Luke 9:7-11 WHO IS THIS MIRACLE MAKER?

WHO IS THIS MIRACLE MAKER?

Luke 9:7-11

Luke 9:7-8 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead;  And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.

Susie: The news of Jesus’s teaching and miracles had reached the highest levels of government. Herod Antipas was called “Tetrarch” because after the death of Herod the Great who ruled when Jesus was born, the kingdom was divided among his sons. Herod Antipas ruled the region of Galilee which was a fourth of the original kingdom. Tetrarch derives from “tetras” (four) and “arche” (government).

Susan: Herod was fearful of being brought under God’s judgement for killing John the Baptist. He was superstitious and thought Jesus might be John returned from the dead to exact retribution for his life being cut short by Herod’s decree.

Susie: Even if Jesus was a resurrected Elijah, Herod would have reason to be concerned because Elijah fought against another evil king and his queen, Ahab and Jezebel who had killed God’s prophets. Elijah slew 400 prophets of Baal, and Jezebel ended up as dog food.

1 Kings 21:23 And of Jezebel also spake the Lord, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.

2 Kings 9:35-36 And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands. Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel:

Susan: Herod was wrong in supposing Jesus to be Elijah, one of the other prophets, or John the Baptist come back to life. He was the Messiah prophesied of old.

Luke 9:9 And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him.

Susie: More detailed accounts of the murder of John the Baptist are found in Matthew 14:1-12 and Mark 6:14-29. The condensed version of his demise is that John had spoken out against Herod’s marriage to his brother Philip’s wife. She manipulated Herod into having John beheaded by allowing her daughter to dance before Herod at a banquet. When drunken Herod offered her a reward for the dance, her mother told her to demand John’s head on a platter.

Susan: Herod wanted to personally lay eyes on Jesus to see exactly who He was and to know what manner of man he was dealing with. In Herod’s mind, Jesus was his opposition.

Susie: There is no record of Herod traveling to see Jesus or having Him brought before him. However, his desire to see Him was fulfilled later when Pilate sent Jesus to be judged by Herod since He was from Galilee.

Luke 23:6-7 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilaean. And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.

Luke 9:10 And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.

Susie: After that brief aside about John the Baptist’s death and Herod’s desire to see Jesus in person (possibly because the Apostles’ mission had made him even more aware of Jesus), Luke returns to the Apostles missionary adventures.

Susan: Jesus took the Apostles away from the city in order to give them respite time to refuel and allow them to tell Him about their mission. The people were always relentless in their pursuit of Jesus and the Apostles as well now that they had demonstrated the same authority Jesus had to heal and deliver.

Luke 9:11 And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.

Susie: This day was no exception because the people managed to follow Jesus and the disciples even to the deserted place in which they planned to rest. However, Jesus did not send them away but graciously taught them and healed those who were sick among them.

Susan: Even though the press of the public was probably annoying, Jesus did not rebuke them. In His humanity, He may have been tired, and it is certain the Apostles were exhausted. However, Jesus received the people with complete compassion.

Ponder this and Apply it: Jesus did many signs and wonders that people could not explain. Therefore, rumors flourished that He was one of the prophets of old, Elijah, or even John the Baptist. Only those whose eyes were opened by the Lord could process the truth that Jesus was truly the Messiah, the Son of the One true God. Have you ever shared the Gospel with someone who just cannot get past the miracles and keeps trying to find a logical, scientific explanation for them? When that happens, pray for the Holy Spirit to enable them to see and believe truth. Continue to live your changed life before them and point them to the word even if they find it hard to believe. Our responsibility is to share. The results of our sharing must be left to God.