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Text -- Matthew 14:4 (NET)

Strongs On/Off
Context
14:4 because John had repeatedly told him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Parallel   Cross Reference (TSK)   ITL  

Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Names, People and Places:
 · John a son of Zebedee; younger brother of James; the beloved disciple of Christ,a relative of Annas the high priest,a son of Mary the sister of Barnabas, and surnamed Mark,the father of Simon Peter


Dictionary Themes and Topics: Women | SALOME | Rulers | Prisoners | Politics | Persecution | Oath | Matthew, Gospel according to | Malice | John the Baptist | John | JESUS CHRIST, 4C2 | JESUS CHRIST, 4B | Incest | Herod | HERODIAS | CHRONOLOGY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT | Antipas | Adultery | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Robertson , Wesley , Clarke , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , Lightfoot , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , Maclaren , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Barclay , Constable , College , McGarvey , Lapide

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Robertson: Mat 14:4 - -- For John said unto him ( elegen gar Iōanēs autōi ). Possibly the Pharisees may have put Herod up to inveigling John to Machaerus on one of his ...

For John said unto him ( elegen gar Iōanēs autōi ).

Possibly the Pharisees may have put Herod up to inveigling John to Machaerus on one of his visits there to express an opinion concerning his marriage to Herodias (Broadus) and the imperfect tense (elegen ) probably means that John said it repeatedly. It was a blunt and brave thing that John said. It cost him his head, but it is better to have a head like John’ s and lose it than to have an ordinary head and keep it. Herod Antipas was a politician and curbed his resentment toward John by his fear of the people who still held (eichon , imperfect tense) him as a prophet.

Wesley: Mat 14:4 - -- It was not lawful indeed for either of them to have her. For her father Aristobulus was their own brother. John's words were rough, like his raiment. ...

It was not lawful indeed for either of them to have her. For her father Aristobulus was their own brother. John's words were rough, like his raiment. He would not break the force of truth by using soft words, even to a king.

Clarke: Mat 14:4 - -- For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. - Here is an instance of zeal, fidelity, and courage, highly worthy of imitation. Pla...

For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. - Here is an instance of zeal, fidelity, and courage, highly worthy of imitation. Plainness, mildness, and modesty, are qualifications necessary to be observed when we reprove the great. The best service a subject can render his prince is to lay before him, in the plainest but most respectful manner, what the law of God requires of him, and what it forbids. How unutterable must the punishment of those be who are chaplains to princes, or great men, and who either flatter them in their vices, or wink at their sins!

TSK: Mat 14:4 - -- Lev 18:16, Lev 20:21; Deu 25:5, Deu 25:6; 2Sa 12:7; 1Ki 21:19; 2Ch 26:18, 2Ch 26:19; Pro 28:1; Isa 8:20; Mar 6:18; Act 24:24, Act 24:25

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Mat 14:3-5 - -- For Herod had laid hold on John ... - See Mar 6:17-20; Luk 3:19-20. This Herodias was a granddaughter of Herod the Great. She was first married...

For Herod had laid hold on John ... - See Mar 6:17-20; Luk 3:19-20. This Herodias was a granddaughter of Herod the Great. She was first married to Herod Philip, by whom she had a daughter, Salome, probably the one that danced and pleased Herod. Josephus says that this marriage of Herod Antipas with Herodias took place while he was on a journey to Rome. He stopped at his brother’ s; fell in love with his wife; agreed to put away his own wife, the daughter of Aretas, King of Petraea; and Herodias agreed to leave her own husband and live with him. They were living, therefore, in adultery; and John, in faithfulness, though at the risk of his life, had reproved them for their crimes. Herod was guilty of two crimes in this act:

1.    Of "adultery,"since she was the wife of another man.

2.    Of "incest,"since she was a near relation, and such marriages were expressly forbidden, Lev 18:16.

Poole: Mat 14:4 - -- Mark telleth us, Mar 6:20 , that Herod feared, that is, reverenced and respected, John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed...

