Matthew Henry Commentary Matthew 14:1-12

"At that season Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus, and said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore do these powers work in him. 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. For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. But when Herod`s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst, and pleased Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she should ask. And she, being put forward by her mother, saith, Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist. And the king was grieved; but for the sake of his oaths, and of them that sat at meat with him, he commanded it to be given; and he sent and beheaded John in the prison. And his head was brought on a platter, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came, and took up the corpse, and buried him; and they went and told Jesus." — Matthew 14:1-12 (ASV)

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 the terror of convictions where there is not the truth of conversion. When people pretend to favor the gospel yet live in evil, we must not encourage their self-delusion but must speak according to our conscience, as John did.

The world may call this rudeness and blind zeal. False professors, or timid Christians, may censure it as a lack of civility; but the most powerful enemies can go no further than the Lord allows. Herod feared that putting John to death might raise a rebellion among the people, which it did not; but he never feared it might stir up his own conscience against him, which it did. People fear being hanged for what they do not fear being damned for.

And times of carnal mirth and jollity are opportune for carrying out bad designs against God's people. Herod would profusely reward a worthless dance, while imprisonment and death were the recompense for the man of God who sought the salvation of his soul. But there was real malice toward John beneath his consent, or else Herod would have found ways to evade his promise. When the undershepherds are smitten, the sheep need not be scattered while they have the Great Shepherd to go to.

And it is better to be drawn to Christ by need and loss, than not to come to Him at all.