BOOK 6. THE DEATH.
CHAPTER 2.
6.2.2. Of Christ's Mission to Herod, and the transactions there.
Of Christ's Mission to Herod, and the transactions there.
About seven in the morning, Jesus was sent to Herod, "who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time," Luke xxiii. 7. The reason of this was, because Pilate had heard that Christ was a Galilean, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, he concludes that Christ must be under his jurisdiction; Herod was glad of the honour done to him, for "he was desirous so see Christ of a long season, because he had heard many things of him, and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him," verse 8. That which I shall observe in this passage, is 1. Herod's questioning of Jesus Christ. 2. Christ's silence to all his questions, 3. Herod's derision; and Christ's dismission back again to Pilate.
1. "Herod questioned with him in many words," verse 9 . What those words were, are not expressed, only we have some conjectures from Luke xxiii. 8. q.d. "What, art thou he, concerning whom my father was so mocked of the wise men, and for whose sake my father slew all the children that were in Bethlehem? I have heard thou hast changed water into wine, and hast multiplied loaves, whereon so many thousands fed; come, do something at my request, which elsewhere thou hast done without request of any; come, satisfy my desire, work now but one miracle before me, that I may be convinced of thy divinity." I dare not deliver these words as certain truths, because of that silence that is in scripture, only we read, that "he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him." Herod could not abide to hear his word, and to bear his yoke: but he was well content to see the works and miracles of Jesus Christ.
2. Whatever his questions were, "he answered him nothing," verse 9. Many reasons are given for this, as,
(a). Because he enquired only in curiosity, and with no true intent or end; concerning which, saith the wise man, "answer not a fool according to his folly," Prov. xxvii. 4. and "ye ask and receive not (saith James) because ye ask amiss," James iv. 3.
(b). Because Christ had no need of defence at ail: let them go about to apologise that are afraid or guilty of death: as for Christ he despiseth their accusations by his very silence.
(c). Because Herod had, the yen before, put John the Baptist to death, who was that voice crying in the wilderness, now that voice being gone, Christ the word will be silent, he will not give a word.
(d). Because Herod had been sottishly careless of Jesus Christ, he lived in the place where Jesus more especially had conversed, yet never had seen his person, or heard his sermons. It gives us to learn thus much, that if we neglect the opportunities of grace, and refuse to hear the voice of Christ in the time of mercy; Christ may refuse to speak one word of comfort to us in our time of need; if we, during our time stop our ears, God will, in his time, stop his mouth, and shut up the springs of grace, that we shall receive no refreshment, no instruction, no pardon, no salvation.
(e). Because Christ was resolved to be obedient to his Father's ordinance, he was resolved to submit to the doom of death, with patience and silence; for this purpose he came into the world, that he might suffer in our stead, and for our sins; and therefore he would not plead his own cause, nor defend his own innocency in any kind; he knew that we were guilty, though himself was not.
3. This silence they interpret for simplicity; and so,
(a). They despised him, and,
(b). They dismissed him; "and Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate," Luke xxiii. 11. They arrayed him with a white, glittering, gorgeous raiment: (lampras) signifies gorgeous, bright, resplendent, such as nobles and kings used to wear: the Latins sometimes render it spledidam vestem; and sometimes candidam, or albam vestem, we translate it a gorgeous robe, and the ancients call it a white robe; in imitation whereof, the baptised were wont to put on white raiment which they called (lamprariphoan,) but whether it were white or no, I shall not controvert: the original yields thus far, that it was "a bright and resplendent garment, such as came newly from the fulling," many mysteries (if it be white) are found out here; some say this held forth the excellency or dignity of Christ; white colour is most agreeable to the highest God, he many times appeared in white, but never in any other colour; and the saints in heaven are said to be clothed in long white robes, Rev. iv. 4, and peers, kings, and Caesars were usually clothed in white, saith Jansenius; others say this held forth the innocency of Christ, and that they were directed herein by divine providence, declaring plainly against themselves, that Christ should rather have been absolved as an innocent, than condemned as a malefactor. But to leave these mysteries, the meaning of Herod was not so much to declare his excellency, or innocency, as his folly, or simplicity: certainly he accounted him for no other than a very fool, an idiot, a passing simple man. "The philosophers (says Tertullian) drew him in their pictures, attired by Herod, like a fool, with long asses ears, his nails plucked off, and a book in his hand," etc. Oh marvellous madness! Oh the strange mistakes of men! In his lifetime they accounted Jesus a glutton, a drinker of wine, a companion of sinners, a blasphemer, a sorcerer, and one that cast out devils through Beelzebub prince of devils; yea, and one that himself was possessed with a devil, Matt. xii. 19 . Mark ii. 7. Matt. xii. 24. John viii. 48. And now towards his death, he is bound as a thief, he is struck in the house of Caiaphas, as an arrogant and saucy fellow, he is accused before the Sanhedrim of blasphemy, he is brought before Pilate as a malefactor, a mover of sedition, a seducer, a rebel, and as one that aspired to the kingdom; he is transmitted unto Herod, as a juggler to show tricks; and now in the close of all he is accounted of Herod and his men of war, as a fool, an idiot, a brute, not having the understanding of a man. But soft, Herod, is Christ therefore a fool because he is silent? And are thou wise, because of thy many words, and many questions? Solomon, a wiser man than Herod, is of another mind: "in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin, but he that refraineth his lips is wise," Prov. x. 19. Again, "He that hath knowledge spareth his words, and a man of understanding is of a cool spirit; even a fool when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; and he that shutteth his lips, is esteemed a man of understanding," Prov. xvii. 27, 28. Ah, poor Herod, consult these texts, and then tell me who is the fool. What! thou that speakest many words, and questionest about many things, which in time will turn to thy greater condemnation? or Christ Jesus that was deeply silent to the world's eternal salvation? Paul was of another spirit, and of another judgment concerning Christ, in him was knowledge: nor is that all, in whom was wisdom and knowledge: nor is that all, in him were treasures, and all treasures of wisdom and knowledge: "in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge," Col. ii. 3. And yet that is not all neither, not only is wisdom in him, but he is wisdom itself (for that is his name and title in the book of Proverbs) and yet by Herod and his courtiers, he is reckoned, arrayed and derided as a mere simple man.