Mark telleth us, Mar 6:20 , that Herod feared, that is, reverenced and respected, John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. John was very popular, and all men counted him as a prophet; so that probably Herod sent for him to the court, and heard him there. John seeing Herod live in adultery and incest, was not able to suffer such a sin upon him, but tells him he did that which was not lawful for him to do, for God’ s law had forbidden such marriages. Mark addeth, that Herodias also had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not, because of the respect which Herod had for him. But this wore off, for Matthew tells us... see Mat 14:5

Lightfoot: Mat 14:4 - -- For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. [Herod has taken his brother's wife.]  [It is not lawful for thee to have ...

For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. [Herod has taken his brother's wife.]  

[It is not lawful for thee to have her.] "There are thirty-six cuttings off in the law": that is, sinners who deserve cutting off. And among the rest, he that lies with his brother's wife. Philip was now alive, and lived to the twentieth year of Tiberius.

Gill: Mat 14:4 - -- For John said unto him,.... John having heard of this incestuous marriage, went to Herod, and reproved him to his face for it; and, as Luke says, "for...

For John said unto him,.... John having heard of this incestuous marriage, went to Herod, and reproved him to his face for it; and, as Luke says, "for all the evils he had done", Luk 3:19 for he was a very wicked man, and guilty of many flagitious crimes: John, in so doing, showed his zeal for holiness, his hatred of sin, his courage and faithfulness in reproving thus freely so great a man; and made it manifest, that he came in the spirit of Elijah: what he said to him was,

it is not lawful for thee to have her, being forbidden, Lev 18:16 for though by another law it was right to marry a brother's wife, after his decease, when he left no issue, yet this was not the case here; Philip was now living, and, had he been dead, such a marriage would have been unlawful, because there was issue; she had a daughter, who afterwards is said to dance before Herod; and besides, he himself had another wife, whom he put away; so that his sin was a very aggravated and complicated one: lying with a brother's wife, was one of those sins which, according to the Jewish h canons, deserved cutting off, or death by the hand of God. Josephus i gives another reason of the imprisonment and death of John, that Herod feared that the people of the Jews, through his means, would be moved to sedition, and revolt from his government; which might be what Herodias suggested to him, or what he gave out himself, to cover the true cause of his proceedings: but the true reason is, what is here given, and is to be confirmed by the testimony of Jewish writers. One of their chronologers k delivers the account in these express words:

"Herod Antipater was a very wicked and pernicious man, many of the wise men of Israel he slew with the sword; and he took to wife, his brother Philip's wife, whilst he was living; and because John the high priest (for so through mistake they call him) הוכיחו על זה "reproved him for this"; (see Luk 3:19) he slew him with the sword, with many of the wise men of Israel.''

And, says their historian l,

"also he, Herod, slew John, because he said unto him, it is forbidden thee to take the wife of Philip, and he slew him; this is that John that practised baptism.''

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Mat 14:4 This marriage of Herod to his brother Philip’s wife was a violation of OT law (Lev 18:16; 20:21). In addition, both Herod Antipas and Herodias h...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Mat 14:1-36 - --1 Herod's opinion of Christ.3 Wherefore John Baptist was beheaded.13 Jesus departs into a desert place,15 where he feeds five thousand men with five l...

Maclaren: Mat 14:1-12 - --The Martyrdom Of John At that time Herod the tetrurch heard of the fame of Jesus, 2. And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is rise...

MHCC: Mat 14:1-12 - --The terror and reproach of conscience, which Herod, like other daring offenders, could not shake off, are proofs and warnings of a future judgment, an...

Matthew Henry: Mat 14:1-12 - -- We have here the story of John's martyrdom. Observe, I. The occasion of relating this story here, Mat 14:1, Mat 14:2. Here is, 1. The account brough...

Barclay: Mat 14:1-13 - --In this tragic drama of the death of John the Baptist, the dramatis personas stand clearly delineated and vividly displayed. (i) There is John himsel...

Barclay: Mat 14:1-13 - --(iv) There is Herod himself. He is called the tetrarch. Tetrarch literally means the ruler of a fourth part; but it came to be used quite generally...

Constable: Mat 13:54--19:3 - --V. The reactions of the King 13:54--19:2 Matthew recorded increasing polarization in this section. Jesus expande...

Constable: Mat 13:54--14:13 - --1. The opposition of the Nazarenes and Romans 13:54-14:12 The theme of opposition continues from...

Constable: Mat 14:1-12 - --The opposition of Herod and his friends 14:1-12 (cf. Mark 6:14-29; Luke 9:7-9) 14:1-2 "At that time" is again a loose connective not intended to commu...

