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Mat_14:13. Since we find it stated immediately before that κ . ἐλθ . ἀπήγγειλαν τῷ Ἰησοῦ , it is clear that the καὶ ἀκούσας , which is not further defined, can only be referred to the ἀπήγγειλαν of the preceding verse (Jerome, Augustine, Euth. Zigabenus, Erasmus, Maldonatus, de Wette, Ewald, Keim); while the reference to Mat_14:2, so frequent since Chrysostom’s time, is arbitrary, inasmuch as Matthew does not so much as hint at it. There is no anachronism here, occasioned by Mar_6:31 (Weiss in the Stud. u. Krit. 1861, p. 40 f.). Matthew does not show such want of skill in the use he makes of Mark; neither does he go to work in so reckless and confused a way as Wilke and Holtzmann would have us believe. But the narrative runs somewhat as follows: (1) Matthew mentions that, at that time, Herod heard of Jesus, who was then in Nazareth, and said: This is John, and so on; (2) thereupon he gives an account of the death of John, to which reference has thus been made; (3) and lastly, he informs us in Mat_14:12 f. how Jesus came to hear of this death, and how it led to His retiring into some solitude or other, to shelter Himself for a little from the persecution of Herod, which was probably being directed against Himself as well. From this it would appear that it must have been whilst Herod, who had just beheaded John, was indulging such dangerous thoughts regarding Jesus (Mat_14:2), that the latter, through hearing from John’s own disciples of the fate of their master, so felt the necessity of being upon His guard against Herod’s hostility, that He took the precaution to retire lest His own death should be precipitated. Comp. Mat_4:12, Mat_12:15. It is clear from the shape in which the narrative is thus presented, that the beheading of John is to be understood as having taken place only a short time before the words of Mat_14:2 had been uttered, so that the terror that was awakened in Herod’s conscience when he heard of Jesus came on the back of his recent crime; but there was no reason why Mat_14:1-2 should have been regarded as a literary expedient devised merely for the purpose of introducing John once more into the narrative.
ἐκεῖθεν ] from the place, where He had been staying when the intelligence reached Him; whether this was still Nazareth (Mat_13:54) or some other locality in Galilee, is determined by ἐν πλοίῳ , according to which it must have been a place upon the sea-coast.
ἔρημον τόπον ] according to Luk_9:10, near to Bethsaida in Gaulonitis, lying within the dominion of Philip the tetrarch.
κατʼ ἰδίαν ] “nemine assumto nisi discipulis,” Bengel.
πεζοί (see critical notes): by land, walking round by the head of the lake.
πόλεων ] of Galilee.