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PER164
Recalling the arrest of John the Baptist
Pericope PER164 recalls the circumstances of John the Baptist's arrest, as recounted by Matthew (14.3-5) and Mark (6.17-20). John was imprisoned for publicly denouncing the unlawful marriage of Herod Antipas to Herodias, the former wife of his brother. Mark offers a nuanced portrait of Herod, ambivalent and fascinated by John, whereas Matthew stresses his fear of the crowd. It is Herodias who pushes for the prophet's death; he was held at Machaerus in March AD 32.
Deuteronomy 24.1-4 (King James Version) :When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.Notesome…: Heb. matter of nakednessNotedivorcement: Heb. cutting offAnd when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife.And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife;Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org