Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

13:54 Although Capernaum had become Jesus' "own city" during his Galilean ministry (4:13; 9:1), his hometown is Nazareth, the village of his family and where he spent his childhood (see note on 2:23). Perhaps he is responding to a request from his mother and brothers to return home (see note on 12:46).

13:55-56 Since they know Jesus' human roots, the people of Nazareth assume he cannot be anything special. He is a hometown son making fantastic claims for himself. His brothers and his sisters refers to other children born to Joseph and Mary after the birth of Jesus. Some interpreters, seeking to defend a doctrine of the "perpetual virginity of Mary," have suggested that these were cousins, or children of Joseph from another marriage, but no evidence in the Greek words adelphoi ("brothers") and adelphai ("sisters"), or in any other historical information, gives support to that view. For Mary to have sexual relations with her husband, Joseph, and to bear children, would contribute to her holiness, not detract from it (cf. Gen. 1:28; 1 Cor. 7:3-5; 1 Tim. 5:14). On Jesus' family, see note on Mark 6:3.

13:57 took offense. See note on 11:6. prophet. Jesus aligns himself with the OT prophets who had revealed God's will for the people of Israel but had consistently been rejected by them.

13:58 not . . . many mighty works . . . because of their unbelief. Hard-heartedness and rejection of Jesus prevent the Spirit's healing ministry, just as they prevent forgiveness of sin (see note on 12:31-32). The Holy Spirit does not force his miracles on a hostile, skeptical audience.

14:1 Herod the tetrarch. Herod Antipas was the Roman ruler over the region where Jesus ministered. He was only 17 years old when his father, Herod the Great, died. The kingdom was divided among three of Herod's sons--Archelaus, Antipas, and Philip II (see note on 2:22). Herod Antipas was made tetrarch (the ruler of a fourth part of a kingdom) of Galilee and Perea and had a long rule (4 b.c.-a.d. 39).

14:2 This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead. Herod Antipas's reaction at hearing of Jesus' ministry reveals a curious blend of theology and superstition, based partly on semi-pagan ideas of returning spirits.

14:3-4 For Herod had seized John. Verses 3-12 are a historical flashback. Herod Antipas had fallen in love with Herodias, the wife of his half brother Herod Philip I (not the tetrarch Philip mentioned in Luke 3:1), even though both were married at the time. Herodias divorced Herod Philip I and Herod Antipas divorced his wife (the daughter of the Nabatean king, Aretas IV), and they were married. John the Baptist had publicly condemned Herod Antipas for his actions (it is not lawful for you to have her). Josephus reports that John the Baptist was imprisoned at Herod Antipas's fortress-palace called Machaerus (Jewish Antiquities 18.116-119; cf. the description in Jewish War 7.164-177), which was a fortress built atop a steep hill east of where the Jordan River flows into the north end of the Dead Sea. It had been fortified by the Hasmonean Jewish kings (2nd century b.c.), destroyed by the Romans (c. 56 b.c.), and rebuilt as a palace by Herod the Great. Archaeological investigation has delineated the Herodian palace enclosure, including a cistern from this era.

14:6-7 When Herod's birthday came a great celebration was held in his honor at the palace at Machaerus. Herodias had her daughter (named Salome in Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 18.136) perform a dance for Herod Antipas. She was only 12 to 14 years old, but in that debased setting it likely was a sensual dance, which pleased Herod.

14:8 Prompted by her mother. Herodias steps in to eliminate the accusing voice of John the Baptist, a threat to her husband's reign.

14:12 disciples. John's disciples had remained loyal to him throughout his imprisonment. They now devotedly cared for his burial, since all of John's family was quite likely deceased by this time (cf. "advanced in years," Luke 1:7).