HEROD THE TETRARCH / LUKE 9:7

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) Luke 9:7

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;

The Perplexed King: What Herod the Tetrarch Teaches Us About Superficial Faith

In the Gospel of Luke, we encounter a brief but deeply telling interlude regarding the ruler of Galilee. Luke 9:7 states: “Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead.”

Herod Antipas sat in a position of immense earthly authority, yet a wandering preacher from Nazareth completely unsettled his peace. The word “perplexed” in this passage carries the weight of being thoroughly at a loss, deeply disturbed, and mentally cornered. Rumors were swirling. Some claimed Jesus was Elijah, others said an ancient prophet had arisen, and many whispered that He was John the Baptist—the very man Herod had wrongfully beheaded—brought back to life.

Herod’s agitation reveals a profound truth about the human condition: a guilty conscience cannot be silenced by political power. The memory of his sin haunted him, and the sudden outbreak of miracles across his territory forced him to confront a reality larger than his throne. He asked, “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” Luke concludes the account by noting that Herod kept trying to see Jesus.

This desire to see Jesus might look like the beginning of faith, but history shows us it was merely a morbid, superstitious curiosity. Herod wanted to see Jesus the way someone wants to see a spectacle or a magician. He desired the thrill of the miraculous without the conviction of the message. When Herod finally did face Jesus during the trials before the crucifixion, he only wanted Jesus to perform a sign for his amusement. When Jesus remained silent, Herod mocked Him and sent Him away.

Herod represents a dangerous spiritual trap: being intrigued by Jesus but completely unwilling to be transformed by Him. It is entirely possible to read scripture, study theology, and be fascinated by the historical figure of Christ, all while keeping Him at a safe distance. True encounters with Jesus do not leave us as comfortable spectators; they demand that we lay down our crowns, confront our past, and surrender our lives.

The question Herod asked is the same one we must answer today: “Who is this?” May we never settle for a superficial curiosity that seeks signs but refuses sacrifice. Instead, let us seek Jesus with a heart ready to repent, listen, and follow wherever He leads.

A Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, we come before You acknowledging that You are the King of kings and Lord of lords. Forgive us for the times we have treated Your Son, Jesus Christ, with mere curiosity rather than total reverence. Search our hearts today and expose any areas where we are hiding behind our own pride, comfort, or past mistakes. Grant us a clear conscience and a spirit of true repentance. Do not let us be content with simply knowing about Jesus; give us the grace and courage to truly know Him and follow Him wholeheartedly. We lay down our desires for control and step into the light of Your truth. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

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Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

