Matthew 14:2

Matthew 14:2

John the Baptist Beheaded

1 At that time ^aHerod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus

2 and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.”

3 ^aFor Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.

4 Because John had said to him, ^a“It is not lawful for you to have her.”

5 And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, ^abecause they counted him as a prophet.

6 But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod.

Commentaries:

Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)

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His servants (toiv paisin autou). Literally "boys," but here the courtiers, not the menials of the palace.

Work in him (energousin). Cf. our "energize." "The powers of the invisible world, vast and vague in the king's imagination" (Bruce). John wrought no miracles, but one redivivus might be under the control of the unseen powers. So Herod argued. A guilty conscience quickened his fears. Possibly he could see again the head of John on a charger. "The King has the Baptist on the brain" (Bruce). Cf. Josephus (War, I. xxx. 7) for the story that the ghosts of Alexander and Aristobulus haunted the palace of Herod the Great. There were many conjectures about Jesus as a result of this tour of Galilee and Herod Antipas feared this one.

**Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Matthew 14:2:**

Mark 8:15
Galatians 3:5

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Matthew 14:3 >>

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