7 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; 8 And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again. 9 And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him. (Luke 9:7-9 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
The history of the holy Baptist’s beheading by Herod is briefly here hinted at, by St. Luke, but not so largely set forth by him as we find it in St. Matthew 14:10 and St. Mark 6:27. See the notes there. That which St. Luke takes particular notice of is, that great perplexity of mind which Herod’s guilty conscience did occasion; he had murdered John, and now is afraid his Ghost haunted him; Herod was perplexed.
Learn hence, that guilt is naturally troublesome and uneasy: it disturbs the peace and serenity of the mind and fills the soul with storms and thunder. Guilt is always full of fear; everything affrights the guilty. A bad man is a terror to himself and needs no further disquietment than what his own guilty conscience does occasion him.
BURKITT | Luke 9:1-6 | Luke 9:7-9 | Luke 9:10-11 | Luke 9:12-17 | Luke 9:18-22 | Luke 9:23-24 | Luke 9:25 | Luke 9:26 | Luke 9:27 | Luke 9:28-36 | Luke 9:37-42 | Luke 9:43-45 | Luke 9:46-48 | Luke 9:49-50 | Luke 9:51 | Luke 9:52-53 | Luke 9:54 | Luke 9:55-56 | Luke 9:57-58 | Luke 9:59-60 | Luke 9:61-62 |