14 Now King Herod heard of Him, for His name had become well known. And he said, “John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.” 15 Others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets.” 16 But when Herod heard, he said, “This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!” 17 For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her. 18 For John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. 21 Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. 22 And when Herodias’ daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” 23 He also swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” 24 So she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist!” 25 Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. 27 Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.
Devotional
The Lord Jesus’ fame having spread far and wide reaches even to the hearing of king Herod. Now king Herod had already put John the Baptist to death. Thus his speculating about Jesus's Person here is against that backdrop of a man who had heard John preach about righteousness, and the judgment to come, and likely the resurrection from the dead as well. Yet with the news of Jesus’ mighty works coming to the hearing of Herod, he does not attribute the works of Jesus Christ’s Works as coming from God, but rather from John the Baptist, In fact he insists that Jesus is John the Baptist whom he beheaded, saying John has risen from the dead (vs. 16). Now this he said while others were also speculating about Jesus's Person, saying “It is Elijah” or “It is the Prophet, or Jesus is like one of the prophets” (vs. 15). Yet Jesus is more than just “the Prophet” sent from God. For if you stop there with your understanding of Jesus’ Person you will have not fully understood Him as God Himself.
Now Herod himself came from a family steeped in both the "religious culture" of the Jews, as well as the political life of Rome, which then subjugated Israel. And so Herod knew the Jews expectation of their Messiah coming to them. Whether or not he understood any of the Scriptures that pertain to Christ's coming is highly unlikely given his response here. For he like those around him fail to make that critical connection with Christ. Now the Herod’s were a family whose legacy (as this pertains to Biblical history) begin with his grandfather. For it was Herod’s grandfather who began their legacy after being installed as procurator of Judea by Julius Caesar. Whose eldest son Herod “the great” later became governor of Galilee, and whose loyalty to Rome was such that they rewarded him at the death of his father, his father’s jurisdiction and then later the title “king” of Judea. Later this same Herod began the massive Temple reconstruction which by the time of Jesus Christ’s ministry was almost 46 years in the making (John 2:20). And it was that same Herod who at news of the birth Christ, the true King of the Jews, put to death all the first born males in Israel, in order to prevent any possible heirs rising up from the descendants of David, thus fulfilling Scripture (Matt. 2:16-18). At his death his territory was divided into three regions amongst his three sons of which the Herod in question in the above passage was assigned to rule in Galilee. And so it is against that complex political, and highly charged religious astrosphere, which saw the Herod's trying to both placate the Jews, as well as authenticate their own "conversion to Judaism" (being Edomites by ancestry) with such things as their Temple reconstruction project, which would've given them the backing of the Levitical priests. While also forwarding their own political ambitions with Rome, who were also using them to keep the Jews subjugated, and "in check" as it were, by their own tyrannical natures and brutal rule, which quickly quelled any and all potential rival's or uprisings which threatened their own rule. And so the Herods' were for all intense purposes Rome's "henchmen" which kept Rome itself at arms length from the Jews. And so it is against that backdrop of political and religious craft and intrigue that Jesus stepped into the world and became a Man amongst God’s covenant people, Israel. To not only redeem Israel, but more importantly to suffer and die on a Roman cross according to the will of God, for the salvation of all who believe in Him, of both Jews and Gentiles.
Now John the Baptist being a faithful preacher did not turn a blind eye to king Herod’s adulterous relationship with his brother’s wife Herodias. Instead John rebuked Herod for it, which ultimately cost him his life. In Matthew’s gospel we read that Herod initially arrested John the Baptist for Herodias, his brother’s wife sake. And though Herod wanted to put John the Baptist to death at that time, he feared the people, who highly regarded John (Matt. 14:3-5). Instead Herod had John bound and thrown into prison where he remained until his death, which came by the scheming of Herodias. For Mark states that Herodias held it against John that he condemned her adulterous relationship, and that she also wanted to kill John at that time but she could not, “for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.” Vs. 20 Therefore Herod’s initially wanting to put John to death was likely more reactionary on his part, than a deeply held grudge or resentment. While Herodias, held onto hers. And so when an opportune time presented itself for her to take her vengeance, she seized it. And so Herod had both a fear of John (for John was fearless preacher of righteousness), as well the Scripture says Herod had an admiration for him. Thus Herod was not averse to hearing John, for the passage says he heard John gladly, and did many things according to John’s word. And so on some level Herod wanted to be obedient to the faith as it were. Yet Herod himself did not live a Godly lifestyle as a rule of life. It's strange then how men (and women) can quite willingly listen to a preacher of righteousness, even be an admirer of such men, and do some of the good things they command, yet themselves never come to their own repentance and faith.
