”Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead…” (Luke 9:7).
During the early days of Jesus’ ministry we read that at times He instructed people not to reveal is identity. Initially Jesus was focused on helping people to grasp the implications of God’s kingdom among them.
What did “God with us” mean? It meant the end of death, sickness, demonic possession; it meant authority over the powerful elements of nature; it meant the end of fake religion; end of spiritual superiority…it meant indeed God with us…and for us.
There is another reason for Jesus’ silence regarding His Messianic mandate. Everything was progressing according to the plan – you know, the plan made before the world began (Ephesians 1:4).
We read in (John 2:4), “…My time has not yet come.” And later, “It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love” (John 13:1).
The early years of Jesus’ ministry are marked by people’s confusion regarding His identity: some said He was Elijah; or one of the old-time prophets. Some voiced the idea that Jesus may be John the Baptist redux.
One person, in particular became unsettled by this rumour.
Herod the tetrarch (Luke 9:7). Why? Well…there were some “skeletons in his closet” and one of them resembled the skeleton of John the Baptist (Herod had him imprisoned and later killed). He became so confused that he started talking to himself (you know what that means). “He said, I beheaded John…” But this person (Jesus) performs miracles, heals people…wait…he even raised two from death…maybe he raised John from the dead!”
Herod became interested in Jesus and wanted to meet Him.
He met Jesus (Luke 23:8, 9) but Jesus had nothing to say or to show.