John Calvin Commentary Luke 3:19

"but Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother`s wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done," — Luke 3:19 (ASV)

Now Herod the tetrarch. Luke alone explains the reason why Herod threw John into prison, though we will later find it mentioned in Matthew 14:3 and Mark 6:17. Josephus says (Antiquities 18.5.2) that Herod, fearing a popular insurrection and a change of government, imprisoned John in the castle of Macherus (because he feared the man’s influence)³¹⁸; and that Herodias was married not to Philip, who was Salome’s husband, but to another Herod. However, as Josephus's recollection appears to have failed him in this matter, and as he also mentions Philip’s death out of its proper place, the truth of the history is to be obtained with greater certainty from the Evangelists, and we must rely on their testimony.³¹⁹

It is well known that Herod, though he had been married to a daughter of Aretas, King of Arabia, fell in love with Herodias, his niece, and carried her off by fraud. This injury might quite possibly have remained unavenged by his brother Philip, to whom the same Josephus testifies that he was a person of a mild and gentle disposition (Antiquities 18.4.6).

This history clearly shows what sort of reward awaits the faithful and honest ministers of the truth, particularly when they reprove vices. Scarcely one in a hundred bears reproof, and if it is at all severe, they break out into fury. If pride of this sort displays itself in some of the common people, we have no reason to wonder that cruelty to reprovers assumes a more hideous form in tyrants,³²⁰ who tolerate nothing worse than to be classed with other men.

We see in John an illustrious example of the moral courage that all pious teachers ought to possess: not to hesitate to incur the wrath of the great and powerful whenever necessary. For one who shows acceptance of persons does not honestly serve God. When Luke says he added this to all the evil actions which he did, this means that Herod’s malice has become desperate and has reached its utmost height, when the sinner is enraged by remedies and not only refuses correction but also takes vengeance on his adviser, as if he were an enemy.

³¹⁸ “Pource qu'il savoit que c'estoit un homme de grande authorite envers le peuple, et pourtant se dutoit de luy.” — “Because he knew that he was a man of great authority among the people, and therefore had doubts about him.".” — “Because he knew that he was a man of great authority among the people, and therefore had doubts about him."

³¹⁹ The solution usually given, we believe, for this apparent discrepancy, is, that the name of the person in question was The solution usually given, we believe, for this apparent discrepancy, is, that the name of the person in question was Herod-Philip. —— Ed.

³²⁰ “Les rois, princes, et grans tyrans.” — “Kings, princes, and great tyrants.”.” — “Kings, princes, and great tyrants.”