# 72 When Lives Collide - Matthew 14:1-13

Introduction: Do you see meeting people as an accident, coincident, or a divine appointment? Some call it a, “God moment” (Got Questions.com).

In John 4, Jesus had an interaction with the woman of Samaria. This is what we call a divine appointment. In Acts 8, Phillip experienced a divine appointment with the Ethiopian eunuch. In Acts 16, Paul and Silas had a divine appointment with the Philippian jailer. In Acts 26, the Apostle Paul had a divine appointment with King Agrippa.

I like what S. Joseph Kidder wrote about divine appointments, “A divine appointment is a meeting with another person(s) that God has specifically and unmistakably arranged. The Holy Spirit sets up such encounters because someone needs what He can offer them through you. You are one conversation away from God bestowing His favor on them as you act as His channel of blessing. Often that encounter will be with some-one you have never met before.”[1]

As we come to our text, we are going to look at three lives that collided with one another. Three lives found on the pages of scared Scripture.

I. Herod the tetrarch – 14:1-2

1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus 2 and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.”

Who is this Herod mentioned in verse 1?

The Herod’s of the New Testament

Warren Wiersbe shares the following about the Herod’s found in the New Testament: “The Herod family looms large in the four Gospels and the Book of Acts, and it is easy to confuse the various rulers.

1. Herod the Great founded the dynasty and ruled from 37 b.c. to 4 b.c. He was not a true Jew by birth, but was an Edomite, a descendant of Esau. “He was … a heathen in practice, and a monster in character” (Unger’s Bible Dictionary). He had nine wives (some say ten), and he thought nothing of slaying his own sons or wives if they got in the way of his plans. It was he who had the infants slain in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:13–18).

2. Herod Antipas, the Herod of this chapter, was a son of Herod the Great. His title was “tetrarch,” which means “ruler over the fourth part of the kingdom.” He ruled from 4 b.c. to a.d. 39, and his rule was deceptive and selfish. He loved luxury and was very ambitious to become a great ruler.

3. Herod Agrippa is the Herod who imprisoned Peter and killed James (Acts 12). He was a grandson of Herod the Great.

4. Herod Agrippa II was the Herod who tried Paul (Acts 25:13ff). He was a son of Agrippa I.

All of the Herods had Edomite blood in them, and, like their ancestor Esau, they were hostile to the Jews (Gen. 25:19ff). They practiced the Jewish religion when it helped fulfill their plans for gaining more power and wealth.

Herod Antipas was guilty of gross sin: He had eloped with Herodias, the wife of his half-brother Philip I, divorcing his own wife and sending her back to her father, the king of Petra (Lev. 18:16; 20:21). Herod listened to the voice of temptation and plunged himself into terrible sin.”[2]

A. What Herod heard about Jesus – 13:1

1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus

It has been said that nothing gets past leadership. Here we can say, nothing gets past evil rulers. Well, what Jesus was doing was reported to Herod the tetrarch. Herod heard about all the various activities of Jesus.

It appears that Herod was keeping an ear to the ground. He was aware of what was occurring in his region of control, and Jesus was on his radar.

B. What Herod said about Jesus – 13:2

2 and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.”

Herod spoke to his servants about Jesus and said to them that perhaps Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead. This was no doubt a very spooky thought for Herod. Could John the Baptist be back? What would that mean for him? It’s possible that Herod was suffering from constant nightmares for the evil he permitted against John the Baptist.

It is also possible that his conscience was reminding him daily as to what he had done. However, I believe Herod had already had a snapped conscience. No one can do the evil that this man had done unless his conscience had already been broken.

Illustration of the Human Conscience

Do you see the rubber band I am holding? It is a picture of the human conscience. If you stretch it repeatedly it will eventually lose it elasticity. If you continue to pull it repeatedly, it will eventually snap. This is what I believe happened to Herod the tetrarch. Don’t let this happen to you!

Herod’s life had come into direct contact with two people – John the Baptist, a righteous prophet, and Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

II. Jesus Christ – 13:1-2

1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus 2 and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.”

The news of Jesus Christ had spread. It had reached the ears of Herod the tetrarch.

