Matthew 14:2

παισὶν αὐτοῦ : not his sons, but his servants, i.e., the courtiers, great men in their way, not the menials in the palace. The king would propound his odd theory in familiar talk, not in solemn conclave. αὐτός ἐστιν, etc. It is this theory we have to thank for the narrative following, which in itself has no special connection with the evangelic history, though doubtless Christians would naturally read with interest the fate of the forerunner of Jesus. The king has the Baptist on the brain; and remarkable occurrences in the religious world recall him at once to mind. It is John! he (αὐτὸς) is risen; theory begotten of remorse; odd enough, but better than Pharisaic one begotten of malevolence; both witnessing to the extraordinary in Christ's career. διὰ τοῦτο : the living John did no miracles, but no saying what a dead one redivivus can do? ἐνεργοῦσιν, not: he does the mighty works, but: the powers (δυνάμεις) work in him, the powers of the invisible world, vast and vague in the king's imagination.