Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 9:9
And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him.
9. he desired ] Literally, “ was seeking this agrees with Luk 23:8, “he was desirous to see him of a long season.” St Luke may have heard particulars about Herod from Chuzas (Luk 8:3) when he was with St Paul at Caesarea Stratonis, or from Manaen at Antioch (Act 13:1). The curiosity of Herod about Jesus does not seem to have been aroused before this period. A half-alien tyrant such as he was, belonging to a detested house, is often little aware of what is going on among the people; but the mission of the Twelve in all directions, and therefore possibly to Tiberias, produced effects which reached his ears. His wish to see Jesus was not gratified till the day of the crucifixion partly because our Lord purposely kept out of his reach, feeling for him a pure contempt (“this fox,” Luk 13:32), and for this among other reasons never so much as entered the polluted and half-heathen streets of Herod’s new town of Tiberias (which partly covered the site of an old cemetery); and partly because, after the news of John’s murder, He seems at once to have withdrawn from all permanent work in Gennesareth. During the mission of the Twelve we infer that He made a journey alone to Jerusalem to the unnamed feast of Joh 5:1, probably the Feast of Purim. During this visit occurred the healing of the cripple at Bethesda.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
9. desired to see himbut didnot, till as a prisoner He was sent to him by Pilate just before Hisdeath, as we learn from Lu 23:8.
Lu9:10-17. ON THE RETURNOF THE TWELVE JESUSRETIRES WITH THEMTO BETHSAIDA, ANDTHERE MIRACULOUSLYFEEDS FIVETHOUSAND.
(See on Mr6:31-44).
Lu9:18-27. PETER’SCONFESSION OF CHRISTOURLORD’S FIRSTEXPLICIT ANNOUNCEMENTOF HIS APPROACHINGDEATH, AND WARNINGSARISING OUTOF IT.
(See on Mt16:13-28; and Mr 8:34).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Herod said, John have I beheaded,…. That is, he had ordered him to be beheaded, and which was accordingly done by the executioner; of which he had full proof, since the head was brought him in a charger, and which he delivered to the daughter of Herodias:
but who is this of whom I hear such things? such, wonderful things, such amazing miracles, as were done by Christ: he seems to have reasoned after this manner with himself, surely this cannot be John, for I have beheaded him! and yet who should it be? and whereas some affirmed, that it was John that was risen from the dead, he began to fear that it was he;
and he desired to see him: that he might be satisfied whether it was he or not; for he had had personal knowledge of John, and converse with him, and therefore, upon sight of him, could tell whether it was he that was risen from the dead, or not; but we do not find Herod had a sight of Christ, until he was sent by Pilate to him at Jerusalem; see
Lu 23:7.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He sought (). Imperfect active. He keep on seeking to see Jesus. The rumours disturbed Herod because he was sure that he had put him to death (“John I beheaded”).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
He desired [] . Rev., he sought. He did more than desire.
10 – 17. Compare Mr 6:30 – 44.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And Herod said, John have I beheaded:” (eipen de (ho) Herodes loannen ego apekephalisa) “Then Herod said, I beheaded John,” the Baptist, or had him beheaded, Mar 6:27-28; Mat 14:10. Being a Sadducee he could not consistently believe that John the Baptist had risen for they denied the resurrection, Act 23:8.
2) “But who is this, of whom I hear such things?” (tis de estin houtos peri hou akouo toiauta) “Then who is this one about whom I hear such things?” Mat 14:1-2; For “His name was spread abroad,” Mar 6:14. His conscience troubled him. The monitor of his soul went off like a siren, at the name of Jesus.
3) “And he desired to see him,” (kai ezeitei idein auton) “And he sought to see him,” to have a face to face meeting with Him, a desire that continued for a long time, Luk 23:8.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(9) And he desired to see him.St. Luke returns (Luk. 23:8) to the working of this desire, which he apparently knew from sources that were not within the reach of the other Evangelists.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this, about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see him.’