(c). They dismissed him in this posture, they sent him away again to Pilate; to all their former derision they added this, that now he was exposed in scorn to the boys of the streets: Herod would not be content that he and his men of war only should set him at nought; but he sends him away through the more public and eminent streets of Jerusalem, in his white garment, to be scorned by the people; to be hooted at by idle persons! And now was fulfilled the prophecy of Christ, Lam. iii. 14. "I was a derision to all my people, and their song all the day long."
Use. Of this let us make some use.
1. Was the eternal love of Cod, and the uncreated wisdom of the Father reputed a fool? No wonder if we suffer thousands of reproaches; "We are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men: we are fools for Christ's sake, saith the apostle, -- we are made as the filth of the world, and are the off-scourings of all things unto this day," 1 Cor. iv. 9, 10, 13. Christians must wear the badge and livery of Jesus Christ: we cannot expect to fare better than our Master, why then should we despond: I never knew Christians in better heart, than when they were styled by the name of puritans, precisians, hypocrites, formalists, or the like.
2. Let us not judge of men and their worth, by their outside garments; wisdom may be, and often is clad in the coat of a fool: as beggarly bottles oftentimes hold rich wines, so poor robes contain sometimes many precious souls: in right judgment we should look only to the mind, and soul, and inside of a man; yea to the hidden man of the heart: and for ourselves, we should look to the inward, and not to the outward adorning: men and women especially have rules for this, "your adorning, let it not be the outward adorning, of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible," 1 Pet. iii. 3, 4. Oh what is it for a man to be clothed in gold, while his soul is "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked?"
3. Let us admire at the condescension of Christ, who for our sakes came down from heaven to teach us wisdom; and for us who were fools indeed, was content to be accounted a fool himself; yea, and if need had been, would have been ready to have said with David, "I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in my own sight." 2 Sam. vi. 22. 1 know this doctrine is an offence to many, "Christ crucified is unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness," 1 Cor. i. 23. To tell natural men, (such as Herod, and his men of war) that this same Jesus whom they mock, and set at nought, is the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world, they cannot believe: it is plainly evident, "That not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise," 1 Cor. i. 26, 27. Why this is the fruit of Christ's condescension, called "the foolishness of God," verse 25. Wisdom itself was content to be counted a fool, that those who are accounted the foolish things of the world, might be wise unto salvation.
4. Let us search whether Herod and his men, do not keep a rendezvous in our hearts; do not we set Christ at nought? Do not we mock him, and array him in a gorgeous robe? Whatsoever we do to one of the least of his saints, he tells us that we do it to himself, Matt. xxv. 40, 45. And have we not dealt thus with the saints? Have we not dealt thus with his ministers? When Elisha was going up to Bethel, "There came little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, go up thou bald-head, go up thou bald-head," 2 Kings ii. 23. A reproach of bald-head, round-head, given to a faithful Elisha, or minister of Christ, proclaims you as bad as those little children: yea, as bad as Herod and his men of war; such Herods were a little before the destruction of Jerusalem, some there were then, "that mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy," 2 Chron. xxxvi. 16. O take heed of this sin, banish Herod out of your hearts, or Christ will never lodge there; ruin without remedy will seize on those souls that Herod-like, mock the messengers of God: what is it but to mock the messenger, the Angel of the covenant, even Christ himself? as Herod sent Christ away, so let us send Herod away, and give him a dismission out of our doors.
The hour strikes again and summons Christ and us to another station; let us follow him still, as Peter did, when he went into the high priest's palace, "and sat with the servants to see the end," Matt. xxvi. 58.