Matthew 14:12

Mat_14:12

And went and told Jesus.

Salve for the sore heart

I commend the behaviour of these disciples-

1. To all who are sinful and unpardoned. Go and tell Jesus the unpardoned sins of your life.

2. To all who are tempted.

3. To all who are slandered and persecuted.

4. To all who have been bereaved.

5. Christ is always near. (Dr. Talmage.)

The true Friend and Interpreter

1. In Jesus we have the true, Divine Friend of humanity, not of our circumstances, but of ourselves, who undertakes for us just what no one else can.

2. The providence which permitted the removal of John from their head was necessary to send them forward to the great Teacher.

3. When we make great ones, heroes, of the servants, we are in danger of dishonouring and keeping at a distance from the Master.

4. By this critical turn in their history, Johns disciples were not only brought forward to Christ, but actually brought closer and nearer to Him than they otherwise could or would have been. They round the grace to help in time of need.

5. They learnt and did the right thing. They brought the mystery of the Divine providence to Him who alone could throw light upon 2:6. Of what use is it to have such a Friend unless we make use of Him? No religious means can be put in place of Ibis; we may be with Him more intimately in the spirit than His disciples in the flesh. (W. Smith.)

Tell Jesus-a word to the troubled

I. Some of the grounds upon which the believer is warranted to repair to the Lord Jesus in every trying hour.

1. His mediatorial work-anticipates every objection, and answers every argument growing out of a deep and painful sense of unworthiness, etc. Ever accessible.

2. His earthly experience enables him to sympathize with all the forms of human suffering.

3. The mutual relations which exist between the Christ and the believer.

4. The invitations and declarations of His Word.

II. Some of the blessings that will follow the cultivation of this habit.

1. Intimate communion.

2. It will nourish and strengthen all the Christian graces.

3. It will free us from anxious care.

4. It will bring continuous honour and glory to Jesus. (C. Winslow, D. D.)

A complaining Christian once said to a cheerful, happy Christian, Things always seem to go smoothly with you; I never hear you make any complaints. To which he replied, I have found out an effectual way of guarding against that fault-telling Jesus all, and telling Him before I tell any one else; then, I find, I seldom need tell any one else, for in telling Him about my troubles, I often find the burden entirely removed. (A. Tucker.)

Go and tell Jesus

I. A lesson of encouragement for weary labourers. The twelve disciples fatigued from their mission.

II. A lesson for Christian mourners.

1. The last act of affection-They took up the body and buried it.

2. The best step for consolation. There is access to Jesus, sympathy with Jesus, relief from Jesus. (C. J. P. Eyre, M. A.)

The body, not the man, buried

The disciples came and took up the body and buried it. I like that way of speaking of human burial; it is the true way; it is emphatically the Christian way of speaking of the act. You buried it, not Him. By and by, said Socrates to his friends, you will be saying, Socrates is dead, but Socrates will not be dead. By and by you will be saying, Socrates is in his coffin, but Socrates will not be in his coffin. By and by you will be saying, We are going to bury Socrates, but you will not bury Socrates, you will only bury something that belonged to him. Well spoken, thou Old World philosopher; the fuller light of Christianity comes to confirm thy conjecture, and to verify thy reasoning. No; there is no burying a man. You cannot bury a soul. (J. B. French.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 14:12. And his disciples came and took up the body — Which it seems had been thrown over the prison walls, without burial, probably by order of Herodias. And buried it — Laid it, says Mark, doubtless with great reverence and due lamentation, in a tomb, belonging to some of them who were willing to pay this last act of duty to their master’s memory. And went and told Jesus — What had happened; and, remembering the repeated testimony which John had borne to him, probably continued their attendance upon him.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 14:12. Τὸ σῶμα, his body) without the head.—ἐλθόντες, κ.τ.λ., coming, etc.) From that circumstance the death of John was advantageous to his disciples.[667]—ἀπήγγειλαν, announced) It is not said with what manifestation of feeling Jesus received this announcement; doubtless He received it as it befitted the Lord.

