Matthew Chapter 14

The Herodian

Family

Herod the Great

• The son of Antipater, an Idumaean, and Cypros, an Arabian of noble descent. - B.C. Julius Caesar made Antipater, a “wily Idumaean,” procurator of Judea, who divided his territories between his four sons, Galilee falling to the lot of Herod• B.C. 40: Appointed tetrarch of Judea by Mark Antony and also king of Judea by the Roman Senate.• He was of a stern and cruel disposition. “He was brutish and a stranger to all humanity.”

Herod the Great

• Alarmed by tidings of one “born King of the Jews,” he “slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under” Mt 2:16• He rebuilt the city of Caesarea on the coast, and also the city of Samaria, which he called Sebaste, in honour of Augustus• He restored the Temple of Jerusalem, (begun in 19BC, but not finished till the procuratorship of Albinus, 62-64 AD)

Ant., XV, xi, 5,6; XX, xi, 7; Joh 2:20

Salome

• Salome, his sister, was ever neck-deep in the intrigues of the Herodian family, but had the cunning of a fox and succeeded in making Herof believe in her unchangeable loyalty, although the king had killed her own son-in-law and her nephew, Aristobulus, his own son. The will of Herod, made shortly before his death, is a convincing proof of his regard for his sister (Ant., XVII, viii, 1).

Salome (1)• Wife of Zebedee; among the “women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto Him” Mt 27:55-56; cf. Mk 15:40 - She requested for her sons two seats of honor on Christ's right hand and left in His kingdom and shared with her sons in His rebuke, but was not the less zealous in her attachment to Him. Mt 20:20

- She was at His crucifixion, “beholding afar off,” Mk 15:40

- She was at His sepulcher by early dawn Mk 16:1

- (Some infer her to be the Virgin Mary’s sister).

Salome (2)

• Herodias’ daughter by her former husband Herod Philip

Josephus Ant. 18:5, section 4; Mt 14:6; Mk 6:22

• Daughter danced before Herod Antipas, and at her mother’s instigation asked for John the Baptist’s head for her dance.• Salome married first Philip, tetrarch of Trachonitis, her paternal uncle, then Aristobulus, king of Chalcis.

Herod the Great

• After the death of Mariamne’s sons (Antipater, 7BC), Augustus is said to have exclaimed:

- “It would be better to be one of Herod’s swine than Herod’s sons,”

- (A pun on the similar sounding Greek terms for swine and son, hus, huios).

- Herod, as a professed Jew, his swine as unclean were safe from death, but his sons were not.

Herod the Great

• B.C. 4: After a troubled reign of 37 years, he died at Jericho amid great agonies both of body and mind• After his death of his dingdom was divided among three of his sons:

- Philip: the land east of Jordan, between Caesarea Philipee and Bethabara,

- Antipas: Galilee and Peraea,

- Archelaus: Judea and Samaria.

Herod

• All the Herods had Edomite blood in their veins and hated the Jews

- They were treacherous rulers who in the Bible typify the “god of this age” and the spirit of Antichrist

- Like Satan, all of them were liars and murderersJohn 8:44

Matthew 14:1-2

1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, 2And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him.

John the Baptist’s Ministry

• John had heralded the coming of the King and had faithfully preached God’s truth.

- Christ must increase, and he must decreaseJohn 3:30

• Any Christian who is faithful to the Word of God, as John was, will suffer persecution

- The world is not the friend of the Christian

- The world rejected the King and will also reject His messengers

Matthew 14:3-4

3For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife. 4For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

Matthew 14:5

And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

Matthew 14:6-7

6But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. 7Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.

Matthew 14:8

And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger.

A Rare Luxury

• “A princess, Herod’s own niece, - a grand-daughter of Herod the Great and of Mariamne, - a descendant, therefore, of Simon the high priest and the great line of Maccabean princes, - a princess who afterwards became the wife of a tetrarch Philip, tetrarch of Trachonitis and the mother of a king,• Honoring them by degrading herself into a scenic dancer.” Farrar, Life of Christ

Matthew 14:9

9And 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.

Matthew 14:10-11

10And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. 11And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.

Matthew 14:12

And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

Matthew 14:13

When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.

Matthew 14:14

And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

Matthew 14:15

And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.

Matthew 14:16-17

16But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. 17And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

Matthew 14:18-19

18He said, Bring them hither to me. 19And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

Matthew 14:20

And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

Matthew 14:21

And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

Matthew 14:22

And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

Matthew 14:23

And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

Matthew 14:24

But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

Matthew 14:25-26

25And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

Matthew 14:27

But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

Matthew 14:28

And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

Matthew 14:29

And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

Matthew 14:30-31

30But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Matthew 14:32-33

32And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

Matthew 14:34

And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.

Matthew 14:35

And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased

Matthew 14:36

And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

End of Matthew Chapter 14