Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Matthew 14:3

Matthew 14:3. For Herod had laid hold on John. etc. This imprisonment took place not long after our Lord began His ministry (comp. chap. Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:14; John 3:24).

For the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. Herodias, the daughter of Aristobulus (the half-brother of Herod Antipas), the wife of Herod Philip (not to be confounded with Philip the Tetrarch, Luke 3:1), who was disinherited by his father, Herod the Great, and lived as a private citizen. Herod Antipas was first married to a daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia (mentioned 2 Corinthians 11:32). Becoming enamored of Herodias, his niece and sister-in-law, he married her secretly, while her husband was still living, repudiating his own legal wife. Aretas made war against him in consequence, and having defeated him was prevented by the Romans from dethroning him (A. D. 37). At the instigation of Herodias he went to Rome to compete for the kingly power bestowed on Agrippa, but was banished by the Emperor Caligula to Cyprus.

Continues after advertising

See also Matthew 14:3 in other biblical comments:

  • A Textual Commentary On The Greek New Testament by Bruce M. Metzger

    MATTHEW 14:3 Fili,ppou {A} According to Josephus (see his _Antiquities,_ XVIII.v:4) the first husband of Herodias was named Herod (being the son of Herod the Great and Mariamne, Simon’s daughter), wh...

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Matthew 14:3. _FOR HERODIAS' SAKE_] This infamous woman was the daughter of _Aristobulus_ and _Bernice_, and grand-daughter of Herod the Great. Her first marriage was with Herod Philip, her _un...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    FOR HEROD HAD LAID HOLD ON JOHN ... - See Mark 6:17; Luke 3:19. This Herodias was a granddaughter of Herod the Great. She was first married to Herod Philip, by whom she had a daughter, Salome, probabl...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    2. JOHN'S MARTYRDOM. The Fourfold Attitude of the Rejected King. CHAPTER 14 1. John's Martyrdom. (Matthew 14:1 .) 2. The Disciples of John with the Lord Jesus. (Matthew 14:12 .) 3. Feeding the Five...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    HEROD AND JESUS. THE END OF JOHN THE BAPTIST (Mark 6:14 *, Luke 9:7, _cf._ Luke 3:18). Mt.'s narrative is much briefer than Mk.'s, and he goes astray. Thus in Mat

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus, and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptizer. He has been raised from the dead, and because of this, these deeds of power work in...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE TRAGIC DRAMA OF JOHN THE BAPTIST (Matthew 14:1-12)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    HEROD. One of eleven rulers offended with God's reprovers. See note on Exodus 10:28. PUT: i.e. had him put. FOR... SAKE. on account of. Greek. _dia_. PHILIP'S. Philip I, son of Herod the Great and...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Matthew 14:1-12. Herod the Tetrarch puts to death John the Baptist Mark 6:14-29, where the further conjectures as to the personality of Jesus are given, "Elias, a [or THE] prophet, or as one of the p...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _in prison_ At Machærus, in Peræa, on the eastern side of the Dead Sea, near the southern frontier of the tetrarchy. Here Antipas had a palace and a prison under one roof, as was common in the East. C...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    HEROD THE TETRARCH PUTS TO DEATH JOHN THE BAPTIST Mark 6:14-29, where the further conjectures as to the personality of Jesus are given, ‘Elias, a [or the] prophet, or as one of the prophets,’ and the...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ἈΠΈΘΕΤΟ, probably right (א B), for ἔθετο. 3. ἘΝ ΤΗ͂Ι ΦΥΛΑΚΗ͂Ι. At Machærus, in Peræa, on the eastern side of the Dead Sea, near the southern frontier of the tetrarchy. Here Antipas had a palace and a...

