EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Luke 9:9.
Ἰ.
ἐγὼ ἀπεκεφάλισα: the fact stated in the form of a confession by the criminal, but the grim story not told.—
ἐγὼ, emphatic, the “I” of a guilty troubled conscience.—
τις: 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?—
καὶ ἐζήτει ἰδεῖν αὐτόν: this points forward to
Luke 23:8.
9.
he desired] Literally, “
was seekingthis agrees with
Luke 23:8, “he was desirous to see him of a long season.” St Luke may have heard particulars about Herod from Chuzas (
Luke 8:3) when he was with St Paul at Caesarea Stratonis, or from Manaen at Antioch (
Acts 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,”
Luke 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covered the site of an old cemetery); and partly because, after the news of John’s murder, He seems at once to have withdrawn from all permanent work in Gennesareth.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
John 5:1, probably the Feast of Purim. During this visit occurred the healing of the cripple at Bethesda.
Luke 9:9.
Ἐζήτει,
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.—[
ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν,
to see Him) Whether He was like John, or whether, for the sake of Herod, He would perform a miracle?—V. g.]
Verse 9. -
And he desired to see him; that is, Jesus. The desire of Herod was gratified, but not then. He saw him the day of the Crucifixion, when Pilate sent him to Herod for judgment; but the tetrarch, weak and wicked though he was, declined the responsibility of shedding
that blood, so he sent him back to the Roman governor. Here, in SS. Matthew and Mark, follows the dramatic and vivid account of the death of John the Baptist. St. Luke probably omits it, as his Gospel, or rather Paul's, was derived from what they heard from eyewitnesses and hearers of the Lord. As regards SS. Matthew and Mark, the latter of whom was probably simply the amanuensis of St. Peter, the awful event was woven into their life's story. It was most natural that, in their public preaching and teaching, they should make constant mention of the tragedy which so personally affected Jesus and his little company. St. Luke and his master, Paul, on the other hand, who were not
personally present with the Lord when these events took place, would be likely to confine their memoirs as closely as possible to those circumstances in which Jesus alone occupied the prominent place. Luke 9:9
He desired (ἐζήτει)
Rev., he sought. He did more than desire.
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