While Herod’s wife, Herodias, wanted Herod to kill John (Matthew 14:8), Herod feared the people, for they saw John as a prophet, and might have risen up in revolt (something even the Jewish authorities feared: Matthew 21:26) if Herod were to harm John. Herod also highly esteemed John (Mark 6:20). Josephus also says that John had great influence over the people.
Herod’s wife, Herodias, undoubtedly encouraged her husband to kill John the Baptist (Matthew 14:8) Yet Herod was also afraid of the people, for they held John to be a prophet (see Matthew 21:26). Moreover, he himself actually held John the Baptist in high esteem (Mark 6:20).1
With regard to John, Herod therefore had to take the people into account, for because they regarded John the Baptist as a prophet, they might well have risen up in revolt if Herod were to harm him. Josephus also reports that John had tremendous influence over the people. Even the Jewish authorities did not dare to oppose the people on this point (see Matthew 21:26).2
5 Il voulait le faire mourir, mais il craignait la foule, parce qu'elle regardait Jean comme un prophète.