February 26 | Luke 9:7-9
- Beth Voltmann
- Feb 26
- 2 min read
DAILY READING
REFLECTION
Oh, Herod...
By Beth Voltmann
News had reached King Herod’s ears. Some man named Jesus had given his disciples power and authority and they were traipsing about the Judean countryside driving out demons, curing diseases, healing the sick and proclaiming the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:1-2).
But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?”
And he tried to see him.
(Luke 9:9)
How did he hear? Joanna, the wife of Herod’s household manager, Chuza, traveled with Jesus. Perhaps that’s how Herod learned. Scripture says the news perplexed him and he became
convinced that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead. (Luke 9:7, Mark 6:16,
Matthew 14:1-2)
Consider Luke’s account of two rulers, both given authority by the Roman government:
1. the Roman centurion, a military man in charge of 80 infantry soldiers (Luke 7)
2. Herod the Tetrarch, a Jewish king appointed to oversee the region of Judea (Luke 9)
Both men wielded power. Both had heard of Jesus. Both longed to see Jesus but with differing motivations. One ruler was compelled to believe and trust in the power of Jesus – the other was threatened by the same.
Moved by love for his servant and hope in Jesus, the Roman centurion realized that he was not worthy to receive Jesus, and in faith, asked him to just “say the word, and my servant will be healed.” Jesus was amazed and responded, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” (Luke 7:7-9)
By contrast, Herod was motivated by other factors. He certainly was not feeling drawn by faith. The Pharisees reported to Jesus, “Herod wants to kill you.” And Jesus responded, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’” (Luke 13:31-32)
Two rulers. Two responses.
One bending a knee to Christ’s power and authority and responding in faith.
The other clinging to power and hardening his heart to the Son of God.
“For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.”
(Matthew 13:15)
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, you are the Savior of the World - the Way, the Truth and the Life. May this good news be proclaimed throughout the earth. We pray that many ears would hear, hearts would believe, and lives would be changed! Amen.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
BETH VOLTMANN
After moving to Ohio in 1997 with my husband and four children, I developed a hunger for God’s Word through adult teaching and women’s Bible study at UALC. My passion is to help others understand Scripture so that they may grow in their desire for more of God and experience the new life offered to us through Christ Jesus.
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