Men of the Bible Series - Herod didn't know if Jesus was someone back from the dead, not yet but soon he would be!
Luke 23:8-11 Herod was delighted at the opportunity to see Jesus, because he had heard about him and had been hoping for a long time to see him perform a miracle. 9 He asked Jesus question after question, but Jesus refused to answer. 10 Meanwhile, the leading priests and the teachers of religious law stood there shouting their accusations. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers began mocking and ridiculing Jesus. Finally, they put a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate.
Could there be a second personality in town stirring things up? Herod had to wonder, he thought that the one making all of the fuss in town was dead when he had John the Baptist beheaded, Herod was paranoid because of his guilty conscience. John was arrested because he criticized Herod's illicit marriage to his brother's wife.
Puzzled about what was going on, Herod asked, “so who is this man about whom I hear such stories?” Herod seemed to want to know more about Jesus but he never sent for Jesus to come to him, he never gave much thought and consideration about Jesus. So some time later when Jesus is on trial, Herod is delighted to see him, his delight didn't last for long as he became angry when his questions were ignored by Jesus.
Herod Antipas was one of four sons of Herod the Great, he inherited a fourth of his fathers territory upon his death, later Antipas was accused by his nephew Agrippa of conspiracy against the new Roman emperor Caligula.
We need to take some time to consider who Jesus is and why he came to earth, Herod didn't go beyond a superficial, careless inquiry into who Jesus is and he doesn't have a clue what his ministry is about. If you come to the wrong conclusion about Jesus or you don't even give his life and ministry any consideration then you will have made the greatest mistake of all.
Luke 9:20 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah sent from God!”
We need to consider the evidence that brought Peter to the conclusion that Jesus is the Messiah. Peter was an eyewitness to Jesus power over sickness, his power to feed the crowds with a sack lunch and Peter was the one that got out of the boat and took a walk with Jesus on the water.
Thank you Lord for your Word and for the eyewitness accounts that show us that you are really the Savior of the world. I pray that we will all consider the evidence thoroughly and come to the right conclusion.
