And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
12. his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it ] There is in this some proof of forbearance, if not of kindness, on Herod’s part. He did not persecute John’s disciples, or prevent them paying the last offices to their master.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Mat 14:12
And went and told Jesus.
Salve for the sore heart
I commend the behaviour of these disciples-
1. To all who are sinful and unpardoned. Go and tell Jesus the unpardoned sins of your life.
2. To all who are tempted.
3. To all who are slandered and persecuted.
4. To all who have been bereaved.
5. Christ is always near. (Dr. Talmage.)
The true Friend and Interpreter
1. In Jesus we have the true, Divine Friend of humanity, not of our circumstances, but of ourselves, who undertakes for us just what no one else can.
2. The providence which permitted the removal of John from their head was necessary to send them forward to the great Teacher.
3. When we make great ones, heroes, of the servants, we are in danger of dishonouring and keeping at a distance from the Master.
4. By this critical turn in their history, Johns disciples were not only brought forward to Christ, but actually brought closer and nearer to Him than they otherwise could or would have been. They round the grace to help in time of need.
5. They learnt and did the right thing. They brought the mystery of the Divine providence to Him who alone could throw light upon 2:6. Of what use is it to have such a Friend unless we make use of Him? No religious means can be put in place of Ibis; we may be with Him more intimately in the spirit than His disciples in the flesh. (W. Smith.)
Tell Jesus-a word to the troubled
I. Some of the grounds upon which the believer is warranted to repair to the Lord Jesus in every trying hour.
1. His mediatorial work-anticipates every objection, and answers every argument growing out of a deep and painful sense of unworthiness, etc. Ever accessible.
2. His earthly experience enables him to sympathize with all the forms of human suffering.
3. The mutual relations which exist between the Christ and the believer.
4. The invitations and declarations of His Word.
II. Some of the blessings that will follow the cultivation of this habit.
1. Intimate communion.
2. It will nourish and strengthen all the Christian graces.
3. It will free us from anxious care.
4. It will bring continuous honour and glory to Jesus. (C. Winslow, D. D.)
A complaining Christian once said to a cheerful, happy Christian, Things always seem to go smoothly with you; I never hear you make any complaints. To which he replied, I have found out an effectual way of guarding against that fault-telling Jesus all, and telling Him before I tell any one else; then, I find, I seldom need tell any one else, for in telling Him about my troubles, I often find the burden entirely removed. (A. Tucker.)
Go and tell Jesus
I. A lesson of encouragement for weary labourers. The twelve disciples fatigued from their mission.
II. A lesson for Christian mourners.
1. The last act of affection-They took up the body and buried it.
2. The best step for consolation. There is access to Jesus, sympathy with Jesus, relief from Jesus. (C. J. P. Eyre, M. A.)
The body, not the man, buried
The disciples came and took up the body and buried it. I like that way of speaking of human burial; it is the true way; it is emphatically the Christian way of speaking of the act. You buried it, not Him. By and by, said Socrates to his friends, you will be saying, Socrates is dead, but Socrates will not be dead. By and by you will be saying, Socrates is in his coffin, but Socrates will not be in his coffin. By and by you will be saying, We are going to bury Socrates, but you will not bury Socrates, you will only bury something that belonged to him. Well spoken, thou Old World philosopher; the fuller light of Christianity comes to confirm thy conjecture, and to verify thy reasoning. No; there is no burying a man. You cannot bury a soul. (J. B. French.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 12. His disciples came, and took up the BODY] The HEAD was in the possession of Herodias, who, ’tis probable, took a diabolic pleasure in viewing that speechless mouth which had often been the cause of planting thorns in her criminal bed; and in offering indignities to that tongue from which she could no longer dread a reproof. Her character justifies every bad conjecture that can well be formed on this head: and St. Jerome positively says that, when she got it, she drew out the tongue, and thrust it through with her bodkin. On the whole we may observe: –
