Matthew 14:5 kjv
And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
Matthew 14:5 nkjv
And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
Matthew 14:5 niv
Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.
Matthew 14:5 esv
And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet.
Matthew 14:5 nlt
Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of a riot, because all the people believed John was a prophet.
Matthew 14 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 3:7 | But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism | John's popularity attracted various groups, including religious leaders. |
| Matt 11:9 | What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. | Jesus affirms John's prophetic status and unique role. |
| Matt 21:26 | But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet. | The religious leaders in Jerusalem also feared the crowd's perception of John as a prophet. |
| Mk 6:18 | For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” | The specific reason for John's condemnation of Herod and his imprisonment. |
| Lk 7:26 | What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. | Luke's account reiterates Jesus's high regard for John. |
| Lk 20:6 | But if we say, ‘From man,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” | Demonstrates the intensity of the crowd's belief and fear it instilled in rulers. |
| Mal 3:1 | “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. | Prophecy concerning John the Baptist as a forerunner to the Messiah. |
| Mal 4:5 | “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. | John fulfilling the Elijah role as the preparer of the way. |
| Prov 29:25 | The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. | Highlights the negative consequence of fearing people rather than God, as seen in Herod. |
| Isa 40:3 | A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord... | Old Testament prophecy fulfilled by John the Baptist's ministry. |
| Jer 26:10-16 | When the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up... Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man does not deserve the death penalty... for he spoke to you in the name of the Lord your God.” | Example of a prophet (Jeremiah) being protected by popular opinion. |
| Dan 6:14-16 | Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed... because of the people. | King Darius was forced by public/political pressure to put Daniel in the lion's den despite not wanting to. |
| Exod 1:12 | But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread... so they dreaded the people of Israel. | Pharaoh's fear of the Israelites, showcasing rulers' fear of a populace. |
| Acts 4:21 | And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people... | Sanhedrin's fear of public opinion when trying to silence the apostles. |
| Jn 19:8, 12 | When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid... From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out... | Pilate's ultimate yielding to the crowd's demands concerning Jesus. |
| Matt 14:1-2 | At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus... and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead... | Reveals Herod's later superstition and guilt-ridden conscience about John. |
| Lev 18:16 | You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness. | The basis of John's condemnation of Herod's marriage to Herodias. |
| 1 Kgs 21:1-16 | The story of Naboth's vineyard where King Ahab and Queen Jezebel kill Naboth to acquire his property illustrates corrupt rulers' willingness to eliminate opposition, but it took Jezebel's manipulation, suggesting initial hesitance on Ahab's part. | Illustrates the ruthlessness of rulers manipulated by others, contrasting with Herod's initial fear. |
| Lk 12:4-5 | “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do... Fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. | Jesus teaching on the right kind of fear (fear of God) vs. fear of man. |
| Gal 1:10 | For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. | The choice between pleasing man or God, evident in Herod's compromise. |
Matthew 14 verses
Matthew 14 5 Meaning
This verse reveals Herod Antipas's internal conflict and true intentions regarding John the Baptist. Despite Herod's strong desire to execute John, driven by resentment and the manipulation of Herodias, he was restrained by a significant external factor: his profound fear of the large crowds who revered John as a prophet of God. This fear of public backlash and potential revolt overshadowed his murderous will, for a time at least, highlighting his political shrewdness and deep insecurity.
Matthew 14 5 Context
This verse is situated within the narrative of John the Baptist's martyrdom. Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, had imprisoned John because John publicly condemned Herod's unlawful marriage to Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, a clear violation of Mosaic Law. Despite Herod's internal inclination and Herodias's fervent desire to see John eliminated, this verse reveals why Herod initially hesitated. John the Baptist was immensely popular among the Jewish populace, who recognized him as a profound prophet, the foreteller of the Messiah, in the spirit of Elijah. For Herod, a ruler under the Roman Empire, maintaining political stability and avoiding popular uprising was paramount. His fear of the "multitude" and their reverence for John was a practical constraint on his despotic will, temporarily protecting John from an otherwise certain death at Herod's hands.
