Sermonstudio

The world is often cruel to children and other innocents. It did not end with Herod. The newspapers are filled with the evidence that the slaughter of the innocents still takes place today. We live in a world where might seems to make right. We may wonder what kind of person could give the order to destroy children. A closer look at king Herod may help us to see the characteristics that are abundantly in evidence in despots today. The basic characteristic is a self-obsession that crowds out every other allegiance.

A good Bible dictionary provides sufficient background to fill in the details of Herod's life and help us to see that from the beginning he was a sociopath whose only concern was with his own advancement. Even as he speaks of himself and of all that he has had to do to get and maintain power, he casts a shadow which makes the qualities of Christ shine more brightly. As Herod attempts to convince us that he is uniquely qualified to be king, we are led to long for the reign of Christ. But it is not enough simply to assure ourselves that we would have chosen Christ if we had been there. Herod closes by challenging the hearers to examine their present conduct to see what it says about their loyalty.



Herod

Matthew 2:1-12


I suppose you've come here about that incident over in Beth-lehem. Well, you've come to the right place. I'm King Herod. I gave the order. I admit it sounds bad at first. All those children killed by soldiers. But it was necessary! I had to protect the established order. You can't have rivals for the throne springing up all over the place. That leads to anarchy. A king has to take direct action; that discourages sedition. I've learned that from my years in politics.

Not just anybody can be king. Some people would make a terrible mess of things. I've had to protect the people from getting a bad king. After all, a child born in Bethlehem, what kind of influence could he have in the world? A king has to have certain qualifications if his reign is going to amount to anything.

For one thing, a king has to have connections. That's a subject that I know something about! My father, Antipater, was an Idumean. Not only was he not a Jew, but he was from a people who were occasionally enemies of Jews. He pulled himself up by his boot straps. At first he was a friend of the Roman general, Pompey. Then, when Pompey was defeated by Julius Caesar, my father became a friend of Caesar. In return, Caesar made my father a Roman citizen and prime minister in Palestine. I learned right then that it matters who you know, so when Caesar was murdered, and Cassius, one of his murderers, was on top, I sided with him.

Eventually, Mark Antony came to our country following Caesar's murder. Naturally, I cultivated his friendship and, out of gratitude, he made me military governor in Syria. Of course, one does not get power for nothing. I had to make it financially worthwhile for Antony, for he was greatly in need of funds. And I had to pledge my support to him. But, alas, he got tied up with that Egyptian woman, Cleopatra, and after the battle of Actium it was all over for him.

Naturally, my support then went to Antony's successor, Octavius, who was now on top. I begged his forgiveness for having supported Antony, and he, being an understanding man, made me king of the Jews. Of course, it was harder to convince the Jews that I should be their king. But as you can see, I have managed well enough, largely because of my connections.

But what of this child born to peasants? What connections could he have? He might be a Jew, and therefore more acceptable to the Jews than I. But what could he ever amount to? I'm a Roman citizen. That gives me connections with the most powerful nation on earth. That is what a king needs. I am known to kings and generals. Palestine needs a man like me in control. I've got connections, and those I don't have I can afford to buy. What could he afford, being born a peasant? After all, when you know kings, who else is necessary?

So you see, it wasn't for myself that I gave the order to kill those children. It was to protect Palestine from an individual who, in years to come, might take seriously the things that others were saying about him and offer himself as a king. He might have caused the people to make an unwise choice. Connections -- that is what a king must have.

The second qualification a king needs is to be a realist. I dare say, if I am anything, I am a realist! You've probably heard some of my enemies criticize the fact I've had ten wives. I don't deny it, but I need to point out that some of those marriages were for the good of the state. Doris, my first wife, had no background at all -- no family, no wealth. She really wasn't a proper wife for a king.

My second wife, Mariamne I, was the love of my life. Not only that, she came from an influential family. Her older brother was the one the Jews really looked to as the legitimate heir to the Jewish throne. I pointed out to Antony the problem of having that young man around if we were to bring peace to the land, and Antony wisely had the matter taken care of.

