The Gospel Of Matthew Chapter 14 Part 1 The Account Of John The Baptist's Murder

This section is almost like a parenthesis inserted by Matthew under the Holy Spirit's guidance.

This is a narrative text which means that a personal application is not always discernible. 

However, there are some principles we find in it that will be of benefit to each of us.

It fills in a gap between the end of Matthew 13 and the next major miracle Jesus did in Matthew 14.

Matthew's gospel tells us of the fate of John the Baptist and Herod's unease over his evil acts.

Matthew 14:1  At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, 

This was Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great, who was the wicked king that sought to kill baby Jesus (See Matthew 2:16-18).

The estates of Herod the Great were divided into three parts. 

One was given by the Emperor Augustus to Archelaus,  the second to Herod Antipas and the third to Philip. 

All three men were sons of Herod the Great.

Herod hears about Jesus and his conscience condemns him for executing John the Baptist.

Matthew 14:1-5  At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, 2  And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him. 3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife. 4  For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. 5  And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. 

Matthew 4:12  Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;

John the Baptist preached the Word of God and earlier in his gospel, Matthew told us about the time when Jesus heard that John was cast into prison.

John, guided by the Spirit of God, reproved Herod because he committed adultery by taking his brother Philip's wife to be his own wife. 

Herod was a ruthless ruler and committed many other transgressions but John the Baptist boldly confronted the king for his sins against God.

Jewish historian Josephus says that this marriage of Herod Antipas with Herodias took place while he was on a journey to Rome. 

He stopped at his brother’s residence and fell in love with his brother's wife. 

He agreed to divorce his own wife, who was the daughter of Aretas, King of Petraea. 

Herodias agreed to leave her own husband and live with Herod. 

Therefore, they were living in adultery and John at the risk of his life, reproved them for their crimes. 

Herod was guilty of two crimes in this act.

He was guilty of adultery since she was the wife of another man and guilty of incest since she was close relative and such marriages were forbidden (See Leviticus 18:16).

Therefore, Herod put John into prison and would have killed him but he feared the Jewish people because they believed John was a prophet.

In Matthew 14:2 ,the text says that when Herod heard of the mighty works of Jesus, he was afraid and thought that John the Baptist had risen from the dead.

This tells us that John had been executed before this point in time.

Herod feared John. His conscience smote him for his crimes. 

He knew that he had unjustly put him to death. 

Herod concluded that no other man was capable of working such miracles except faithful John, who was a humble servant of God.

Herod supposed John had again risen from the dead and was very alarmed. 

Herod's guilty conscience spread a sense of uneasiness to those who were closest to the king.

His conscience told him that this was John while others thought he might be Elijah or one of the old prophets (See Mark 6:15).

See the power of Herod's conscience! 

He was mentally miserable because he was guilty of murder, being continually under conviction as his conscience reproached his wicked deed. 

No longer any need for John the Baptist to accuse the king of breaking God's commands. 

Herod's conscience performed the work of ten thousand accusers! 

Adding to his misery is the fact that a guilty conscience shows guilt before God and the surety of receiving His judgment.

Religious hypocrites conscience's convicted them as they sought to kill an adulterous  woman.

John 8:7-9  So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8  And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9  And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 

Pharisees and scribes caught a woman in the act of adultery and took her to Jesus to see what He would say.

The law of Moses demanded that this woman be stoned to death.

Jesus' reply to them was that "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."

All have sinned and come short of the glory of God and therefore, the religious hypocrites conscience's convicted them of their own sins and failures, and they left one by one.

God gave us a conscience to restrain us from doing evil things.

Romans 2:15  Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 

Paul tells us that our conscience will convict us when we sin even if we do not know the moral law of God.

This is what happened to king Herod. 

His conscience mentally battered him because he had John the Baptist executed even though he had committed no crime.

Herodias' daughter danced seductively before Herod in order to seek John's execution.

Matthew 14:6-12  But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. 7  Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. 8  And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger. 9  And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her. 10  And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. 11  And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother. 12  And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus. 

Now we are given the exact circumstances of John the Baptist's murder.

As many kings did, Herod had a lavish banquet celebrating his birthday.

Much food and wine was served and the daughter of Herodias was sent in to dance before Herod.

Like many pagan feasts, this one was marked by over indulgence and erotic acts like Herodias' daughter dancing before the king.

The words "danced before them" is a verb suggesting leaping up on the table and dancing erotically. 

This was intentionally done because Herodias was planning the demise of John the Baptist.

