The Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist

 

In the Writings of St. Jacob of Serugh 

A Holy Fervent Heart 

St. Jacob of Serugh presents us a beautiful homily on St. John the Baptist in his spiritual poetic style, in which he reveals to us his great appreciation to this  remarkable character. In this homily, he explores the saint’s deep feelings along  the lines of the story of his martyrdom and what was really going on in his  mind and the minds of the other characters in the story.  

Herod’s Birthday 

The saint’s martyrdom was not an impulsive reaction from King Herod,  Herodias or her daughter, but was the fruit of a holy fervent heart that cannot  stand evil and corruption.  

St. Jacob of Serugh highlights the following points: 

1. St. John noticed that Herod is breaking even the law of nature, when he desired to marry Herodias, his brother’s wife (while his brother is still alive). John could not take a passive stance on this matter, ignore the  issue, or even flee the area that his conscience may not rebuke him for  his silence. Thus, he despised Herod and rebuked him and described  him as careless and unable to lead the people as a king, for he could not  control his emotions. 
2. It was possible for St. John to warn Herod and then flee, but he insisted to face his corruption on every occasion, even if it is every day or every hour.  
3. It is clear that Herod’s relationship with his brother’s wife was reflected in the corruption of her daughter’s thoughts. It seems that John did not ignore their corruption as well for he wished to extinguish their evil  lusts with his holy teachings. 
4. Wickedness always brings forth more wickedness. The King’s corruption as well as his brother’s wife’s and her daughter’s, was reflected on all the nobles and high officers. They all competed in  showing off their joy in a lavish celebration on Herod’s birthday and  they opened the door for the devil to control them as well as all evil desires and excessive drinking, and thus, they all lost their true inner  freedom.  

* He (John) saw Herod, and he despised and rebuked him as a commoner  Because of her, he rebuked him in front of many on every occasion, days,  and hours 

Evil desires were enkindled in Herod and Herodias, and with his teachings,  he desired to extinguish them 

When it was his birthday, he held a lavish celebration and called all the  rulers to the banquet 

Everyone seemed happy for the King, to show him that they respected him  and were proud of his great feast 

The hypocrites showed their love by excessive drinking, to honour the great  feast 

Satan, evil desires, wine, and all wickedness creeped into Herod’s family  and they lost all their freedom 

They counted excessive drinking as a duty, and they all drank for the welfare  of the King on the great feast.  

St. Jacob of Serugh 

The Devil Whispers into Herodias’ Heart to Take Revenge 

St. Jacob of Serugh viewed the great celebration as the event that  transformed the place to an “earth bringing forth thorns and thistles” (Genesis 3:18). It turned the royal palace and its vast chambers into the  worst jungles. Since John was great and fearful in the eyes of the people,  the devil wanted to ridicule him, so he advised Herodias saying, “ It is now  the time of revenge from this Hebrew’s tongue!” As usual, the devil tries to  downgrade sin so he told her, “It is very simple. You kill John and you will  be confirmed on your throne as a queen and no one will ever separate you  from the king who loves you.”  

* He planted the thorns in the earth transforming it to the worst jungles and  he disturbed the impure with troubling thoughts. 

He threw them into her heart and told her: It is time to take away the soul  of this righteous.  

It is time to shut this offensive mouth with the sword; this mouth which  ridiculed you and insulted you.  

It is time for this preacher’s voice to be silenced from his insults and mockery, with which he used to throw at you 

It is time for this Hebrew’s mockery to end, him who made you a joke for  all Galileans. 

It is time for the sword to take your revenge from this man who mocked you  everyday 

If John dies, you will be confirmed in the kingdom, for there is no one else  to keep the King away from you. 

St. Jacob of Serugh 

Herodias Shows Off 

The devil offered many methods for the “wide pathway” which Herodias  can use to get rid of John: 

1. When she entered the celebration hall, she counted herself on the battlefield against John. Her weapon was her daughter’s beauty and her dances. Her daughter was the sharp sword which she used to strike  Herod’s heart, that he may be completely weakened in front of her  daughter and promise her anything she asks of him, up to half of his  kingdom.  
2. She taught her daughter to catch her prey, John, like a wild wolf catching a calm lamb chained and imprisoned, unable to flee from her claws.  
3. She gave her attractive clothing even up to her shoes, that she may be astonishing to all the guests, and meanwhile she catches the lamb and asks for John’s head on a platter.  

* She unsheathed her daughter as a chosen sword that she may kill the  wilderness’ mighty one with the spear.  

She taught her daughter what to do with the innocent, chained and  imprisoned lamb  

She clothed her with all fornication and with shiny shoes  

She taught her and sent her to enter in front of the guests so that she may  capture them… 

St. Jacob of Serugh 

Herodias’ Daughter Dances 

Herodias’ daughter entered the celebration, and she focused on revealing  her shiny shoes in her dances, so she captured the hearts of the King and his guests. With her shoelaces, she chained all the guests and captured them with  evil desire.  