Of course, that meant that any son born to Mariamne could be a king, since she was next oldest in that family. So I married her in order to identify myself with any legal heir. She did have a younger brother, about seventeen years old, who could have upset things if the people ever rallied to his support. One day he went bathing with some of my men, and the poor fellow drowned in the bathing pool. Mariamne blamed me for that, and things were never the same between us. I had a hard time with that family from then on. There were 45 prominent Sadducees who had supported her brother's claim. I had them rounded up because they were dangerous to the state. They could make the Romans think that all was not well under my rule. A king has to protect his people from dangerous elements, so they were gotten rid of. My relationship to Mariamne became increasingly strained after that until one day she provoked me, and while I didn't mean to, in a fit of anger I killed her.

There were some other marriages. I married two of my nieces to keep their heirs in the family. You must understand that I always had the kingdom in mind. My marriages were to provide heirs so that the Romans would not have to come in and rule again.

You might ask, were there no heirs by my first or second wife, that I should have to marry so many times? Well, yes, there were, but they were very untrustworthy. Doris' son told me that Mariamne's two sons were plotting against me, so I had them disposed of. Several years later I found out that Doris' son had lied to me in order to cover up his own plot, so he had to be gotten rid of too. I tell you, I've been a victim of circumstances, more sinned against than sinning.

Then, when these wisemen came from the East speaking of another heir, you can bet I became interested. They spoke of a star they had seen in the East. My own thickheaded astrologers either had seen nothing or they had seen something and weren't telling me. I tried to imagine who else there was in the palace that I might have overlooked as a potential troublemaker. Then my advisors told me that there was a legend that one day a king would arise who had been born in Bethlehem. Well, I breathed easier; no one born in Bethlehem was going to make a difference in the world.

But then, I thought to myself, "You can't tell who people will listen to." So I called the Persian wisemen and told them they should go right away over to Bethlehem, a town about five miles away. I urged them, once they had found the one they were seeking, to come back here to Jerusalem to tell me where he was so that I might visit him as well. I thought that, if there was anything to what they said, it would be better to do what needed to be done quietly; you know, one night a soldier could slip into that house and dispose of the whole matter.

I know, the idea isn't a pleasant one. But it needed to be done for the good of the state! I mean, think what would happen if this nobody got wind of this legend and desired to become king. Could he be a realist? Would a simple peasant see the necessity of sacrificing for a cause, as I have sacrificed? Could he be expected to have convictions for which he would sacrifice his family? Would he be able to understand politics well enough to know that no one is to be trusted, that no one is a brother? The only safe rule is "Do others before they do you." Would he have known that? No, I dare say that he wouldn't. He might even have shared that quaint peasant notion that one ought to forgive one's enemies. Then there would be no respect for authority. For that reason, I never forgive. To rule well one must have connections, and one must be a realist.

A third qualification for a king is that he has to be firm. Take this incident over in Bethlehem. I asked those wisemen to come back and tell me where the child was. For some reason they didn't return. No doubt someone in my own palace led them to mistrust me. I waited several days. When they didn't return, I knew I had to act. I would have been satisfied simply to know where that one child was, but I couldn't very well go over to Bethlehem and ask the peasants. They have always been suspicious of me and will tell me nothing.

So I dispatched soldiers to Bethlehem to take care of the whole matter. I estimated that there would not be more than twenty male children in that town under two years of age. A small price to pay to preserve law and order in the realm. And so the act was done. I tell you, I did the world a favor.

What kind of king could he have become anyway? My advisors tell me that the Jewish Scriptures speak of a future Prince of Peace. What if this child had become that? He probably would go about teaching people to love their enemies. Really, where would that get us? All the world understands is power, force, and might. What would have happened to the state, or to my dynasty, if I had loved everybody? What would the Romans have done to me if all I spoke of was peace? Why, they probably would have crucified me, and I'd be forgotten. A king has to be firm when there is a threat, so I was firm about that child in Bethlehem.

I know what you're thinking. There are some rumors that the child got away, but I doubt it. My soldiers are pretty thorough. But even if he did get away, he will never amount to much. As I said, a king must have important connections, be realistic about people, and be firm in action. I've got the important people on my side. Some people have said that God might support such a person. But you can take it from me, God isn't going to support an unknown peasant from Bethlehem!

You've been questioning me about the death of that child and the others. Maybe you delight in finding me guilty there. But now I have a question for you. Suppose he does still live, this king from Bethlehem; whose way of life do you choose to follow, his, or mine?