And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
All Commentaries on Matthew 14:5 Go To Matthew 14
John Chrysostom
AD 407
It is not without reason that the Evangelist here specifies the time, but that you may understand the pride and carelessness of the tyrant; inasmuch as he had not at the first made himself acquainted with the things concerning Christ, but now only after long time. Thus they, who in authority are fenced about with much pomp, learn these things slowly, because they do not much regard them.
Observe how great a thing is virtue; Herod fears John even after he is dead, and philosophizes concerning the resurrection; as it followers; “And he saithto his servants, This is John the baptist, he is risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works are wrought in him.”.
And this relation is not set before us as a principal matter, because the Evangelist's only object was to tell us concerning Christ, and nothing beyond, unless so far as it furthered this object. He says then, “For Herod had seized John, and bound him.”.
Yet he speaks not to the woman but to the husband, as he was the chief person.
