The Herods

by John Thomas Lowe
(Woodruff, S.C.)

The Herods
During my study of the Herods, I realized that many people get confused about who "Herod" is in the Bible. This is not surprising since there are six different "Herods" in the New Testament, and they are all somehow related to each other. Here are thumbnail sketches to help you keep track of who is who:
1. Herod the Great (ruled 37-4 B.C.) He is the guy in the Christmas story. Super powerful client king answerable to Rome. He tried to trick the wise men and killed the babies in Bethlehem (not to mention some of his sons and wives). Not cuddly at all. You would not invite these Herods to become your "bosom buddy," but particularly not "Herod the Great."
2. Herod Archelaus (ruled 4 B.C.-A.D. 6) He was one of Herod the Great's three sons mentioned in the Bible. He received one-half of his father's territory, the area surrounding and near Jerusalem (Judea and Samaria). Joseph was unwilling to move Mary and toddler Jesus to Bethlehem after fleeing to Egypt because Bethlehem was in this Herod's territory. Like his father, "the Great," Herod Archelaus was not known to be very cuddly either. He got replaced by a Roman procurator less than ten years into his reign; that is why Pontius Pilate is the man in charge of Jesus' crucifixion rather than one of the "Herods."
3. Herod Antipas (ruled 4 B.C.-A.D. 39) Jesus called him "the Fox" (Luke 13:32). He received a quarter of his father's territory (Galilee and Perea). He divorced his first wife and married Herodias, the wife of his brother (who was yet a different "Herod"). Killed John the Baptist. Pontius Pilate sent Jesus to see this Herod as part of Jesus' trial since this Herod was visiting Jerusalem at the time Jesus was sentenced to death. Did you know that Pilate and Herod Antipas became friends that day (Luke 23:12)?
4. Herod Philip the Tetrarch (ruled 4 B.C.-A.D. 34) Got the remaining quarter of his father's territory (north and east of Galilee—mostly ruled over Syrians and Greeks). He married his niece, Salome, the daughter of Herodias (Herod Antipas's wife-of-sin).
5. Herod Agrippa I (ruled A.D. 37-44 41-44 in Judea) Grandson of Herod the Great and nephew of Herodias, Herod Antipas's wife. Eventually ended up ruling over even more territory than did his grandfather, Herod the Great. In the book of Acts, he is known as the one who put Peter in prison (Acts 12:1-5), although he could not keep him there (12:6-19)! Also, "He did not give God the glory" when referred to as a god by the people of Tyre and Sidon and was thus struck by an angel and "eaten by worms" (Acts 12:20-23). Yes, I know, but it is an easy way to remember which "Herod" he is.
6. Herod Agrippa II (ruled A.D. 50s until long after the end of the Jewish war; died around A.D. 93) Like his father Herod Agrippa I and great-grandfather Herod the Great, he ruled over a large territory. He is the one who interviewed Paul along with the Roman procurator Porcius Festus when Paul was imprisoned in Caesarea (in Palestine) after Paul's third missionary journey (Acts 25-26). Agrippa exclaimed to Paul (literal translation): "In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian" (Acts 26:28). Or was his statement ironic? Either way, Paul appealed directly to Caesar and so had no more contact after this with the final powerful "Herod."
After this last Herod, we do not hear anything more of the dynasty of Herod’s (until, of course, they named a luxury department store after them, oops, wrong spelling).
An even briefer summary:
Herod the Great: Christmas story
Herod Archelaus: Joseph to Nazareth instead of Bethlehem because of him
Herod Antipas: Killed John the Baptist
Herod Philip: Ruled area north and east of Galilee
Herod Agrippa I: Eaten by worms
Herod Agrippa II: Trial of Paul in Caesarea
Baby boys are frequently named "Paul." Never heard of any couple naming a newborn baby "Herod." It is hard to imagine anyone wanting to reverse this trend.
Do you believe Paul is right, "no one can tame the tongue"
How can James write: "no one can tame the tongue" (James 3:8) in one breath, and then in another write "this ought not to be so" (James 3:10)?
If no one can tame the tongue, why does James urge his readers to tame their tongues and blame them when they do not?
Is it possible to tame the tongue, or not?
