Luke 23:8-12 Jesus before Herod

Luke 23:8-12 Jesus before Herod. Curiously, none of the other gospels records Jesus' visit to Herod. This must have been in the middle of the night. If the stories about Herod are true, he was most likely called away from an orgy or drinking party or some such. The story of the entire family of Herod is a case study in tyrants run amok. In any event, Jesus did not dignify any of Herod's questions with a response. Herod was not that troubled - he and his soldiers mocked Jesus and then sent Him back to Pilate but did not bother to torture or abuse Him otherwise. Luke's note that Herod and Pilate became buddies after this date, whereas they had formerly been enemies, seems odd - there is no explanation in Scripture.

          We should not forget that it was recorded in Matthew 2:16 that Herod was so concerned about competition at Jesus' birth as the rightful king of the Jews that he had all of the baby boys, up to the age of two, in Bethlehem and the surrounding region murdered. But that Herod was not this Herod. Herod 'the Great' was the one who murdered the infants in Bethlehem. Jesus was here before Herod Antipas. Keeping the Herods straight requires a bit of a scorecard.

          The Herodian dynasty was founded by Herod the (so-called) Great in 36 BC. There are several Herods who appear in various places in the Scripture.

·        Herod "the Great", born 74 BC, established his dynasty as a client (of Rome) king of Judea in approximately 36 BC, died 4 BC. Perhaps he was called "great" because of his massive building projects. He was of Edomite extraction but practiced Judaism, although he was not accepted by the Jews. Upon his death, the Romans divided his kingdom among three of his sons: Archelaus, who became ethnarch of the tetrarchy of Judea; Herod Antipas became tetrarch of Galilee and Peraea; and Philip became tetrarch of territories east of the Jordan. It was Herod ‘the great’ who ordered the slaughter of the infants in and near Bethlehem after the wise men told him of the birth of the king of the Jews. (Matthew 2:16)

·        Herod Archelaus, born 23 BC, gained power in 4 BC as ethnarch of Judea, Samaria, and Idumea, mentioned in Matthew 2:22, died 14AD.

·        Herod Antipas, born 20 BC, died 40 AD, became Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea in 4 BC, mentioned in Luke 3:1.

·        Herod II, born 27 BC died 33 AD. No record of his having exercised political power. However, he was the first husband of Herodias and was mentioned in Matthew 14:3-5 and Luke 3:18-20.

·        Philip the Tetrarch, died 34 AD, aka Herod Philip II, became tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis in 4 BC, also mentioned in Luke 3:1.

·        Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod 'the Great', born 10 BC, died 44 AD, client king of Judaea, called "King Herod" or "Herod" in Acts 12:1 & 20-23.

·        Herod of Chalcis, also known as Herod III, king of Chalcis (AD 41–48); not mentioned in scripture to the best of my knowledge.

·        Herod Agrippa II , son of Agrippa I, born 27 AD, died 100AD, began in 48 AD to hold various posts under Roman sponsorship; described in Acts 26 as "King Agrippa" before whom Paul made his defense. He was the last of the line to rule.