what appears to men, just as they said Christ was the son of Joseph, because they thought so, as is found in Luke 3. Hence it says "saddened," because so it appeared to men. The execution follows. And first the command is set forth; second, the execution. "Because of the oath, and because of them that sat with him at table." In this he was foolish, because concerning a dishonest matter an oath is not to be feared, because by the very fact that I swear to do it, I am a perjurer; Jeremiah 4:2: "Thou shalt swear in judgment" (that is, with discretion), "in justice and in truth." Likewise, if he had sworn something that he would do concerning himself, it ought to be understood as applying to honest things. Hence what he ought not to do in himself, he ought not command another to do either; Zechariah 8:17: "Love not a false oath." And "because of them that sat with him at table," so that he might make all of them participants in the murder, for all were asking on behalf of the girl. "He commanded it to be given. And he sent, and beheaded John." Here the execution is set forth. Here is fulfilled what he had said: "He must increase, but I must decrease," because Christ was stretched out on the cross, while this one was beheaded. Likewise the beheading of John was a sign that, by the authority of the law, they were to lose Christ and the law. Consequently the events subsequent to the beheading are set forth. And first the fulfillment of the promise is set forth; second, the burial. He says therefore, "and his head was brought in a dish." And in this Herod was reprehensible, because he exercised cruelty amid pleasures: hence it is told that a certain bailiff loved a certain little harlot, and when she was in his lap, she said that she had never seen a man killed. And when he was at a banquet, he had someone deserving of death brought, and had him beheaded before her: which the Romans came to know, and he was made an exile from Rome. Thus this one too was sent into exile. "And his disciples came, and took the body, and buried it." Here the burial of John is treated of, and it is counted among the works of mercy; and yet it seems that mercy does not pertain to the dead, because if it pertained to him, it would seem that what the Lord says would not be true: "Fear ye not them that kill the body." Why then is it counted among the works of mercy? It must be said that, although he is not served according to the effect he now has, he is nevertheless served according to the affection which one now has toward the dead. Hence "they took his body, and buried it"; it is said that this was at Sebaste, since it is nearby there. Afterward, Julian the Apostate, seeing many coming to his relics, had him burned, except for the head. "And they came and told Jesus." Hence the disciples of John, who at first spoke against Jesus, once John was dead, returned to Jesus, and became familiar with him: thus some in a time of tribulation are converted to Christ; Hosea 6:1: "In their affliction they will rise early to me." "And when Jesus had heard it, he withdrew in a boat into a desert place apart." Above, the opinion of Herod concerning Christ was set forth, and on the occasion of this the narrative concerning John was introduced; but now it is shown that Herod's opinion is false. He had said two things: that Christ was John whom he had killed, and likewise that, having risen again, he was working powers. He says therefore that when Jesus had heard it, he withdrew from there in a boat, etc. Why did he withdraw? Jerome assigns four reasons. The first, that he might spare his enemies, lest they should rush from one murder into another; Hosea 4:2: "Blood hath touched blood." Likewise, that he might defer his passion; hence he himself says, John 7:6: "My time is not yet come." Likewise, that he might give us an example, that we should not thrust ourselves into sufferings: for it is not a virtue to thrust oneself into sufferings, but presumption. Hence above, Matthew 10:33: "If they persecute you in one city, flee into another." Likewise, that he might show with how great devotion the crowds heard the word of God, since they followed him even in danger; Deuteronomy 13:3: "The Lord your God trieth you, that he may know openly whether you love him." Likewise it must be noted that he sets forth four things which ought to have drawn the crowd back from following Christ. The first is, that he withdrew in a boat; likewise, that he withdrew into a desert place; likewise, that there were no groves there, since it was a desert; likewise, it was not near a road, to which men gladly turn aside; but this one withdrew apart. But he did this so that the devotion of the crowd might be all the more approved. Likewise Chrysostom says that he withdrew in order to give approval to the man; therefore he was unwilling to withdraw except once the death of John had been announced. There follows, "and when the crowds had heard," etc. Here the miracles are treated of. And first the devotion of the crowds is touched upon; second, the miracles are touched upon. He says therefore, "and when the crowds had heard it, they followed him on foot out of the cities"; where the devotion of the crowds and of poor men is touched upon, who follow the Lord for the sake of devotion. Hosea 6:1: "In their affliction they will rise early to me." "And going forth, he saw a great multitude," etc. Here he touches on the wonders which the Lord worked, going forth out of the desert: and rightly so, because while he was in the heavens, the crowds did not seek him; John 16:28: "I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world." "He saw the multitude." Hence he is stirred to mercy; hence it follows, "and he had pity on them"; hence he immediately showed them mercy: Psalm 85:15: "The Lord is compassionate and merciful, patient, and of much mercy, and true." There follows the effect of this mercy, "and he healed their sick," namely, freely, and without being asked. Psalm 106:20: "He sent his word, and healed them."”

“But when Herod's birthday was kept,.... The birthdays of princes, both of their coming into the world, and accession to the throne of government, were kept by the Gentiles; as by the Egyptians, Gen 40:20 and by the (n) Persians, and Romans (o), and other nations, but not by the Jews; who reckon these among the feasts of idolaters. "These (say they (p)) are the feasts of idolaters; the "Calends", and the "Saturnalia", the time kept in memory of subduing a kingdom (or when a king takes possession of it, the day of his accession), , "and the birthday of kings" (when they are made and crowned, the day of coronation), and the day of birth, and the day of death.'' And it is a question, whether this day, that was kept, was the day of Herod's natural birth, or of his civil government, being his accession, or coronation day: and it might also be a question, whether it was the then present Herod's birthday, or whether it was not his father Herod's, was it not that Mark says, Mar 6:21 it was his birthday; since it is the latter the poet (q) refers to, as kept by Jews, when he says, "At cum Herodis venere dies"; and the old Scholiast upon him observes, that "Herod reigned over the Jews in Syria, in the times of Augustus; therefore the Herodians kept Herod's birthday, as also the sabbath, on which day they set up candles in the windows lighted, and encircled with violets.'' This they did, believing him to be the Messiah: and it is further to be observed, that the word here used, is said (r) to be proper to the dead, and not to the living; and that he that uses it of the living, speaks very inaccurately: but however, it was a festival, and a time of great mirth and jollity; and a proper opportunity offered to Herodias, to execute her malicious designs against John the Baptist; for at this time, the daughter of Herodias danced before them: in the original text it is, "in the midst", in the middle of the hall; or in the midst of the company, the lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee, for whom Herod made a supper, Mar 6:21 and the Syriac renders it , "before the guests". Music and dancing were usual at such entertainments, they were the common appendages of a feast (s): the daughter of Herodias, who danced before the company for their diversion, whether alone, or with others, was very probably Salome (t), whom she had by her former husband; and therefore is called, not the daughter of Herod, but of Herodias: and pleased Herod; and as Mark adds, "and them that sat with him"; so that the pleasure he had did not arise merely from the respect and honour shown to him and his birthday, by her appearing with so much cheerfulness on this occasion before him; who had taken her father's wife from him, and defiled her mother; but from the airs, gestures, and motions of the lady in dancing; which were so extremely fine and regular, that she gave wonderful satisfaction and delight to Herod, and the whole company. (n) Herodot. l. 1. c. 133. & 9. c. 109. (o) Plin. Ep. 1. 10. ep. 61. (p) Misn. Avoda Zara, c. 1. sect. 3. (q) Persius, Satyr. 5. prope finem. (r) Ammonius, &c. in lit. (s) Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 2. c. 25. (t) Joseph. Antiqu. l. 18. c. 6.”