• Home
  • Author Bio
  • The Book
  • Excerpt
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Order Now

19 Nov

Speaking truth to power

Dr. Bill Rudd Blog 0 0

My morning Bible reading brought me to Matthew 14 where John the Baptizer confronted King Herod, the immoral despot who, had divorced his wife in order to marry his brother’s wife.

John’s truth to power was, “It is not lawful for you to have her” (Matthew 14:4). Herod might think and act like he was above the law, but he was not above God’s law.

The response of the autocrat was unsurprising. His modus operandi  was to eliminate anyone who opposed, criticized, or threatened his power, as was evident in other incidents besides this one. “Herod wanted to kill John” (14:5). Silence the opposition was the mantra Herod lived by. Cross him and you could expect retaliation.

Surprisingly, Herod’s fear of a united response by good people restrained him: “but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet” (14:5). Even under a dictatorial leader, the people have power when they are united for good . . . and this wasn’t even a democracy.

Sadly, it didn’t end well for John as the familiar story of Herodias (the unlawful wife) and the dance of Salome (Herodias’ daughter) reveals. Some suggest that John became “the first Baptist to lose his head over a dance.” But it certainly was not funny then!

Of course, we know that was not “the end of the story.” John lives! We will meet him in the resurrection when God’s reward for his faithful ministry will be eternally evident.


Facebook

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Recent Posts

  • IN THIS TIME OF TRAGIC DIVISION AND DISAGREEMENT
  • Speaking truth to power
  • How to interpret “hard things” in the Old Testament
  • What did Jesus mean?
  • Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing

Recent Comments

  • Ruben Jorge Maduro Couto on Has gender bias in Bible translation hidden the truth?
  • Fred D on Effective Leadership
  • Cheryl Coldiron on Has gender bias in Bible translation hidden the truth?
  • Dr. Bill Rudd on How to interpret “hard things” in the Old Testament
  • Mark Wiggin on How to interpret “hard things” in the Old Testament

Archives

  • January 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018

Categories

  • Blog


  • Home
  • Author Bio
  • The Book
  • Excerpt
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Order Now

Copyright © 2018. Dr. Bill Rudd. All rights reserved.
 
Cleantalk Pixel