Now Prince Herod heard of all that was happening, and did not know what to make of it; for some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, others that Elijah had appeared, others again that one of the old prophets had come back to life.
Herod said, "As for John, I beheaded him myself; but who is this I hear such talk about?" And he was anxious to see him.
2 comments:
I did not plan the way these two threads, Luke & Prophets, to fit them together in any way... And yet here (for maybe the third & last time in Luke?) we're back to the apocalyptic speculation (from Malachi) that Elijah, having not died, is available to come back from the Heavens.
And also the apocalyptic speculations (Daniel) about a resurrection of those who died for upholding God's intentions, ie 'John raised from the dead.'
Herod (Antipas) has been offering his own version of the national 'return from Exile'-- ie his massive redevelopment of the Temple area, in which the small structure built by those who returned from Babylon has been overbuilt. It does not seem to be what John or Jesus had in mind.
“.. Herod heard of all that was happening, and did not know what to make of it ..”
Hard to say what Herod heard. The juxtaposition in the text (Luke 9:2ff) has a lot to put in Herod’s ears.
Proclaiming the kingdom of God, healing, wandering itinerants taking no possessions, wearing no royal temple robes, hanging out in homes, “preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.”
What does the Kingdom look like to Herod? - without Herod? - without Herod in charge?
It’s enough to make any ruler a little crazy. There’s a Roman Catholic Jesuit interpretation of a text in Job – Jesuit casuistry (I think) - it’s about Satan’s balls getting tied in knots. I’ll look it up. Herod is starting to feel the casuistic squeeze. The case of Herod not being in charge of the Kingdom.
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