The daughter defeated the weak king and all his guests and ridiculed them,  for they became like war captives without any weapon but her dances and her  shiny shoes. She battled the King and all his army leaders and was victorious  and asked for the precious jewel to be given to her on a platter.  

* A great joke were those mighty men of the kingdom, for a young lady was  able to chain them and ridicule them  

The young lady came in front of the King’s guests and with her shoes, she  captured all of them without battle  

O men, your actions deserve mockery and you are still proud, a young lady  captured you with her dances that you may be subjected to her The young lady warred against your mighty men, and she took away from  you the priceless pearl… 

St. Jacob of Serugh 

Herod Promises Herodias’ Daughter What She Wanted  

Herodias’ daughter truly became a viper, for she listened to the voice of the  deceiving serpent. 

The devil put the spirit of violence and pride into the Herodias’ heart, so she  asked for the saint’s head to be presented to her, with honor, as though she was  the winner. She counted this head as more precious than half of the kingdom,  for she thought that this would shut his mouth up forever.  

* The King and his rulers were pleased with the dance, so he promised the  adulteress’ daughter with a good wage. 

Because she pleased him so much, he promised her anything even if she  would share in half of his kingdom if she wishes.  

He told the daughter of the serpent: ask and I will give you. I make an oath  to you that I will pay you as much as you would like.  

The wicked one said: Give me the head of the preacher here on a platter in  front of the guests as I asked.  

St. Jacob of Serugh 

If Herod had lied, it would have been better for him! 

In pride, Herod promised Herodias’ daughter to give her half of his kingdom  if she wishes, for all the kingdom is under his reign, but she asked for what is  not under his reign, she ordered the righteous one, who never killed anyone, to be killed, so the King broke the law of nature and killed the righteous one.  

* He promised to give her half of his kingdom, not the head of this righteous  whom he never had authority over.  

There is no law that orders the killing of the righteous, for according to Law,  whoever never killed should not be killed.  

St. Jacob of Serugh 

The King’s Authority Over His Subordinates 

St. Jacob of Serugh thinks that the King did not need to make an oath, for  he is captivated by desire for his brother’s wife, and thus, he will never refuse  any order from her daughter, for he knows that this order came out of Herodias’  heart before it came out of her daughter’s lips.  

The fruit of carelessness is that this birthday celebration was transformed to  be the seat of the scornful, and the King became a subject of mockery for all  the ignorant and evil  

* He was completely consumed with love for her evil mother, and thus he  immediately granted the young lady what she asked for.  

He was going to give her whether he made an oath or he did not, for his  heart was subject to evil lust.  

This deceiver revealed that he was uncomfortable because of the people,  but so as not to lie, he granted the gift as he promised. 

All the liars and evil ones were ashamed, and the King became a subject of  great mockery because of the murder he committed.  

The young lady ordered him without his consent, so he granted the gift in  the presence of the guests because of his oath. 

St. Jacob of Serugh 

The Roman Herod Ordered John to be Beheaded  

How dangerous these moments were when the executioner came and  beheaded the saint! He took his head on a platter and presented it to the King,  that he may gift it to Herodias’s daughter after her dances. 

But what did the guests think of this? Did not any of them shed any tears  when the chaste one’s head was presented as a dancer’s wage? Did not the  heart of the King tremble when he knows that he has committed a crime as a  result of his ugly lust? 

* The King sent and beheaded the preacher, and his head was presented on a platter and he gave it to the young lady that she may present it to her mother The defiled, sons of hades were not afraid when they saw the chaste one’s  head  

They did not tremble nor did their cups fall off their hands, after they have  seen the precious one’s blood spilled 

None of them wept for this great crime which was committed  The despicable King’s heart was not frightened to see the mouth of this  teacher shut with his pure blood.  

St. Jacob of Serugh 

Herodias Joyfully Receives John’s Head  

Herodias envied John the Baptist and was happy to receive his head on a  platter showered with his innocent blood. She probably felt the victory of her  revenge, for no one will ever rebuke her for her marriage again. She thought  that his mouth will be shut forever, and no one would be there to rebuke the  King or disturb his happiness or hers again. 

* Maybe the adulteress laughed as she ridiculed the great murdered man  and reviled him 

She told her daughter: Let us rejoice over this shut mouth that was sealed  with blood, for we shall no longer listen to its insults 

He turned us into a joke in all Galilee, and stoned us with his insults as  though they were stones 

This mouth used to breathe over us its flames every day, and scare us from  approaching the King’s house  

This mouth frightened the King with hades and its darkness that he may not  approach me 

He made me a proverb in the mouths of all the Hebrew women, speaking of  me as though I were a prostitute  

Let him be silenced now, for he did not wish to be quiet, so I silenced him  forcibly and he will no longer ridicule us again. 

John: The Golden Lamp Full of Holy Oil 

Herodias, her daughter and Herod thought they won the battle and that  John’s story became a practical lesson for everyone who dares and rebukes the  King, even if he defied the law of nature, little did they know, that their evil  act became the story of John’s martyrdom that became an important section in  the Holy Gospel, encouraging many to live the life of purity and chastity  throughout the ages. 

