Herod’s father was a Jewish man named Antipater II. He
was an Edomite Semite who gained influence under Rome and was influential in
Herod’s appointment to powerful positions over Galilee. According to the
historian Josephus, the year of the consulship of Calvinus and Pollio (40BCE),
Herod was appointed King of the Jews by the Roman Senate. This gave him the
license needed to wage war against the ruler of Jersualem. Three years later,
Herod and the Romans overtook the city, and Herod assumed the title of King. He
reigned in Jerusalem for 34 more years.
Herod was raised as a Jew,
Antipater having converted to Judasim some time prior. But the fact that Herod was a descendant of
Esau and not of David was more than a slight to those he ruled over in Judea.
For these reasons Herod – who was fond of huge building projects – chose to
rebuild the Jewish temple. The result was what many refer to as “Herod’s
Temple” and is the reason he earned the nickname, ‘Herod the Great’.” But “great” doesn’t necessarily mean “good”!
Likewise, good news is only
good to those who recognize it as good because of the witness of their souls.
It is flat out offensive to those who have set their souls to work for the
opposing king. In Matthew 2, we read of Magi from the east coming to Herod and
asking him, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in
the east and have come to worship him.” [1]
The next statement tells us all we need to know about Herod’s character, “When King Herod
heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.”[2]
If we follow Josephus’s
timeline, we can know that this would’ve been late in Herod’s reign, for it is
well established that he died in 4BCE (this is also how we know that Jesus was
born earlier than the commonly understood 1BCE). Anyone who looks into the
history of the time can know that Herod was a tyrannical despot, given to heavy
taxation and lavish spending. When the Magi arrived, Herod had already survived
for over 30 years in power, none of it through just and fair rule. He had many
enemies and had good reason to be paranoid, so the announcement of someone else
with his title was a cause of great concern. Not only to him, but to the
populace who would suffer whatever action he chose to take to satisfy his
paranoia. A greater contrast to the Magi could not be made! To them, news of
Messiah’s birth was cause for worship. They saw the sacrifice of their time in travel
and the costly gifts well worthwhile - Christ’s birth being good news for the whole
world. But to Herod, this same news was the realization of his own worst fear,
and he would soon spend whatever he needed to keep himself and his own personal
kingdom from a rival.
· What are you rejoicing
over? What are you troubled about? Is your satisfaction in worship or in
self-protection?
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