Back around Palm Sunday, somebody posted a link to the "Jesus Must Die/Hosanna" clip from the 1973 movie of Jesus Christ Superstar. From there I went through several versions of that scene and others, including a number of "Herod's Song." There are several good versions, but, as is often the case, I like a version where high school students do it very well. This one is from New Ross (from the names, I'm guessing it's the one in County Wexford, Ireland).
(There are several professional versions linked at YouTube, if you prefer.)
Anyway, the song is a clever development of the line at Luke 23:8. "Herod was very glad to see Jesus; he had been wanting to see him for a long time, for he had heard about him and had been hoping to see him perform some sign." But Jesus did nothing and said nothing. And it occurs to me that as a rule, the miracles of Jesus are responses to the faith of people in some kind of need, not merely magic tricks to convince the people to believe in him. So when Herod says things like, "Prove to me that you're divine: Change my water into wine," he's got it backwards. He has neither the need nor the faith for Jesus to respond to.
One of the great issues that stands in the way of faith is the problem of evil: if God is loving and omnipotent, why does this happen? Sometimes it is asked by people of sincere faith who have just suffered some great loss. Sometimes it shakes or destroys their faith. Sometimes, on the other hand, it can be asked sneeringly, by someone who is trying to cast doubt on the faith of others. In those cases, it is like Herod's Song; and we can reply to the scoffer that God is under no obligation to answer your demands.
Would Herod really have believed if Jesus had performed a miracle? Talking to John the Baptist didn't convert him. He might have been surprised and impressed, but he doesn't seem to have been interested in the gospel, just in spectacle.
Herod's Song reminds us that God does not perform on command from us. The whole story of Jesus' suffering and death reminds us that God does not remove pain and sorrow from this life. But Jesus' resurrection promises us that all earthly pain will end and God can give eternal life.
