CHAPTER XVII.

CELEBRATION OF HEROD'S BIRTHDAY-BEHEADING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST-JESUS WITHDRAWS TO A DESERT PLACE-FEEDS THE FIVE THOUSAND-WALKS ON THE SEA-HEALS THE SICK AT CAPERNAUM-REBUKES THE INTERESTED MOTIVES OF HIS FOLLOWERS-URGES THEM TO SEEK THE "BREAD OF LIFE."

UST about this time the birthday of Herod the tetrarch was celebrated with great festivity in the court of Galilee. On this occasion Herod was so much charmed with the dancing of young Salome (so Josephus calls her), the daughter, by her former husband, of that Herodias whom Herod had taken away

from his brother Philip, that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she should ask. From the effect which this dancing produced upon the tetrarch, it would appear that it was not that simple style of dancing anciently used by Jewish maidens at public rejoicings; but that sort which, by the graceful movements of the body, expressed human manners and affections, and which had then lately been introduced from neighbouring nations into the Jewish court. The damsel was old enough to know the value of the promise thus given, and instead of giving utterance to any girlish wish, went to ask her mother concerning the suit which she should prefer. Herodias hated John the Baptist on account of the protest he had uttered against her connection with Herod, but had never been able to prevail upon the tetrarch to bring him to any further punish

JOHN THE BAPTIST BEHEADED.

ment than imprisonment; and she seized with avidity the occasion now offered, by instructing her daughter to make the barbarous demand of the head of the Baptist-" in a charger" (salver).

Herod was sorry that this demand should have been made, for he had a sort of awe for the Baptist, and justly dreaded the effect which such a deed might produce upon the people, by whom the prophet was held in high veneration. But as his oath had been taken in the presence of so many witnesses, he fancied that he could not draw back. The word was given; John was beheaded in the prison where he had so long been confined, and his head was brought in a charger to Salome, who carried it to her mother. All the circumstances of this transaction are exceedingly revolting, and give a lively idea of an age in which blood was poured out like water, and when even "tender and delicate women were familiar with all kinds of violence and with every ghastly form of death.

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The people were greatly disgusted and provoked at the slaughter of John, and although they did not rise in sedition, as perhaps Herod had apprehended, Josephus informs us that they failed not to ascribe to this enormity the destruction of his fine army by Aretas, King of Arabia (the father of the tetrarch's former wife), which soon afterwards took place.

It was not long after this that the doings of Christ first came under the notice of Herod, and perplexed him greatly: "John," he said, "have I beheaded; but who is this of whom I hear such things?" Luke ix. 9. This implies doubt, and from the parallel account in Matt. xiv. 2, it would seem that he was at length led to conclude that Jesus was no other than the Baptist raised from the dead, and became very desirous to see him. Jesus probably heard of this; and, if so, we may conclude that it was from the desire to avoid the court of Herod and the

snares of the tyrant, that he took ship and withdrew into the more solitary regions bordering the Lake of Tiberias. The need of rest and refreshment after the season of excessive fatigue to which he and his Apostles, who had by this time rejoined him, had been exposed, is also mentioned as a further reason for this retirement.

The desert place to which he withdrew was not far from the town of Bethsaida. The solitude which he sought was not, however, allowed him there. The people followed him, so that even in this solitary place he was soon surrounded by a great multitude. When Jesus beheld this large body of people, so far away from their homes in the wilderness, he was moved with compassion towards them, "because they were as sheep not having a shepherd;" and he ascended an eminence with his disciples, and he taught them many things. Then perceiving that the day was far spent, and that the people were exhausted with walking and want of food, while the places were so distant where food might be procured, Jesus said to Philip, "Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" This, we are told, he said to prove him, his own intentions having been already formed. But Philip had no idea of any other source of supply than the words of Jesus indicated, and the expense was the objection that rose to his mind:-"Two hundred denarii (about six pounds five shillings) worth is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little." But Andrew added, "There is a lad here who hath five barley loaves and two small fishes; but what are they among so many?" The only answer Christ made was to direct them to make the people sit down, in parties of fifty, upon the grass, which abounded in that place. This was done, and the whole number was then found to be about five thousand. Jesus then took the five loaves and two fishes, and,

with his eyes cast towards heaven, he blessed this food, and broke it, delivering it as broken to the disciples, who distributed it to the people; and the supply was unexhausted until every one had received enough. Not only was there enough, there was surplus, there was abundance. For when he who could create this abundance, with just economy directed the fragments to be gathered up "that nothing might be lost," it was found that twelve baskets were required for the fragments of the loaves and fishes, which in their entire shape one basket would have contained.

This was in many respects the most convincing, if not in itself the greatest, miracle which Christ had yet performed. It accordingly had a corresponding effect upon the multitude, who said, "This is, of a truth, that prophet that should come into the world." Believing him to be the Messiah, they were disposed to constrain him to take the temporal sovereignty, which they conceived to belong to that character, and which he was manifestly reluctant to assume. Many have attained to thrones in this world with a less

promising beginning than the adhesion of five thousand men and if Christ had any objects of worldly ambition, an opportunity which few would have neglected was here offered to him. But far different were the objects of his coming-far different the mission to the world with which he was charged. He therefore withdrew from the crowd, alone, into the mountains, while the disciples entered their boat and pushed off for Capernaum.

As night came on, the disciples were somewhat unpleasantly circumstanced. The night was very dark; and the sea became

rough, and the winds contrary. They were, besides, without their Lord, and lacked the encourage

ments which his presence always brought to them. At length, in the dead of the night, they discerned dimly in the darkness an object moving towards them on the waters. Not being able to distinguish the form or features, they cried out with alarm, supposing that they beheld a spirit; but immediately they heard the well-known voice of Jesus calling to them, "It is I; be not afraid!" On hearing this, Peter, with the usual impulsiveness of his character, said, "If it be thou, bid me come to thee on the water!" Jesus said, "Come!" and he went. Doddridge and some others, in explanation of what follows, suppose that Peter could swim, and that he ventured upon the sea with some secret dependence upon his art. his art. It is certain that when he felt himself