[667] That is, the death of their master was the means of leading them to Jesus—the greatest of all blessings.—ED.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 14:12 . πτῶμα : carcase, used absolutely in this sense only in late writers. Earlier writers would say πτῶμα νεκροῦ . Lobeck, Phryn., 375.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 12. His disciples came, and took up the BODY] The HEAD was in the possession of Herodias, who, 'tis probable, took a diabolic pleasure in viewing that speechless mouth which had often been the cause of planting thorns in her criminal bed; and in offering indignities to that tongue from which she could no longer dread a reproof. Her character justifies every bad conjecture that can well be formed on this head: and St. Jerome positively says that, when she got it, she drew out the tongue, and thrust it through with her bodkin. On the whole we may observe: -

That the diversions of the world, feasting and dancing, are but too commonly the occasions of sin. After so fatal an example as this, can we doubt whether balls are not snares for souls; destructive of chastity, modesty, and sometimes even of humanity itself; and a pernicious invention to excite the most criminal passions! How many on such occasions have sacrificed their chastity, and then, to hide their shame, have stifled the feelings of the human being and the parent, and, by direct or indirect means, have put a period to the innocent offspring of their connections! Unhappy mother, who exposes her daughter to the same shipwreck herself has suffered, and makes her own child the instrument of her lust and revenge! Behold here, ye professedly religious parents, the fruits of what was doubtless called in those times, elegant breeding and accomplished dancing! Fix your eyes on that vicious mother, that prostituted daughter, and especially on that murdered ambassador of God, and then send your children to genteel boarding-schools, to learn the accomplishment of DANCING! where the fear of God makes no part of the education.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(12) His disciples came.—Among those who thus transferred their allegiance to their true Lord were, we must believe, the two whom John had sent to Him from his prison. From this time they probably ceased in Judæa to be a distinct community, though, as the instances of Apollos (Act_18:25) and the disciples at Ephesus (Act_19:3) show, they still maintained a separate existence in the more distant regions to which the influence of the Baptist had indirectly penetrated.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12. his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it] There is in this some proof of forbearance, if not of kindness, on Herod’s part. He did not persecute John’s disciples, or prevent them paying the last offices to their master.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And his disciples came,.... To the prison where his body was left, and to which they had liberty of recourse before; see Mat 11:2 and very probably, upon hearing what was done, might apply to Herod, as Joseph of Arimathea did to Pilate, for the body of Jesus; who might, as he did, give them leave to take it: and

took up the body and buried it. Theophylact says, his body was buried in Baste Caesarea, and that his head was first reposited in Emesesa. This was the last office of love to their master, and was done in respect and gratitude to him, and to show that they still abode by his doctrine; and was what decency and the belief of the resurrection of the dead, as well as the will of God, require should be done:

and went and told Jesus; that their master was dead, what kind of death he suffered, and by what means it was brought about; and how that they had interred him; and what Herod also had said of Jesus, that he was John risen from the dead. Their coming to Christ, and informing him of all this, show, that they were taught by their master to respect him as the Messiah, and believe in him, and adhere to him; and it is very likely that they continued with him.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

12 And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

Ver. 12. And his disciples came and took] A pious and courteous office, such as Joseph of Arimathea boldly performed to Christ, and these devout men to Stephen, making great lamentation over him, Act 8:2. Good blood will not belie itself: fire will not long be hidden. Sir Anthony Kingston came to Bishop Hooper a little before he was burnt, and said, I thank God that ever I knew you, &c. And another knight came to George Tankerfield when he was at the stake, and taking him by the hand, said, Good brother, be strong in Christ, &c. Oh, sir, said he, I thank you, I am so, I thank God. It is a high praise to Onesiphorus that he sought out Paul, the prisoner, and was not ashamed of his chain, 2Ti 1:16-17; and to David’s brethren, that they came down to him to the cave of Adullam, though to their great danger, 1Sa 22:1; to the good women in the Gospel, that they came to the sepulchre to embalm Christ’s body, though it were guarded by a band of soldiers; and to those Christians in Chrysostom’s time that could not be kept from visiting the confessors in prison, though it were straitly forbidden them, upon pain of many mulets and dangers. {a}

