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“There came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto Him [the Lord Jesus], Get Thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill Thee. And He said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and do cures today and tomorrow” (Luke 13:31-32).
The fox is known as a very clever and cunning animal, and here the Lord Jesus compares Herod to a fox. The Herod family were politically clever, and knew how to manipulate people and events so as to prosper and gain power in the Roman Empire. But sadly, Herod had no interest in the things of God, and did not want to believe on the Lord Jesus. But he had respect for both John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus, and it is doubtful whether he really planned to kill the Lord Jesus. The Pharisees probably made up this accusation just to see what the Lord Jesus’ reaction would be.
Herod’s cleverness did not always work, and a few years later he lost his position in the land of Israel. He was then banished to a place in Gaul, which is modern-day France. There is no record that he ever believed on the Lord Jesus.
The Lord Jesus was not afraid of Herod, and His answer to the Pharisees was that He would continue His work of doing the Father’s will. The threats of men like Herod (even if those threats were true) could not stop the Lord Jesus from going about His work.
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