And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.
Ver. 9. And the king was sorry] John's innocence might haply so triumph in Herod's conscience, as to force some grief upon him at the thought of so foul a fact. But I rather think otherwise, that all was but in hypocrisy, Luke 13:31. For lasciviousness usually sears up the conscience (till the time of reckoning for all comes) and brings men to that dead and dedolent disposition, Ephesians 4:19. Only this fox feigns himself sorry for John, as his father feigned himself willing to worship the Lord Christ, Matthew 2:8; as Tiberius (Herod's lord and master) would seem very sorry for those whom for his pleasure's sake only, he put to death, Gallius Germanicus, Drusus, &c. a And as Andronicus the Greek Emperor, that deep dissembler, would weep over those whom he had for no cause caused to be executed, as if he had been the most sorrowful man alive, Dissimulat mentis suae malitiam artifex homicida. This cunning murderer craftily hides his malice, saith St Jerome, and seeming sad in the face is glad at heart to be rid of the importunate Baptist, that he may sin uncontrolled.
For the oath's sake, and them which sat] All this was but pretended to his villany, and that he might have somewhat to say to the people, whom he feared, in excuse for himself. As that he beheaded the Baptist indeed, but his guests would needs have it so, because he had promised the damosel her whole desire, and she would not otherwise be satisfied. Besides, it was his birthday, wherein it was not fit he should deny his nobles anything, who minded him of his oath, &c. But the oath was wicked, and therefore not obligatory. b He should have broken it, as David in like case did, 1 Samuel 25:33, when he swore a great oath what he would do to Nabal. But Herod, for the avoiding of the sands, rusheth upon the rocks, prevents perjury by murder, not considering the rule, that no man is held so perplexed between two vices, but that he may find an issue without falling into a third. c
And them which sat with him at meat] These he had more respect to than to God. A hypocrite's care is all for the world's approval and applause. They should have showed him his sin, and opposed his sentence. But that is not the guise of godless parasites, those Aiones et Negones aulici, qui omnia loquuntur ad gratiam, nihil ad veritatem. These court parasites and parrots know no other tune or tone, but what will please their masters, quorum etiam sputum lingunt, as one saith, soothing and smoothing, and smothering up many of their foul facts, that they thereby may the better ingratiate. d Principibus ideo amicus deest quia nihil deest: there is a wonderful sympathy between princes and parasites. But David would none of them,Psalms 101:7, and Sigismond, the emperor, cussed them out of his presence. And surely if wishing were anything (said Henricus Stephanus), like as the Thessalians once utterly overthrew the city called Flattery, so I could desire, that above all other malefactors, court parasites were utterly rooted out, as the most pestilent persons in the world.
a Commiserabatur cos in quos graviter animadvertebat. Dio.
b Iuramenta contra bonos mores facta non sunt obligatoria: est regula in utroque iure.
c Nemo ita perplexus tenetur inter duo vitia, quin exitus pateat absque tertio.
d Apud principes η ηκιστα η ηδιστα, ut sensit quidam Croesi conciliarius.