And went and told Jesus] Whom should we tell of the sufferings of his servants and ourselves, but Jesus? Say to him of his labouring Church, as they did once of his friend Lazarus, Behold, he whom thou lovest is sick, or otherwise hardly dealt with. "Then will he soon be jealous for his land, and pity his people," Joe 2:18: he will play Phineas’s part, and thrust a spear through the loins of his enemies, that offer to force the queen also in the house. But it’s worth the noting that John’s disciples, who before had emulated Christ and joined with the Pharisees against him, now repair unto him, and inform him of their master’s death; being henceforth willing to become his disciples. Misery makes unity, and drives them to Christ, who, till then, had no such mind to him.

{a} Tametsi multis terroribus, minis, et periculis interdictum esset. Chrysost. Orat. de duob. Martyr.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The disciples of John, in testimony of their respect to their master, and of their owning of his doctrine, and grateful remembrance of him, hearing what Herod had done, came and took up John’s body, and buried it in a tomb, and they soon after went and acquainted our Saviour with what had happened; which was the cause of our Saviour’s withdrawing to a place where he might be less taken notice of, as we shall hear.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

12. His disciples came… buried it — Faithful to the last, they obtain the corpse of their murdered master. The cruel king, glad perhaps to soothe the people by some apparent clemency, does not prevent. Went and told Jesus — Doubtless the Lord well knew the whole story before they came to tell it. And to whom should these orphans of the martyred prophet go but to him, the prophet’s greater Lord? Yet it is doubtful whether they ever fully transferred their allegiance to him. Disciples who only knew John’s baptism are found in the subsequent Scripture history. Act_18:23; Act_19:3. Indeed, even to the present day a sect exists in the East claiming to be “John’s disciples,” whose principles seem to be tinged with Gnosticism, and whose views of both John and Christ vary far from the doctrines of the New Testament.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And his disciples came. "And when his disciples heard thereof, they came" (Mark). Perhaps they were not permitted to be so much with him as at an earlier period in his imprisonment. (Mat_11:2) But if the murder was in the evening, as would appear probable from the circumstances of it, they would naturally not be in the castle at the time. And took up the body; the corpse (Revised Version, to ptwma). And buried it; him, (Revised Version, auton). It is right in Mark, but St. Matthew has preserved the more popular form of expression. And (Revised Version adds they) went and told Jesus. Matthew only. In Mark (Mar_6:30; cf. also Luk_9:10) this expression dearly belongs to the next paragraph, and is predicated of the twelve apostles on their return from their mission. (Mar_6:7-12; our Mat_10:5) It looks as though some confusion had arisen in the source before St. Matthew used it. As the words stand here they show the kindly feelings which both John and his disciples felt towards our Lord.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The disciples of John hearing that their holy master was thus basely and barbarously murdered, took up his dead body and buried it.

Whence we learn, that the faithful servants of God are not ashamed of the suffering of the saints, but will testify their respect unto them both living and dead.

Observe farther, our blessed Saviour, upon the notice of John’s death, flies unto the desert for the preservation of his own life. Jesus knew that his hour was not yet come, and therefore he keeps out of Herod’s way. It is no cowardice to fly from persecutors, when Christ our captain both practices it himself, and directs us to it, saying, When they persecute you in one city, flee, &c.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12. His disciples. John's.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

12. ἦραν τὸ πτῶμα καὶ ἔθαψαν αὐτόν. There is in this some proof of forbearance, if not of kindness, on Herod’s part. He did not persecute John’s disciples, or prevent them paying the last offices to their master.

