Volume 2

280 Life of Jesus Christ
the multitude, giving testimony to Jesus. He declared that
he himself was only to prepare His ways; that compared
with Him, he was nobody; that never had there been a
man, not even among the Prophets, like unto Jesus, and
never would there be one; that He was the Son of the
Father; that He was the Christ, the King of Kings, the
Saviour, the Restorer of the Kingdom; that no power was
superior to His; that He was the Lamb of God who was to
bear the sins of the world, etc. So spoke John of Jesus,
crying in a loud voice, calling himself His precursor, the
preparer of His ways, His most insignificant servant. It
was evident that his words were inspired. His whole bearing
was stamped with the supernatural, so much so that
Herod, becoming terrified, stopped his ears. At last he
said to John: "Thou knowest that I wish thee well. But
thou dost excite sedition against me amongst the people
by refusing to acknowledge my marriage. If thou wilt
moderate thy perverse zeal and recognize my union as
lawful before the people, I shall set thee free, and thou
canst go around teaching and baptizing." Thereupon John
again raised up his voice vehemently against Herod,
rebuking his conduct before all the assistants, and saying
to him: "I know thy mind! I know that thou recognizest
the right and tremblest before the judgment! But thou hast
sunk thy soul in guilty pleasures, thou liest bound in the
snares of debauchery!" The rage of the wife at these
words is simply indescribable, and Herod became so agitated
that he hastily ordered John to be led away. He gave
directions for him to be placed in another cell which, having
no communication outside, would prevent his being
heard by the people.
Herod was induced to hold that judicial examination
because of his anxiety, excited by the tumult raised by the
aspirants to baptism and the news brought him by the
Herodians of the wonders wrought by Jesus.
The whole country was discussing the execution in