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(Eph. 4:25–32; Luke 3:19–22) Herod is an image of irritated pride, disturbed by conscience by denunciations of the truth, hoping to get rid of this trouble by violence. John the Baptist is an image of truth, persecuted by pride, when it has the means to do so. No matter how you soften the truth with condescension and turns of phrase that the tenderness of love can invent, which does not want to hurt another in the heart, the face of truth will appear before the eyes of conscience, and there within it will raise a storm of conviction. The self is short-sighted and cannot discern that the reproof is not from the outside, but from within, and with all its strength it rises up against the external accuser. By blocking his lips, she hopes to drown out his inner voice. He doesn’t have time, however; this is not where the concern goes. We must appease our conscience; then, no matter how many external accusers, they will not disturb the inner peace, but will only deepen it, forcing one to gather calming convictions inside - faith in the crucified Lord, sincerity of repentance and confession, and the firmness of the decision not to do anything against one’s conscience. This is where to turn, and don’t put all the Johns in prison; for the word of God's righteousness goes everywhere on earth, and John is the accuser of every one of them. You might be interested in: