And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
Herod desired to put John to death for rebuking his unlawful marriage to his brother's wife, but he was restrained for a time by fear of the multitude who counted John as a prophet. He himself knew John to be a just and holy man and a true prophet of God, and through John's reproof he was convicted, trembled, reformed his life in many things, and designed to release him. Being weak in principle and vacillating, he delayed from fear of displeasing Herodias and yielded to indulgence in food and wine that warred against conviction and deadened his moral powers. Herodias, unable to obtain John's death while Herod remained in control, secured it by strategy at the birthday feast, where entrapped by revelry and his oath to her daughter Herod ordered the execution to please her. Having come close to becoming John's disciple, Herod at the point of decision turned from light into darkness to gratify revenge, and his remorse soon gave way to a dulled conscience, showing that those once convicted who turn away become capable of the worst crimes, while John's fate shows that bold testimony may cost the messenger his life.
John's Imprisonment and Death
Matthew 14:5 belongs to the account of John's imprisonment and death after he told Herod his marriage to his brother's wife was not lawful. Herodias used her influence to have John imprisoned, being ambitious for power and full of hatred toward him for daring to reprove their crime, and she was determined to be revenged on the prophet and pressed for his death. Herod was convicted as he listened to John's pointed reproof of transgression of the law of God and of future punishment, trembling and desiring to break the chain of lust that held him, with his mind opened as John set him face to face with the law and told him he could have no part in the Messiah's kingdom unless he broke the unlawful connection and obeyed with his whole heart. Herod was inclined to act on the advice and told Herodias he could not marry her in defiance of the law, but being weak in principle and vacillating he yielded to the pleasures of sin rather than submit to its restrictions, and while Herodias re-established her influence he intended to release John from prison.
The multitude counted John as a prophet, and Herod's fear of the multitude restrained him for a time from carrying out his desire to put John to death. His public standing and prophetic authority held Herod back, though this restraint did not prevent the killing, and John's bold message thus put his life at risk while the storm gathered that would soon sweep him away. John's fate remained undecided until the oath gave Herodias opportunity to press for his death.
Herodias knew that under ordinary circumstances, while his intelligence controlled him, she could not obtain John's death, so she planned by strategy through gratification of intemperate appetite around luxurious food and stimulating drink. She looked to Herod's birthday as an occasion of gluttony and intoxication to throw him off his guard, knowing those indulgences were enervating and deadening his moral and physical powers and warring against conviction. Entrapped in revelry with senses debased by wine by his promise to Herodias's daughter to give whatever she asked, Herod treated himself as bound by his oath and chose murder over being accused of breaking it, ordering the execution during a drunken feast to please Herodias. His purpose to release John, delayed from time to time through fear of displeasing Herodias who was determined John should be slain, was thus overborne.
Herod later boasted while Jesus stood before him of the punishment he had inflicted on John for reproving him. When John's bleeding head was brought in before the guests they looked on with horror, and Herod could not shut the painful sight from his vision. The order to execute John became a deed that tormented his conscience, and he feared that Christ was John raised from the dead and that John's warnings would bring judgment upon him. A year afterward he was still living with his unlawful wife Herodias while outwardly observing the annual Jewish Passover with time to consider his own life and character. The disciples regarded John's death as an inglorious end that filled them with grief and fear as they wondered what fate awaited Jesus, and some who had believed his preaching and accepted Christ doubted his mission.
Herod's Conviction and Fall
Herod knew John to be a just and holy man and a true prophet of God, and he both honored and feared him. He gladly listened to John even while Herodias was using her influence to have John imprisoned. He believed John's truthful reproof exposed his sins, and that reproof struck terror into his guilty conscience. He came very close to becoming John's disciple.
Through John's pointed reproof Herod was convicted by the Spirit of God and aroused to put away his sins. John set him face to face with the law of God, made known the secrets of his heart and life, reproved transgression of the law and warned of future punishment for the guilty. John told him he could have no part in the kingdom of the Messiah unless he broke away from the unlawful connection with his brother's wife and with his whole heart obeyed the commandments of God. Herod trembled under that message and desired to break the chain of lust that held him through Herodias. He opened his mind to John, was inclined to act on his advice, told Herodias he could not marry her in defiance of the law of God, in many things reformed his dissolute life, and designed to release John from prison.
