Herod thinks John the Baptist is RisenMat. 14:1-12, Mark 6:14-29, Luke 9:7-9

Matt 141 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. Herod had a guilty conscience

Matt 14:10 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. 2Chr 36:16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy. Matt 17:12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Luke 9:9 And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him.

Herod knew of the prophecies which concerning the resurrection and return of Elijah before the coming of the Lord.

Matt 16:14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. John 1:21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. Mal 4:5-6 5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Matt 14

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. 6 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. [Josephus Ant. XVIII, V. 2.] This is Herod Antipas who divorced his wife (a daughter of Aretas) in order to marry Herodias. Herodias was the niece of Philip (half brother of Antipas). “It is not lawful” is a true Jewish statement with the Law in mind.

Lev 18:16 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife: it is thy brother's nakedness.

Herod’s fear of the multitude is similar to the Pharisees’ fear. Matt 21:26 But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

Herod was impressed by John’s ministry and his ethics, Luke 23:7-8 7 And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. 8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.

Herod actually “cleaned up” a little in response to the John’s preaching.

Mark 6:20 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.

“The daughter of Herodias” is the daughter of Herodias, not Herod’s daughter.

Matt 148 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.

Herod, as most political leaders, was afraid of everything and everybody except God (Matt. 10:27–28).

Matt 10:27-28 27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. 28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

1. He fears his conscience (14:2). Matt 14:2 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.

The Death of Herod’s conscience:A. Herod’s conscience is weakened under John’s

preaching (Mark 6:20)Mark 6:20 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.

B. Inflamed at a dance (Mark 6:22),Mark 6:22 And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.

C. It is Seared by the time Herod is confronted with the decision to receive Christ (Luke 23:8–12).1Tim 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Luke 23:8-12 8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. 9 Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. 10 And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. 11 And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. 12 And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves. Prov 26:4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

2. He fears John (vs. 4). Matt 14:4 For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

3. He fears the multitude (vs. 5). Matt 14:5 And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

4. He fears ridicule (vs. 9). Matt 14:9 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.

5. And he fears to break his own word (Mark 6:26). Mark 6:26 And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.

A perfect example of a typical Christ rejecting sinner. He fears EVERYTHING he shouldn’t, and NOTHING he should.

Herod and Pilate cannot be tolerant and broadminded and cooperate in political matters, they can agree that a Scripture-quoting, Bible believing Saviour should be “eliminated.”

The “charger” a deep wooden bowl, like a “salad bowl.”

A man is what he loves, Women make a religion out of LOVE. The real objector to the John’s preaching (at least where it

regarded marriage) was Herodias herself.

She found a way to get what she wanted even at the cost of her own daughter’s reputation.

Matt 14:11 And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.

Notice the reference to the “beheading.” John the Baptist is said to be a “type of Elijah”

As a type of Elijah, it is fitting that he should suffer death by decapitation, when Elijah shows up he dies in this same manner.

Rev 11:3-10 3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth 7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. Rev 20:4 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Jesus feeds five thousandMat. 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17

Matt 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. 14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. All four Gospels record the “feeding of the multitude”. The expression “moved with compassion” is found again in 9:36 and 18:27, as well as Mark 1:41 and 6:34.

Matt 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Matt 14:14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. Matt 18:27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. Mark 1:41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand , and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. Mark 6:34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things. Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Matt 1415 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. 16 But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. 17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. 18 He said, Bring them hither to me.

19 And 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. In parallel accounts, we can pick up a number of other details.

1. The time was far “passed” as well as “past” or “wear[ing] away. Matt 14:15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him…Mark 6:35 And when the day was now far spent…Luke 9:12 And when the day began to wear away...

2. The word “bread” is substituted for “victuals” (Mark 6:36). Matt 14:15 …buy themselves victuals. Mark 6:36 …and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. Luke 9:12 …and get victuals…

3. They argued with Jesus in unbelief before He actually commanded them to bring the food (Mark 6:37; John 6:7–9). Mark 6:37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? John 6:7-9 7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, 9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

4. The word “meat” is used in Luke 9:13 for “bread” and “victuals.”

Luke 9:13 But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.

5. The desert place turns out to be not a sandy desert, but a grassy desert (John 6:10). John 6:10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

The word “desert” is kin to “deserted” and means: empty, barren, void—of any person.

“The time is now past” -the time to eat supper is now past. However, it is apparently still light enough to feed the people in groups (John 6:10, Luke 9:14).

John 6:10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. Luke 9:14 For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company.

So the time would occur between 5 and 7 o’clock. Since they say “the day is far spent” (Luke 24:29), the chances are that it is beginning to turn dark and the sun has set. Prophetically, the scene is of the feeding of the remnant of Israel in the Great Tribulation, who will be fed miraculously from Heaven (Rev. 12:1–15, Micah 7:14–15, Jer. 50:19–20, Ezek. 20:35, Lam. 5:9).

Rev 12:1-15 1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. 7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the

devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. 13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. 14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. Mic 7:14-15 14 Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old. 15 According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things. Jer 50:19-20 19 And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead. 20 In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve. Ezek 20:35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. Lam 5:9 We gat our bread with the peril of our lives because of the sword of the wilderness.

This miracle is the first temptation Satan offers Jesus.

Matt 14

20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. 21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children. Additional details are found in the other gospels: 1. They sat down by companies or ranks (fifty in each rank—Mark 6:39–40).

Mark 6:39-40 39 And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. 40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.

2. The loaves are blessed and broken before they are given (Matt. 26:26).

Matt 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

The word of God has to be broken to be given out (Luke 24:45).

Luke 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

The Christian has to be broken to be a blessing. He has to be blessed by God to endure the breaking which follows (2 Cor. 12:1–8).

2Cor 12:1-8 5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to

me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

3. John supplies most of the detailed information concerning this feeding of 5,000. Chapter 6 in John’s gospel not only supplies a detailed conversation with Phillip and Andrew, preceding the feeding, but also a tremendous discourse on the “Bread of LIFE” subsequent to the feeding.

John 6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. John 6:48 I am that bread of life. John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

The passage is the proof texts of the priest for the pagan Roman Mass (see vss. 52–56).

John 6:52-56 52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

This sermon is not to saved Gentiles, but to unsaved Jews. It is before the crucifixion.

Those who receive the bread know they have eternal life as a present possession (vs. 54).

54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

The interpretation of the passage is given in verse 57, and this verse is purposely omitted in teaching the Roman catechism.

John 6:57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

No one tried to take a bite of him.

The literal flesh is plainly renounced in the context (vs. 63) as having any magical “saving grace.”

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

But who can convince a papist (1 Cor. 14:38)? 1Cor 14:38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

John also records the fact that not only was the multitude completely satisfied in the amount that they had to eat from this miraculous feeding, but that the remains were greater than the original amount (John 6:13).

John 6:13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

The feeding is said, by the Holy Spirit, to be a “MIRACLE” (John 6:14).

John 6:14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.