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… It is a striking sentence with which Luke concludes his narrative — "He desired to see Jesus." We are indeed told that many prophets and kings desired to see the things which the disciples of Jesus saw. Was this Prince of Galilee among those prophets and righteous men, earnestly longing for one glimpse of that mystery, which even angels desire to look into? Was his the desire of a longing holy heart? The evangelist leaves us in no doubt, for his desire was fulfilled; he did see Jesus. And I cannot but think that there is much significancy in the fact that the same writer who records the desire, is the only one who gives us the account of its accomplishment. The aged Simeon, too, desired to see Jesus, and when he saw Him, he said, "Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation." Certain Greeks, too, came to Philip and said, "Sir, we desire to see Jesus, and when Jesus heard it, He said, The hour is come that the Son of Man should be glorified." Thomas desired to see his risen Lord, and when he saw Him, he exclaimed, "My Lord and my God." Herod desired to see Jesus, and when he saw Him, "he and his men of war set Him at nought and mocked Him!" Herod will once more see Jesus, and it will not be then Herod "mocking Jesus," but, saith the Lord, "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out My hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at naught all My counsel, I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh." (B. Bouchier, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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; |
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