College: Mat 14:1-36 - --MATTHEW 14 N. THE DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST (14:1-12) The themes of misunderstanding and rejection dominating 11:2-14:12 now reach their climactic c...

McGarvey: Mat 14:1-12 - -- LXII. HEROD ANTIPAS SUPPOSES JESUS TO BE JOHN. aMATT. XIV. 1-12; bMARK VI. 14-29; cLUKE IX. 7-9.    b14 And  c7 Now  a1 At ...

Lapide: Mat 14:1-36 - --CHAPTER 14 The first eleven verses of this chapter relate to the decollation of John the Baptist, of which I have spoken at length on the sixth chapt...

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Introduction / Outline

Robertson: Matthew (Book Introduction) THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW By Way of Introduction The passing years do not make it any plainer who actually wrote our Greek Matthew. Papias r...

JFB: Matthew (Book Introduction) THE author of this Gospel was a publican or tax gatherer, residing at Capernaum, on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. As to his identity with t...

JFB: Matthew (Outline) GENEALOGY OF CHRIST. ( = Luke 3:23-38). (Mat. 1:1-17) BIRTH OF CHRIST. (Mat 1:18-25) VISIT OF THE MAGI TO JERUSALEM AND BETHLEHEM. (Mat 2:1-12) THE F...

TSK: Matthew (Book Introduction) Matthew, being one of the twelve apostles, and early called to the apostleship, and from the time of his call a constant attendant on our Saviour, was...

TSK: Matthew 14 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Mat 14:1, Herod’s opinion of Christ; Mat 14:3, Wherefore John Baptist was beheaded; Mat 14:13, Jesus departs into a desert place, Mat 1...

Poole: Matthew 14 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 14

MHCC: Matthew (Book Introduction) Matthew, surnamed Levi, before his conversion was a publican, or tax-gatherer under the Romans at Capernaum. He is generally allowed to have written h...

MHCC: Matthew 14 (Chapter Introduction) (Mat 14:1-12) Death of John the Baptist. (Mat 14:13-21) Five thousand people miraculously fed. (Mat 14:22-33) Jesus walks upon the sea. (Mat 14:34-...

Matthew Henry: Matthew (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Gospel According to St. Matthew We have now before us, I. The New Testament of our Lord and Savior...

Matthew Henry: Matthew 14 (Chapter Introduction) John the Baptist had said concerning Christ, He must increase, but I must decrease, Joh 3:30. The morning-star is here disappearing, and the Sun of...

Barclay: Matthew (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SAINT MATTHEW The Synoptic Gospels Matthew, Mark and Luke are usually known as the Synoptic Gospels. Synopt...

Barclay: Matthew 14 (Chapter Introduction) The Tragic Drama Of John The Baptist (Mat_14:1-12) The Fall Of Herod (Mat_14:1-12 Continued) Compassion And Power (Mat_14:13-21) The Place Of The...

Constable: Matthew (Book Introduction) Introduction The Synoptic Problem The synoptic problem is intrinsic to all study of th...

Constable: Matthew (Outline) Outline I. The introduction of the King 1:1-4:11 A. The King's genealogy 1:1-17 ...

Constable: Matthew Matthew Bibliography Abbott-Smith, G. A. A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T. & T. Cl...

Haydock: Matthew (Book Introduction) THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW INTRODUCTION. THIS and other titles, with the names of those that wrote the Gospels,...

Gill: Matthew (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO MATTHEW The subject of this book, and indeed of all the writings of the New Testament, is the Gospel. The Greek word ευαγγελ...

College: Matthew (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION HISTORY OF INTERPRETATION It may surprise the modern reader to realize that for the first two centuries of the Christian era, Matthew's...

College: Matthew (Outline) OUTLINE I. ESTABLISHING THE IDENTITY AND ROLE OF JESUS THE CHRIST - Matt 1:1-4:16 A. Genealogy of Jesus - 1:1-17 B. The Annunciation to Joseph...

Lapide: Matthew (Book Introduction) PREFACE. —————— IN presenting to the reader the Second Volume [Matt X to XXI] of this Translation of the great work of Cornelius à Lapi...

Advanced Commentary (Dictionaries, Hymns, Arts, Sermon Illustration, Question and Answers, etc)


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