Epiphany 2025 - King Herod - At What Cost Glory?

 

"In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." 

When King Herod heard this, he was frightened and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 

'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.'" 

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." 

When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another path."

Matthew 2:1-12

"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 old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

 'A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more.'"

Matthew 2:16-18

As we continue a deeper look at Epiphany, it's important to counter the Magi's presence in the story with the people that they questioned first - King Herod and his advisors.  Their reaction is so completely opposite to that of these wise men, that they cannot be ignored.

Today, I’ll focus on King Herod.

Primarily, Herod serves an important function in the story because it grounds the Nativity in history.  Like most of Luke's writings, it provides a verifiable historical context to the Gospel account and allows us to compare and prove Jesus's place in history.  Historians agree that Herod in many respects had a very successful reign.  Ethnically Idumaean, or Edomite, but at least nominally of Jewish practice, he increased the land he governed from Palestine to parts of modern Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, constructing fortresses, aqueducts and amphitheaters.  

His connections to Julius Caesar and Caesar Augustus would provide  both comfort and strife.  He was given the title “King of the Jews” by Caesar because of the Jewish population he ruled, to their consternation.  Like most kings, he wanted more and more power.  This pushed him to rule with an iron fist and led to increasing levels of paranoia.  He executed many of his own family to stave off what he saw as threats to his rule.

He has been described as "perhaps the only figure in ancient Jewish history who has been loathed equally by Jewish and Christian posterity," "the evil genius of the Judean nation," and as one who would be "prepared to commit any crime in order to gratify his unbounded ambition."

Perhaps now we can understand better why news of a new Jewish king being born would be so troubling to him.  Jesus represented the one thing he feared the most in the world: losing his position of power and authority.

Surely we understand the implications of this fear, especially now, right.

We’ve seen this play out in the past three elections. This is perhaps the largest foundation for the MAGA movement and the rise of Christian Nationalism in this country.  Last year alone, we saw that roughly three in ten Americans could be identified as Christian Nationalist adherents or sympathizers.  And that’s three in ten Americans of all Americans regardless of religious affiliation. We’re at a point where 52% of those who attend a religious service on weekly or more basis identify as a Christian Nationalist adherent or sympathizer.

We’re deathly afraid that losing political power means we’ve lost all our relevance to society.  And we’re determined to hold onto that power with everything we have, regardless of the costs.  

How backwards is that?

Christ kept influencing society as an outsider.  He changed society because he wasn’t the person in “control” politically.  He couldn’t force people to change by the power of his laws - he made people change because of the power of his presence, his love, his mercy, his charity, his forgiveness.

And we don’t want that because it’s the hard way.  It’s the way on the outside.  It’s the way on the fringes.  It’s the quiet way, the unseen way, the small way.  

We think we’re Herod instead of the faithful he persecuted.

Because that is the natural end to power in this world - abuse of power.  Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.  

We see this in Herod’s response to the Magi and the news they brought.  After he sends them on their way, after they refuse to return to him, he throws a tantrum.  If he can’t find the one child, he’ll silence them all.  Leading to what has been referred to as the Massacre of the Innocents.  The death of all male children two and under in the dominion of Herod’s control.

Today, many scholars and historians question the historical accuracy of the account.  Josephus does not contain any mention of the event.  Modern biographers of Herod often dismiss the story as an invention, particularly given the comparison to Pharaoh's actions in Moses' story.  It became, then, the subject of liturgy and apocrypha.  Macrobius wrote in his Saturnalia, "When he [emperor Augustus] heard that among the boys in Syria under two years old whom Herod, king of the Jews, had ordered killed, his own son was also killed, he said: it is better to be Herod's pig, than his son."  Byzantine liturgy estimates 14,000 victims, Syrian lists put the number at 64,000, and Coptic sources at 144,000.  Modern estimations think it could have been as small as a dozen or so.  There is thought that given the smaller number of infants potentially in the vicinity of Bethlehem at the time, it may not have warranted mention in Josephus' account.

At any number, it’s a tragedy.

And all because one man was afraid of being overthrown.  One man was afraid of not being in control.  Afraid of not being important.

Herod’s story should serve as a warning to us of the dangers of seeking and holding onto power at all costs.  It’s too fleeting, it’s too fragile, and it leads to such terrible consequences. 

We weren’t meant to have it, so why do we keep chasing it?

“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?”