• Download Video
• Download Audio
• Print
• Email
• Save As PDF

Herod the Great (47-4 B.C.)

Text: Matthew 14 : 1 - 13

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Herod the Great was the king of Palestine. Herod began his political career as governor of Galilee. Through great intrigue, political, religious and personal, Herod was named King by Augustus (Octavius) Caesar. He was mentioned in the following texts in the Gospel of Matthew.

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea
In the days of Herod the King…”
MATTHEW 2:1

This was the king who ordered the massacre of infants under two years old.

“Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived
by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth
and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem
and in all its districts, from two years and under…”
MATTHEW 2:16

Matthew also recorded the death of Herod in the following text.

“But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord
appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt…”
MATTHEW 2:19

Herod the Great left six disputed wills as to who should reign after him. One of the sons Archelaus assumed leadership upon the death of his father. The last will was made just five days before his death, when he was quite ill. Archelaus, Antipas and Philip were the three sons who contested the last will of Herod!

ARCHELAUS (4 B.C- 6 AD)

He was named in Matthew’s Gospel in the following text.

“Then he (Joseph) arose, took the young Child
and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea
instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.
And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside
into the region of Galilee.”
MATTHEW 2:21-22

Archelaus was almost as notoriously violent as his late father, King Herod the Great. Joseph was wisely concerned about living under the reign of Archelaus. Just before he left for Rome to settle the matter of who should reign before Augustus Caesar, there was a revolt of the Jews. Archelaus mercilessly slew 3000 Jews in his effort to quell the riots!

Augustus Caesar came to a compromise with all three sons. Herod’s kingdom would be divided into three parts.

1. Archelaus the ethnarch (4 B.C.- 6 A.D.)

He was given the title ethnarch. He ruled over Idumea, Judea and Samaria. He was a tyrant as far as Judea and Samaria were concerned. Because of his bad rule, he was finally deposed in 6.A.D. His territories were reduced to imperial provinces under Roman prefects.

2. Antipas the tetrarch (4 B.C. 39 A.D.)

He was called a tetrarch. He reigned over Galilee and Perea. After he returned from Rome he settled down to rebuilding the territories he ruled.

3. Philip the tetrarch (4 B.C. to 34 A.D.)

He was also called a tetrarch. He ruled over Gaulanitis, Auranitis, Batanaea, Trachonitis and Iturea. This region was the northern part of Herod’s kingdom. (The confession of Peter concerning the identity of Jesus as the Son of God took place in Caesarea Philippi, in Iturea. This was in Philip the tetrarch’s realm – Cf. Mark 8:27).

Israel was quite divided at this period! The Gospel writers took care to mention the names of the different rulers who reigned in the different regions.

HEROD ANTIPAS THE TETRARCH

Herod Antipas was named as the tetrarch responsible for the imprisonment and execution of John the Baptiser. This historical note was recorded in the following text. The Herod mentioned in this text was Herod Antipas.

“At that time Herod (Antipas) the tetrarch heard the report
about Jesus and said to his servants,
‘This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead,
and therefore these powers are at work in him.’
For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him,
and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias,
his brother Philip’s wife.
Because John had said to him,
‘It is not lawful for you to have her.’
And although he wanted to put him to death,
he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.'”
MATTHEW 14:1-5

Antipas was already married, as Josephus the Jewish historian noted. He divorced his wife, a daughter of the Arab king Aretas, in favour of Herodias, his brother’s wife. John the Baptiser objected to this marriage! Antipas would have killed John except that he feared another uprising from the multitude. Not too long ago, in the realm of his brother Archelaus, a riot had taken place during the Passover where thousands were killed. He did not want to risk a riot on his hands, and so put John the Baptiser in his dungeon instead.