14:1 {1} At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,
(1) Here is in John, an example of an invincible courage, which all faithful ministers of God's word ought to follow: in Herod, an example of tyrannous vanity, pride, and cruelty, and in short, of a refined conscience, and of their miserable slavery, who have given themselves over to pleasure: in Herodias and her daughter, an example of whore-like licentious women, and womanly cruelty.
14:1 The Miracles Beyond and Upon the Sea of Galilee
SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 14:
Herod's Opinion of Christ. The Death of John the Baptist. Jesus Crosses the Sea. The Vast Multitude That Follows. The Miracle of the Five Loaves and Two Fishes. The Multitude Wishing to Make Jesus a King Is Dismissed. The Disciples Sent Upon the Sea While Jesus Retires to Pray. The Storm on the Sea. Christ on the Waters. The Failure of Peter's Faith.
Herod the tetrarch. Compare Mr 6:14-29 Lu 9:7-9. Herod Antipas, one of the sons of Herod the King. See PNT Mt 2:1 for information on the Herods. Called the tetrarch, or ruler of a fourth part, because he inherited one-fourth of the kingdom of his father.
Heard of the fame of Jesus. Absent much of the time from Galilee in campaigns against Areta, king of Arabia, he probably did not hear much until his return home.
14:1 At that time - When our Lord had spent about a year in his public ministry. Tetrarch - King of a fourth part of his father's dominions. Mark 6:14.
14:1-12 The terror and reproach of conscience, which Herod, like other daring offenders, could not shake off, are proofs and warnings of a future judgment, and of future misery to them. But there may be the terror of convictions, where there is not the truth of conversion. When men pretend to favour the gospel, yet live in evil, we must not favour their self-delusion, but must deliver our consciences as John did. The world may call this rudeness and blind zeal. False professors, or timid Christians, may censure it as want of civility; but the most powerful enemies can go no further than the Lord sees good to permit. Herod feared that the putting of John to death might raise a rebellion among the people, which it did not; but he never feared it might stir up his own conscience against him, which it did. Men fear being hanged for what they do not fear being damned for. And times of carnal mirth and jollity are convenient times for carrying on bad designs against God's people. Herod would profusely reward a worthless dance, while imprisonment and death were the recompence of the man of God who sought the salvation of his soul. But there was real malice to John beneath his consent, or else Herod would have found ways to get clear of his promise. When the under shepherds are smitten, the sheep need not be scattered while they have the Great Shepherd to go to. And it is better to be drawn to Christ by want and loss, than not to come to him at all.