Matthew 14 5 Word analysis
- And though he wanted (καὶ θέλων - kai thelōn): The Greek indicates a strong, active desire or will on Herod's part. It portrays an established intent to act, not just a passing thought. This reveals Herod's genuine hostility toward John.
- to put him to death (ἀποκτεῖναι - apokteinai): This is a direct and forceful verb signifying to kill or execute. It underscores the ultimate and brutal outcome Herod envisioned for John, desiring to utterly remove him as an obstacle and a voice of condemnation.
- he feared (ἐφοβήθη - ephobēthē): This verb points to a genuine sense of apprehension or dread. In this context, it's not a fear of God, but a political and social fear – fear of revolt, loss of popularity, and damage to his precarious standing with the Roman authorities. It contrasts sharply with the "fear of the Lord" which is the beginning of wisdom.
- the multitude (τὸν ὄχλον - ton ochlon): Refers to the common people, the populace, a large gathering or crowd. In the Roman-controlled provinces, the "multitude" could wield significant informal power through public opinion and potential unrest, which rulers were keen to avoid.
- because: Connects Herod's fear directly to the reason that follows, establishing a clear cause-and-effect relationship.
- they counted him as (ὡς ... αὐτὸν εἶχον - hōs... auton eichon): This phrase denotes how the people regarded or held John. They acknowledged and revered his standing as a prophetic figure. "Counted" suggests a settled and widely accepted public opinion.
- a prophet (προφήτην - prophētēn): A speaker for God, one who conveys divine messages, warns, and calls to repentance. The people recognized in John an authentic divine authority, making any hostile act against him by the civil authority highly provocative and dangerous.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude": This clause highlights Herod's internal moral conflict. His personal malice and vengeful desire clash with his political expediency and pragmatism. It's a classic case of the "fear of man" overriding wicked intention, not because of a change of heart, but out of self-preservation.
- "he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet": This phrase succinctly explains the reason for Herod's restraint. The popular recognition of John's prophetic legitimacy conferred a spiritual and political immunity that temporarily shielded him. It showcases the irony that John, the uncompromising prophet, was for a time protected not by divine intervention directly stopping Herod's hand, but by Herod's very human fear of social unrest.
Matthew 14 5 Bonus section
- Herod's political position was largely dependent on maintaining peace and order in his territory for Rome. A popular uprising over the execution of a revered prophet would have jeopardized his rule, leading to swift Roman intervention and potentially his removal.
- John the Baptist's prophetic authority, unlike that of false prophets who flattered rulers, directly challenged unrighteousness in the highest places. This made him a dangerous figure in the eyes of the Herodian court but elevated his status among the people.
- This tension between a ruler's desire to silence dissent and the powerful influence of public opinion, especially when linked to religious belief, is a recurring theme in Scripture.
- Herod's later decision to execute John (Matt 14:6-12) will be seen as an even greater moral failure, demonstrating that his initial fear of the crowd was ultimately overcome by the personal embarrassment and manipulative pressure from Herodias, exacerbated by an oath given publicly during a moment of weakness.
Matthew 14 5 Commentary
Matthew 14:5 serves as a crucial point in the narrative of John the Baptist's imprisonment and subsequent death. It underscores the profound and widespread reverence for John among the common people, acknowledging him as a genuine prophet, a figure invested with divine authority. This popular esteem, ironically, provided a temporary shield for John against Herod Antipas's malicious intentions, driven by the wrath of Herodias and John's truthful rebuke of his unlawful marriage. Herod, though a tyrannical ruler, was constrained not by righteousness or respect for divine law, but by his shrewd political calculus and overwhelming fear of a public uprising. His "fear of man" (as described in Prov 29:25) delayed John's execution. This verse sets the stage for Herod's eventual moral capitulation, illustrating his deep character flaws: weakness, indecision, and a readiness to succumb to external pressures (whether public opinion or, later, an ill-conceived oath) rather than standing by principles or justice. The passage implicitly reveals that God's plan for John’s ministry and his witness was carried out, with even the fear of a corrupt ruler serving the divine timing.