MATTHEW 14:1-2 ; MARK 6:14-16 ; LUKE 9:7-9
Luke 9:7-9 Mark 6:14-16 Matthew 14:1-2
7. Now Herod the tetrarch
heard of all that was done by14. And king Herod heard of
him, (for his name had become1. At that time, Herod the
tetrarch heard of the fame of
him, and was perplexed, because celebrated,) and said, John, who Jesus, 2. And said to his
it was said by some that Christ baptized, hath risen from the servants, This is John the
had risen from the dead; 8. And dead, and therefore miracles are Baptist: he is raised from the
by some, that Elijah had performed by him. 15. Others dead, and therefore miracles
work in him. appeared; and by others, that one said, It is Elijah; and others said,
of the ancient prophets had risen It is a prophet, or as one of the
again. 9. And Herod said, John prophets. 16. But when Herod
have I beheaded, but who is this heard that, he said, It is John
of whom I hear such things?
And he desired to see him.whom I beheaded, he hath rasen
from the dead.
The reason why the Evangelists relate this occurrence is, to inform us that the name of Christ
was universally celebrated, and, therefore, the Jews could not be excused on the plea of ignorance.
Many might otherwise have been perplexed by this question, “How came it that, while Christ dwelt
on the earth, Judea remained in a profound sleep, as if he had withdrawn into some corner, and had
displayed to none his divine power?” The Evangelists accordingly state, that the report concerning
him was everywhere spread abroad, and penetrated even into the court of Herod.
- And said to his servants. From the words of Luke it may be inferred, that Herod did not of
his own accord adopt this conjecture, but that it was suggested to him by a report which was current
among the people. And, indeed, I have no doubt that the hatred which they bore to the tyrant, and
their detestation of so shocking a murder, gave rise, as is commonly the ease, to those rumors. It
was a superstition deeply rooted, as we have formerly mentioned, in the minds of men, that the
dead return to life in a different person. Nearly akin to this is the opinion which they now adopt,
that Herod, when he cruelly put to death the holy man, was far from obtaining what he expected;
350 “En sorte que quelques empeschemens qu’ils ayent scen y mettre, encore est—elle venue au dessus, et s’est monstree en
quelque maniere .” —”So that, whatever obstacles they might be able to throw in the way, still it rose above them, and was in
some measure displayed.”
132John Calvin Commentary on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2
because he had suddenly risen from the dead by the miraculous power of God, and would oppose
and attack his enemies with greater severity than ever.
Mark and Luke, however, show that men spoke variously on this subject: some thought that he
was Elijah, and others that he was one of the prophets, or that he was so eminently endued with
the gifts of the Spirit, that he might be compared to the prophets. The reason why they thought that
he might be Elijah, rather than any other prophet, has been already stated. Malachi having predicted
(4:5,6 ) that Elijah would come to gather the scattered Church, they misunderstood that prediction
as relating to the person of Elijah, instead of being a simple comparison to the following effect:
“That the coming of Messiah may not be unknown, and that the people may not remain ignorant
of the grace of redemption, there will be an Elijah to go before, like him who of old raised up that
which was fallen, and the worship of God which had been overthrown. He will go before, by a
remarkable power of the Spirit, to proclaim the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” The Jews,
with their usual grossness of interpretation, had applied this to Elijah the Tishbite, (1 Kings 17:1 ,)
as if he were to appear again and discharge the office of a prophet. Others again conjecture, either
that some one of the ancient prophets had risen, or that he was some great man, who approached
to them in excellence.
It was astonishing that, amidst the diversity of views which were suggested, the true interpretation
did not occur to any one; more especially as the state of matters at that very time directed them to
Christ. God had promised to them a Redeemer, who would relieve them when they were distressed
and in despair. The extremity of affliction into which they had been plunged was a loud call for
divine assistance. The Redeemer is at hand, who had been so clearly pointed out by the preaching
of John, and who himself testifies respecting his office. They are compelled to acknowledge that
some divine power belongs to him, and yet they fall into their own fancies, and change him into
the persons of other men. It is thus that the world is wont, in base ingratitude, to obliterate the
remembrance of the favors which God has bestowed.
With respect to Herod himself, as I hinted, little ago, the conjecture that John had risen did not
at first occur to himself; but as bad consciences are wont to tremble and hesitate, and turn with
every wind, he readily believed what he dreaded. With such blind terrors God frequently alarms
wicked men; so that, after all the pains they take to harden themselves, and to escape agitation,
their internal executioner gives them no rest, but chastises them with severity.
And therefore miracles work in him. We naturally wonder what reasoning could have led them
to this conclusion. John had performed no miracle during the whole course of his preaching. There
appears to be no probability, therefore, in the conjecture, that it was John whom they saw performing
extraordinary miracles. But they imagine that miracles are now performed by him for the first time,
in order to prove his resurrection, and to show that the holy prophet of God had been wickedly put
to death by Herod, and now came forward with a visible and divine protection, that no man might
afterwards venture to assail him. They think that miracles work ( ἐνεζγοῦσιν ) in him; that is, are
powerfully displayed, so as to give him greater authority, and make it evident that the Lord is with
him.
