Herod the Great
Herod, usually called Herod the Great, reigned over the land of Israel during the time when Jesus was born. At that time, Israel was not free, but was under the domination of the powerful Roman Empire. Herod the Great’s authority to rule over Israel was given to him by the Roman Empire and he was subordinate to their commands.
Herod the Great is remembered in history for his stunning and innovative building projects. He built Caesarea Maritima on the Mediterranean coast; the aqueduct and some other structures are still standing. Driven by paranoia, he built two mountaintop fortress-palaces – Herodian and Masada - in case he needed to escape for his life. Herod also designed state-of-the-art water storage cisterns and stone conduits to transfer the water into Jerusalem. But Herod the Great’s crowning achievement was the Temple in Jerusalem. He built a massive and magnificent complex to support and surround the Temple. The Western Wall is a remnant of that structure. (Most of the Temple complex, along with almost all of Jerusalem, was destroyed by Titus in 70 A.D.)
There are many 2,000 year old relics that still exist as testimony to Herod the Great’s building achievements. One day, as I was walking through Independence Park in Jerusalem, I noticed a huge stone reservoir. Turns out that this reservoir, called Mamilla Pool, was a part of Herod the Great’s water supply system. It was linked to the Old City of Jerusalem by an underground channel. It measures 291 feet by 192 feet. It was designed to hold 30,000 cubic meters of water. Another time, as we were walking through the park, a man sat in the (dry) reservoir reading a newspaper. It was a funny sight, but I suppose it was a quiet place to read, there in the ruins of Herod the Great’s handiwork.
But Herod’s personal and political life reads like a bad dream turned into a horrific nightmare. Deceit, murder, and other abnormal behavior defined him and produced sour fruit on his family tree. He ordered the assassination of one of his wives, Mariamne I, and her mother, Alexandra. Two brothers-in-law died as a result of his insane behavior and paranoia: Aristobulus III and Kostobar. In addition, he accused three sons – Antipater III, Alexander, and Aristobulus IV – of plotting against him and they were also executed. Considering Herod the Great’s tendency to kill anyone he considered a threat to his kingship, it is not hard to believe that he ordered the death of innocent children, since he feared that one of them would someday take away his power (Matthew 2:1-19; Luke 1:5).
When we read the Bible, it is easy to get confused when we read the word “Herod” because this title belonged to several different people. Sometimes “Herod” refers to Herod the Great. Other times, it refers to one of his sons or grandsons. For well over 100 years, Herod the Great and his descendants played prominent roles in Israel’s history. When Herod the Great died, his kingdom was divided between three of his sons. Throughout the gospels and the book of Acts, the Herod family is connected to key biblical events.
Here’s a summary of the Herods mentioned in the Bible.
Herod Antipas Matthew 14:1-10; Mark 6:14-28; 8:15; Luke 3:1; 19; 9:7-9; 13:31-32; 23:6-12; Acts 13:1
This is one of Herod the Great’s sons. After his father’s death, he ruled over Galilee and Perea. (Perea is the area east of the Jordan River, in modern-day Jordan.) Herod Antipas is best known for ordering the beheading of John the Baptist.
Herod Antipas’ first wife was Phasaelis, the daughter of Aretas IV, king of the Nabateans in Petra. Herod Antipas divorced Phasaelis to marry Herodias, the wife of his half-brother Herod Philip I. Phasaelis returned to Petra. Shortly thereafter, Aretas IV and his army invaded the territory of Herod Antipas, capturing some of his holdings. Although history does not specifically say that Aretas IV’s invasion of Herod Antipas’ land was because he divorced Phasaelis, it is highly probably that Aretas IV retaliated because Herod Antipas had shamed his daughter and their family.
Because John told Herod Antipas, “It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife,” Herod Antipas put him in prison. At least on the surface, Herod Antipas liked John and listened to him, “and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.” However, Herodias was a wicked woman and, using her daughter Salome, connived a deceitful plan to trick Herod Antipas into beheading John the Baptist.
During Jesus' trial, he was brought before Pontius Pilate. When Pilate found out that Jesus was a Galilaean, he sent him to Herod Antipas, since Galilee was within his jurisdiction. Herod happened to be in Jerusalem at the time and the the Bible says that "when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracles done by him."
Was Herod Antipas sincere in wanting to listen to Jesus? Or was he just interested in watching a show of healings and miracles? Earlier in his ministry, Jesus called Herod Antipas "that fox." Perhaps Jesus knew the real intentions of Herod Antipas' heart and so "he answered him nothing." This must have infuriated Herod Antipas, so used to wielding his power and expecting his commands to be obeyed. His initial gladness turned to wrath and he and his men mocked Jesus, placing on him a "gorgeous robe." He could find no reason to sentence Jesus, so he sent Him back to Pontius Pilate.
