6:14 耶穌的名聲傳揚出來。希律王聽見了,就說:「施洗的約翰從死裡復活了,所以這些異能由他裡面發出來。」
6:15 但別人說:「是以利亞。」又有人說:「是先知,正像先知中的一位。」
6:16 希律聽見卻說:「是我所斬的約翰,他復活了。」
6:17 先是希律為他兄弟腓力的妻子希羅底的緣故,差人去拿住約翰,鎖在監裡,因為希律已經娶了那婦人。
6:18 約翰曾對希律說:「你娶你兄弟的妻子是不合理的。」
6:19 於是希羅底懷恨他,想要殺他,只是不能;
6:20 因為希律知道約翰是義人,是聖人,所以敬畏他,保護他,聽他講論,就多照著行(有古卷:游移不定),並且樂意聽他。
6:21 有一天,恰巧是希律的生日,希律擺設筵席,請了大臣和千夫長,並加利利作首領的。
6:22 希羅底的女兒進來跳舞,使希律和同席的人都歡喜。王就對女子說:「你隨意向我求甚麼,我必給你。」
6:23 又對她起誓說:「隨你向我求甚麼,就是我國的一半,我也必給你。」
6:24 她就出去對她母親說:「我可以求甚麼呢?」她母親說:「施洗約翰的頭。」
6:25 她就急忙進去見王,求他說:「我願王立時把施洗約翰的頭放在盤子裡給我。」
6:26 王就甚憂愁;但因他所起的誓,又因同席的人,就不肯推辭,
6:27 隨即差一個護衛兵,吩咐拿約翰的頭來。護衛兵就去,在監裡斬了約翰,
6:28 把頭放在盤子裡,拿來給女子,女子就給她母親。
6:29 約翰的門徒聽見了,就來把他的屍首領去,葬在墳墓裡。
14 King
Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were
saying,[b] “John the
Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at
work in him.”
15 Others
said, “He is Elijah.”
And
still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.”
16 But
when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from
the dead!”
17 For
Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and
put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom
he had married. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is
not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias
nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20 because
Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy
man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled[c]; yet he
liked to listen to him.
21 Finally
the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high
officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 When
the daughter of[d] Herodias
came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.
The
king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.”
23 And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will
give you, up to half my kingdom.”
24 She
went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”
“The
head of John the Baptist,” she answered.
25 At
once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me
right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
26 The
king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he
did not want to refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an
executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in
the prison, 28 and brought back his head on a platter. He
presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29 On
hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
***********
施洗約翰忠心的為主傳道,甚至不畏懼希律王的權威指責他的不義,為他帶來了殺身之禍。這也是基督徒為主傳道必須要有的看見,因為為主傳道也會為主的緣故被人所排斥和厭惡,甚至被殺害!但是,我們仍然要施洗約翰一樣,不要吝惜自己的生命,該為主犧牲的時候,也要犧牲,主必定記念的!
也因為如此,希律王盼望主耶穌是施洗約翰的復活,好讓自己可以脫罪。這當然是不可能的事!但是由此看見,施洗約翰在希律王的心中還是有相當的地位呢!這是為主殉道帶出來的感動力,使惡人良心大大受責備!
正如主耶穌復活升天以後,聖靈降臨在使徒的身上,在第一個五旬節門徒見證主耶穌已經復活顯明為上帝所設立的基督之時候,哪些呼喊將耶穌釘十字架的群眾,發現自己犯了滔天大罪,而這罪竟然可以經由信靠主耶穌而得赦免,就有三千人悔改接受耶穌基督是主!這就是復活的大能!
同樣,這樣的大能也臨到我們這些願意接受耶穌基督為救主的人身上,讓我們離開罪與死的權勢,而得著生命與聖靈,成為永生上帝的兒女!