Anchor My Faith

Confusion and Three Beliefs

Scripture: Matthew 14:1-2; Mark 6:14-16; Luke 9:7, 9

We just finished a series of six lessons in which Jesus gave instructions to his disciples in preparation to sending them out in pairs on a mission trip to surrounding villages and towns. It appears that Jesus traveled alone during the time the disciples are out on assignment. With six pairs of disciples and Jesus going from place to place sharing the gospel, probably caught the eye of the ruling authorities. Possibly this is how Herod heard about Jesus and brings us to the narrative of this section.

^{Lk 9:7} “Now Herod the tetrarch heard ^{Mt 14:1} about the fame of Jesus, ^{Lk 9:7} about all that was happening, ^{Mk 6:14} for Jesus’ name had become known.” In lesson H260 we found Jesus and the disciples in a boat on the Sea of Galilee during a powerful storm. Jesus, after being awaken, calmly rebukes the storm and a great calm occurs causing the disciples to now fear Jesus for commanding such great power. ^{Lk 8:25} “They marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”’ That question is repeated in this section by Herod when he hears about the fame of Jesus.

Luke is a historian and is careful to use proper titles. He refers to Herod as the tetrarch, not as a king to describe Herod Antipas, as is done in Matthew 14:9, Mark 6:14 and 6:25. Herod hears about the fame of Jesus, perhaps through the teaching of the disciples as they travel about and ^{Lk 9:7} “was perplexed, because ^{Mk 6:14} some [people were saying], “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” ¹⁵ Others said, “He is Elijah” and others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.”’

Three possibilities are listed here who the people think Jesus is. What would cause people to think this way and see Jesus as someone else and not as who he claims to be? The first belief, that Jesus was the resurrected John the Baptist, is clearly false. Both Jesus and John were together several times and seen as two separate people. The second belief comes from the widespread expectation in Judaism (Malachi 3:1 – 2; 4:5 – 6) that Elijah, who was caught up to heaven without dying (2 Kings 2:11), would return at the end of time. Jesus makes it clear that this popular speculation is false when he describes John the Baptist as having come “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Matthew 11:11 – 14). The third belief may have come from Deuteronomy 18:15-18, with Jesus being the prophet spoken of there.

Jesus is greater than any of these as there is no name greater than his (Acts 4:12). When Jesus asked his disciples who the people thought he was they tell him the same three beliefs (Mark 8:27 – 30), but then he asks the disciples who they thought he was. Peter responds with the correct answer, “You are the Christ.”

^{Mk 6:16} “But when Herod heard of it, ^{Mt 14:2} and he said to his servants, ^{Lk 9:9} “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things? ^{Mt 14:2} This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” ^{Lk 9:9} [So Herod] sought to see him.”

As Herod thinks about the three beliefs, he chooses the one that is most unlikely. With a little research he could easily see that Jesus could not have been the resurrected John the Baptist. It is amazing the kind of beliefs that are held by people who are spiritually dead.

Conclusion

This section with Herod was an interlude between the sending out the disciples and their return. Its purpose was to express three beliefs held by the people about who they thought Jesus was and to show the confused thinking of Herod. Father, I pray that my readers will seek to know the truth and that the truth will set them free.