1. Herod (Aramaic pronunciation Hee-rod)
2. Herod Antipas (20 BC-c. AD 40), was tetrarch of Galilee and Peraea, and was described in the New Testament as ordering John the Baptist's death.
3. Herod was a tetrarch or governor, not a true King.
4. John the Baptist lived a life of purity and simplicity, and preached not from the Temple but from the wilds.
5. John pointed out sin in high places, including Herod’s violation of OT law against incest. Both Herod and Herodias had left prior marriages
6. John earned the enmity of Herod’s wife.
7. Herod imprisons John to protect him, and keeps him because he is mystified by his teaching and scared of his power.
8. Herod may be doing a good deed to help John by imprisoning him, but the evil of others makes Herod the unwitting agent of John’ death.
9. This event foreshadows the death of Jesus. Both John the Baptist and Jesus were condemned by people who found them innocent but killed them due to the overwhelming opinions of others, including the mention of the tomb at the end of both lives, and how both Jesus’ and John’s words caused some folks to want to murder them, but use someone else to do the killing.