Focus:
kjv@Revelation:14:12 @ Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
(
FaithOfJesus thread begun by r
RandyP )
Today's Verse:
kjv@Matthew:14:1-12
kjv@Matthew:14:1 @ At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,
kjv@Matthew:14:2 @ And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
kjv@Matthew:14:3 @ For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.
kjv@Matthew:14:4 @ For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.
kjv@Matthew:14:5 @ And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
kjv@Matthew:14:6 @ But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.
kjv@Matthew:14:7 @ Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.
kjv@Matthew:14:8 @ And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.
kjv@Matthew:14:9 @ And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.
kjv@Matthew:14:10 @ And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.
kjv@Matthew:14:11 @ And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel; and she brought it to her mother.
kjv@Matthew:14:12 @ And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
Today's notes: Head In A Charger
Context:
- Before - his own country
- After - feeding of five thousand+
What is man believing/doing?:
- king - hearing of and rationalizing the mighty works of Jesus
- king - holding a prophet in prison instead of killing him as originally intended
- king - being pleased/aroused at a step daughter's dance dedicated to his birthday
- king - drunken/foolishly pledging by oath a blank check to whatever step daughter desired
- daughter - following instructions of mom to ask for prophet's head on a platter
- king - reluctantly granting desire because of oath and image presented to guests
- king - entertaining the superstition that the works of Jesus have to do with what he himself had done to the Baptist
What is making man to believe/do as he is doing?:
- Jesus fame going all throughout region, but apparently not enough of a concern to king until now, perhaps his conscience
- concern over how the public would react if John will disposed of initially
- pledging anything up to half the kingdom seems extreme in response to a simple party dance, there is more to this than we know, either he was going to give a large allotment to her anyway or his pleasure is something more than fatherly pride or he was expecting her to shoot much further below his generosity
- the mother had put her up to this for this purpose, chances are she put the king up to this as well
- where the perception of the public was enough to keep him, the perception of guest regarding the king's word/honor was more than enough to force him
- This is not a Jewish notion the spirit of one being raised and planted into another already living of near the same age, this is either foreign or lunatic
Notes:
Key Messages:
What does this say about our present condition?
- The perception of one prophet with few mighty works here contradicts the rejection of another with an extreme bounty, even when the perceived prophet testifies to the validity of the same.
- Superstition and personal guilt along with drunkenness and personal honor is a tinderbox, easily played by the vengeful
Further Resources:
Comment Board:Matthew:14:1-12
index:FAITHOFJESUSDEVOTION - Devotional Index
strkjv@Matthew:14:1-12 rwp@Matthew:14:1-12 mhcc@Matthew:14:1-12
FaithOfJesus2 - Devotion Index