This is an important question that is broader than just controlling one's speech. Is it possible not to sin, or is not-sinning impossible?
The Bible declares that the power of sin has been broken for those who know Christ; sin is no longer our master (Romans 6). In light of this, James can appropriately exclaim: "This ought not to be so" when reflecting on the way people misuse their tongues. Still, if this is the case, why does James say, "But no one can tame the tongue"?
James writes this because he knows that no one is sinlessly perfect. John's beloved disciple stated this truth tersely, "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). Two verses later, John drives home his point, "If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us" (1:10). Sinless perfection is impossible.
However, this brings us back to the nub of our problem. Can we not-sin … or? Is not sinning possible … or not?
The answer may be found in the distinction between unintentional sinning and deliberate sinning that occasionally appears in the Bible. Leviticus and Numbers distinguish unintentional sinning and "sinning with a high hand" (lit. Hebrew for deliberate sinning, cf. Numbers 15:30). If someone sins unintentionally — for example, a man defiles himself by accidentally touching a dead body (Leviticus 4:2) —he is still defiled, unclean, and needing cleansing from his unintentional sin. However, if a person knowingly and deliberately breaks the law, that violation is dealt with as a separate (and, according to the Mosaic Law, more serious) transgression.
The same distinction appears to show up in Psalm 19 when David prays, "Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me!" (Psalm 19:12-13 ESV). David first prays for forgiveness for his hidden faults (unintentional sinning), and then asks God to keep him from presumptuous sins (deliberate sinning). The same distinction between deliberate and unintentional sinning probably lies behind the author's statement of Hebrews in 12:26, "For if we go on sinning deliberately…."
So, can you control your tongue, or not? "No," answers James. No one can always control his or her tongue in every situation for an entire life. In light of inherited sin and long-standing patterns of speaking unkind, boastful, crude, or untruthful words, no one is perfect in consistently controlling what comes out of his or her mouth. As a consequence of the category of unintentional sinning — unconsciously committing sins that stem from original sin + ingrained habits of sin — we must conclude that no one can tame the tongue.
So then, shall we throw up our hands in defeat and declare ourselves captive to sin? May it never be! We are not stuck in sinning, declares the Apostle Paul. The power of sin over us has been broken (read Romans 6). Such a declaration of freedom from sin's power must relate to the area I have just referred to as deliberate sinning. That is, we are never predestined to commit a deliberate sin. Another way of stating this is that every time you face a temptation — every single time you are tempted to do something wrong knowingly — you have the power to overcome (1 Corinthians 10:13). Are you facing the temptation to lie about your reading report to your professor? You can say no to that temptation. Are you tempted to steal, commit sexual sin, or speak a demeaning word? You can resist any temptation by remembering that the power of sin has been broken, that the Holy Spirit has been given to you to help you overcome sin, and by calling on God to help you in the moment of temptation.
Consequently, anytime you are tempted to sin (domain of deliberate sinning), you have the power to overcome — based upon your identification with Christ's death and resurrection and his giving of the Spirit. But not a single one of us is exempt from words that come out of our mouths that, even if we do not intend to, damage, degrade, or deceive, since "no one can tame the tongue" (domain of unintentional sinning).
This is not, however, all we can say about the issue of unintentional sinning. As we walk with the Lord, even our unintentional sinning lessens. Paul strived for every thought to be taken captive to obedience to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Fewer and fewer unintentional words that are untruthful and unholy will find their way into our mouths (not to mention, into our hearts) as we grow in Christ and allow the Christ-life increasingly to deepen in us.
So, in regard to overcoming sin, what should be your aim as a Christian? (I used to have a teacher who said that when you aim at nothing, you hit it every time!) You should aim to overcome each and every temptation that you encounter (domain of deliberate sinning), knowing that you have been given the grounds and the means to overcome such temptations, and, furthermore, seek for your heart to increasingly soften toward the things of Christ so that even in the unconscious parts of your heart (domain of unintentional sinning), you move toward increasing holiness. Thus, you can — and should ("this ought not to be so!" says James) — avoid every use of the tongue that dishonors God. You can also — and should! — increasingly seek for the pattern of your speech to reflect a growth toward holiness in your heart. But sinless perfection must await the day of our future glorification.