Matthew 14:5
“When he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.”
What does Matthew 14:5 mean?
Herod wanted to execute John the Baptist but found himself trapped by his own political situation. The crowds in his territory believed John was a genuine prophet sent from God, which gave John protection that Herod's power couldn't simply override. Sometimes those in authority discover that their control has limits, especially when they run up against what ordinary people believe matters most.