NOTES for Luk 9:9

Herod was always afraid of the Messiah's coming. In truth, he did not seem to believe very much in the Messiah. It would be more accurate to say that he feared any messianic movements that periodically flared up in different parts of Palestine. This happened more often in Judea, but sometimes also in Galilee, which Herod ruled. Herod hardly believed seriously in God, but he fully believed that another messianic movement could lead to his losing power.

Meanwhile, in Gospel times many popular legends and images were connected with the Messiah. They were not always rooted in the sacred books; just as often, if not more often, their sources were popular traditions and legends, sometimes strangely intertwined with mythological plots. One such plot was connected with the image of the great ancient prophet Elijah. The early prophetic books, to be precise, the Fourth Book of Kings, mention Elijah's ascent into heaven. On the basis of this account, a popular legend arose that before the Messiah's coming Elijah would return to earth in order to foretell His coming.

Herod was not a believer, but judging by the testimony of contemporaries, he was very superstitious. He feared the dead. Not, of course, those who rested in their tombs, but those who, as it seemed to him, could come out of those tombs and take revenge on him. Herod did not believe in resurrection, of course, but he feared shadows coming out of tombs, as well as heroes of popular legends descending from heaven. And now he was perplexed.

He had already executed John the Baptist. And he regretted this execution: it seems not to have been part of his plans, and the decision was made, as often happened with Herod, in the heat of the moment, out of foolishness and frivolity. And now it seemed to him that this Unknown One had come to avenge John. Herod did not understand the meaning of what was happening, but with some subconscious feeling he sensed a connection between the executed John and this incomprehensible new threat. Yet this did not bring him any closer to understanding what was happening. Understanding requires more than instinct and intuition; it requires clear spiritual sight, which faith gives. Sight that Herod did not have and could not have.