41 - Bible Commentary | Karuna Sadan

Who are the various Herods mentioned in the Bible?

⁷ Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, ⁸ and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again. ⁹ Herod said, “John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?” So he sought to see Him. (Luke 9:7-9)

The name "Herod" is used to refer to a number of different persons in the New Testament. Unlike previous kings of Israel, the Herods were appointed by the Roman emperors and the Roman senate, unlike previous rulers of Israel.

1.Herod the Great

The first of the Herods is commonly referred to as "Herod the Great," which means "Great Herod." This is the one who attempted to assassinate Jesus in Matthew 2 by slaying all of the baby boys in the town. This Herod also attempted to seek the help of the three wise men in order to discover the location of the newborn Jesus. Historically, this first Herod, also known as Herod the Ascalonite, was the son of Antipater, a friend and deputy of King Hyrcanus who was also known as Herod the Ascalonite.

2.Herod Antipas (or Antipater) or Herod the tetrarch

Herod Antipas (or Antipater) was Herod the Great's son, and he was also known as Herod the tetrarch, because he was the son of Herod the Great (Matthew 14:1; Luke 9:7-9). The term tetrarch refers to a ruler who is in charge of the fourth division of a kingdom. A decision by his father Herod the Great to split his vast empire into four pieces and gift each of them to his sons, a decision that was later ratified by the Roman Senate, was a watershed moment in Jewish history.

Herod Antipas was the tetrarch of Galilee, which was the portion of the kingdom that had been allocated to him. In fact, he is the one to whom Jesus was sent throughout His trials and ultimately crucifixion (Luke 23). Herod Antipas was the same Herod who ordered the assassination of John the Baptist (Matthew 14).

3.Herod Agrippa I

Herod Agrippa I was the grandson of Herod the Great and was reigning at the time of his death (Acts 12). That he was, who persecuted the Christian community in Jerusalem and ordered the assassination of the apostle James, the brother of John and the son of Zebedee, is well documented. James became the first apostle to be martyred when he was beheaded by Herod Agrippa I in Jerusalem. Bernice and Drusilla, two of Agrippa I's daughters, are named in Acts 24 and Acts 25, respectively.

It was in Caesarea that Herod Agrippa I met his demise. “[Agrippa] had been quarrelling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. After securing the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king’s country for their food supply. On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted, ‘This is the voice of a god, not of a man.’ Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died” (Acts 12:20–23).

4.Herod Agrippa II

Herod Agrippa II, Agrippa's son, played a crucial role in preventing Apostle Paul from being tried and imprisoned in Jerusalem by Jews who despised his testimony about Jesus as the Messiah. Out of concern for Paul's status as a Roman citizen, King Agrippa granted Paul permission to defend himself, allowing Paul to use this occasion to preach the gospel to the entire assembly (Acts 25—26). Agrippa II was the last of the Herodian dynasty to reign. Following him, the family's standing with the Romans deteriorated.

What is the importance of a report?

And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. (Luke 9:10)

The Apostles gave a report of their mission to Jesus. A report is important:

1.A report provides information

2.A report helps in building further plans of action

But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. (Luke 9:11)

For a business to be effective, it must meet the needs of the people.

For a ministry to be effective, it must meet the needs of the people.

You cannot be a well without water, clouds without rain, that only flash and make noise but don’t pour. Whenever there was a need the Lord was ready to meet the need.

What can we learn from the feeding of the 5000?

¹³ And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people.” ¹⁴ For there were about five thousand men. (Luke 9:13-14)

Aside from the resurrection, the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 is the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels. The gospel of Matthew emphasizes the point by adding, “Besides women and children.” (Matthew 14:21). Many Bible scholars believe the actual number fed that day could have been anywhere between 15,000—20,000 people.

There is a prophetic foreshadowing of Christ’s miracle in the life of Prophet Elisha in 2 Kings. Prophet Elisha told his servant to feed the people gathered there, although there was not enough food for the hundred men. One of the men said, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” (2 Kings 4:42–43) In the end, however, the men not only had enough to eat, but “they ate and had some left” (2 Kings 4:44).

Why did Jesus ask the crowd to sit down in groups of fifty?

¹⁴ Then He said to His disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of fifty.” ¹⁵ And they did so, and made them all sit down. (Luke 9:14-15)

50 is the number of Jubilee. The Jubilee law (Leviticus 25) teaches about the year of setting the captives free. In this sense, the process of redemption and the liberation of the redeemed to provide for themselves and their families are intertwined with the formation of these groups of 50 people.

