Of Sin and Solitude.  Matthew 14.1-13a

Two things.  First, when we are in relationship with other people and choose to sin against them and God, we never sin alone.  That is to say,

our sin affects more than just us.

Second, the passage we are to consider also illustrates that when we are heartbroken by someone’s actions or when something grieves us deeply,

                                        we can choose our response. 

It would be easy to miss the nuances of Matthew’s account of the next scene, so I have included a little more context for greater understanding.

“At that time Herod [Antipas], the tetrarch [who governed a portion of Palestine including Galilee and Perea], heard the reports about Jesus, and said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has been raised from the dead, and that is why the miraculous powers are at work in him.”

For Herod had John arrested and bound him and put him in prison [at the fortress of Machaerus, east of the Jordan, to keep him away] because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, for John had said to him, “It is not lawful (morally right) for you to have her [living with you as your wife].” Although Herod wished to have him put to death, he feared the people, for they regarded John as a prophet.”  So what happened?  Two of Herod’s sons were Herod Philip and Herod Antipas. Herod Philip married a woman called Herodias. When Herod Antipas visited his brother, he wanted Herodias for a wife for himself. So Herod Antipas divorced his own wife, and married Herodias. She, of course, had to divorce Herod Philip first. The Jewish law does not permit such behaviour (Leviticus 18:16 and 20:21).¹  John the Baptist called him out on it.

“But when Herod’s birthday came, [his niece Salome], the daughter of Herodias danced [immodestly] before them and pleased and fascinated Herod, so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. She, being coached by her mother [Herodias], said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was distressed, but because of his oaths, and because of his dinner guests, he ordered it to be given her. He sent and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother [Herodias]. And John’s disciples came and took away the body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.

When Jesus heard about John, He left there privately in a boat and went to a secluded place.”  From the Amplified Bible, www.Biblegateway.com

So often sin does not happen in a vacuum.  In truth, there is a reflexive nature of choosing to sin, as illustrated in this passage--your sin may hurt others. Picture a smooth blue-green pool, high in the Sierras, with its mirror-like surface . . . now drop a small pebble from above—first there's a splash, and then the rings move away from the center. The larger the rock, the greater the splash and the resulting rings will be. So it is when we are compromised by evil; there is often a reaction, which we then cannot control. Many of us bear the marks on our souls from people who have dropped rocks (sometimes boulders!) into the water near us. In actuality, few of us have escaped splashing rocks. How foolish I have been in my life, not taking into consideration the pain my folly--sometimes sin--has caused others.  Sin hurts-----God, us, and sometimes those we love.

Hearing of John’s beheading broke Jesus’ heart—not only was John his cousin, but John was the messenger sent by God to announce Jesus’ coming, ‘to prepare the way for the Messiah’.  It was John who baptized him in the Jordan River, and sacrificed greatly to pave the way for Jesus our Messiah.² Then John died because of someone else’s sin—yes, sin hurts.

But take note of Jesus’ response when he got the news:                                                                               “When Jesus heard about John,                                                                                     he left there privately in a boat and went to a secluded place.”  Jesus, Son of God took his brokenness to God in prayer.  Before anything else, he sought the comfort, guidance and peace of the Father.  When we are wronged, sinned against perhaps—when ‘the phonecall’ comes or the doctor gives us bad news . . . these are things we cannot control. 

                        We can, however, choose our response.

Like Jesus, get alone, and take your sick or broken heart to your Father first.  Cry out to him, and let him give you his peace. 

1 - http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-study/jesus-life/herod_and_john_the_baptist.htm

2 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%203:13-17

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