It is not surprising that the rumours struck Herod’s conscience. The statement is partly Luke’s way of letting us know how John died without taking the attention off Jesus. But it also indicates that now Jesus Himself is in danger. Herod was clearly worried. And rightly so. The king was still subject to his conscience. The other Gospels tell us that in the end he was persuaded that it must be John who had risen from the dead (Mar 6:16). Such is the tyranny of conscience. In fact he probably argued himself in and out of such a position as he fought with his conscience, sometimes believing it and emphatically stating it, and sometimes managing to dismiss the idea out of hand. Fighting with our consciences is something that we are all familiar with at times. We must remember here that the group had a means of obtaining information about what was happening at court through Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward.
‘Sought to see Him.’ This must be seen as ominous. It can be compared with how Jesus’ family had also sought Him out for the wrong purposes. Had Herod wanted to see Him out of interest he would have had no difficulty, for up to this point Jesus had hardly kept Himself hidden. It therefore suggests that Herod’s aim was belligerent, and this is later confirmed in Luk 13:31, which is in turn directly connected with His death in Jerusalem. This explains why Jesus now moves out of Herod’s territory into the territory of Herod Philip, north of the Sea of Galilee (Luk 9:10). And it also accounts for Jesus now making clear to His Apostles that He is here to suffer and die (Luk 9:22), and why He also makes clear to the following crowds that to follow Him could lead to martyrdom (Luk 9:23-26). And why He then sets His face towards Jerusalem because it is time for Him to be received up (Luk 9:51).
So we know from this why it was that Jesus moved northward. He must not perish outside Jerusalem (see Luk 13:31) but the time was not yet. We are not told what steps Herod took in order to see the fulfilment of his wish, but it would be granted to him in the end, when God’s time was ripe (Luk 23:8).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 9:9. And he desired to see him. Probably that he might have an opportunity of beingreconciled to him; for though at first Herod affected not to believe that John was risen, yet the perplexity he was in whenhe heard of it, shews plainly that he feared the worst.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
9 And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him.
Ver. 9. And he desired to see him ] With a faint and fruitless desire: for he never stirred out-of-doors to see Christ, though he believed that God had raised him from the dead. So true is that of Abraham, Luk 16:31 . Perhaps he desired to see whether it were John or not.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
9. ] The repetition of implies personal concern and alarm at the growing fame of Jesus: see notes on Matt.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 9:9 . . : the fact stated in the form of a confession by the criminal, but the grim story not told. , emphatic, the “I” of a guilty troubled conscience. : he has no theory, but is simply puzzled, yet the question almost implies suspicion that Jesus is John returned to life. Could there be two such men at the same period? : this points forward to Luk 23:8 .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
of = concerning. Greek peri. App-104.
desired = was seeking. More than desiring.
see. Greek. eidon. App-133. Not the same word as in Luk 9:36
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
9.] The repetition of implies personal concern and alarm at the growing fame of Jesus: see notes on Matt.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 9:9. , he desired) Any one of the common people that wished, could more readily accomplish that desire. For Jesus was not one wont to enter courts: Herod was not one who thought it necessary to go forth from his court (palace) for the sake of Jesus.-[ , to see Him) Whether He was like John, or whether, for the sake of Herod, He would perform a miracle?-V. g.]
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
John: Luk 9:7
And he: Luk 13:31, Luk 13:32, Luk 23:8
Reciprocal: 2Ki 8:4 – Tell Mat 14:10 – and beheaded Mat 21:10 – Who Mar 6:16 – It is Rev 20:4 – beheaded
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
9
The beheading of John is reported in Mat 14:1-12 and Mar 6:17-29. Desired to see him was accomplished as recorded at chapter 23:8.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Verse 9
And Herod said. The word said, in this, as in a great many other similar cases, refers not so much to his words as to his state of mind. He said to himself, as it were. The thoughts and designs of the heart are often, in such cases, clothed in language by the historian.