St. Jacob of Serugh evaluates this unfortunate act this way: 

1- Saint John’s character shines forth as a righteous who was killed by the  wicked. He was oppressed and was justified. As for the murderers, they were  counted as criminals. 

2- The adulteress thought she killed the virgin and that she got rid of him,

3- He is a golden lamp full of holy oil (or divine grace). If this lady has  blown over it and put it out, he is a glorious star in heaven!  

4- He is an olive tree, and by crushing its fruits, holy oil is obtained to anoint  the baptized 

5- They shut the saint’s mouth so that he may not speak, but he became a  spiritual psaltery playing heavenly hymns.  

6- He was unjustly killed by an adulteress, so he became a psaltery that  causes the devils to flee 

7- The adulteress could not bear his reprimand, so she killed him, yet he  became a spiritual psaltery chanting the praise of repentance for all peoples.  8- He is the bride’s friend who betrothed her to the heavenly bridegroom,  that she may become a queen sitting on the right-hand of the King.  

* An evil act was executed by the sinners (Herodias, her daughter and  Herod) to an ordinary man (John the Baptist), an oppressed victim to the  favoritism of the criminals 

A terrible sight: A virgin killed by an adulteress. Great fear: the priest  slaughtered without any guilt  

A golden lamp full of holy oil and instead of the wind, the young lady blew  over it and put it out.  

A glorified olive tree planted by the rivers of baptism, and the accursed ones  cut it that it may not anoint the head.  

A voice preached the Kingdom of God and was silenced by wickedness that  it may not speak 

A psaltery full of melodies and rich hymns, was envied by the deaf and they  broke it that it may no longer chant.  

He was a psaltery that expels the devils from humanity, and Herodias broke  it that her devil may not flee. 

He preached holiness throughout the earth with dignity, but his voice did  not please the adulteress, so she cancelled it.  

He was a harp awakening the nations to repentance, but to avoid them from  repenting, Herod’s family silenced it.  

He was a tree carrying the fruits of faith, but the wicked ones uprooted it  that no one may eat of its fruits.  

The friend of the bride betrothed her and offered her to the Bridegroom King, but they beheaded him so that he may not come into the [wedding]  banquet.  

St. Jacob of Serugh 

A Dance Began and Concluded John’s Story 

Since he is the greatest among those born of women, he was unique in many  aspects:  

1- He was unique in his death for he died as a martyr because of his  reprimand to a wicked woman. He was unique in his conception, for his mother  was barren and his father of old age.  

2- He danced (leaped) as a fetus and was beheaded as a wage for Herodias’  daughter’s dance 

3- His head was presented on a platter in a unique way.  

4- They desired to ridicule him, yet his head was presented like a precious  pearl. 

5- The guests in this birthday celebration held a procession for the head on  a special platter 

6- St. Jacob of Serugh did not know how to describe this saint. He loved the  Messiah, the heavenly Bridegroom. He was the friend of the bride (the church).  He baptized his Lord, preached the holy life in the wilderness, preached at the  Jordan, and preached by shedding his blood. Truly, there is none greater among  those born of women! 

* If anyone would contemplate his life, he would notice that his death was  unique just as his conception in the womb was also unique.  In his mother ‘s womb, he danced, and he died because of a dance. His story  is wonderous for the beginning of this Levi was like his end.  The old lady started his story, and the young lady concluded it and as the  young lady danced, she caused his death.  

When they thought to insult him, they honored him, and his head was  presented as a gift on a great feast.  

On the occasion of the King’s birthday, they held him on their hands and  held a procession for him as though he were a choicest golden prize They exchanged him between each other as they looked to him and kept  him as though he were a precious pearl.  

It was a great feast for the King like no other, and on this day, they made a  procession for him His head, of unspeakable beauty, was presented on a platter in front of the  guests like a golden apple 

The flower that blossomed in the Judean wilderness was brought by the  King on his birthday and was placed on a platter as it was taken to the banquet.  A sweet cluster that was crushed into the King’s platter, and behold the  whole creation enjoys its sweet flavor.  

The Bridegroom’s beloved, the bride’s friend, His Lord’s baptizer, the  teacher of life, the preacher of truth and the glorious priest.  The great virgin, the famous man, the subtle among all the prophets, the one  who mingled with the apostles, the hearer of the Father, and the one who  touched the Son.  

The Spirit’s beholder, the mysteries’ learner, the kings’ reproach, the pure  palace, the choicest incense, and the sweet aroma.  

The enemy of the wicked, the awakener of the repentant, the friend of saints,  the persecuted by the wicked, the imprisoned because of jealousy, and the  murdered because of envy  

There is no one greater than he among those born women. Blessed be the  Word who made him a voice and sent him before Him.  

St. Jacob of Serugh

 

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Prepared by: Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty 

Translated By: Michael Stefanos – Mary F. A. – Andre  Ghobrial 

Designed by: Emad Roushdy