And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.

MATTHEW 14:2KJV
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Matthew 14:2 (KJV)

What does Matthew 14:2 mean?

Matthew 14:2 records Herod telling his servants that he believes Jesus is actually John the Baptist raised from the dead, and that this explains the miraculous powers being displayed. Herod is reacting to reports of Jesus’s miracles and is convinced that John, whom he had executed, has come back to life.

In this verse, King Herod is speaking privately to his servants after hearing about Jesus’s growing fame and miraculous works. Herod’s guilty conscience leads him to think that John the Baptist, whom he had put to death, has been resurrected and is now working powerful deeds through Jesus. The verse shows Herod’s fear and confusion about Jesus’s identity, setting the stage for the story of John’s death that follows.

The Greek behind Matthew 14:2

  • ἐγήγερται (egēgertai, “he is risen”): This word is often used in the New Testament for resurrection, carrying the sense of being raised up from the dead. Herod’s use of this word shows he believes in a supernatural explanation for Jesus’s powers.
  • δυνάμεις (dynameis, “mighty works”): This word refers to acts of power or miracles. Herod connects these miracles directly to the idea that someone who has come back from the dead would have special power.
  • ἐνεργοῦσιν (energousin, “do shew forth themselves”): This verb means “to be at work” or “to operate.” Herod sees the miracles as evidence that something extraordinary is happening through Jesus.

Why Matthew 14:2 matters

  • This verse reveals Herod’s troubled conscience and superstitious thinking, showing how rumors about Jesus led even powerful rulers to fear the consequences of their actions.
  • Matthew 14:2 connects the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus, highlighting how closely people associated the two in their minds.
  • The verse sets up the narrative that follows, where Matthew explains how and why John the Baptist was killed, giving important background for understanding Herod’s fear.

Where else these words appear

“Baptist” Greek G910 · used in 14 verses

  • Matthew 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
  • Matthew 16:14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
  • Mark 8:28 And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.

“themselves” Greek G1754 · used in 19 verses

  • Mark 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.
  • Galatians 2:8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
  • Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

“servants” Greek G3816 · used in 24 verses

  • Matthew 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
  • Luke 1:54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
  • Luke 15:26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

“works” Greek G1411 · used in 116 verses

  • Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
  • Acts 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
  • Galatians 3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?