Reflection Day One Hundred Twenty Seven Lockdown Saturday 01 August 2020

Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24          Psalm 69:31-35          Matthew 14:1-12

“The humble have seen and are glad.
Let your courage revive, you who seek God.
For God listens to the poor;
He has never scorned His captive people.” (Ps 69:32-33)

Good day dear friends

The priests, prophets and the people had condemned Jeremiah as a traitor and a threat against Jerusalem and listed the support of the political leaders of Judah to bring about his death. They believed that Jeremiah precariously weakened confidence and helped the cause of those who threatened Jerusalem. Jeremiah needed to defend himself and did so not to his accusers, but issued his defence to the secular or political leaders and the people and did so with admirable courage and quiet dignity. He did not mince his words out of conviction that his message was divinely inspired and he, Jeremiah defended his message directly, courageously and appropriately. There was no trimming of his message, nor did he cower or beg for mercy.

Jeremiah made it clear that his ministry and his message were not a matter of choice, but God’s command and he only did what God sent him to do. His life was at stake and yet he courageously delivered his defence and turned the table on the priests, prophets and people as if they were on trials and not him. Jeremiah was determined to speak what God told him to without any regard for personal safety prepared to take whatever punishment it might bring.

He left the choice to them and reminded them of the consequences of exercising this choice without displaying any doubt about his call or message. The once shy and hesitant prophet stood with great courage and gave account of his work, with caution, meekness, and fearlessness and in love, telling them that his death will be avenged by God. Jeremiah’s courage and boldness largely influenced the ruling of the council of princes and the opinion of the people on his innocence and that he would be spared death. It was resolved that no execution will be effected by the political rulers and that Jeremiah would be protected against any form of mob justice, incited by the priests and prophets. 

David wrote this psalm when he was in deep affliction and in our set text he offered joy and praise, in an assurance that God would help and comfort him, and would do well for the people. The psalmist here, as an example to Christians, concludes a psalm with holy joy and praise which he began with complaints and in protest of his griefs.

He resolves to praise God himself as a means to gain acceptance and comfort from God.

Not only did David resolve to praise God, but he also encouraged other “good” people to do likewise and to continue in their search for comfort in God. The psalmist then turned himself to creation, the heaven, and earth, and sea, and the inhabitants of each, to offer praises unto God. Heaven and earth, and the crowds of both, were made by God him, and therefore should offer praise unto him.  It is suggested that angels and saints, in their respective dwellings should have reason and material enough to justify their constant praise of God.

The message is simple and points to the fact that all ought to glorify God with their praises, in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs. This is an indication that sacrifices of atonement and adherence to ceremonial law will no longer be needed and that it will be replaced by spiritual sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving as accepted by God. Humble and thankful praises will be more pleasing to God than any sacrifice.  The psalmist is also pleading the cause and establishing the favour of God towards the poor and their cry for justice. He goes to great length to show that God will not despise the incarcerated, but will visit His grace and favour upon them to serve as encouragement to them in their struggles and troubles to trust in God.

Their sorrows will come to an end with their discharge from prison and joy will be set before them and they will be glad. Life and comfort will be theirs instead of suffering, prison and death.  God will do great things for the gospel church and there will be a remnant to dwell therein and to have it in possession, to enjoy the privileges conferred upon it and to pay the tributes and services required from it. Those that love his name, that have a kindness for religion in general, shall embrace the Christian religion, and take their place in the Christian church; they shall dwell therein, as citizens, and of the household of God. 

Today’s Gospel describes the way in which John the Baptist was the victim of corruption and arrogance of the government of Herod. He was killed without due process, during a banquet of the king, with the powerful of the kingdom. The text gives us much information on the time in which Jesus lived and on the manner in which power was used by the powerful of that time. The text begins by telling about the opinion which Herod had of Jesus as John resurrected. Herod tries to understand Jesus starting from the fear which assailed him after murdering John. Herod was very superstitious and hid his fear behind the pretension of his riches and his power.  Matthew says that the reason for murdering John was because John had denounced Herod, because Herod had married Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. Another school of thought wants us to believe that the true reason for the imprisonment of John the Baptist was Herod’s fear that there would be a popular revolt.  An anniversary and a festive banquet, with dances and orgy were set as the scene and environment in which to seal the plot of the murder.  John, the prophet, was a living denunciation of that corrupt system and was eliminated, as a personal revenge. In the enthusiasm of the feast and from the wine, Herod makes a promise by oath to Salome, the young dancer, daughter of Herodias. Superstitious as he was, he thought that he had to respect this oath and respond to the caprice of the girl, and because of this he ordered the soldier to bring the head of John on a tray and give it to the dancer, who then gave it to her mother. For Herod, the life of his subjects was worthless. He disposes of them as he would the staircases in his house!

Herod’s government were characterized by three things namely: New Capital, Large Estates and the Class of functionaries. He established a new capital city inhabited by soldiers, police and unscrupulous judges as a way to strengthen his power and invested the taxes and products of the people in the upkeep of this capital and system. Herod created a new class of functionaries faithful to him by giving them the estates of the poor people and by redistributing communal properties to his friends and allies. Amongst these counted the Scribes, merchants, estate lords, market officers, tax collectors, militia, policemen, judges and local heads. In every village there was a group of people which supported the government and there were even alliances between the religious and the civil powers. The life of the people in the villages was very controlled, both by the government and religion.  Courage was needed to start anything new as shown by both John and Jesus in doing so; one would attract unto you the anger of the privileged ones, both from the religious and the civil powers.

Do we know of people who died victims of corruption and domination of the powerful? Are there victims of authoritarianism and abuse of power in our communities and church? Herod, the powerful, was a coward before the girl who danced. Cowardice and corruption marked the exercise of Herod’s power. Compare this with the exercise of religious power and civil corruption in the different levels of society today.

Let us pray:

God our Father and protector,

without You nothing is holy,

nothing has value.

Guide us to everlasting life

by helping us to use wisely

the blessings You have given to the world.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,

who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.