What Old Testament laws relate to John's rebuke of Herod in Matthew 14:4? Setting the Scene • Matthew 14:4 records John’s words to Herod Antipas: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” • Herod had taken Herodias, the former wife of his living half-brother Philip (cf. Mark 6:17). • John’s charge rests solidly on specific Old Testament statutes that define the boundaries of marriage and sexual ethics. Key Old Testament Texts Behind John’s Rebuke “You must not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife; that would dishonor your brother.” “If a man marries his brother’s wife, it is an act of impurity; he has uncovered his brother’s nakedness. They shall be childless.” “You shall not commit adultery.” “If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress must surely be put to death.” “If a man is found lying with a married woman, then both the man who lay with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.” • Malachi 2:14-16 highlights God’s hatred of faithless divorce and reinforces the permanence of the marital covenant. • Deuteronomy 25:5-6 (levirate marriage) allowed a man to marry his deceased brother’s childless widow. Philip, however, was alive and had a daughter by Herodias, so the exception did not apply. How These Laws Speak to Herod’s Situation • Incestuous Union – Leviticus 18:16 and 20:21 explicitly forbid marrying a brother’s wife while he lives. – Herod’s action violated this clear boundary. • Adultery and Divorce – Herod divorced his first wife to wed Herodias, who divorced Philip (Mark 10:11-12 echoes the sinfulness of such remarriage while a previous spouse lives). – Exodus 20:14; Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22 all condemn adultery. • Public Leadership Accountability – As tetrarch over predominantly Jewish territories, Herod was expected to honor Mosaic Law. – John, functioning as a prophet, called a ruler back to covenant obedience (cf. 2 Samuel 12:7-9; 1 Kings 18:17-18 for prophetic confrontation precedents). Why John Could Speak with Authority • The Law of Moses remained God’s unchanging standard; John simply applied it. • Prophetic ministry involves confronting sin, regardless of the offender’s status (Isaiah 58:1). • John’s boldness sprang from allegiance to God’s Word rather than political expediency (Acts 5:29). Today’s Takeaways • God’s design for marriage is fixed, sacred, and protected by His commands. • Civil or cultural approval never overrides Scriptural authority. • Faithful believers must lovingly but firmly uphold biblical truth, even when it confronts influential figures. |