He was weak in principle and vacillating in mind. From fear of displeasing Herodias he delayed that intended release from time to time. He yielded to the pleasures of sin rather than submit to the restrictions of the law of God. Luxurious food, stimulating drink, and wine debased his senses and enervated and deadened his moral and physical powers, warring against conviction.
At the point of decision he turned away from light into darkness and fell into Satan's snare to gratify the revenge of a cruel woman. Having nearly become John's disciple, he gave in to evil and put John to death though he knew him to be a true prophet. For a time he felt keen remorse and the stings of conscience, and his order to execute John tormented him afterward. He feared that Christ was John raised from the dead and that John's warnings would bring judgment upon him. By turning from truth his conscience grew dull and his moral perceptions became more and more degraded by a licentious life until his sins appeared as trifles, showing that men once convicted who turn from light become capable of the worst crimes.
Bold Witness and Warning
Herod wanted to put John to death but held back because he feared the multitude, who counted John as a prophet. John's message was bold enough to put his life at risk. Speaking such a pointed message could cost the messenger his life even when the people recognized his prophetic authority. His public standing restrained Herod for a time, though it did not prevent the killing in the end.
John's life was imperiled by the straight and proving testimony he bore to Herod concerning his sins, especially the unlawful marriage, which so enraged the unlawful wife that she would not rest until the head of the greatest prophet that ever lived was brought to her in a charger. He stands among the servants of God whom kings of the royal house sought to kill in persecution. Those who reprove in the gate are hated, for plain God-given testimony cuts the fleshly heart, piercing even to the joints and the marrow, and proves a savor of life unto life or of death unto death. Such testimony must be given when required whether men will hear or refuse to hear and heed, and God's work will go forward without those who refuse, while those who voice with heart and soul the third angel's message will triumph with it. His martyrdom resulted from intemperance among people in authority. The birthday feast stands as a warning against pleasure-seeking and as a lesson in Christian temperance.
Herod desired to put John to death for rebuking his unlawful marriage to his brother's wife, but he was restrained for a time by fear of the multitude who counted John as a prophet.
He himself knew John to be a just and holy man and a true prophet of God, and through John's reproof he was convicted, trembled, reformed his life in many things, and designed to release him.
Being weak in principle and vacillating, he delayed from fear of displeasing Herodias and yielded to indulgence in food and wine that warred against conviction and deadened his moral powers.
Herodias, unable to obtain John's death while Herod remained in control, secured it by strategy at the birthday feast, where entrapped by revelry and his oath to her daughter Herod ordered the execution to please her.
Having come close to becoming John's disciple, Herod at the point of decision turned from light into darkness to gratify revenge, and his remorse soon gave way to a dulled conscience, showing that those once convicted who turn away become capable of the worst crimes, while John's fate shows that bold testimony may cost the messenger his life.
John's Imprisonment and Death
Matthew 14:5 belongs to the account of John's imprisonment and death after he told Herod his marriage to his brother's wife was not lawful. Herodias used her influence to have John imprisoned, being ambitious for power and full of hatred toward him for daring to reprove their crime, and she was determined to be revenged on the prophet and pressed for his death. Herod was convicted as he listened to John's pointed reproof of transgression of the law of God and of future punishment, trembling and desiring to break the chain of lust that held him, with his mind opened as John set him face to face with the law and told him he could have no part in the Messiah's kingdom unless he broke the unlawful connection and obeyed with his whole heart. Herod was inclined to act on the advice and told Herodias he could not marry her in defiance of the law, but being weak in principle and vacillating he yielded to the pleasures of sin rather than submit to its restrictions, and while Herodias re-established her influence he intended to release John from prison.
The multitude counted John as a prophet, and Herod's fear of the multitude restrained him for a time from carrying out his desire to put John to death. His public standing and prophetic authority held Herod back, though this restraint did not prevent the killing, and John's bold message thus put his life at risk while the storm gathered that would soon sweep him away. John's fate remained undecided until the oath gave Herodias opportunity to press for his death.
