One of the central figures in the Christmas story is Herod the Great, who was king of the Jews when Jesus was born. Herod and his sons ruled Judea during Jesus’ life and ministry.

But who was this man? And why was he so hostile to the news of the birth of Jesus?

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How Herod Got His Power

Herod “the Great” ruled as king of the Jews under Roman authority for thirty-three years, from 37–4 BC. It is this Herod who appears in the account of Jesus’ birth (Matt. 2:1–19; Luke 1:5).

From the start, Herod proved to be an extraordinary political survivor. When civil war broke out in Rome between Mark Antony and Octavian, Herod first sided with Antony and his ally Cleopatra VII, queen of Egypt.

Then, when Octavian defeated Antony and Cleopatra at Actium in 31 BC, Herod immediately switched sides, convincing Octavian of his loyalty.

Following his victory, Octavian returned to Rome, where the Roman senate made him imperator, or supreme military leader, and gave him the honorary title “Augustus” (“exalted one”).

Historians mark this event as the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the Roman Empire, the transfer from rule by the senate to rule by a supreme emperor.

Under the patronage of Octavian—now Caesar Augustus—Herod’s position as king of the Jews was secure. For his Roman soldier part, Herod would prove to be a loyal subject to his Roman overlords, maintaining order in Israel and protecting the western flank of the Roman Empire.

What Herod Was Like

Herod was a strange mix of a clever and efficient ruler and a cruel tyrant.

On the one hand, he was distrustful, jealous, and brutal, ruthlessly crushing any potential opposition. The Jews never accepted him as their legitimate king, and this infuriated him.

He constantly feared conspiracy. He executed his wife when he suspected she was plotting against him. Three of his sons, another wife, and his mother-in-law met the same fate when they too were suspected of conspiracy.

Herod, trying to be a legitimate Jew, would not eat pork, but he freely murdered his sons! Matthew’s account of Herod’s slaughter of the infants in Bethlehem fits well with what we know of the king’s ambition, paranoia, and cruelty (Matt. 2:1–18).

Was there a good side to Herod?

Herod wasn’t all bad. He presented himself as the protector of Judaism and sought to gain the favor of the Jews.

He encouraged the development of the synagogue communities and in time of calamity remitted taxes and supplied the people with free grain.

He was also a great builder, a role which earned him the title “the Great.” His greatest project was the rebuilding and beautification of the temple in Jerusalem, restoring it to even greater splendor than in the time of Solomon.

Judea prospered economically during Herod’s reign. He extended Israel’s territory through conquest and built fortifications to defend the Roman frontiers.

Herod was a committed Hellenist and an admirer of Roman culture. He built Greek-style theaters, amphitheaters, and hippodromes (outdoor stadiums for horse and chariot racing) throughout the land. While this earned him the favor of many upper-class Jews, it brought disdain from the more conservative Pharisees and the common people.

The Herodians mentioned in the Gospels (Mark 3:6; 12:13) were Hellenistic Jewish supporters of the Herodian dynasty, who favored the stability and status quo brought by Roman authority.

The Death of Herod

Herod died in 4 BC (cf. Matt. 2:19), probably from intestinal cancer.

As a final act of vengeance against his contemptuous subjects, he rounded up leading Jews and commanded that at his death they should be executed. His reasoning was that if there was no mourning for his death, at least there would be mourning at his death! (At Herod’s death, the order was overruled and the prisoners were released.)

Herod’s Sons

But wait—if Herod died in 4 BC, who was the Herod who appears later in the Gospels—the Herod Jesus interacts with?

There was actually more than one.

Herod had changed his will several times during his life, and after his death it was contested by three of his sons. They appealed to Caesar Augustus, who divided the kingdom among them.

Archelaus

Archelaus (4 BC–AD 6) became ethnarch of Judea, Samaria, and Idumea, with the promise that if he ruled well, he would be made king.

Instead, he proved to be oppressive and erratic, and Augustus removed him from office in AD 6. Matthew notes that Joseph and Mary moved to Galilee to avoid Archelaus’s rule (Matt. 2:21–23).

When Archelaus was removed from office, Judea and Samaria were transferred to the control of Roman governors, known as prefects and, later, procurators.

The most important of these for the study of the New Testament is Pontius Pilate (AD 26–36), under whose administration Jesus was crucified. Other governors who appear in the New Testament are Felix (AD 52–59) and Festus (AD 59–62), before whom Paul stood trial (Acts 23–26).

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Herod Antipas

Herod Antipas became tetrarch of Galilee and Perea from his father’s death in 4 BC until he was deposed by the emperor Caligula in AD 39.

The title tetrarch originally meant ruler of a fourth part of a region but came to be used of any minor ruler.

This is the Herod of Jesus’ public ministry. He imprisoned and eventually executed John the Baptist when John spoke out against his marriage to Herodias, his brother Philip’s ex-wife (Luke 3:19–20; Mark 6:17–29).

He also wondered about Jesus’ identity when people speculated that John had risen from the dead (Mark 6:14–16, par.).
When warned by some Pharisees that Herod was seeking his life, Jesus derisively called him “that fox,” probably a reference to his cunning and deceit (Luke 13:31–32).

Eventually, Antipas got his wish to see Jesus when Pilate sent Jesus to stand before him at his trial (Luke 23:7–12; cf. Acts 4:27).

Herod Philip

Herod Philip became tetrarch of Iturea, Trachonitis, Gaulanitis, Auranitis, and Batanea, regions north and east of Galilee.
He died without an heir, and his territory became part of the Roman province of Syria.

He is mentioned in the New Testament only in Luke 3:1 (the Philip of Mark 6:17 [cf. Matt. 14:3] is a different son of Herod the Great).

Herod the Great’s Grandsons

Only two other members of the Herodian dynasty appear in the New Testament, both in Acts. Herod Agrippa I was the son of Aristobulus and the grandson of Herod the Great.

He executed James, the brother of John, and arrested Peter (Acts 12). His death at Caesarea as judgment by God is recorded both by Luke and by the Jewish historian Josephus (Acts 12:19–23; Josephus, Ant. 19.8.2 §§343–52).

Herod Agrippa II was the son of Agrippa. It was this Herod, together with his sister Bernice, who was invited by the Roman governor Festus to hear Paul’s defense at Caesarea (Acts 25–26). Another sister, Drusilla, was married to the Roman governor Felix (Acts 24:24).

Learn more about Herod by signing up for the Cultural Context of Jesus’ Life and Ministry online course.

This post is adapted from the Four Portraits, One Jesus online course, taught by Mark Strauss. Take a look at the FREE introductory video from Dr. Strauss:

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