And so that is where John the Baptist is, imprisoned. While Herod is celebrating his birthday in all manner of extravagance and excess. Having gathered all his nobles, and the high officials of Galilee together to indulge with him in much wine and feasting. And so it is during this time that Herodias saw an opportunity to eliminate John. For Mark states “Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee.” Vs. 21
Now the opportunity for Herodias to execute her desire on John would come through her own daughter, whose dancing before Herod and the assembled dignitaries so delighted Herod and the men with him that he made a rash vow to her saying: …“Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” Vs. 23 And with that the young woman went out and asked Herodias her mother what she should ask for, and Herodias said: …“The head of John the Baptist!” vs. 24
Therefore she immediately returned with haste to the king and said, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” And with that John’s fate was sealed, as the rest of the passage reveals. And though Herod was exceedingly sorry at the girl’s request “…yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. 27 Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.” Vs. 27-29
Now with John's decease at the hands of Herod, the Old Covenant and its prophets regarding the foretelling of the Christ comes to a close, as the Lord Jesus Christ said. For the Law and prophets were until John (Matt. 11:13; Luke 16:16). “Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.” Luke 16:16 For John the Baptist heralded the coming of the King so that everyone, everywhere, should repent in anticipation of His, that is the Lord Jesus Christ’s arrival and Rule. And so before John all the other Old Testament prophets only foretold of Christ. John however declared His having arrived. For that was John’s God given purpose to declare the Lord Jesus Christ as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Therefore John preached repentance in anticipation of the King, but Jesus being the King declared repentance because He brought within Himself the Kingdom of God. And that is why Jesus preached immediately after John's death, “repent and believe for the Kingdom of God is at hand” Mark 1:15 Thus Jesus' miracles and His miraculously healing of all kinds of incurable diseases, aliments, and maladies, casting out demon spirits etc., all gave an undeniable witness to the fact that Kingdom of God has indeed come down to mankind. Yet Herod having heard of things, along with His nobles and officials, did not believe in Jesus. Instead they attributed these powers to either one of ancient prophets, or as in Herod's case, as coming from John the Baptist. And so Herod would never gone to see Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Instead, in the end Herod would align himself with Pontius Pilate in condemning Jesus to death. The question then is who is Jesus to you? For if He is not Lord and Savior, your Lord and Savior then your faith is not in God. For Jesus did not preach John the Baptist, or the prophets, or even the Law of Moses, all which were until John, Jesus preached Himself and the Kingdom of God, and ones entrance into the Kingdom of God by faith in His Person (John 3:16-21). Spiritual re-birth then is the requirement for ones entrance into the Kingdom of God (John 3:3-5) and this only comes by ones own faith in Jesus Christ’s Person crucified and Risen from the dead for ones sins remissions. Therefore if you believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior then invite Him into your heart and life to your Redeemer, Lord and Savior, by praying something like this: “Dear Lord Jesus I know that I am a sinner, yet I believe that you were crucified for my sins, and that you rose again on the third day to bring remission of all my sins and give me new and everlasting life with Yourself. Therefore I now invite you into my heart and life to be my Lord, my Savior, I ask this in Your Precious Name, Lord Jesus Christ amen.
Devotional
The Lord Jesus’ fame having spread far and wide reaches even to the hearing of king Herod. Now king Herod had already put John the Baptist to death. Thus his speculating about Jesus's Person here is against that backdrop of a man who had heard John preach about righteousness, and the judgment to come, and likely the resurrection from the dead as well. Yet with the news of Jesus’ mighty works coming to the hearing of Herod, he does not attribute the works of Jesus Christ’s Works as coming from God, but rather from John the Baptist, In fact he insists that Jesus is John the Baptist whom he beheaded, saying John has risen from the dead (vs. 16). Now this he said while others were also speculating about Jesus's Person, saying “It is Elijah” or “It is the Prophet, or Jesus is like one of the prophets” (vs. 15). Yet Jesus is more than just “the Prophet” sent from God. For if you stop there with your understanding of Jesus’ Person you will have not fully understood Him as God Himself.
Now Herod himself came from a family steeped in both the "religious culture" of the Jews, as well as the political life of Rome, which then subjugated Israel. And so Herod knew the Jews expectation of their Messiah coming to them. Whether or not he understood any of the Scriptures that pertain to Christ's coming is highly unlikely given his response here. For he like those around him fail to make that critical connection with Christ. Now the Herod’s were a family whose legacy (as this pertains to Biblical history) begin with his grandfather. For it was Herod’s grandfather who began their legacy after being installed as procurator of Judea by Julius Caesar. Whose eldest son Herod “the great” later became governor of Galilee, and whose loyalty to Rome was such that they rewarded him at the death of his father, his father’s jurisdiction and then later the title “king” of Judea. Later this same Herod began the massive Temple reconstruction which by the time of Jesus Christ’s ministry was almost 46 years in the making (John 2:20). And it was that same Herod who at news of the birth Christ, the true King of the Jews, put to death all the first born males in Israel, in order to prevent any possible heirs rising up from the descendants of David, thus fulfilling Scripture (Matt. 2:16-18). At his death his territory was divided into three regions amongst his three sons of which the Herod in question in the above passage was assigned to rule in Galilee. And so it is against that complex political, and highly charged religious astrosphere, which saw the Herod's trying to both placate the Jews, as well as authenticate their own "conversion to Judaism" (being Edomites by ancestry) with such things as their Temple reconstruction project, which would've given them the backing of the Levitical priests. While also forwarding their own political ambitions with Rome, who were also using them to keep the Jews subjugated, and "in check" as it were, by their own tyrannical natures and brutal rule, which quickly quelled any and all potential rival's or uprisings which threatened their own rule. And so the Herods' were for all intense purposes Rome's "henchmen" which kept Rome itself at arms length from the Jews. And so it is against that backdrop of political and religious craft and intrigue that Jesus stepped into the world and became a Man amongst God’s covenant people, Israel. To not only redeem Israel, but more importantly to suffer and die on a Roman cross according to the will of God, for the salvation of all who believe in Him, of both Jews and Gentiles.