Herod Philip I Matthew 14:3-11; Mark 6:17; Luke 3:19
This is one of Herod the Great’s sons. Herodias was married to Herod Philip I but decided to leave him and marry his brother (Herod Antipas) instead. He and Herodias had a daughter named Salome. Herod Philip I did not become involved in civil leadership. Perhaps his lack of political ambition is part of what motivated Herodias to seek a more illustrious life with Herod Antipas.
Herod Philip II Luke 3:1
This is one of Herod the Great’s sons. After his father’s death, he ruled over Ituraea and Trachonitis, modern-day Syria. Herod Philip II rebuilt Caesarea Philippi in the northern area of Israel. He married his niece Salome.
Herod Archelaus Matthew 2:22
This is one of Herod the Great’s sons. After his father’s death, he ruled over Judea, Samaria, and Idumea (Edom). During the reign of Herod the Great, Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt to escape Herod the Great’s brutal wrath. When Herod died, an angel appeared to Joseph and told him to return to Israel. But when Joseph heard that Archelaus ruled over Judea, the area that included Bethlehem, he was afraid. Then, “being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene” (Matthew 2:19-23). Herod Archelaus ruled for only two years before being banished to Gaul by Rome.
Herod Agrippa I Acts 12:1-23
This is one of Herod the Great’s grandsons. He ruled Galilee, Trachonitis, Perea, and Judea. He persecuted the New Testament church and is especially remembered for the murder of James and the imprisonment of Peter.
Herod Agrippa I sat on his throne and made a speech. People shouted and said, “It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.” The angel of the Lord smote him and he died, “because he gave not God the glory.”
Herod Agrippa II Acts 23-26
This is Herod the Great’s great-grandson, the son of Herod Agrippa I. He ruled over Chalis, in southern Lebanon and was later given authority over other areas as well. Rome issued to Herod Agrippa II the oversight of the temple in Jerusalem, and he was authorized to appoint the high priest.
Paul was being accused of the Jews when he was transferred to Caesarea Maritima for judgment before Felix, the governor of Judah. Felix was married to Drusilla, the daughter of Herod Agrippa I. They listened to Paul, and “Felix, trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.” Felix was sympathetic toward Paul’s plight and was drawn by Paul’s words, but He never relinquished his will and became a Christian. He kept Paul in prison.
After two years, Festus succeeded Felix as governor. He brought Paul before him for trial and Paul was again accused by the Jews. During this time, Herod Agrippa II and his sister Bernice came to visit Festus in Caesarea Maritima. Herod Agrippa II decided to hear Paul himself. Paul described his conversion and concluded his statements with a gripping question directed to Herod Agrippa II. “King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”
History tells us that Herod Agrippa II had been raised and educated in Rome. So his sympathies must have favored Rome rather than the Jews, for, during the Jewish rebellion against Rome, he sided with Rome. After Jerusalem was destroyed by Titus in 70 A.D., Herod Agrippa II returned unscathed to Rome, where he lived out the rest of his days.
Herod Agrippa II was the last member of the Herodian dynasty. Four generations of his family had been in direct contact with opportunities to welcome and embrace the Messiah. Herod the Great could have met baby Jesus, but he tried to destroy Him instead. Herod Antipas had personal audiences with John the Baptist. Herod Agrippa I chose to persecute the new church. And Herod Agrippa II was taught by the great apostle Paul. So many opportunities to turn a dysfunctional, mixed-up family into something good. So much rejection of the one thing that could help them.
Herod the Great was not really a Jew. His father – Antipater – was an Idumean. His mother – Kufro – was a Nabatean. History records that Herod the Great spent most of his childhood in Petra.
Idumean was the Greek word for Edomite. Herod the Great and his descendants were actually Edomites.
Herod the Great’s father was forced to convert to Judaism by John Hyrcanus. I asked Rachel, a tour guide at the Second Temple (Herod's Temple) Model, if she considered Herod a true Jew. She did not seem to want to answer but, without elaboration, she abruptly said, “If you’ve converted to Judaism, you’re Jewish.” Yet, the Jews of his time did not like Herod the Great, not just because he was partial to Rome, but because they knew he was not really one of them. The word “Herod” is akin to the word “hero.” Yet the Jews did not consider him their hero. The Pharasaic traditions of that era did not consider forcible conversion legitimate.
So here may be a clue as to why the Herod dynasty was filled to overflowing with not just political intrigue, but personal moral failure of the worst kind. When they converted, it was a political necessity. It was not a heart conversion. Inside, they did not change...even when they encountered the Messiah - the best Jew of all.
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