What do we know about Jesus Christ? Well, think with me about all that we have covered so far in the Gospel of Matthew. This is message seventy-two in our series. Think about everything we have learned about the person of Jesus Christ. His supernatural birth, His baptism, His ministry, and His various miracles. Here is what we have covered so far in Matthew 1-13. Allow me to provide you with a quick review. We have studied the following:

· The virgin birth of Jesus Christ – Matthew 1

· The flight to Egypt – Matthew 2

· The baptism of Jesus Christ – Matthew 3

· The temptation of Jesus Christ – Matthew 4

· The ministry of Jesus Christ – Matthew 4

· The teachings of Jesus Christ – Matthew 5-7

· The ten miracles of Jesus Christ – Matthew 8-9

· The calling of apostles of Jesus Christ – Matthew 10

· The encouragement of Jesus Christ to John the Baptist – Matthew 11

· The further teachings of Jesus Christ – Matthew – Matthew 12

· The Parable of Jesus Christ – Matthew 13

It’s probably what we have recorded for us in Matthew 4 that resonated with Herod. We read back in Matthew 4:17,

From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

I believe that it was Jesus calling people to repent that Herod thought that John the Baptist had risen from the dead. After all, calling people to repent was what John the Baptist did in his ministry as well. We read in Matthew 3:1-2,

1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

When Herod heard about Jesus, he thought, could Jesus be John risen from the dead?

III. John the Baptist – 14:3-12

3 For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. 4 Because John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. 6 But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. 7Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. 8So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.” 9 And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her. 10 So he sent and had John beheaded in prison. 11And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12 Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

Here is a very important truth that you and I need to get a hold of in life. God brings spiritual people across our path in life for a purpose. And you and I can do one of two things: First, we can seek to understand the purpose of meeting various godly individuals – perhaps God wants to CHANGE us. Or, second, we can ignore these spiritual individuals and go on with life without ever discerning why God brought them into our lives.

Herod meeting John the Baptist had a very specific purpose. Remember, John the Baptist was a prophet. What is a prophet? God’s mouthpiece! Herod was to hear God’s word to him. John the Baptist called Herod to repentance (change of heart, mind, and will).

Consider here in Matthew 14:3-12 how everything plays out between Herod and John the Baptist:

A. Herod put John in prison – 14:3

3 For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife

All Herod did was to speak the word and John the Baptist was arrested and place into a prison cell (see Matthew 11 when John was in prison).

I have read that John was put in the fortress of Machaerus, located about four miles east of the Dead Sea. It stood 3,500 feet above sea level on a rocky ridge that was accessible from only one side.[3] (See cut away of the fortress). Herod made this place a lavish palace.

B. Herod had Herodias, his brother’s wife – 14:3

Evil Herod had taken his brother’s wife. Talk about evil to the core. I still think that most people even in our wicked culture see taking a brother’s wife as just plain wrong.

Allow me to provide you with some intriguing history about Herod and his wives:

Herod’s first wife was the daughter of Aretas, king of the Nabateans, whose land was south of Perea. This marriage was arranged by Augustus to keep peace between Arabs and Jews. Philip was Herod’s half-brother and not Philip the tetrarch. According to Josephus, Salome was the one who later married Philip the tetrarch, who was her granduncle. When Herod Antipas met Herodias, his brother’s wife, he divorced his first wife and married Herodias.

Herodias was the daughter of Aristobulus, another half-brother. Thus, Herodias was a half niece to both Philip and Herod (and they, in turn, were her half uncles). Herodias married her half uncle Philip and then divorced him to marry another half uncle, Herod. Thus, in marrying, Herodias and Herod had committed adultery, as well as a type of incest. John the Baptist condemned Herod and Herodias for living immorally. It was not lawful for Herod to be married to his brother’s (that is, half-brother’s) wife (not to mention that she was also his half niece). Leviticus 18:16 and 20:21 describe the laws that Herod was breaking. Herod was Jewish, and whether or not he cared about the Jewish law, he did care about a revolt against him by the Jews.[4]

C. Herod was called out by John the Baptist – 14:4-5

4Because John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

This is what a godly and goodly prophet did. He called people to repentance (Repentance is not a bad word). John the Baptist saw the sin of Herod and he wouldn’t overlook it. No, he called Herod out. John told Herod that it was unlawful for him to have her (his brother’s wife).

John followed the pattern of many Old Testament prophets in confronting the civil rulers of their day (e.g., 1 Kgs. 17:1; 18:1–46; 20:35–43; 22:1–28; 2 Kgs. 1). Herod had gone to Rome, where he met Herodias, the wife of his half-brother Philip. John warned Herod that his adulterous relationship with his brother’s wife was “unlawful” (Lev. 18:6, 16; 20:21). Both Herod and Herodias had divorced their spouses to marry each other. To silence John, Herod arrested him. In spite of his superstitious respect for John, Herod’s grudge was strong enough that he would have preferred to execute John immediately, but he knew John was popular with the Jewish people. They saw John as a prophet from God. Herod suspected this was true, but his primary motivation for not killing John sooner was fear of the people.[5]

Herod didn’t want his sin to be presented in the light for everyone to hear. And many of probably would have been just as angry as Herod was against John the Baptist. Herod was angry enough to want to put John to death but feared because his subjects saw John as a prophet.

This also tells you how little respect Herod had for God’s prophets.

