Cost of Prophecy

THE COST OF PROPHECV

Matthew 14.1-12

In today’s Epistle Reading we are encouraged to pray regularly for those in authority. Jesus, by his example and teaching encouraged loyalty to the civil authorities in their own sphere, and St Paul commands wholehearted obedience to the civil authority, stating that “the powers had been ordained by God”.

At the same time, Christians are reminded that they have a higher duty of submitting themselves to the authority of God. Sometimes the obedience to the civil authority coincides with obedience to the authority of God. Sometimes, it is at variance and this inevitably leads to conflict.

It is about such a conflict that concerns our Gospel reading today. The conflict was caused, not as Josephus the Jewish secular historian of the time suggests, out of jealousy occasioned by John the Baptist's popularity; but rather out of fear, occasioned by John the Baptist fearlessly speaking the truth.

Herod Antipas had married the daughter of the King of the Nabatean Arabs.

He had a brother, known as Herod Philip, who lived in Rome. Whilst visiting Rome, Herod Antipas had seduced his brother’s wife, and persuaded her to leave his brother and marry him.

In order to be able to do this, he had first to put away his own wife.

In so doing, Herod Antipas had broken two laws. Firstly, he had divorced his wife without cause. Secondly, he had married his sister-in-law, which was a marriage under Jewish Law, within the prohibited relationship.

Hence John the Baptist rebuked him, and when Jesus appeared on the scene, it seemed as if a ghost of the past had returned to haunt him.

Herod was afraid of John the Baptist because he spoke the truth. Like many politicians he was also afraid of the people and dare not put John the Baptist to death because of his popularity. (Incidentally, Galilee was a hot bed of nationalism and the Romans only had a tenuous hold over the people). However, Herod’s fear of losing face in front of his palace guests invited to a birthday party, finally moved Herod to have John the Baptist beheaded and his head placed upon a plate to satisfy Herodias whose daughter’s dancing had so enthralled Herod.

Such is often the fate of people who put obedience to the law of God above the law of the state, and thereby become embroiled in conflict.

You don’t need me to remind you of what happened to Thomas a Becket in the 12th Century or Sir Thomas More in the 16th Century, or indeed Archbishop Luwum in the 20th Century when he confronted the former President Amin of Uganda. To those names can be added such people as the civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer who denounced Nazism.

In fact, it has been said, that there have been more Christian martyrs in the twentieth century, than in anytime in Christian history.

Even if the Christian prophetic challenge to authority does not carry with it the death penalty, it inevitably involves the bearing of some personal suffering.

There is no doubt that when George Bell, a former Bishop of Chichester, made outspoken condemnation of indiscriminate allied bombing of German towns, it cost him the Archbishopric of Canterbury at the premature death of William Temple in 1944. Bishop Trevor Huddleston experienced deportation in 1958 when he challenged the South African Government policy of apartheid. More recently, Bishop Robert Runcie, who became a thorn in the side of unbridled Thatcherism, suffered character assassination by the Tory media, in his attempt to maintain a caring society.

Such suffering is not confined to Bishops and clergy. It includes laity as well. Life was never easy for the prophetic voices of William Wilberforce in his fight to abolish slavery; Lord Shaftesbury in his reform of working conditions; of Elizabeth Fry and her reform of prisons or Josephine Butler and her pioneering social work. Not to mention the nameless ones who daily fight injustice and ensure that all people are afforded the dignity of a child of God.

My friends, throughout history there have been those whose prophetic voices have challenged authority laying greater priority upon obedience to the authority of God than that of the state. This has often brought conflict and caused personal suffering to those involved.

Nevertheless, they have done so in the name of one who, whilst submitting himself to the authority of state in crucifixion, rose victorious on Easter Day. And it is in the confidence of the power of the Resurrection, we continue to speak the truth, as we perceive it, without fear and trembling today.