“Who then is this about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see him. (Luke 9:9)
Have you ever found yourself absorbed in a passing curiosity in learning about a person, a trend, or an event, only to realize later that you don’t actually care about it at all? Today we encounter King Herod, a man who was completely caught up in that kind of superficial curiosity when it came to Jesus. Rumors are flying everywhere. People are saying Jesus is Elijah, or one of the ancient prophets brought back to life. Herod, who is already carrying a heavy load of guilt after executing John the Baptist, is fascinated. “And he kept trying to see him.” (Luke 9:9).
Herod does not want to meet Jesus to find the truth, change his life, or seek forgiveness. He only wants to see Jesus the way people want to see a celebrity or a magician. He wants entertainment. We see how this plays out later during Jesus’ passion. When Herod finally gets his wish and stands face-to-face with Christ, he’s actually thrilled. He expects a show. He wants to see a miracle performed on demand.
And how does Jesus respond? With total silence.
Jesus refuses to be a performer for someone who isn’t ready to open their heart. When Herod realizes he’s not getting a show, his curiosity turns into mockery. He dresses Jesus up in elegant clothes, laughs at Him, and sends Him away. Herod wants to see what Jesus could do for him, but he has zero interest in who Jesus actually is.
Spectators or Followers
And what about us? It can be easy for us to fall into this exact same trap. We can easily become spectators of religious functions instead of followers of Christ. We can know all the right facts about Jesus—we can know the prayers, understand the theology, and admire His teachings—without ever actually letting Him into our lives.
Curiosity lets us keep Jesus at a safe distance. It lets us treat Him like a subject to study or a vending machine for blessings when things get tough. But a real encounter requires us to drop our guard. It means letting Him look at the messy parts of our lives and letting His love change us.
Unlike Herod’s superficial curiosity, true encounters with Jesus in the Scriptures always led to a radical, life-altering shift. The Bible is replete with key examples of individuals whose lives were completely transformed after meeting Christ: we know about Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-9), the Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob (John 4:6-39), Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:2; John 20:11-18), Saul/Paul on the way to Damascus (Acts 9:3-6). All these individuals dropped their guards after encountering Jesus and let Him in and that is why their lives were completely transformed. Today, the word of God calls us to step past the easy, comfortable curiosity. Let’s not just be onlookers trying to catch a glimpse of Jesus from the sidelines like Herod. Instead, let’s open our hearts for a personal encounter with Jesus, not just seeking to know about Him but to know Him.” That is only when our hearts can be truly converted.