  • Catena Aurea Commentary

    Ver l. At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus. 2. And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselv...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _JOHN WAS KILLED AND JESUS CARED MATTHEW 14:1-12:_ Hatred leads people to do and say terrible things to one another. John had told Herod the Tetrarch that it was not right for him to have his brother,...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΚΡΑΤΉΣΑΣ _aor. act. part. (сопутств.) от_ ΚΡΑΤΈΩ (G2902) хватать, арестовывать, ΈΔΗΣΕΝ _aor. ind. act. от_ ΔΈΩ (G1210) связывать. ΆΠΈΘΕΤΟ _aor. ind. med. (dep.) от_ ΆΠΟΤΊΘΗΜΙ удалять. Предлог при гл...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    FOR HEROD HAD LAID HOLD ON JOHN— Here is a digression in the history, from this to the 13th verse, in which the Evangelist gives us an account of the Baptist's death, though he does not tell us precis...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    SECTION 33 JESUS HEARS OF THE ASSASSINATION OF JOHN THE BAPTIST (Parallels: Mark 6:14-29; Luke 9:7-9) TEXT: 14:1-13a 1 At that season Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus, 2 and said...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _FOR HEROD HAD LAID HOLD ON JOHN, AND BOUND HIM, AND PUT HIM IN PRISON FOR HERODIAS' SAKE, HIS BROTHER PHILIP'S WIFE._ NO JFB COMMENTARY ON THESE VERSES....

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    3 See Lev_18:1620:21. 6-12 Compare Mar_6:21-29. 13-15 Compare Mar_6:30-36; Luk_9:10-12 Joh_6:1-7. 13 Herod's insistence that the Lord was John the baptist was not very reassuring, for He was almost...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    37 The history of the kingdom proclamation in Acts and what is predicted the circumcision epistles and the Unveiling fully bears out our Lord's forecast. There were the seven sons of Sceva (Act_19:15)...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    ARREST OF JOHN (Mark 6:17; Luke 3:19). The manner in which St. Matthew and St. Mark insert the arrest of John at this point, instead of in its proper historical place, the beginning of the Galilean mi...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DEATH OF THE BAPTIST. FEEDING THE FIVE THOUSAND. WALKING ON THE SEA 1, 2. Herod's opinion of Jesus (Mark 6:14; Luke 9:7)....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    MATTHEW’S GOOD NEWS MATTHEW’S *GOSPEL _HILDA BRIGHT_ CHAPTER 14 JOHN THE *BAPTIST DIES 14:1-12 V1 At that time, the ruler called Herod heard reports about Jesus. V2 So he spoke to his servants....

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    PUT HIM IN PRISON. — Josephus (_Ant._ xviii. 5, § 2) gives Machærus, in Peræa, as the scene of the imprisonment and death of the Baptist....

