Section 130, Trial with Herod

Section 130 
SECOND STAGE OF THE ROMAN TRIAL
JESUS BEFORE HEROD ANTIPAS
(Jerusalem. Early Friday morning.)
LUKE 23:6-12

My Summary--When Pilate discerns that Jesus is a Galilean, he shifts the judgement to Herod who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

"Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was of a long time desirous to see him, because he had heard concerning him; and he hoped to see some miracle done by him." Luke 23:8

Herod was excited to meet Jesus, to appease his curiosity about his miracles especially.  Earlier, he had killed John the Baptist and Christ commented that he was a "fox."  Jesus did not demean himself by replying to Herod; he knew the nature of him and of all men.  This provoked a mocking spirit in Herod, as he and his men abused and made fun of Jesus then sent him back to Pilate.

The Herod of the Bible reveals himself as 1) prone to seek out spectacles but not open to any truth revealed in the process 2) manipulated by others 3) dark-spirited, willing to mock and kill innocent lives.

*Note: This is NOT the same Herod who killed John the Baptist and massacred male babies at the time of Christ's infancy. 

Regarding the name Herod:

Herod the Great, James Tissot, 1890

"From the Greek name ‘Ηρωιδης (Heroides), which probably means "song of the hero" from ‘ηρως (heros) "hero, warrior" combined with ωιδη (oide) "song, ode". This was the name of several rulers of Judea during the period when it was part of the Roman Empire. This includes two who appear in the New Testament: Herod the Great, the king who ordered the slaughter of the children, and his son Herod Antipas, who had John the Baptist beheaded."

Herod the Great
*ruled the region of Judea, appointed King of Judea in 37 BC.
*successful king, expanded territory and built up infrastructure.
*in the Bible, responsible for the death of infants in Bethlehem around the time of Jesus's birth.
*killed his wife and several others
*Herod's rise to power is largely due to his father's good standing relation with Julius Caesar, who entrusted Antipater with the public affairs of Judea.-Wikipedia
*"His reign polarizes opinion amongst scholars and historians, some viewing his legacy as evidence of success, and some as a reminder of his tyrannical rule." -Wikipedia
The history of his legacy has polarized opinion, as he is known for his colossal building projects throughout Judea, including his expansion of the Second Temple in Jerusalem (Herod's Temple), the construction of the port at Caesarea Maritima, the fortress at Masada, and Herodium. *was thought to be insane

Herod Antipas
*tetrarch, 1st Century ruler of Galilee and Perea
*son of Herod the Great
*killed John the Baptist
*involved in trial of Jesus

From Biblical Archaeology Society

Herodian Family Tree
1. Herod the Great, founder of the dynasty, tried to kill the infant Jesus by the “slaughter of the innocents” at Bethlehem.
2. Herod Philip, uncle and first husband of Herodias, was not a ruler.
3. Herodias left Herod Philip to marry his half-brother Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee & Perea.
4. John the Baptist rebuked Antipas for marrying Herodias, his brother’s wife, while his brother was still alive—against the law of Moses.
5. Salome danced for Herod Antipas and, at Herodias’s direction, requested the beheading of John the Baptist. Later she married her great-uncle Philip the Tetrarch.
6. Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee &: Perea (r. 4 B.C.E.–39 C.E.), was Herodias’suncle and second husband. After Salome’s dance and his rash promise, he executed John the Baptist. Much later he held part of Jesus’ trial.
7. Herod Archelaus, Ethnarch of Judea, Samaria and Idumea (r. 4 B.C.E.–6 C.E.), was replaced by a series of Roman governors, including Pontius Pilate (r. 26–36 C.E.).
8. Philip the Tetrarch of northern territories (r. 4 B.C.E.–34 C.E.) later married Herodias’s daughter Salome, his grandniece.
"For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.  For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit." 1 Peter 3:17-18