Matt 14 3-13

In Matthew chapter 14, Herod, a governor appointed by Rome, imprisoned John the Baptist because of his relationship with Herodias, who was previously married to Herod's half-brother. John told Herod that it was unlawful for him to have Herodias. Herod wanted to kill John but feared the people who considered him a prophet. On Herod's birthday, Herodias' daughter asked for John's head on a platter, and Herod, regretfully but due to his oath, granted her request. John's disciples buried his body and informed Jesus, who then went to a desert place to mourn. Hey everyone, today we're gonna pick it up in Matthew chapter 14 and I'm gonna start in verse 3. I might do some changing of some words just to make some parts a little more understandable, like to update some phrases, or to take a pronoun instead of saying he, say the person's actual name. Okay, here we go, verse 3. For Herod, Herod was what was called the tetrarch or governor that Rome had placed. He was one of four that Rome had placed in that whole area of Israel. So Herod had laid hold on John, meaning John the Baptist, and he had bound John and put him in prison for Herodias' sake. Herodias was actually Herod's wife, but before that, his brother Philip's wife. Philip was his half-brother and Herod had her divorce him so she could, had him divorce Philip so she would marry him. This was totally against the law of Moses, which is why in verse 4, John said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have her. And when he, Herod, would have put John to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted John as a prophet. But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod, whereupon he promised, with an oath, to give her whatsoever she asked him. And she said, being instructed of her mother, Give me John the Baptist's head on a charger, or give me his head on a platter. This is really dark and gross, but history is like that sometimes. And the king was sorry, nevertheless, for the oath's sake, and them that sat with him at meat. He had guests there as well. He commanded it to be given her. And he sent and beheaded John the Baptist in prison. And his head was brought to her on a charger, and was given to the damsel, and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and then went and told Jesus. Remember, Jesus and John are cousins. When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart. Jesus experienced emotions like we experience emotions. Presumably he went there to go be alone, to go mourn for his cousin, to feel the pain of his death, and to deal with it appropriately between him and God. Okay, that ends this portion, and we'll pick it up in the next recording below.