Matthew 14:1 – 12

The Death of John the Baptist

1 At that time Herod 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 For 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, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

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

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

7 Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.

8 So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.”

9 And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her.

10 So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.

11 And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.

12 Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

Herod was not a single individual, in the days of Christ and the early years of the church, it was a family name consisting of several different men consisting of a few generations. They held different offices in the land of Palestine. The man in verse one is a son of Herod the Great, his name is Herod Antipas. Tetrarch originally meant “ ruler of a fourth part of some territory.” But finally meant one who had a ruler-ship over a small part of any district to which he might be assigned.

Herod Antipas, hereafter simply called Herod, heard the fame of Jesus and must have felt he needed to have an explanation of who Jesus is. John the Baptist had been beheaded by Herod earlier but John was the one who had the same type of fame as Jesus was accumulating.

Herod apparently had a belief similar to what some Asian religions believed about reincarnation. Evidently Herod was theorizing or speculating this person, Christ, had the powers which John was using. This belief of Herod did not have any relationship with the resurrection.

The imprisonment and execution of John the Baptist took place several months before this account in chapter 14, but now Matthew is giving us the account of John's death through verse 12 of this chapter.

The entire cause of John's arrest was not for preparing the way for Jesus, but because of Herodias who was the wife of Herod Antipas brother Philip 1, Antipas was married to the wife of Philip 1, no valid divorce and Philip 1 was still living.

John accused Herod of being illegally married to Herodias so he put John into prison.

Herod was kept from executing John because of the public opinion of the people who felt John was an esteemed prophet of God. Herod himself was not so personally desirous of John's death, but was influenced by his wicked wife, Herodias. It is related in (Mark 6:19[ Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not;]) would have killed John if not for Herod's protection.

When Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias, Herod's step-daughter, danced an erotic dance before Herod and His friends. This excited Herod.

Herod was so excited by the erotic dance of the young woman he promised with an oath she could have anything she wanted, Mark's account says she could have up to half of his kingdom.

Mark said the young woman went to her mother to ask what she should ask for and Herodias instructed her to ask for John's head given to her in a large dish (charger). Simply asking for the execution of John would never prove to her he was dead, his head would be proof the deed was done.

Herod was not expecting this request from desirable young woman, but since he had made the offer publicly before all of the influential men in his circle, his pride could not let him renege on his promise to her. So he gave the orders for John's head be given to her.

John was in prison so the beheading was executed there.

John who was the prophesied one who was to prepare the way for Jesus was executed because he was courageous enough to rebuke a powerful man and his woman for their sin. His head was given to the girl on a platter. And she gave it to the wickedly vicious Herodias.

The disciples of John took possession of his body, buried it, and went and informed Jesus of the events because they knew Jesus would be concerned.