It could also prophetically point out how Jesus would want his church organized; perhaps in small groups of 50.

What is the significance of the twelve baskets full of bread that were picked up by the disciples?

So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them. (Luke 9:17)

1.The 12 baskets are symbolic of food for the twelve tribes of Israel.

2.The 12 baskets are symbolic of the “bread of life” - “Word” of God, satisfying the initial hearers, and then being carried to all nations - Jews and gentiles, by those who were fed.

Why did Jesus only take Peter, James, and John with Him on the Mount of Transfiguration?

Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. (Luke 9:28)

In Luke 6:12–16, Jesus announced His twelve Apostles. Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot. Three disciples (Peter, James, and John) appear to have been the closest to Jesus and to have served as an "inner circle" to Christ out of the original twelve.

Perhaps the reason Lord Jesus picked Peter, James, and John to be part of His inner circle was because He was making a special effort to prepare these three men for the leadership positions they would eventually have in the early New Testament church.

Peter, was the first of the disciples to express faith in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God (Matthew 16:16). On the Day of Pentecost, preached to nearly 3,000 people who were added to the church.

James and John, who were nicknamed “Sons of Thunder” because of their boldness (Mark 3:17; Luke 9:54), rose to prominence as key leaders in the early church.

They both expressed a willingness to be martyred because of their faith in Jesus (Matthew 20:22), and they both suffered for Christ. James was the first of the disciples to be slain for Christ (Acts 12:1–2).

John was the one to whom Jesus (as He was dying on the cross) entrusted the care of His own mother and was the last of the Twelve to die, after being exiled for his faith (Revelation 1:9).

Why did Moses and Elijah appear on the Mount of Transfiguration and not someone else?

At the end of his earthly ministry, Moses, in anger struck the rock when he was supposed to only speak to the rock. His actions had dishonoured the Lord in Israel’s presence. This disqualified him to bring the people in to the Promised Land.

Through Jesus, came grace and God in His mercy and grace, brought Moses into the Promised Land. What the law could not do, grace did it!

Moses represented the law and Elijah represented the prophets. The appearance of Moses and Elijah on the mountain alongside Jesus added credibility to the mission of Jesus. The law and the prophets were endorsing what Jesus was about to do on the cross.

Lord Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Prophets, so the representatives of the Law and Prophets stood by the side of Jesus as God proclaimed, “Listen to My Beloved Son!” We can learn from the Law and Prophets, (the Old Testament), but we listen to Jesus, who fulfilled both.

Moses and Elijah are the most likely candidates for the Two Witnesses in the book of Revelation (Revelation 11), who are slain by the Anti–Christ for their witnessing against him. As representatives of Christ's splendour on the Mount, it is appropriate that they be verified as witnesses to His glory in the tribulation.

Peter did not have the pictures or photographs of Moses and Elijah, so how did he recognize them?

Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. (Luke 9:33)

On another occasion, Peter recognized a greater Person than Moses and Elijah. Jesus asked His disciples to confess as to who He was:

¹⁵ He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” ¹⁶ Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” ¹⁷ Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 16:15-17)

Peter got it right while others didn't. He easily identified who Jesus was--"the Son of the Living God". Scripture clearly tells us that Peter did not do it on his own but it was the Heavenly Father who revealed it to him!

Again, Peter identified identifying Moses and Elijah through the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Later, Peter in his epistles would write: “Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21).

We are also told that Jesus, Moses and Elijah were talking to each other. (Luke 9:30). Peter, James and John would have obviously heard them call each other by their names.

What error did Peter make on the Mount of Transfiguration?

Peter made the grave error of placing Jesus on an equal footing with Moses and Elijah, with one tabernacle for each of them, when he proposed three tabernacles for them to dwell in.

No wonder, “a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Luke 9:35) The voice from the cloud of glory made it clear that Jesus was not on the same level as Moses and Elijah. He was and continues to be the loving Son – and we must hear Him!

Did Peter refer to the incident of the Transfiguration in his epistles?

When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone. But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen. (Luke 9:36)

Scripture clearly tells us that "They told no one in those days", but having had such a terrific spiritual experience, they couldn’t keep quiet about it. Apostle Peter clearly remembered and referred to this event in 2 Peter 1:16-18.

16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For He received from God the Father honour and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

John the Apostle probably referred to it in John 1:14.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

They remembered this powerful experience that showed Jesus in both His glory and role as the Messiah.

Chapter 9