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 12 The Crisis in Galilee Matthew 14:1 - Matthew 15:1 - Matthew 16:1. THE lives of John and of Jesus, lived so far apart, and with so little intercommunication, have yet been interwoven in a...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    γὰρ implies that the following story is introduced to make the king's theory intelligible. “Risen” implies previous death, and how that came about must be told to show the _psychological_ genesis of t...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    _Death of the Baptist_ (Mark 6:14-29; Luke 9:7-9). This section might with advantage have been given as a short chapter by itself, and a new start made with the feeding of the thousands which forms th...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS' SAKE Matthew 14:1-12 In the terror arising from his stricken conscience, Herod made confidants of his slaves, overleaping the barriers of position in his need of some ears into wh...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The presence and activity of the true King filled the false ruler with alarm. Herod sacrificed John to his lust. Once Herod had heard John, and the remembrance of former conviction was still with him,...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Because of Herodias, his brother's wife. In the common Greek copies we read, his brother Philip's wife, as it is in the Latin in St. Mark, vi. 17. (Witham) --- He is a different person from Philip th...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    ARREST & IMPRISONMENT OF JOHN THE BAPTIST Matthew 14:3-5; Mark 6:17-20; Luke 3:19-21. Mark: “For Herod himself, having sent, arrested John, and bound him in prison, on account of Herodias, the wife of...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    "At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, (2) And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    Chapter 8, which opens the portion that comes before us tonight, is a striking illustration as well as proof of the method which God has been pleased to employ in giving us the apostle Matthew's accou...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    This narrative is at present omitted by Luke, because he had explained it on a former occasion; and for my own part, as I am unwilling to annoy my readers by writing the same thing twice, I shall hand...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Our Gospel resumes the historical course of these revelations, but in such a manner as to exhibit the spirit by which the people were animated. Herod (loving his earthly power and his own glory more t...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    FOR HEROD HAD LAID HOLD ON JOHN,.... By his servants, whom he sent to apprehend him: AND BOUND HIM; laid him in chains, as if he was a malefactor; AND PUT HIM IN PRISON, in the castle of Machaerus d...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put _him_ in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife. Ver. 3. _For Herod had laid hold on John_] If John touch Herod's white sin (and...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _For Herod had laid hold on John_ Had formerly seized him; _and put him in prison for Herodias's sake_ On account of the reproof which John gave him for marrying Herodias, _his brother Philip's wife_...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    FOR HEROD HAD LAID HOLD ON JOHN, AND BOUND HIM, AND PUT HIM IN PRISON, FOR HERODIAS' SAKE, HIS BROTHER PHILIP'S WIFE....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The story of John's imprisonment:...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    Now authority in high places is seen to reject Him too, by the deliberate rejection of His forerunner and servant John the Baptist. When King Herod hears of His fame, his conscience is troubled, feari...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-12 The terror and reproach of conscience, which Herod, like other daring offenders, could not shake off, are proofs and warnings of a future judgment, and of future misery to them. But there may be...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Mark saith, MARK 6:17, FOR HE HAD MARRIED HER. Whether this Philip was Herod's brother both by father and mother, is argued by some, as also whether he married her during the life of his brother: the...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Tertullian Scorpiace David is persecuted; Elias put to flight; Jeremias stoned; Esaias cut asunder; Zacharias butchered between the altar and the temple, imparting to the hard stones lasting marks of...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Matthew 14:3 For G1063 Herod G2264 hold G2902 (G5660) John G2491 bound G1210 (G5656) him G846 and...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.' We are now told why Herod was upset at the idea of John coming back from th...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE FORERUNNER IS REJECTED BY THE CIVIL AUTHORITIES AND PUT TO DEATH (14:3-12). A warning of what lies ahead for Jesus in the future is now introduced. For John, His forerunner has been put to death b...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    FOR THE SAKE OF HERODIAS (δια Hηρωιδιαδα). The death of John had taken place some time before. The Greek aorists here (εδησεν, απεθετο) are not used for past perfects. The Greek aorist simply narrat...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Herod's troubled conscience and the murder of John the Baptist. The 5000 fed. Jesus walks on the water. CHARACTERS: Jesus, John the Baptist, Herod, Herodias, and her daughter, disciples. CO...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Matthew 14:2. _This is John the baptist: he is risen from the dead._ Mark indicates that Herod was a sadducee by those words of Christ, Beware of the leaven of the sadducees beware of the leaven of He...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    FOR HEROD HAD ORDERED. This arrest of John had happened a year earlier, just before Jesus made his second visit to Galilee (Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:14). HE DID THIS BECAUSE OF HERODIAS. While the guest o...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Herod the tetratch heard of the fame of Jesus._ A COURT PREACHER Herod is favourable to John, how could he be more unfortunate than to strike in the face the king who protects him? Is not the confid...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 14:3 FOR HEROD HAD SEIZED JOHN. Verses Matthew 14:3 describe a past event. Herod Antipas loved HERODIAS, t

  • The Gospels Compared

    HEROD KILLS JOHN THE BAPTIST MATTHEW 14:1-12; MARK 6:14-29; LUKE 9:7-9; MATTHEW 14:1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jes

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    CHAPTER 14 The first eleven verses of this chapter relate to the decollation of John the Baptist, of which I have spoken at length on the sixth chapter of S. Mark. _His Body_ : Syriac, _sclado_, i.e....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ Matthew 14:1. AT THAT TIME.—_Season_ (R.V.). In our idiom we should bring out the idea by giving a somewhat different turn to the expression, viz., _about_ that time (_Morison_). HERO...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION MATTHEW 14:1 CHRIST'S POWER TO SUPPLY AND PROTECT AND HEAL, PREFACED BY A STATEMENT OF HEROD'S RELATION T

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And at that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus. And he said to his servants, This is John the Baptist; he's risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    John 3:23; John 3:24; Luke 13:1; Luke 3:19; Luke 3:20;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Put him in prison [ε ν φ υ λ α κ η α π ε θ ε τ ο]. Lit., "put him away or aside" [α π ο]. This prison was the fortress of Machaerus on the east side of the Dead Sea, almost on a line with Bethlehem, a...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    His brother Philip's wife — Who was still alive. Mark 6:17....

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    Observe here, 1. The person that put the holy baptist to death: It was Herod, it was Herod the king, it was Herod that invited John to preach at court, and heard him gladly. 1. It was Herod Antipas,...

Continues after advertising

Old Testament