When the Wise Men show up in Jerusalem seeking to talk with King Herod, the entire city would probably have been anxious and curious. Historically, it is quite likely that these Magi were from the only rival empire to Rome; the Parthian Empire, located in the eastern part of the old Babylonian Empire. In fact, these Wise Men were known as The King Makers of the Parthian World. These scholars had discerned from their studies of the ancient Jewish Scriptures that the heavenly signs (the Star) they had seen was a signal that the prophesied Jewish Messiah must have been born. Believing that to be the case, they made the long and arduous trip to Judea seeking this Promised Deliverer.
Now the ruler of the Jews and an ally of the Roman Empire was a man named, Herod, an Idumean, whom the Roman Senate had appointed as the King of the Jews in 45 BC. Though historians claim he was raised as a Jew, he didn’t practice the faith, and was never really accepted by his Jewish subjects. Because Herod was a great builder, he was given the moniker The Great. Herod the Great’s greatest building project was his magnificent remodeling of the Second Temple of the Jews in Jerusalem. He expanded the Temple complex and beautified the Temple itself with gold and silver and other expensive upgrades. Despite his efforts, Herod never won the favor of his Jewish people. This led to Herod’s insecurity and constant paranoia. Even though he wielded ruthless authority over his subjects, he never felt completely secure.
As you reflect on this passage, answer the following questions:
- What is the unique question the Wise Men asked Herod when they first visited him? Why is it unique?
- What issues in the narrative of our text illustrate the paranoia and insecurity of Herod the Great?
- To what lengths did Herod go in order to eradicate this possible rival to his throne?
Comments are closed