That the diversions of the world, feasting and dancing, are but too commonly the occasions of sin. After so fatal an example as this, can we doubt whether balls are not snares for souls; destructive of chastity, modesty, and sometimes even of humanity itself; and a pernicious invention to excite the most criminal passions! How many on such occasions have sacrificed their chastity, and then, to hide their shame, have stifled the feelings of the human being and the parent, and, by direct or indirect means, have put a period to the innocent offspring of their connections! Unhappy mother, who exposes her daughter to the same shipwreck herself has suffered, and makes her own child the instrument of her lust and revenge! Behold here, ye professedly religious parents, the fruits of what was doubtless called in those times, elegant breeding and accomplished dancing! Fix your eyes on that vicious mother, that prostituted daughter, and especially on that murdered ambassador of God, and then send your children to genteel boarding-schools, to learn the accomplishment of DANCING! where the fear of God makes no part of the education.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The disciples of John, in testimony of their respect to their master, and of their owning of his doctrine, and grateful remembrance of him, hearing what Herod had done, came and took up Johns body, and buried it in a tomb, and they soon after went and acquainted our Saviour with what had happened; which was the cause of our Saviours withdrawing to a place where he might be less taken notice of, as we shall hear.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And his disciples came,…. To the prison where his body was left, and to which they had liberty of recourse before; see
Mt 11:2 and very probably, upon hearing what was done, might apply to Herod, as Joseph of Arimathea did to Pilate, for the body of Jesus; who might, as he did, give them leave to take it: and
took up the body and buried it. Theophylact says, his body was buried in Baste Caesarea, and that his head was first reposited in Emesesa. This was the last office of love to their master, and was done in respect and gratitude to him, and to show that they still abode by his doctrine; and was what decency and the belief of the resurrection of the dead, as well as the will of God, require should be done:
and went and told Jesus; that their master was dead, what kind of death he suffered, and by what means it was brought about; and how that they had interred him; and what Herod also had said of Jesus, that he was John risen from the dead. Their coming to Christ, and informing him of all this, show, that they were taught by their master to respect him as the Messiah, and believe in him, and adhere to him; and it is very likely that they continued with him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And they went and told Jesus ( ). As was meet after they had given his body decent burial. It was a shock to the Master who alone knew how great John really was. The fate of John was a prophecy of what was before Jesus. According to Mt 14:13 the news of the fate of John led to the withdrawal of Jesus to the desert privately, an additional motive besides the need for rest after the strain of the recent tour.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And his disciples came,” (kai proselthontes hoi malthetai autou) “And his disciples approaching;” The disciples of John, upon learning of the dastardly deed of the royal party, that culminated in the murder of John, came to secure the king’s permission.
2) “And took up the body and buried it,” (eran to ptoma kai ethapsan auton) “And they took the (beheaded) corpse or carcass of John and buried him,” in a tomb, as devout men later did, when Stephen had been stoned to death, Act 8:2. John’s headless carcass or body had likely been dumped outside the prison, for later burning, except for his disciples.
3) “And went and told Jesus.” (kai elthontes apengeilan to lesou) “And went on and reported the matter to Jesus,” of the tragedy, of their despondency, sorrow, and fears. John’s prophecy, “He must increase but I must decrease,” was now being fulfilled, Joh 3:28-30; Our Lord was compassionate, when told of death,’ Joh 11:32-35; See also that of Jarius’ daughter and the widow’s son of Nain, Mat 9:18-19; Mat 9:23-26; Luk 7:11-15.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(12) His disciples came.Among those who thus transferred their allegiance to their true Lord were, we must believe, the two whom John had sent to Him from his prison. From this time they probably ceased in Juda to be a distinct community, though, as the instances of Apollos (Act. 18:25) and the disciples at Ephesus (Act. 19:3) show, they still maintained a separate existence in the more distant regions to which the influence of the Baptist had indirectly penetrated.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
12. His disciples came buried it Faithful to the last, they obtain the corpse of their murdered master. The cruel king, glad perhaps to soothe the people by some apparent clemency, does not prevent. Went and told Jesus Doubtless the Lord well knew the whole story before they came to tell it. And to whom should these orphans of the martyred prophet go but to him, the prophet’s greater Lord? Yet it is doubtful whether they ever fully transferred their allegiance to him. Disciples who only knew John’s baptism are found in the subsequent Scripture history. Act 18:23; Act 19:3. Indeed, even to the present day a sect exists in the East claiming to be “John’s disciples,” whose principles seem to be tinged with Gnosticism, and whose views of both John and Christ vary far from the doctrines of the New Testament.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And his disciples came, and took up the corpse, and buried him, and they went and told Jesus.’