πτῶμα. Lat. cadaver, in this sense πτῶμα is followed by νεκροῦ, or by genitive of person in classical period as, Ἐτεοκλέους δὲ πτῶμα πολυνείκους τε ποῦ; Eur. Phoen. 1697.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12. And his disciples came, and took up the corpse, and buried him.] Mk. has: “And His disciples heard it, and came (ἦλθαν) and took up his corpse and placed it in a sepulchre.” For προσέρχεσθαι as characteristic of Mt., see on 4:3.

(M) And came and brought word to Jesus.] Mk. has: “And the Apostles gather together to Jesus, and brought Him word, all things that they had done, and that they had taught. And He saith to them, Come ye yourselves privately into a desert place, and rest a little: for those who were coming and going were many, and they had no opportunity to eat.” In Mk. the execution of John is introduced parenthetically. The disciples go forth on their mission, 6:12. (As a result) Herod hears of the fame of Christ. He expresses his belief that John has risen. This gives occasion to the Evangelist to introduce the story of John’s execution. In Mt. the sequence of events is distorted. He has omitted the statement of the Apostolic Mission, and is obliged to introduce Herod’s belief that Jesus was the risen John, with a vague reference of time: “At that time.” But since he must have been aware that the story of John’s execution is introduced parenthetically to explain the superstition of Herod, it is very surprising to find him treating it as though it were recorded here in its proper chronological sequence: “His disciples came—and buried him, and came and told Jesus. And Jesus having heard, departed.” That is to say, the Evangelist treats John’s execution as though it happened historically before the events of Mar 6:30-44, and actually alters Mk vv. 30-31 to suit this artificial sequence. The reason for this goes back to ch. 10. The editor has there constructed a charge to the disciples which is quite unsuitable for the temporary Galilean missionary expedition described by Mk. He therefore omits the short description of this mission given by Mk. (6:12, 13). When, therefore, he comes to the statement of Mk. that the Apostles returned to Christ and brought news of their doings on this mission, the editor is compelled to omit this also. He therefore summarises Mk 30-31 into the sentence: “And coming, they reported to Jesus”; but has done so in words which it is impossible to avoid connecting with the preceding: “And his disciples came —and buried him.” That he intended this is shown by his insertion of: “And Jesus having heard,” and by his change of Mk.’s ἀπῆλθον into ἀνεχώρησεν. In Mk. the subject of ἀπῆλθον is Christ and the returned Apostles. But in Mt. the comers are John’s disciples. Since they would improbably have accompanied Christ, the editor is obliged to alter the verb into the singular. This treatment of Mk.’s narrative is not more artificial than the editor’s rearrangement of Mk. in 8:1-9:34, but is less justifiable, because even though Mk vv. 30-31 had to be omitted in pursuance of previous changes, it was not necessary to supply another motive for Christ’s retirement into the desert.

(M)

12-21. There are a few verbal agreements between Mt. and Lk. as against Mk.; e.g.: Mat_13 ἀνεχώρησεν = Luk_10 ὑπεχώρησεν; Mat_13 οἱ ὄχλοι ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ = Luk_11 οἱ δὲ ὄχλοι—ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ; Mat_14 ἐθεράπευσεν = Luk_11 θεραπείας ἰᾶτο; Mat_15 τοὺς ὄχλους = Luk_12 τὸν ὄχλον; Mat_17, Luk_18 οἱ δέ for Mk.’s καί; Mat_17 οὐκ ἔχομεν = Luk_13 οὐκ εἰσὶν ἡμῖν; Mat_15 βρώματα = Luk_13 βρώματα; Mat_21 τὸ περισσεῦον = Luk_17 τὸ περισσεῦσαν. Both omit Mk v. 31. And both avoid the questions in Mk 37, 38. It is not, however, probable that they had a second source besides Mk. See Introduction, p. xxxix.

(M)

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.