Matthew 14:3-5

Matthew 14:3-5

[3] For  Herod  had laid hold  on John,  and bound  him,  and  him in  prison  Herodias'  sake,  his  brother  Philip's  wife.  [4] For  John  unto him,  not  lawful  to have  her.  [5] And  when he would  him  to death,  he feared  the multitude,  because  they counted  him  as  a prophet. 

What does Matthew 14:3-5 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The Synoptic writers ascribed moral and religious motives to Herod for executing John (cf. Mark 6:16-29; Luke 3:19-20). Josephus wrote that Herod beheaded John for political reasons. [1] Probably both reasons led Herod to act as he did. [2]
Herod Antipas had two brothers named Philip. The one Matthew referred to here was Herod Philip I. The other brother named Philip was Herod Philip II, tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis. Philip I was Herod Antipas" half-brother. Therefore Antipas" marriage to Philip"s wife Herodias was incestuous (cf. Leviticus 18:16; Leviticus 20:21). Evidently John had repeatedly rebuked Antipas since the verb in Matthew 14:4 can read, "he used to say [3]." Herodias was also Antipas" niece, but this would have been no problem for John since the law did not forbid uncles marrying their nieces. Combining the Synoptic accounts, Antipas appears to have been a weak man controlled by a wicked and ruthless wife, Herodias. Interestingly John , the latter day Elijah, faced the modern counterparts of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel in Antipas and Herodias. Unfortunately Herodias succeeded where Jezebel had failed.