Matthew 14:2 Meaning and Explanation
“And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Herod, haunted by the prophet he executed, imagines that John has come back from the dead.
What Does Matthew 14:2 Mean?
Herod tells his court attendants his own dread explanation: the miracle-worker is John the Baptist returned to life. The remark looks backward to the prophet Herod had silenced, and exposes a conscience that cannot bury its guilt. The evangelist will retell that grim story in the verses that follow.
Sin remembered does not lie quiet. Herod had hoped that killing the messenger would end the message, yet here the dead man rises in his thoughts to trouble him still. A heart unwilling to repent reads even the works of God through the lens of its own fear. What the crowds saw as good news, Herod heard as judgment drawing near.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 14:2
What does Matthew 14:2 mean?
Herod, haunted by the prophet he executed, imagines that John has come back from the dead.