1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the news about Jesus, 2 and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

Before reporting on Jesus’ withdrawal (14:13) after the rejection in His hometown, the gospel writer gives us the occasion for this withdrawal, namely the report that John the Baptist had been executed by Herod the tetrarch (i.e. governor) over Galilee. His full name was Herod Antipas, a son of Herod the Great, that insecure, would-be assassinator of the infant Jesus. The death of John, forerunner to Christ, cast a large shadow over the kingdom prospects.

John played the major role in introducing the ministry of Jesus, but then quickly faded to the background. In chapter four he was arrested, the report of which led to Jesus’ withdrawal back into Galilee. Chapter nine finds some remaining disciples of John complaining that Jesus’ disciples did not fast like they themselves or the Pharisees did. They seemed to hold the Pharisees as role models, rather than Jesus Himself. That may have been an indication of resistance to Christ Himself. Whether that is true or not, we do know this: some of John’s disciples did not become disciples of Jesus but instead remained loyal to John who was now in prison.

Their growing discontent may have contributed to John’s own doubting, as recounted in chapter eleven. In fact, some of John’s disciples did not stay around long enough after John’s death to either witness or hear about the resurrection of Christ–until Acts 19, when Paul preached the gospel to them years later. They apparently did not fully accept John’s assessment, “He must increase, and I must decrease” (John 3:30).

And now in our present passage we have the brief story of the events leading up to John’s death, conveyed to us in the form of a flashback. Herod had had John killed. Sufficiently impressed was he with John that in his mind the miracles of Jesus could only be explained in one way: John had come back from the dead! This leads us to two observations. First, the miracles of Jesus were undeniable among His contemporaries—which lends historical credibility to Matthew’s record of Jesus’ life. Second, John lived such an exemplary life, that even in adverse circumstances, subject to doubting, that his enemies saw his life and Jesus’ life as somewhat indistinguishable. He exemplified what Peter later wrote, “Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that … they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:12).

Lord, help me to live a life like Jesus’ life—so that whether I suffer adverse consequences for my faith or not, others would see the resemblance.