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Matthew 14:4
Verse
Context
The Beheading of John
3Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,4because John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”5Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet.
Sermons



Summary
Commentary
- John Gill
- Tyndale
John Gill Bible Commentary
For John said unto him,.... John having heard of this incestuous marriage, went to Herod, and reproved him to his face for it; and, as Luke says, "for all the evils he had done", Luk 3:19 for he was a very wicked man, and guilty of many flagitious crimes: John, in so doing, showed his zeal for holiness, his hatred of sin, his courage and faithfulness in reproving thus freely so great a man; and made it manifest, that he came in the spirit of Elijah: what he said to him was, it is not lawful for thee to have her, being forbidden, Lev 18:16 for though by another law it was right to marry a brother's wife, after his decease, when he left no issue, yet this was not the case here; Philip was now living, and, had he been dead, such a marriage would have been unlawful, because there was issue; she had a daughter, who afterwards is said to dance before Herod; and besides, he himself had another wife, whom he put away; so that his sin was a very aggravated and complicated one: lying with a brother's wife, was one of those sins which, according to the Jewish (h) canons, deserved cutting off, or death by the hand of God. Josephus (i) gives another reason of the imprisonment and death of John, that Herod feared that the people of the Jews, through his means, would be moved to sedition, and revolt from his government; which might be what Herodias suggested to him, or what he gave out himself, to cover the true cause of his proceedings: but the true reason is, what is here given, and is to be confirmed by the testimony of Jewish writers. One of their chronologers (k) delivers the account in these express words: "Herod Antipater was a very wicked and pernicious man, many of the wise men of Israel he slew with the sword; and he took to wife, his brother Philip's wife, whilst he was living; and because John the high priest (for so through mistake they call him) "reproved him for this"; (see Luk 3:19) he slew him with the sword, with many of the wise men of Israel.'' And, says their historian (l), "also he, Herod, slew John, because he said unto him, it is forbidden thee to take the wife of Philip, and he slew him; this is that John that practised baptism.'' (h) Misn. Ceritot, c. 1. sect. 1. (i) Antiqu. lsss. 18. c. 6. (k) Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 25. 2. (l) Joseph. Gorionides, 1. 5. c. 45.
Matthew 14:4
The Beheading of John
3Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,4because John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”5Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet.
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Christ Is All - in Scripture
By Bill McLeod1.6K46:28Fulness Of ChristPSA 2:10PSA 40:7PSA 41:9MAT 1:21MAT 28:19MRK 14:62COL 3:11TIT 3:7PHM 1:1In this sermon, the speaker begins by referencing Mark 16 and Luke 1 from the Bible. He highlights how Jesus reproached his disciples for their lack of belief in his resurrection and then commanded them to preach the gospel to the world. The speaker also mentions that some versions of the Bible omit miracles and end with Jesus' death on the cross, portraying him as a good man and advocate of peace. However, the speaker emphasizes that the Bible is truly all about Jesus and explores the significance of his ministry and his role as the Son of God.
Herod
By Edwin Fesche1.3K10:11HerodJDG 16:4MAT 2:16MAT 14:4MRK 1:15LUK 13:31JHN 3:3ACT 16:31ROM 6:16In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of our actions leading up to making important decisions. He urges the listeners to reflect on their past actions and allow the word of God to guide them towards righteousness. The main command is to repent and believe in the gospel, specifically in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. The preacher uses the example of King Herod, who initially heard the word of God but succumbed to his lusts and made the decision to marry his brother's wife. This decision ultimately led to the beheading of John the Baptist, who had boldly confronted Herod about the unlawfulness of his actions. The sermon highlights the power of the word of God as a catalyst for revealing the true intentions of the human heart.
Compared View of the First Three Gospels, Etc.
By John Nelson Darby0The GospelsChrist's MinistryMAT 1:1MAT 4:17MAT 5:1MAT 9:35MAT 11:28MAT 28:19MRK 1:14LUK 3:23LUK 4:18John Nelson Darby discusses the distinct characteristics and purposes of the first three Gospels, emphasizing that Mark presents a chronological account of Christ's service, while Matthew focuses on the presentation of Jesus as the Messiah and the implications of His rejection. He notes that Luke, while generally following Mark's order, includes moral teachings that are unique to his Gospel. Darby highlights the importance of understanding the genealogies and the context of Christ's ministry, particularly in relation to Israel's expectations and the establishment of the church. He concludes that the Gospels collectively reveal the nature of Christ's mission and the unfolding of God's plan for humanity.
- John Gill
- Tyndale
John Gill Bible Commentary
For John said unto him,.... John having heard of this incestuous marriage, went to Herod, and reproved him to his face for it; and, as Luke says, "for all the evils he had done", Luk 3:19 for he was a very wicked man, and guilty of many flagitious crimes: John, in so doing, showed his zeal for holiness, his hatred of sin, his courage and faithfulness in reproving thus freely so great a man; and made it manifest, that he came in the spirit of Elijah: what he said to him was, it is not lawful for thee to have her, being forbidden, Lev 18:16 for though by another law it was right to marry a brother's wife, after his decease, when he left no issue, yet this was not the case here; Philip was now living, and, had he been dead, such a marriage would have been unlawful, because there was issue; she had a daughter, who afterwards is said to dance before Herod; and besides, he himself had another wife, whom he put away; so that his sin was a very aggravated and complicated one: lying with a brother's wife, was one of those sins which, according to the Jewish (h) canons, deserved cutting off, or death by the hand of God. Josephus (i) gives another reason of the imprisonment and death of John, that Herod feared that the people of the Jews, through his means, would be moved to sedition, and revolt from his government; which might be what Herodias suggested to him, or what he gave out himself, to cover the true cause of his proceedings: but the true reason is, what is here given, and is to be confirmed by the testimony of Jewish writers. One of their chronologers (k) delivers the account in these express words: "Herod Antipater was a very wicked and pernicious man, many of the wise men of Israel he slew with the sword; and he took to wife, his brother Philip's wife, whilst he was living; and because John the high priest (for so through mistake they call him) "reproved him for this"; (see Luk 3:19) he slew him with the sword, with many of the wise men of Israel.'' And, says their historian (l), "also he, Herod, slew John, because he said unto him, it is forbidden thee to take the wife of Philip, and he slew him; this is that John that practised baptism.'' (h) Misn. Ceritot, c. 1. sect. 1. (i) Antiqu. lsss. 18. c. 6. (k) Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 25. 2. (l) Joseph. Gorionides, 1. 5. c. 45.