Herodias knew that under ordinary circumstances, while his intelligence controlled him, she could not obtain John's death, so she planned by strategy through gratification of intemperate appetite around luxurious food and stimulating drink. She looked to Herod's birthday as an occasion of gluttony and intoxication to throw him off his guard, knowing those indulgences were enervating and deadening his moral and physical powers and warring against conviction. Entrapped in revelry with senses debased by wine by his promise to Herodias's daughter to give whatever she asked, Herod treated himself as bound by his oath and chose murder over being accused of breaking it, ordering the execution during a drunken feast to please Herodias. His purpose to release John, delayed from time to time through fear of displeasing Herodias who was determined John should be slain, was thus overborne.
Herod later boasted while Jesus stood before him of the punishment he had inflicted on John for reproving him. When John's bleeding head was brought in before the guests they looked on with horror, and Herod could not shut the painful sight from his vision. The order to execute John became a deed that tormented his conscience, and he feared that Christ was John raised from the dead and that John's warnings would bring judgment upon him. A year afterward he was still living with his unlawful wife Herodias while outwardly observing the annual Jewish Passover with time to consider his own life and character. The disciples regarded John's death as an inglorious end that filled them with grief and fear as they wondered what fate awaited Jesus, and some who had believed his preaching and accepted Christ doubted his mission.
Herod's Conviction and Fall
Herod knew John to be a just and holy man and a true prophet of God, and he both honored and feared him. He gladly listened to John even while Herodias was using her influence to have John imprisoned. He believed John's truthful reproof exposed his sins, and that reproof struck terror into his guilty conscience. He came very close to becoming John's disciple.
Through John's pointed reproof Herod was convicted by the Spirit of God and aroused to put away his sins. John set him face to face with the law of God, made known the secrets of his heart and life, reproved transgression of the law and warned of future punishment for the guilty. John told him he could have no part in the kingdom of the Messiah unless he broke away from the unlawful connection with his brother's wife and with his whole heart obeyed the commandments of God. Herod trembled under that message and desired to break the chain of lust that held him through Herodias. He opened his mind to John, was inclined to act on his advice, told Herodias he could not marry her in defiance of the law of God, in many things reformed his dissolute life, and designed to release John from prison.
He was weak in principle and vacillating in mind. From fear of displeasing Herodias he delayed that intended release from time to time. He yielded to the pleasures of sin rather than submit to the restrictions of the law of God. Luxurious food, stimulating drink, and wine debased his senses and enervated and deadened his moral and physical powers, warring against conviction.
At the point of decision he turned away from light into darkness and fell into Satan's snare to gratify the revenge of a cruel woman. Having nearly become John's disciple, he gave in to evil and put John to death though he knew him to be a true prophet. For a time he felt keen remorse and the stings of conscience, and his order to execute John tormented him afterward. He feared that Christ was John raised from the dead and that John's warnings would bring judgment upon him. By turning from truth his conscience grew dull and his moral perceptions became more and more degraded by a licentious life until his sins appeared as trifles, showing that men once convicted who turn from light become capable of the worst crimes.
Bold Witness and Warning
Herod wanted to put John to death but held back because he feared the multitude, who counted John as a prophet. John's message was bold enough to put his life at risk. Speaking such a pointed message could cost the messenger his life even when the people recognized his prophetic authority. His public standing restrained Herod for a time, though it did not prevent the killing in the end.
John's life was imperiled by the straight and proving testimony he bore to Herod concerning his sins, especially the unlawful marriage, which so enraged the unlawful wife that she would not rest until the head of the greatest prophet that ever lived was brought to her in a charger. He stands among the servants of God whom kings of the royal house sought to kill in persecution. Those who reprove in the gate are hated, for plain God-given testimony cuts the fleshly heart, piercing even to the joints and the marrow, and proves a savor of life unto life or of death unto death. Such testimony must be given when required whether men will hear or refuse to hear and heed, and God's work will go forward without those who refuse, while those who voice with heart and soul the third angel's message will triumph with it. His martyrdom resulted from intemperance among people in authority. The birthday feast stands as a warning against pleasure-seeking and as a lesson in Christian temperance.