For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.
Ver. 3. For Herod had laid hold on John] If John touch Herod's white sin (and who will stand still to have his eyes picked out?) John must to prison, without bail or mainprize; a and there not only be confined, but bound as a malefactor, as a stirrer up of sedition (Unicum crimen eorum qui crimine vacabant, as Lipsius noteth upon Tacitus). Neither bound only, but beheaded without any law, right, or reason, as though God had known nothing at all of him, as that martyr expresseth it. All this befell the good Baptist, for telling the truth, Veritas odium parit. If conscience might but judge, how many of our hearers would be found to have a Herod's heart towards their faithful ministers? Were there but a sword (of authority) in their hand, as he said to his ass, they would surely slay them, Numbers 22:29. They would deal by them no better than Saul did by David, 1 Samuel 18:10, while he was playing upon his harp to ease Saul's distracted mind, he cast a spear at him. The most savoury salt (if they can do withal) must be cast out, and trodden underfoot; as Calvin and other faithful ministers were driven out of Geneva at the first; whereupon he uttered these gracious words: Truly, if I had served men, I had been ill rewarded, b but it is well for me that I have served him who never faileth his, but will approve himself a liberal paymaster, a rich rewarder.
And put him in prison] Having first laid hold upon all the principles in his own head that might any way disturb his course in sin, and locked them up in restraint, according to that, Romans 1:18, wicked men detain the truth, that is, the light of their own consciences (which is as another John Baptist, a prophet from God), this they imprison in unrighteousness, and become fugitives from their own hearts, as Austin hath it. c
For Herodias' sake, his brother] Quam vulpinando fratri eripuerat, as one phraseth it. d And he had her not only for his wife, but for his mistress; for she ruled him at her pleasure, as Jezebel did Ahab, of which wretched couple it is said, that Regina erat Rex, Rex vero Regina. The Queen was the king, and the king was truly the queen. But it never goes well when the hen crows. How many have we known, whose heads have been broken with their own rib? Satan hath found this bait to take so well, that he never changed it since he crept into Paradise. And it is remarkable, that in that first sentence against man, this cause is expressed, Because thou obeyedst the voice of thy wife,Genesis 3:17 .
a The action of procuring the release of a prisoner by becoming surety (‘mainpernor') for his appearance in court at a specified time. ŒD
b Certe si hominibus servivissem, male mihi merces persolveretur, &c. Beza in Vita Salv.
c Facti sunt a corde suo fugitivi.
d Pareus Eccles. Hist.