ACC ~ Luke 3 v19 - 20

HEROD IMPRISONS JOHN, BUT HE KEEPS TEACHING

ORIGEN: Notice that even while in prison he is teaching. For he also had his disciples in that place. Why did they stay there, unless John exercised the office of teacher even in prison and taught them with divine words? In the course of these words, a question about Jesus arose. John sends some of his disciples and asks, “Are you he who is to come, or do we wait for another?” The disciples return and announce to the teacher what the Savior had bidden them to say. With Jesus’ words, John was armed for battle. He died confidently and was beheaded without resistance, strengthened by the words of the Lord himself and believing that he in whom he believed was truly the Son of God. This is what we have to say about John, and his freedom, and about Herod’s madness. To his many other crimes he also added this one: he first shut John in prison and afterward beheaded him. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 27.4. [1]

[1] FC 94:113*.

LUKE RECORDS JOHN’S IMPRISONMENT

EUSEBIUS: Luke too, before beginning the acts of Jesus, makes a similar observation, saying that Herod added one more offense to his other crimes by shutting up John in jail. ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.24. [1]

[1] HCCC 132.