D. Herod celebrated his birthday – 14:6

6 But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod.

Herod celebrated his birthday. He threw a party. Now, I don’t know this for sure, but I am thinking that Herod threw his own party. This man was so disliked by people that in order for anyone to celebrate his birth that he threw his own party.

E. Herodias’ daughter danced before Herod – 14:6

We are told here in verse 6, that Herodias daughter danced before Herod and those at his birthday party. As I read these verses one must wonder what kind of dancing was taking place here.

According to the Jewish historian Josephus, the daughter was Salome, a young woman in her middle teens. Herodias sent Salome into the banquet hall to dance before the company of Herod and his roomful of male (and probably drunken) dinner guests. The dance she performed may have been provocative and sensual. Few women of respectable position would perform in such a way, but Herodias knew that Salome’s dance would gain raucous approval from the all-male audience.[6]

F. She pleased Herod, and he offered her whatever she wanted – 14:7

7 Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.

Herodias’ daughter pleased Herod and his guests. When Salome ended her dance, the king brought her to his side. He offered her whatever she might ask. Not only that, but he promised on oath—perhaps his word wasn’t good enough without that. Herod probably expected his daughter to request jewels or some other favor.[7]

G. The girl had talked with her mother, and they conspired together for the head of John the Baptist – 14:8

8 So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.”

Herod was not expecting what the girl would request from him. Daughter and mother conspired together to have John the Baptist murdered. Talk about the scorn of a woman. In Mark 6:19 we read,

Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not;

These bad girls came come up with an evil scheme. It is one thing to have someone poisoned but is WICKED to have someone beheaded.

When we witnessed the Taliban and Al quada behead captives on national television, it was pure EVIL. This is what we have in play before us – pure evil.

H. The king was sorry, nevertheless because of the oath he ordered for John to be beheaded – 14:9

9 And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her.

The Greek word for “sorry” used here in this verse means, grief and heaviness, but nothing more. It is not a sorry that leads to repentance.

True biblical sorrow ought to lead people to repentance (see 2 Corinthians 7:9-10). Herod being “sorry” didn’t lead him to repent. No, he brushed his emotions aside and he ordered his soldiers to go to John the Baptist’s cell and to have him behead. His soldiers went and they carried out John the Baptist’s execution.

I. John’s head was delivered on a platter – 14:10-11

10 So he sent and had John beheaded in prison. 11 And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.

Can you imagine anyone requesting someone’s head to be delivered on a platter? Talk about pure evil. Talk about wicked parenting. Talk about no conscience.

J. The disciples came and took away the body of John the Baptist and buried it – 14:12

12 Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

The disciples here are not Jesus’ disciples, but the disciples that John the Baptist were mentoring. Here is a good reminder of why we all need a circle of friends around us.

Question: Do you have anybody in your life that will take your body and bury you? Here is a good reason to be a part of a community.

K. They went (John’s disciples) and told Jesus – 14:12

12 Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

John the Baptist’s disciples came and told Jesus what had happened to His cousin. They reported to Jesus all that Herod had done.

Conclusion: I find it insightful to think that God provided Herod with the presence of two godly men. Our God is full of grace. How did Herod’s life end? History records that Herod lost prestige and power. His armies were defeated by the Arabs, and his appeals to be made a king (urged by his wife) were refused by Emperor Caligula. Herod was banished to Gaul (France) and then Spain, where he died.

Herod is remembered as a weak ruler whose only concern was his own pleasure and position. He did not serve the people, he served himself. He has the dubious honor of being the man who killed the greatest prophet ever sent to proclaim God’s Word.[8]

Here are four take aways from this passage of Scripture:

1. See your encounters with people as divine appointments. People come into our lives for a reason. Seek to understand why God brings certain people into our lives.

2. You may be someone’s divine encounter. What type of impact will you leave in the life of another individual? Seek to leave a lasting impression – a godly impression.

3. Is there someone that your life intersects daily? Are you there for them, or are they there for you? Remember, iron sharpens iron.

4. Let people know if they have impacted your life. Tell them how they have ministered to you, or how their life and words and inspired you.

Okay, I must share one more take away:

5. Life may give you a few Herod’s. Don’t be surprised if your life encounters a few evil people. God is using you to show His grace towards them.

[1] https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/2018/08/Divine-appointments [2]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 49). Victor Books. [3]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 49). Victor Books. [4]Barton, B. B. (1996). Matthew(p. 283). Tyndale House Publishers. [5]Weber, S. K. (2000). Matthew(Vol. 1, p. 217). Broadman & Holman Publishers. [6]Barton, B. B. (1996). Matthew(pp. 284–285). Tyndale House Publishers. [7]Ibid [8]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 49–50). Victor Books.