Good Oath, Bad Request

Today’s gospel reading from Mark 6:14-29 tells how King Herod admired John who though because of his boldness and honesty told him it is unlawful to marry his brothers wife. Despite of this, he ended up ordering John to be beheaded on the account of his oath.

This I think is a good example of how we have seen and acknowledge good people doing good works and yet have no courage enough to protect them because we fear of losing stature in the society. Herod who happened to make an oath does not want to break it in front of his people. No matter how good our intention is in making an oath if the request is bad then it should not be carried out. If the fulfillment of our oath means murdering someone, then it is no good oath at all. This is the reverse truth of “The end does not justify the means, “ here we can say, “The means does not justify the end.” The oath “the means” does not justify at all the carrying out of a bad request “the end”. 

by aats