Chapter 6:14-32 Death of John The Baptist

6:14 And king Herod heard of Him; (for His name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.

for His name was spread abroad; by means of His ministry and miracles, and through those of His disciples, whom He had sent two by two into all parts of the country.

6:15 Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.

Others said that it is Elias - This was the opinion, either of many of the Jews, who expected that Elias the Tishbite would come in person, before the coming of the Messiah; and thought by the appearance and wonderful works of Jesus, that he was now come: or of Herod's courtiers, who said this to divert him from his notion of John the Baptist, which they might perceive was very distressing to him; though the former seems rather to be the sense:

6:16 But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.

he said, it is John, whom I have beheaded - the thought stuck close to him, and continued with him; he could not get rid of it.

6:17 For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her.

for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife, for he had married her; whilst his brother was living, and who had had children by her.

6:18 For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.

Herod respected him, till he touched him in his Herodias. 

*Many that pretend to honor prophesying, are for smooth things only, and love good preaching, if it keep far enough from their beloved sin; but if that be touched, they cannot bear it.

6:19 Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:

Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him - Was angry with him, conceived wrath, and laid up hatred against him, and was an adversary to him.....Would have killed - Εζητει, Sought to kill him.

6:20 For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

And preserved him - Against all the malice and contrivances of Herodias. And when he heard him - Probably sending for him, at times, during his imprisonment, which continued a year and a half. He heard him gladly - Delusive joy! While Herodias lay in his bosom.

6:21 And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee;

There must be a ball at court, upon the king's birthday, and a supper prepared for his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee.

6:22 And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.

The king said unto the damsel, ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee; which shows how exceedingly pleased he was; and the more, in that she gave such general pleasure to his whole company.

6:23 And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.

The king hereupon must make her an extravagant promise, to give her whatever she would ask, even to the half of the kingdom; and yet, that, if rightly understood, would not have reached the end designed, for John Baptist's head was worth more than his whole kingdom. This promise is bound with an oath, that no room might be left to fly off from it; He sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask, I will give. I can scarcely think he would have made such an unlimited promise, but that he knew what she would ask.

6:24 And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist.

what shall I ask? To which her mother made answer, without taking any further time to think of it, being prepared for it, and determined in her mind, whenever she had an opportunity of asking a favor of the king, what it should be:
and she said, the head of John the Baptist. So sweet is revenge, that to have her will on that great and good man, was more to her, than to have half the king's dominions.

6:25 And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.

And she came in straightway with haste unto the, king - Having had her mother's advice, and being hastened by her, she immediately returned to the hall, where the king and his guests were, with much Concern, eagerness, and diligence:
and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger -the head of John the Baptist: her petition proceeding upon a promise with an oath, is presented by way of demand; insisting upon it, that in a very little time, "this hour", as the Syriac version renders it.

6:26 And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.

For their sakes which sat with him - Probably these persons joined in with the request, and were glad of this opportunity to get this light of Israel extinguished; he being a public reprover of all their vices.

6:27 And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,

and commanded his head to be brought - ordered him to cut off his head in prison, and bring it away forthwith in a charger to him:
and he went and beheaded him in the prison; according to his orders.

6:28 And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother.

And brought his head in a charger - In a large dish, to Herod, 

who gave it to the damsel; the daughter of Herodias, 

as she had requested:

and the damsel gave it to her mother; 

who had instigated her to it;

6:29 And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.

And when his disciples heard of it - That is, when the disciples of John heard of this barbarous execution of their master, they came; to the prison and took up his corpse; the trunk of his body; for his head was carried away, to glut the revenge of Herodias; and laid it in a tomb.

6:30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told Him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.

The return to Christ of the apostles whom He had sent forth to preach, and work miracles. They had dispersed themselves into several quarters of the country for some time, but when they had made good their several appointments, by consent they gathered themselves together, to compare notes, and came to Jesus, the center of their unity.

6:31 And He said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: where they might be free from noise and hurry, and take some rest and refreshment, after their wearisome journey, hard labors, and great fatigue in preaching and working miracles; which shows the great compassion, tenderness, and care of Christ, for His disciples:

6:32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.

by ship, privately; over some part of the sea of Tiberias, this place lying on a more remote side of it.

Chapter 6:7-13 The Twelve Sent Out

6:7 And He called unto Him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;

And He called unto Him the twelve - "His twelve disciples", as some copies read; and gave them their commission, qualifications, and instructions:
and began to send them forth by two and two: He first sent forth one couple, and then another; the reason of his sending them by pairs, was partly for the sake of company, and that they might be useful and assisting to one another; and partly to show their agreement in doctrine; and that they might be proper and sufficient witnesses of it, whereby it might be established; and gave them power over unclean spirits; that is, to cast them out.

6:8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:

A staff only - It is likely He desired them to take only one with every two, merely for the purpose of carrying any part of their clothes on.

6:9 But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.

Be shod with sandals - As you usually are. Sandals were pieces of strong leather or wood, tied under the sole of the foot by thongs, something resembling modern clogs. The shoes which they are were a kind of short boots, reaching a little above the mid - leg, which were then commonly used in journeys. 

Our Lord intended by this mission to initiate them into their apostolic work. And it was doubtless an encouragement to them all their life after, to recollect the care which God took of them, when they had left all they had, and went out quite unfurnished for such an expedition.

6:10 And He said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.
And whosoever shall not receive you - Ὁς αν τοπος μη δεξηται, whatsoever Place will not receive you.

6:11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
And, whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you - Who would neither take them into their houses, nor hear what they had to say to them: shake off the dust under your feet, for a testimony against them; - that they had been with them, and attempted to preach the Gospel to them, but they despised and rejected it. 

Verily, I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. - the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrha, though they have had the judgments of God upon them in this world, they will not escape the righteous judgment of God hereafter; things are not over with them, there is still a reckoning to be made, an account to pass with them; their full punishment is not yet executed, even though they have been suffering the vengeance of eternal fire; their bodies must be raised, and they must receive for the things which they have done in them, and which they have so dreadfully and unnaturally abused; and yet, as vile sinners as they have been, and as sore a punishment as they are worthy of, their punishment will be milder and more tolerable, than that of the inhabitants of such places, where the Gospel has been preached, and they have despised and rejected it.

6:12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
and preached that men should repent; - both of the evil practices which they were guilty of, and of the bad principles they had imbibed, and change both their sentiments and their conduct.

6:13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.

They anointed with oil many that were sick - Which St. James gives as a general direction, James 5:14-15.