Intro to Matthew 14:1-13)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 5/29/2022 8:10 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                        Focus:  Intro to Matthew 14:1-13

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference: Matthew 14:1-13

 

            Message of the verses:  “1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the news about Jesus, 2  and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead; and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him." 3 For when Herod had John arrested, he bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. 4 For John had been saying to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." 5 And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they regarded him as a prophet. 6 But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. 7 Thereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8  And having been prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist." 9 And although he was grieved, the king commanded it to be given because of his oaths, and because of his dinner guests. 10 And he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. 11 And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl; and she brought it to her mother. 12 And his disciples came and took away the body and buried it; and they went and reported to Jesus.”

 

            John MacArthur entitles this 38^th chapter of his second commentary on the gospel of Matthew “Fear That Forfeits Christ,” and during my walk yesterday I listened to his sermon on this section and I have to say that the sermon that he preached for these verses had a great deal of information on what I will call the family of the Herods in it, and I can also say that not much in that family was good, in fact it was all pretty terrible.  I don’t know at this time how much of that information we will look at as we go through these first 13 verses of Matthew’s 14^th chapter, but I will at some time want to share it with all who read my Spiritual Diaries.

 

            I have not heard lately much about C. I. Scofield, but I use to have a Scofield Bible when I first became a believer as it was one of the early Bibles that had a great deal of notes in it.  Scofield referred to the events of Matthew 14-23as “The Ministry of the Rejected King,” he was talking about the ministry that Jesus had after He was rejected by the Jews in Matthew chapter twelve.  Jesus continued to preach the kingdom as seen in these chapters even though He was rejected by His people.  This reminds me of John 1:11 “He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.”  “Now it was during the early part of this period, the disciples witnessed remarkable incidents that illustrated the four basic responses of the gospel portrayed in the parable of the sower” writes John MacArthur, as we have talked about this in earlier SD’s.

 

            MacArthur goes on “In this account of John the Baptist’s murder, we see the second of the eight incidents Matthew records.  The first portrayed Jesus’ rejection by the resentful people of His hometown of Nazareth, who were deeply offended that a man they had known as merely a carpenter’s son would presume to confront them and even to proclaim Himself the Messiah (Matt. 12:53-58).

            “The second incident, recorded in this text, links Herod the tetrarch’s rejection of Jesus with the execution of John the Baptist.  Like the first incident, this one illustrates the gospel’s falling on hard and stony soil that God’s saving truth cannot penetrate.  The first story deals with a town that rejected; this one deals with an earthly king who opposes the divine King.  The first deals with the treatment of the Messiah Himself; this on deals with the treatment of Messiah’s forerunner.  The first deals with rejection based on jealous resentment; this one deals with rejection based on fear.  Behind both rejections was the common selfish pride of the unbelieving human heart.”

 

            I mentioned earlier about the family of the Herod’s so to speak, and what that family was as we look at them and some of the things they did is more incredible than the most bizarre soap operas that have been seen on TV.  It is a story of infidelity, divorce, remarriage, incest, political intrigue, jealously, spite, revenge, lewdness, lust, coldheartedness, cruelty, brutality, violence, ungodly remorse, and godly mourning writes MacArthur.  Above all, it is the story of godless fear and power of such fear to confuse, deceive, corrupt, destroy, and damn.  “Nowhere in Scripture is the truth “The fear of man brings a snare” Proverbs 29:25 more vividly illustrated than here.  It is one of the most tragic yet triumphant texts in the Word of God.”

 

            “The focal point of this brief episode is Herod’s reaction to Jesus.  Then, in a flashback to previous events, the reason for Herod’s reaction is given and is followed by Jesus’ response to the atrocity behind that reason.”  Lord willing we will look at “Herod’s Reaction” in our next SD.

 

5/29/2022 8:41 AM