Now John the Baptist being a faithful preacher did not turn a blind eye to king Herod’s adulterous relationship with his brother’s wife Herodias. Instead John rebuked Herod for it, which ultimately cost him his life. In Matthew’s gospel we read that Herod initially arrested John the Baptist for Herodias, his brother’s wife sake. And though Herod wanted to put John the Baptist to death at that time, he feared the people, who highly regarded John (Matt. 14:3-5). Instead Herod had John bound and thrown into prison where he remained until his death, which came by the scheming of Herodias. For Mark states that Herodias held it against John that he condemned her adulterous relationship, and that she also wanted to kill John at that time but she could not, “for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.” Vs. 20 Therefore Herod’s initially wanting to put John to death was likely more reactionary on his part, than a deeply held grudge or resentment. While Herodias, held onto hers. And so when an opportune time presented itself for her to take her vengeance, she seized it. And so Herod had both a fear of John (for John was fearless preacher of righteousness), as well the Scripture says Herod had an admiration for him. Thus Herod was not averse to hearing John, for the passage says he heard John gladly, and did many things according to John’s word. And so on some level Herod wanted to be obedient to the faith as it were. Yet Herod himself did not live a Godly lifestyle as a rule of life. It's strange then how men (and women) can quite willingly listen to a preacher of righteousness, even be an admirer of such men, and do some of the good things they command, yet themselves never come to their own repentance and faith.
And so that is where John the Baptist is, imprisoned. While Herod is celebrating his birthday in all manner of extravagance and excess. Having gathered all his nobles, and the high officials of Galilee together to indulge with him in much wine and feasting. And so it is during this time that Herodias saw an opportunity to eliminate John. For Mark states “Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee.” Vs. 21
Now the opportunity for Herodias to execute her desire on John would come through her own daughter, whose dancing before Herod and the assembled dignitaries so delighted Herod and the men with him that he made a rash vow to her saying: …“Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” Vs. 23 And with that the young woman went out and asked Herodias her mother what she should ask for, and Herodias said: …“The head of John the Baptist!” vs. 24
Therefore she immediately returned with haste to the king and said, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” And with that John’s fate was sealed, as the rest of the passage reveals. And though Herod was exceedingly sorry at the girl’s request “…yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. 27 Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.” Vs. 27-29
Now with John's decease at the hands of Herod, the Old Covenant and its prophets regarding the foretelling of the Christ comes to a close, as the Lord Jesus Christ said. For the Law and prophets were until John (Matt. 11:13; Luke 16:16). “Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.” Luke 16:16 For John the Baptist heralded the coming of the King so that everyone, everywhere, should repent in anticipation of His, that is the Lord Jesus Christ’s arrival and Rule. And so before John all the other Old Testament prophets only foretold of Christ. John however declared His having arrived. For that was John’s God given purpose to declare the Lord Jesus Christ as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Therefore John preached repentance in anticipation of the King, but Jesus being the King declared repentance because He brought within Himself the Kingdom of God. And that is why Jesus preached immediately after John's death, “repent and believe for the Kingdom of God is at hand” Mark 1:15 Thus Jesus' miracles and His miraculously healing of all kinds of incurable diseases, aliments, and maladies, casting out demon spirits etc., all gave an undeniable witness to the fact that Kingdom of God has indeed come down to mankind. Yet Herod having heard of things, along with His nobles and officials, did not believe in Jesus. Instead they attributed these powers to either one of ancient prophets, or as in Herod's case, as coming from John the Baptist. And so Herod would never gone to see Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Instead, in the end Herod would align himself with Pontius Pilate in condemning Jesus to death. The question then is who is Jesus to you? For if He is not Lord and Savior, your Lord and Savior then your faith is not in God. For Jesus did not preach John the Baptist, or the prophets, or even the Law of Moses, all which were until John, Jesus preached Himself and the Kingdom of God, and ones entrance into the Kingdom of God by faith in His Person (John 3:16-21). Spiritual re-birth then is the requirement for ones entrance into the Kingdom of God (John 3:3-5) and this only comes by ones own faith in Jesus Christ’s Person crucified and Risen from the dead for ones sins remissions. Therefore if you believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior then invite Him into your heart and life to your Redeemer, Lord and Savior, by praying something like this: “Dear Lord Jesus I know that I am a sinner, yet I believe that you were crucified for my sins, and that you rose again on the third day to bring remission of all my sins and give me new and everlasting life with Yourself. Therefore I now invite you into my heart and life to be my Lord, my Savior, I ask this in Your Precious Name, Lord Jesus Christ amen.
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