Herod the Great: A Violent King Formations November 5, 2017 My wife and I attended worship with was a brutal ruler, killing everyone whom family members in a large Baptist church he saw as a threat, including his favorite Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12 in Ft. Worth, Texas. It was Father’s Day wife and sons. coming into our world to be one with us and the sermon was Our story begins with a cruel tyrant in so that we can know God and experience based on the story of Jerusalem, hated by the priests and ruling a new life as his people. Added to all the Sampson. On the long class, feared by everyone and willing to generations and experiences of the Old drive home to Missouri do anything to keep his throne. Mary Testament is the possibility of a face-to-face we discussed why the and Joseph had left the sleepy village with God. Th is is what Genesis to Malachi preacher used the tragic of Nazareth in the north to register is about. We know very well how vile and story of a man who lived for the Roman census in their family’s ruthless people can be in our world when selfi shly and immorally original home of Bethlehem in the south. it comes to amassing wealth, total power Michael K. as an example for Unknown to everyone, some “magi” from and unprincipled selfi shness. Whether fatherhood. Sadly, that Olmsted Persia began a long journey westward the realm is industry, politics or religion, sermon reminded me looking for “the newborn king of the Jews” our lifetime is full of evil examples to this of several others I have heard that were (v. 2). Th ese oriental students of religion, very day. Th e grim truth is that the world not only inappropriate but totally failed magic, wisdom and astrology had seen a seems to remain blind to ugly reality, even to respect or accurately interpret the star announcing the birth of a Jewish king. celebrating the successes of evil. biblical text. Too oft en we turn the story If this were a movie, the ominous tones of Jesus’ birth into a child’s tale instead of Yet the story of Jesus does not begin or of background music would be sounding the powerful graphic fulfi llment of God’s end with the expectations or strategies of as the mysterious wise men come into grace. human ego. He was born in poverty in a sight of Jerusalem. When the magi reach dusty little village southwest of Jerusalem One necessary key to sound biblical Herod’s palace, Herod is “troubled” by the and died on a government cross outside a interpretation is to recognize the literary threat to his power and all of Jerusalem city most of the world saw as forgettable. form of a passage – narrative, poetry, is likewise fearful because of the king’s But the infant of Bethlehem became a man wisdom, prophecy, etc. Matthew is wrath and ruthless methods when he of incomparable honesty and generosity narrative in form, but contains metaphors, perceives any threat to himself. Th e Jewish who would heal the blind, raise the dead, poetic imagery and mystical truth. To historian Josephus recorded that when forgive utter selfi shness, command nature understand Matthew you must pay Herod came to power he put to death and stand unbroken before the judgment attention to the characters, historical the entire Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling of the world’s greatest political power. He background, societal norms and council (Ant.14.9.4). Later, he had 45 is the Savior from God. references to the Old Testament. Th e “principle men” of the Hasmonean priest/ nativity story is beautiful, but it contains king Antigonus killed (Ant.15.1.2). Herod Th ere are simple takeaway truths in this the elements of evil and tragedy that tolerated no opposition. nativity story: remind us of our desperate spiritual need • God does not see or act as we do. When the magi arrive at Herod’s palace • In spite of all our eff orts to rule our world for God’s love and how God confronts and seeking information about a newborn and chart the course of the universe, the Jesus defeats evil. king, Herod calls in the chief priests and born in Bethlehem is the only answer to the Consider Herod the Great, whose religious scholars. Th ey point to Micah darkness within the human heart and the father was an Idumean, descendant of 5:2: “As for you, Bethlehem of Ephrathah tragic events spawned by human choices. Esau, who was the twin brother of Jacob, ... one who is to be ruler in Israel on my • Herod is a recurring fi gure in history. the sons of Isaac and Rebecca. Remember behalf will come out from you.” Never • Th e magi continue to search and study in how Jacob tricked Isaac out of Esau’s short on strategy when he perceives a hope of fi nding the ultimate answers. • Life is shaped by ego, selfi shness, and birthright and became the patriarch of threat, Herod sends for the magi and ignorance. God chose to come into our world, Israel (Genesis 27)? Around 130 BC, John pretends to join their eager quest. He tells not as a worldly ruler or fantasizing mystic, Hyrcanus, of the Harmonean priestly the magi to fi nd this newborn king and but like us, fragile, with the odds against him, dynasty, won independence for Israel. check back with him so he can join them and limited by his humanity. Rome later conquered the region and in celebration (vv. 7-8). • God, who is quite beyond our human made it their territory. When Herod defi nitions, chose to be vulnerable for us – Th e magi heed the Jewish scholars’ gained the throne he solidifi ed his power vulnerable! direction and fi nd Joseph, Mary, and Jesus in by marrying Mariamne, a princess of the the house where they were living, as the star Th e characters in this story tell it all: Hasmonean line. Th e Jewish ruling class directed. Th ey off ered gift s fi t for royalty: mystics from the east, a psychopathic king, despised Herod as a half-breed (not a gold, frankincense and myrrh. Th e contrast Jewish scholars and a poor family from a descendant of Jacob), so Herod had all is stark: a group of foreign mystics bow humble village. God is right in the middle, the genealogical records destroyed so before the promised Messiah from God, acting as no other religion or philosophy no one could prove their “pure” lineage. while the king of the Jews plots to murder expects, saying, “I love you!” Th is is the Herod’s father, Antipater, had managed him. Th e magi are “warned in a dream not ultimate expression of power, wrapped in the Jewish territory for the Romans until to return to Herod” and they quietly slip the incomparable grace of God! the assassination of Julius Caesar and away on a diff erent route home (v. 12). resulting political turmoil. Herod seized Retired aft er almost 50 years in pastoral the moment, went to Rome and persuaded Remember, this is not a parable with ministry, Michael K. Olmsted enjoys the new emperor to appoint him as “King various symbolic or hidden meanings. family, supply preaching and interim work, of the Jews” under Roman supervision. He Th is is a graphic narrative about God’s Son literature, history, the arts and antiques.

Formations is a curriculum series from Smyth & Helwys Publishing, Inc. through NextSunday Resources.