Rēad to Read …Again
Daily Reading: Matthew 13-14
Matthew 14:1
At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,
Time for a short history lesson. According to the book “All the Men of the Bible” (Lockyer), there were three men in the New Testament by the name of Herod.
Herod the Great of Matthew 2 and Luke 1. He was the Herod that met with the wise men from the east (Matthew 2:1-8) and slaughtered the infants (this was prophesied in Jeremiah 31:15 and fulfilled in Matthew 2:18). He also was instrumental in building the Temple in Jerusalem that was in use during the time of Christ. His death is mentioned in Matthew 2:15.
Herod the tetrarch. The word “tetrarch” means a ruler over a fourth part of a province in Rome. A tetrarch was subordinate to the king. This Herod was the son of Herod the Great. This is the ruler mentioned in today’s verse. He interviewed Jesus in Luke 23:8-11. There is no record of this man’s death, tradition holds that he was banished from the kingdom.
Then there was Herod of the book of Acts, he was the grandson of Herod the great. He was also known as Herod Agrippa I. He was contemporary with, and in good standing with Caligula. This man is the one that put to death the keepers of the prison from which Peter escaped in Acts 12. The people he ruled lauded him as being a god and not a man, upon which time the angel of God smote him; he was eaten up of worms, and then died as a mere man (Acts 12:21-23).
With this as a backdrop, notice how many times this family of Herod’s are mentioned in the New Testament (46 verses). They were enemies of Christ, His work, and His workers. They were diabolical, each one in his own way.
In Matthew 14 the story of the beheading of John the Baptist by Herod the tetrarch is related. A touching portion of this story that is mostly overlooked is this: when Jesus heard of John’s death, He departed in a ship to a desert place apart from all the people. It seems that the Lord wanted to spend some time alone grieving, but the people followed Him and the Bible tells us of the miracle of feeding at least 5,000 with that little lad’s lunch of five loaves and two fishes. These two events, His separation to mourn the loss of John and the feeding of the 5,000 are the first two events in the New Testament that are recorded in all four Gospel accounts.
The Gospels of the New Testament relay the story of the most exciting and influential person that has ever lived. Enjoy every day as we read together of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ all the while keeping in the back of our mind, He will one day return. Not only is His past a thing of marvel, but His future is also one of wonder and anticipation.
Dr. William T. Howe
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