King Herod foolishly blurted out a promise to give Herodias' daughter anything that she requested. 

Her mother coached her to ask for the head of John the Baptist upon a platter.

The king was "sorry" which is a word that means to be made uneasy, as his conscience did a convicting work in Herod's heart.

Yet, pride moved Herod to keep his promise so that he would not lose face before the high level dignitaries attending his party.

Herodias was a wicked, vengeful woman who hated being accused of sexual sin by John.

Mark 6:16-20  But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead. 17  For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her. 18  For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. 19  Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not: 20  For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. 

Mark's gospel specifically tells us that it was due to Herodias' hatred of being accused of adultery by John that motivated Herod to imprison him.

From that moment the wicked queen set herself on a mission to kill John the Baptist.

For Herod feared John, that is, he stood in awe of him because of his boldness and fearlessness in reproving sin.

Herod knew that John was a holy, pious, upright, honest man who was not afraid of him, or afraid of speaking truth.

The phrase "And observed him" means Herod kept him in safe custody in order to preserve him from the evil plot of Herodias.

Mark tells us that Herod feared John because he knew John was a holy man who lived an upright life.

The king observed John's conduct and listened to him speak with gladness.

In many ways, Herod was like Pontius Pilate who said he found no crime or guilt in Jesus when the Jews accused Him before the governor.

The right thing to do would have been to release Jesus since Pilate declared Him to be innocent, and the right thing for Herod to do would have been to deny the request of Herodias' daughter.

Both of these men turned away from judging righteous judgment.

This section of Matthew's gospel is historical narrative that offers insight into the Greco-Roman culture.

As such, narrative does not necessarily bring personal application of truth to us for our lives.

However, there are truths about God we learn from this narrative and we will find principles that can guide us.

God is holy, righteous and always judges righteously.

Deuteronomy 32:3-4  Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. 4  He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. 

This text tells us about the perfect and pure moral character of God.

God is great in the fullest sense of this word.

He is our Rock, immovable in His purposes, unrelenting in keeping His promises and working all things out according to His good pleasure.

His work is perfect in all its ways and His path is marked by right judgment, always doing what is right, equitable and just.

He is the God of all truth, the source of absolute truth that is binding upon all humanity.

Psalm 9:7-8  But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment. 8  And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness. 

The Psalmist tells us how Jehovah is the eternal God who has prepared His judgment throne.

Judgment day is coming and the wicked shall be judged and condemned for eternity at the resurrection of damnation.

The righteous will be judged at the judgment seat of Christ for our love and service to God and others (See John 5:24-29; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 3:11-18; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

Amos 5:24  But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. 

God rebuked Israel because they took bribes and showed favoritism rather than judging rightly according to God's law.

God called them to judge righteously according to His word such that it ran down to the people like a river of pure righteous water.

John 7:24  Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. 

Jesus told the Pharisees to judge righteous judgment instead of showing favoritism which perverted judgment.

Romans 2:5  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 

This text seems especially appropriate the cases of Herod and Pontius Pilate.

These men were convicted of the innocence of the men they allowed to be executed.

Herod was saddened and in a moral quandary because he did not want to execute John, but he also did not want to displease Herodias.

Pilate knew that the Jews made false accusations against Christ because they were jealous of His ministry and how He exposed the false religion of Judaism (See Matthew 27:18).

Pilate's wife had a dream and warned her husband not to condemn Christ (See Matthew 27:19).

Pilate himself declared Christ to be innocent and not worthy of any punishment (See Matthew 27:23-24).

Yet, Pilate feared the Jews and refused to stand against their wicked plot.

What truths can be gleaned from this narrative.

We learn that God is holy. God is righteous and God is just and always does the right thing.

We learn that God wants us to make right moral decisions based upon His Word.

We learn that God has a day set aside when He will judge all the wicked and all the Christ rejectors.

Their fate will be eternal condemnation in Hell.

We learn that God has set aside a day in the future where  believers in Christ shall stand before our Lord at His "bema" seat of judgment.

A "bema" judgment seat was where prizes were handed out to athletes for their Olympic performances.

Thus, Christ's judgment seat is not for judging our sins, for that was done at His cross.

His judgment seat is His evaluation of our walk with Him and how we loved and served God.

It will be an opportunity to receive reward for our love and service to God and others, or if our motivations were wrong, we may suffer a loss of reward.

May our singular focus as Christians be set on living for God's glory so that we may hear our Lord tell us "Well done, thou good and faithful servant" when we stand before Him.

Bob