Then the faithful disciples of John came, no doubt devastated by the news, and took up John’s corpse, and gave it a decent burial. We are probably to see in this an indication that God had not forgotten him even after death (compare Mat 27:57-60). It was a brave act, and probably prevented the body being publicly humiliated, for the public exposure of the body of an executed criminal was common practise. (It may, however, have been publicly humiliated before they obtained it). Then they went and informed Jesus of what had happened. This may suggest that they would now offer their allegiance to Him. That it came as a warning to Him is suggested by what follows.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
12 And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
Ver. 12. And his disciples came and took ] A pious and courteous office, such as Joseph of Arimathea boldly performed to Christ, and these devout men to Stephen, making great lamentation over him, Act 8:2 . Good blood will not belie itself: fire will not long be hidden. Sir Anthony Kingston came to Bishop Hooper a little before he was burnt, and said, I thank God that ever I knew you, &c. And another knight came to George Tankerfield when he was at the stake, and taking him by the hand, said, Good brother, be strong in Christ, &c. Oh, sir, said he, I thank you, I am so, I thank God. It is a high praise to Onesiphorus that he sought out Paul, the prisoner, and was not ashamed of his chain, 2Ti 1:16-17 ; and to David’s brethren, that they came down to him to the cave of Adullam, though to their great danger, 1Sa 22:1 ; to the good women in the Gospel, that they came to the sepulchre to embalm Christ’s body, though it were guarded by a band of soldiers; and to those Christians in Chrysostom’s time that could not be kept from visiting the confessors in prison, though it were straitly forbidden them, upon pain of many mulets and dangers. a
And went and told Jesus ] Whom should we tell of the sufferings of his servants and ourselves, but Jesus? Say to him of his labouring Church, as they did once of his friend Lazarus, Behold, he whom thou lovest is sick, or otherwise hardly dealt with. “Then will he soon be jealous for his land, and pity his people,”Joe 2:18Joe 2:18 : he will play Phineas’s part, and thrust a spear through the loins of his enemies, that offer to force the queen also in the house. But it’s worth the noting that John’s disciples, who before had emulated Christ and joined with the Pharisees against him, now repair unto him, and inform him of their master’s death; being henceforth willing to become his disciples. Misery makes unity, and drives them to Christ, who, till then, had no such mind to him.
a Tametsi multis terroribus, minis, et periculis interdictum esset. Chrysost. Orat. de duob. Martyr.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 14:12 . : carcase, used absolutely in this sense only in late writers. Earlier writers would say . Lobeck, Phryn., 375.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
body. Mar 6:29 reads ptoma = corpse.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mat 14:12. , his body) without the head.-, …, coming, etc.) From that circumstance the death of John was advantageous to his disciples.[667]-, announced) It is not said with what manifestation of feeling Jesus received this announcement; doubtless He received it as it befitted the Lord.
[667] That is, the death of their master was the means of leading them to Jesus-the greatest of all blessings.-ED.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
took: Mat 27:58-61, Act 8:2
Reciprocal: Mar 6:29 – they came
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4:12
His disciples means the disciples of John. They got possession of his body and buried it, then went and told Jesus because they knew that he would be concerned.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 14:12. Took up the corpse and buried him, is a literal rendering.And, they went,probably Johns disciples.
And told Jesus. They would naturally go to Him, if properly affected by the interview recorded in chap. 11. Others kept aloof and formed a new sect
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
The disciples of John hearing that their holy master was thus basely and barbarously murdered, took up his dead body and buried it.
Whence we learn, that the faithful servants of God are not ashamed of the suffering of the saints, but will testify their respect unto them both living and dead.
Observe farther, our blessed Saviour, upon the notice of John’s death, flies unto the desert for the preservation of his own life. Jesus knew that his hour was not yet come, and therefore he keeps out of Herod’s way. It is no cowardice to fly from persecutors, when Christ our captain both practices it himself, and directs us to it, saying, When they persecute you in one city, flee, &c.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Mat 14:12. And his disciples came and took up the body Which it seems had been thrown over the prison walls, without burial, probably by order of Herodias. And buried it Laid it, says Mark, doubtless with great reverence and due lamentation, in a tomb, belonging to some of them who were willing to pay this last act of duty to their masters memory. And went and told Jesus What had happened; and, remembering the repeated testimony which John had borne to him, probably continued their attendance upon him.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Matthew’s notation that Jesus heard about John’s death unites John and Jesus against this political enemy. It also suggests that John’s disciples still had high regard for Jesus (cf. Mat 11:2-6). As Herod had heard the news about Jesus (Mat 14:1), now Jesus heard the news about John.
Herod’s testimony to the supernatural character of Jesus’ miracles is important in Matthew’s unfolding theme of people’s perceptions of the King. Likewise the forerunner’s unjust execution at the hands of hardhearted Roman officials foreshadows the fate of the King. [Note: Plummer, p. 201.] Matthew evidently recorded these verses to show how Roman political leaders viewed the King and His forerunner. Opposition against Him was intense, mainly for religious and moral reasons.
"Matthew so connected the ministries of these two men that what happened to one was viewed as having a direct effect on the other. Herod, by rejecting the King’s forerunner, was rejecting the King who followed him." [Note: Barbieri, p. 53.]