Matthew 14:3-4
For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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While John the Baptist had openly confronted Herod for his unlawful marriage, Matthew highlights that Herod's primary motivation for imprisoning John was "for Herodias' sake." This subtly shifts the focus from Herod's sin to Herodias' influence, suggesting she was the driving force behind John's silencing.
Just before this, Jesus had fed thousands with a few loaves and fish, demonstrating His divine power. Now, the narrative shifts to explain why John the Baptist, Jesus' cousin and forerunner, was imprisoned. Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, had arrested John because John dared to condemn his unlawful marriage to Herodias, his own brother Philip's wife. This sets the stage for the dramatic events that follow, where Herodias' hatred and a king's reckless promise lead to a prophet's tragic end.
John the Baptist didn't shy away from confronting powerful people with God's truth. Why was Herod so angry, and what specific sin did John call him out on?
The verse tells us Herod arrested John 'for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip’s wife.' This points to a deeply scandalous situation. Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, had taken his brother Philip’s wife, Herodias, and married her. This was a violation of God's law on two fronts: it was adultery (she was still married to Philip) and it was incest (marrying a close relative, which was forbidden by the Law of Moses).
John, a prophet filled with the Spirit of God, could not remain silent. He boldly confronted Herod, declaring, 'It is not lawful for you to have her.' This wasn't just a matter of personal opinion; it was a clear denunciation of sin, delivered directly to a king. Herod’s imprisonment of John was a direct result of this prophetic confrontation, an attempt to silence the voice of God that exposed his sin.
Herod wasn't completely unmoved by John’s message. Why, then, did he ultimately silence the prophet instead of repenting?
While Matthew 14:3 states John was imprisoned 'for Herodias' sake,' the broader context reveals a more complex inner struggle for Herod. The Gospels (and commentators like Calvin) explain that Herod 'feared the multitude' because they regarded John as a prophet. He was also, as Mark notes, 'a just and holy man, and observed him, and, having heard him, did many things, and heard him gladly.' This suggests a level of respect, perhaps even conviction, within Herod.
However, this respect and fear of public opinion were not enough to overcome his sinful desire and the influence of Herodias. He was trapped between a genuine, albeit superficial, reverence for God's prophet and the suffocating grip of his own sin and his wife’s demands. Ultimately, the fear of losing face and the pressure from Herodias outweighed any desire for righteousness. He chose to silence the voice of truth rather than change his life.
Understand the original words
kratēsas · Greek Verb
To lay hold of or arrest someone by force. In a biblical context, it often implies an act of oppression or the subduing of an individual by those in political or religious power.
exestin · Greek Adverb/Verb
To be in accordance with the divine law or commandments of God as revealed in Scripture. In this context, it refers to the moral requirements established by the Mosaic Law.
This verse plunges us into the complex, morally compromised world of Herod Antipas, a ruler whose personal desires and political maneuvering led him to silence a prophet of God. The illegal marriage and John's brave denunciation are the direct sparks that ignite the tragic events that follow.
c. 4 BC
Herod the Great Dies
The death of Herod the Great leads to the division of his kingdom among his sons, including Herod Antipas, who becomes tetrarch of Galilee and Perea.
c. AD 27-28
John the Baptist Begins Ministry
John the Baptist starts preaching and baptizing in the wilderness of Judea, calling people to repentance.
c. AD 28-29— this verse
John Denounces Herod Antipas
John the Baptist publicly rebukes Herod Antipas for his unlawful marriage to Herodias, his brother Philip's former wife.
c. AD 29
John Imprisoned at Machaerus
Herod Antipas, influenced by Herodias, has John the Baptist arrested and imprisoned in the fortress of Machaerus.
This verse directly addresses the prohibition against marrying one's brother's wife, which was the core of John the Baptist's confrontation with Herod, highlighting the moral and legal transgression.
Mark 6:17-19This passage provides a parallel account of Herod's imprisonment of John, specifically detailing John's bold declaration that it was not lawful for Herod to have his brother's wife, and Herodias's desire for revenge.
Luke 3:19-20This passage shows that Herod's conflict with John the Baptist was part of a larger pattern of wickedness he was engaged in, and that John's imprisonment was a consequence of his prophetic rebukes.
1 Kings 18:17-18This narrative of Elijah confronting King Ahab and Queen Jezebel about their sins mirrors John the Baptist's confrontation with Herod and Herodias, showcasing a prophet's courage against ungodly rulers.
Proverbs 21:1This proverb speaks to how even kings' hearts are in God's hands, and that He can direct them, offering a theological perspective on Herod's actions and the ultimate sovereignty of God despite human wickedness.
barnesMatthew 14:3: "For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife."
For Herod had laid hold on John ... - See Mark 6:17-20 ; Luke 3:19-20 . This Herodias was a granddaughter of Herod the Great. She was first married to Herod Philip, by whom she had a daughter, Salome, probably the one that danced and pleased Herod. Josephus says that this marriage of Herod Antipas with Herodias took place while he was on a journey to Rome. He stop…
calvinMatthew 14:3-12: "For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife."
- For Herod had seized John, and bound him, and put him in prison, on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. 4. For John said to him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. 5. And though he wished to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they accounted him a prophet. 6. But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias dan…
While John the Baptist had openly confronted Herod for his unlawful marriage, Matthew highlights that Herod's primary motivation for imprisoning John was "for Herodias' sake." This subtly shifts the focus from Herod's sin to Herodias' influence, suggesting she was the driving force behind John's silencing.
Just before this, Jesus had fed thousands with a few loaves and fish, demonstrating His divine power. Now, the narrative shifts to explain why John the Baptist, Jesus' cousin and forerunner, was imprisoned. Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, had arrested John because John dared to condemn his unlawful marriage to Herodias, his own brother Philip's wife. This sets the stage for the dramatic events that follow, where Herodias' hatred and a king's reckless promise lead to a prophet's tragic end.
Just before this, Jesus had fed thousands with a few loaves and fish, demonstrating His divine power. Now, the narrative shifts to explain why John the Baptist, Jesus' cousin and forerunner, was imprisoned. Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, had arrested John because John dared to condemn his unlawful marriage to Herodias, his own brother Philip's wife. This sets the stage for the dramatic events that follow, where Herodias' hatred and a king's reckless promise lead to a prophet's tragic end.
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c. AD 30-31
Herod's Birthday Feast and John's Execution
During a banquet celebrating Herod's birthday, Salome, Herodias' daughter, dances and is promised anything she asks, leading to John the Baptist's beheading.
c. AD 31
Herod Antipas Defeated by Aretas
Herod Antipas suffers a significant military defeat against Aretas IV, king of Petra, his former father-in-law. This defeat is sometimes linked by popular belief to divine displeasure over John's execution.
"For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”" — While John the Baptist had openly confronted Herod for his unlawful marriage, Matthew highlights that Herod's primary motivation for imprisoning John was "for Herodias' sake." This subtly shifts the…
