In Luke 9:7–9, Herod is confused by Jesus, hearing rumors that He might be John the Baptist raised from the dead, Elijah, or another prophet. Unlike Matthew and Mark, Luke only gives a brief mention of John’s death, keeping the focus squarely on Jesus—which is fitting, since John’s mission was always to point people to Christ. Herod’s question, “Who is this?” is the right one, because Jesus should unsettle and perplex us; He doesn’t fit neatly into our categories or expectations. Faith isn’t about having everything figured out—it’s about trusting God in the mystery. Real faith begins when we stop demanding certainty and instead choose to trust the One who holds the future.

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Good morning, friends. It’s good to be with you again as we continue in Luke’s Gospel. Today’s passage is short, but it carries a lot of weight. Let’s read Luke 9:7–9:

“Now Herod the ruler heard about all that had taken place, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the ancient prophets had arisen. Herod said, ‘John I beheaded; but who is this about whom I hear such things?’ And he tried to see him.”

When I first read this, I thought, Wait—did we skip John’s death in Luke? I flipped back through the earlier chapters where John’s disciples questioned Jesus, but there’s no mention of John’s execution there. Unlike Matthew and Mark, who tell the whole story of John’s beheading, Luke only gives us this passing reference: “John I beheaded.” That’s it.

And that’s interesting, because Luke spends more time than anyone else telling us about John earlier—his birth, his parents, his ministry. But here at the end, Luke keeps the spotlight on Jesus. Perhaps that’s exactly how John would have wanted it. His mission was always to point people away from himself and toward Christ. Even in his death, Luke reminds us that the story isn’t really about John—it’s about Jesus.

Herod, though, is left puzzled. Rumors are swirling: maybe Jesus is John back from the dead, maybe Elijah, maybe some ancient prophet. Herod can’t make sense of it, and he’s desperate to understand. “Who is this?” he asks.

That’s the right question. Jesus should perplex us. If we can fully explain him, if he never unsettles us, then maybe we aren’t really seeing him for who he is. Jesus doesn’t play by our rules, fit neatly into our categories, or always make life make sense. He is a mystery.

And that’s hard. I’ll be honest—I like clarity. I want my faith to be rational, tidy, and certain. But God doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes the only response we can give is trust. If everything made sense, we wouldn’t need faith. It’s the mystery that drives us to lean on the one who holds the future, even when the future feels uncertain.

So here’s the challenge: when was the last time God perplexed you? When was the last time he didn’t make sense? And in those moments, will you try to solve the puzzle—or will you trust him anyway?

Because it’s in the not-knowing, in the mystery, that real faith begins.