1. PREACH THE KINGDOM … HEAL THE SICK / LUKE 9:2
2. AUTHORITY TO DRIVE OUT ALL DEMONS / LUKE 9:1
3. DON’T BE AFRAID JUST BELIEVE / LUKE 8:50
4. TOUCHED HIS CLOAK / LUKE 8:44
5. A DEMON-POSSESSED MAN / LUKE 8:27-33
6. MY MOTHER AND BROTHERS / LUKE 8:21
7. WHOEVER HAS WILL BE GIVEN MORE / LUKE 8:18
8. CHOKED BY LIFE’S WORRIES / LUKE 8:14
9. BELIEVE FOR A WHILE … FALL AWAY / LUKE 8:13
10. TAKES AWAY THE WORD / LUKE 8:12
11. PARABLE OF THE SOWER / LUKE 8:5
12. PARABLE / LUKE 8:4
13. HELPING TO SUPPORT THEM / LUKE 8:3
14. SHE LOVED MUCH / LUKE 7:47
15. WEEPING / LUKE 7:37-38
16. WISDOM IS PROVED RIGHT BY ALL HER CHILDREN / LUKE 7:35
17. GLUTTON AND A DRUNKARD / LUKE 7:34
18. JOHN / LUKE 7:28
19. A REED SWAYED / LUKE 7:24
20. HIS HEART WENT OUT TO HER / LUKE 7:13
21. SUCH GREAT FAITH / LUKE 7:9
22. DO NOT DO WHAT I SAY / LUKE 6:46
23. HIS HEART / LUKE 6:45
24. GIVE / LUKE 6:38
25. DO NOT JUDGE / LUKE 6:37
26. DO NOT STOP HIM FROM TAKING YOUR TUNIC / LUKE 6:29
27. LOVE YOUR ENEMIES / LUKE 6:27
28. WOE TO YOU WHEN ALL MEN SPEAK WELL / LUKE 6:26
29. WOE TO YOU WHO ARE RICH / LUKE 6:24
30. HOW THEIR FATHERS TREATED THE PROPHETS / LUKE 6:23
31. WHEN MEN HATE YOU / LUKE 6:22
32. YOU WHO WEEP / LUKE 6:21
33. BLESSED YOU WHO ARE POOR / LUKE 6:20
34. SERMON ON THE PLAIN / LUKE 6:17-19
35. SPENT THE NIGHT PRAYING / LUKE 6:12
36. JESUS AND THE SABBATH / LUKE 6:2-10
37. SABBATH / LUKE 6:1
38. ‘THE OLD IS BETTER’ / LUKE 5:39
39. NEW WINE INTO OLD WINESKINS / LUKE 5:37
40. IN THOSE DAYS THEY WILL FAST / LUKE 5:35
41. EAT AND DRINK WITH … ‘SINNERS’ / LUKE 5:30
42. SON OF MAN / LUKE 5:24
43. JESUS KNEW WHAT THEY WERE THINKING / LUKE 5:22
44. CARRYING A PARALYTIC / LUKE 5:18
45. THE POWER OF THE LORD WAS PRESENT / LUKE 5:17
46. PRAYERS OF JESUS / LUKE 5:16
47. YOU WILL CATCH MEN / LUKE 5:9-10
48. HEALED THEM / LUKE 4:40
49. AN EVIL SPIRIT / LUKE 4:33-35
50. HIS MESSAGE HAD AUTHORITY / LUKE 4:32
51. HE HAS ANOINTED ME / LUKE 4:18-19
52. THE SPIRIT ON ME / LUKE 4:18
53. SATAN’S USE OF SCRIPTURE / LUKE 4:10
54. THE DEVIL / LUKE 4:9
55. THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD / LUKE 4:5
56. DOES NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE / LUKE 4:4
57. JESUS FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT / LUKE 4:1-2
58. JESUS’ GENEALOGY / LUKE 3:23
59. HOLY SPIRIT DESCENDED ON HIM / LUKE 3:22
60. HE WILL BURN UP THE CHAFF / LUKE 3:17
61. BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT / LUKE 3:16
62. FRUIT IN KEEPING WITH REPENTANCE / LUKE 3:8
63. CAESAR … PILATE … HEROD / LUKE 3:1-2
64. JESUS GREW IN WISDOM / LUKE 2:52
65. I HAD TO BE IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE / LUKE 2:49-51
66. THE CHILD GREW / LUKE 2:39-40
67. ANNA … WORHIPED / LUKE 2:36-38
68. A SWORD WILL PIERCE YOUR OWN SOUL / LUKE 2:33-35
69. RIGHTEOUS AND DEVOUT – WAITING FOR THE CONSOLATION / LUKE 2:25-32
70. A PAIR OF DOVES / LUKE 2:24
71. PRESENT HIM TO THE LORD / LUKE 2:22-23
72. THEY SPREAD THE WORD / LUKE 2:17-18
73. A SAVIOR … CHRIST THE LORD / LUKE 2:11
74. THE NATIONS YOUR INHERITANCE / PSALMS 2:8
75. A MANGER / LUKE 2:6-7
76. HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS / LUKE 1:68-75
77. GOD MY SAVIOR / LUKE 1:46-47
78. AS YOU HAVE SAID / LUKE 1:38
79. THE HOLY ONE / LUKE 1:34-35
80. HIS FATHER DAVID / LUKE 1:32-33
81. YOU WHO ARE HIGHLY FAVORED / LUKE 1:28
82. PLEDGED TO BE MARRIED / LUKE 1:26-27
83. SPIRIT AND POWER OF ELIJAH – THE FATHERS OF THEIR CLILDREN / LUKE 1:17
84. FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT – WINE FERMENTED DRINK / LUKE 1:15
85. DIVISION OF ABIJAH DESCENDANT OF AARON / LUKE 1:5
86. THEOPHILUS / LUKE 1:1-4
87. Crews N Away: Anchored in Grace

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Blessings, Margarita & Stace