In this passage that we have just read, Matthew’s version of the Christmas story, we are faced with three responses to the miracle of the birth of Christ, the coming of the Messiah, that of Joseph (his legal father), some magi (astrologers, astronomers, magicians or wise men, traditionally ‘we three kings’) and Herod (the current king of the Jews).
Herod
Herod is a regional king. He works for the Romans and he is known throughout history as ‘Herod the Great’. Herod the Great is the political leader at this time and in this place. He is a politician of his era and as such is involved in all the political intrigue of his era in all the ways that political intrigue is carried out in his era (cf. Josephus, Bellum ii.10–13; cf. also Josephus, Antiquities xvii. 224, 229, 250, 304, 307, 340).[6] He is a king but his job is no more secure than that of a contemporary politician in a minority government and Herod defends his title and his job no less vigorously than our present day leaders: in order to secure his position Herod needs to back the right horse and defeat all his rivals (cf. Josephus, Antiquities i.358). He – like many contemporary politicians – switches his allegiances more than once as to whom he backs for Emperor – first he backs Mark Anthony’s (and Cleopatra’s) coalition government and later crosses the floor to support Octavian, a.k.a. Caesar Augustus.[7] Herod the Great is a king who left behind a good legacy of building and growth but he is also an adept politician, cruel and insecure. His title awarded to him by Caesar Augustus is Herod, King of the Jews.[8]
Imagine with me what it must have been like for him. Imagine, you have the job that you have fought hard for all your life and your job title is that of ‘King of the Jews’ and these privileged academics – these magi - come up to you and, Matthew 2:2, they ask “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.” Imagine, you have the job that you have fought hard for all your life and your job is ‘King of the Jews’ – and you are not even a full Jew by birth - and these strangers come up to you and ask to meet your replacement, the new King of the Jews. How would you react?
I was a dishwasher once, for about a week as a teenager; the job didn’t go well and I didn’t get along with my co-worker and one day I meet a friend for coffee; he is excited as he tells me that ha has just been hired for a job at this same restaurant. When we talk for a while it becomes apparent that they have hired him for my job. That is how I found out that I was going to be fired. This could be what it is like for Herod when he hears this news that a there is going to be a new king of the Jews - except that Herod actually likes his (and he also probably never dunked his co-worker in a sink full of dirty water). This news that there is a new king of the Jews is a shock to him. This news is a threat to him. Current kings can be killed when new kings take over. Herod is the current king of the Jews. He hasn’t just had a son; so who is this new King of the Jews that has just been born? If you were Herod, what would you do? What would you say? What would you feel? What would you think?
Matthew records, 2:3, that when Herod hears this news he is disturbed and all of Jerusalem is disturbed with him. They and he immediately do their research. Herod, Verse 4, immediately calls for the “people’s chief priests and teachers of the Law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.” He knows that the people are waiting for a leader to deliver them. Many people are expecting a Messiah, a political leader who will deliver them from the Romans. The Romans, remember, are the Superpower of their day and they are the ones who, with their military might, are keeping King Herod in power. If the Romans go, so probably does Herod. When he finds out where this Messiah, this Christ, this new king is to be born from the people’s chief priests and teachers of the Law (Matthew 2:6), he calls a secret meeting with these Magi to find out when it was that this star appeared (Matthew 2:7); Herod has a plan. Verse 8, he says to the Magi, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” The Magi do not do this – they outwit Herod (V. 15). Herod is likely scared. Herod is probably insecure. Herod is definitely, Verse 16, furious. Herod is determined to eliminate his would-be-rival so Herod sends in the troops. The military massacres male babies two years old and younger – in order to wipe out all the male children who were born in the possible time frame that this new king of the Jews was supposed to have been born.
This is Herod’s reaction. What is your reaction to the advent of the King of the Jews who is indeed the King of the World?
Herod
Herod is a regional king. He works for the Romans and he is known throughout history as ‘Herod the Great’. Herod the Great is the political leader at this time and in this place. He is a politician of his era and as such is involved in all the political intrigue of his era in all the ways that political intrigue is carried out in his era (cf. Josephus, Bellum ii.10–13; cf. also Josephus, Antiquities xvii. 224, 229, 250, 304, 307, 340).[6] He is a king but his job is no more secure than that of a contemporary politician in a minority government and Herod defends his title and his job no less vigorously than our present day leaders: in order to secure his position Herod needs to back the right horse and defeat all his rivals (cf. Josephus, Antiquities i.358). He – like many contemporary politicians – switches his allegiances more than once as to whom he backs for Emperor – first he backs Mark Anthony’s (and Cleopatra’s) coalition government and later crosses the floor to support Octavian, a.k.a. Caesar Augustus.[7] Herod the Great is a king who left behind a good legacy of building and growth but he is also an adept politician, cruel and insecure. His title awarded to him by Caesar Augustus is Herod, King of the Jews.[8]
Imagine with me what it must have been like for him. Imagine, you have the job that you have fought hard for all your life and your job title is that of ‘King of the Jews’ and these privileged academics – these magi - come up to you and, Matthew 2:2, they ask “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.” Imagine, you have the job that you have fought hard for all your life and your job is ‘King of the Jews’ – and you are not even a full Jew by birth - and these strangers come up to you and ask to meet your replacement, the new King of the Jews. How would you react?
I was a dishwasher once, for about a week as a teenager; the job didn’t go well and I didn’t get along with my co-worker and one day I meet a friend for coffee; he is excited as he tells me that ha has just been hired for a job at this same restaurant. When we talk for a while it becomes apparent that they have hired him for my job. That is how I found out that I was going to be fired. This could be what it is like for Herod when he hears this news that a there is going to be a new king of the Jews - except that Herod actually likes his (and he also probably never dunked his co-worker in a sink full of dirty water). This news that there is a new king of the Jews is a shock to him. This news is a threat to him. Current kings can be killed when new kings take over. Herod is the current king of the Jews. He hasn’t just had a son; so who is this new King of the Jews that has just been born? If you were Herod, what would you do? What would you say? What would you feel? What would you think?
Matthew records, 2:3, that when Herod hears this news he is disturbed and all of Jerusalem is disturbed with him. They and he immediately do their research. Herod, Verse 4, immediately calls for the “people’s chief priests and teachers of the Law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.” He knows that the people are waiting for a leader to deliver them. Many people are expecting a Messiah, a political leader who will deliver them from the Romans. The Romans, remember, are the Superpower of their day and they are the ones who, with their military might, are keeping King Herod in power. If the Romans go, so probably does Herod. When he finds out where this Messiah, this Christ, this new king is to be born from the people’s chief priests and teachers of the Law (Matthew 2:6), he calls a secret meeting with these Magi to find out when it was that this star appeared (Matthew 2:7); Herod has a plan. Verse 8, he says to the Magi, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” The Magi do not do this – they outwit Herod (V. 15). Herod is likely scared. Herod is probably insecure. Herod is definitely, Verse 16, furious. Herod is determined to eliminate his would-be-rival so Herod sends in the troops. The military massacres male babies two years old and younger – in order to wipe out all the male children who were born in the possible time frame that this new king of the Jews was supposed to have been born.
This is Herod’s reaction. What is your reaction to the advent of the King of the Jews who is indeed the King of the World?
More daily blogs at
More articles, sermons, and papers at
Comments
Post a Comment