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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
Theophylact of Ohrid
Herod questioned Him at length, treating Him with a certain ironic tone and mocking Him in everything; therefore Jesus answered him nothing. For He who created all things by His word, and of whom David testified that "he will establish his words in judgment" (Ps. 111:5), knows when one ought to answer. For what need is there to answer one who asks not for the sake of learning? What need is there to cast pearls before swine (Matt. 7:6)? On the contrary, as we have said (see ch. 22), love for mankind requires silence in such cases. …
Justin Martyr
Further, the expression, 'My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue has cleaved to my throat,' was a prediction, as I previously remarked, of that silence, when He who convicted all your teachers of being unwise returned no answer at all.
Western Saints
Ambrose of Milan
But Herod, desiring to see some miracles done by him, kept silent and did nothing; for neither did his cruelty deserve to see divine things, nor did the Lord desire to indulge in boasting. And perhaps in Herod all the wicked are symbolized: who, if they do not believe in the Law and the prophets, are unable to see the miracles of Christ's works even in the Gospel.
Gregory the Dialogist
From these words we ought to derive a lesson, that whenever our hearers wish as if by praising us to gain knowledge from us, but not to change their own wicked course, we must be altogether silent, lest if from love of ostentation we speak God's word, both they who were guilty cease not to be so, and we who were not become so. And there are many things which betray the motive of a hearer, but one in particular, when they always praise what they hear, yet never follow what they praise. (Mor. 10. c. …
Bonaventure
And because curiosity is most vigorous concerning sight and hearing, according to that text of Ecclesiastes one: "The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear filled with hearing"; therefore he adds: And he questioned him with many words: he questioned, I say, not as one studious, but as one curious; not as a lover, but as a tempter, according to that text of Sirach thirteen: "By much talk he will tempt you, and smiling he will question you about your secrets." — And because such a person does not deserve to hear the truth, …
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