Herod Antipas
Son of Herod the Great and Malthace (Maltaké), a Samaritan. He had as a childhood friend or milk-brother, Manahen. After repudiating his first woman, daughter of a Nabatean king, he married Herodias, his niece, former wife of Philip his half-brother.
John the Baptist, whom he fears but is fascinated by, will reproach him for this. His hesitations will lead him, under the influence of alcohol and lust, to order the beheading of the Baptist on his birthday.[1]
He eventually turns away from Herodias and her daughter Salome, instigators of the murder of John the Baptist.
"[...] Herod… wanted only to laugh at the girl [Salome] behind her back, as he loathes her, now, as he loathes her mother [Herodias]. And he laughed like a madman on hearing Chuza repeat Your [Jesus] words. He kept saying: 'Such words are by far too kind for that young… (and he uttered such an obscene word that I will not repeat it to You). He should have trodden on her lustful breast… But He would have become contaminated!'"[2]
He sends Manaen, his milk brother, to ask that Jesus come to the Court. 'No!' answers Jesus.[2] The spectacular resurrection of Lazarus[3] plunges him into great anguish:
"Herod [...] seems to have gone mad in his palace [...] With chattering teeth he tells his devoted followers to defend him from… ghosts. He got drunk to muster up courage and the wine eddying in his head makes him see phantasms. He shouts saying that the Christ has raised also John who is now yelling God’s maledictions close to him."[4]
It is a mixture of curiosity and fear that now animates Herod. Chuza says:
"My king always says: ‘Even if Heaven ordered me, I would not lift my hand. I am too frightened’!"[5]
During the hearing of Jesus before him, he asks him successively to heal a dog then an mentally disabled man. He tempts him with lascivious dancers. To all this, Jesus will respond with silence.
"Enough. I treated You as God, and You did not act as God. I treated You as a man, and you have not acted as a man. You are mad. A white garment. Clothe Him with it so that Pontius Pilate may know that the Tetrarch took his subject to be mad. Centurion, please tell the Proconsul that Herod humbly presents his respect to him and venerates Rome. Go.", concludes Herod.[6]
Character and appearance
Superstitious, cruel and libertine.[7]
Apostolic journey
"- he is guilty of idolatry, because he worships the flesh more than God, and he is guilty of adultery, theft, unlawful desires, and he will soon be guilty of homicide.
- Will he be saved by You, the Saviour?
- I will save those who are repentant and return to God. The unrepentant shall have no redemption."[8]
His name
Herod has no recognized meaning. Perhaps a typical name from Idumea (southern current Jordan), where his father was from.
Where is he discussed in the work?
GRM 47 GRM 51 GRM 66 GRM 67 GRM 69 GRM 72 GRM 78 GRM 81 GRM 93 GRM 99
GRM 103 GRM 109 GRM 121 GRM 131 GRM 133 GRM 158 GRM 168 GRM 180
GRM 345 GRM 348 GRM 362. GRM 376
Learn more about this character
Six years after the death of the Christ (36), his army is defeated by that of Aretas IV the Nabatean king, his former step-father. From setback to setback, he is exiled with Herodias in Gaul at "Lugdunum" in "Hispania".[9] The current tendency is to designate Lugdunum Convenarum in the Pyrenees (now Saint Bertrand de Comminges) near Spain, but other hypotheses designate Lyon or some places in Spain. Herod Antipas seems to have died there in 40, as the exact date is not known.