Introduction
Who is responsible for Jesus’ death? We’ve considered Judas who betrayed him, Peter who denied him, and the rest of the disciples who deserted him. We’ve looked at the religious leaders who plotted his downfall and pronounced a guilty verdict against him. Judas reminds us of the person who looks out for himself, trying to take advantage of every situation to meet his own desires. The disciples represent all of us who have too much confidence in our own strength to be good enough for God. The religious leaders? They are the majority of people who have made up their minds about Jesus without feeling the necessity of examining his claims. He doesn’t match their expectations, so why bother? Luke presents another character in the story – Herod. Let’s see what the role of this pleasure seeker is.
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When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.
Herod Antipas was tetrarch over the territories of Galilee and Perea. Galilee was in the north of Israel, and Perea covered a stretch of land running down the Jordan River. A tetrarch was the title given to a local ruler. Herod would have been Pilate’s counterpart in authority.
Whatever we might conclude about Herod’s character, he evidently was adept at staying in power. He kept his position for forty-three years, which is no small feat. He ruled during the entire life of Jesus, from 4 B.C. to 39 A.D. The young Herod in “The Passion of the Christ” does not match the real man. He would have been in his 50s at least when he meets Jesus. (Christopher Plummer’s portrayal in “Jesus of Nazareth” is more realistic.)
Like his father, Herod the Great, Herod Antipas was a builder of cities. He built Tiberias on the Lake of Galilee and other cities after Greek models. He was clearly enamored with Greco/Roman culture. Though much of his heritage was Jewish, his heart was Greek, and we shall see the inner struggle it created in him.
Luke has earlier introduced Herod as far back as chapter 3: In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee… That is the time, Luke explains, that John the Baptist appeared on the scene. After describing John’s preaching, Luke then reports: But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison (3:19).
The story of Herod and Herodias is the stuff of gaudy soap opera. While traveling to Rome, Herod stops in at his brother’s place. He falls in love with his brother’s wife. They scheme for Herod to divorce his wife when he returns from Rome, and then Herodias leave her husband to become his bride. Ah…such love! John, however, seems to be a stuck-in-the mud about the affair and preaches publicly against it. The wife gets mad, and the husband locks him up. Mark’s gospel indicates the inner struggle that beset Herod: And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly (6:19, 20).
Herod “feared” John. Feared what? John’s influence? Perhaps. Matthew says that he wanted to kill John, but feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet (14:5). But Mark indicates, further, that he feared the God whom John served. He knew that John was “a righteous and holy man.” That is another way of saying that John had a special connection with God.
But the last sentence is the most revealing: When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly. When would Herod have heard John, unless he went to John or had him come to him? He evidently wanted to hear John. Indeed, as Mark says, he heard him gladly. Nevertheless, he was “perplexed.” About what? No one could accuse John of being ambiguous. He had no trouble saying directly what he thought. I think Herod was perplexed about what to do. He knew John was right, not just about Herodias, but about other misdeeds of his that John would have brought to his attention.
But again, what could he do? John is a religious man. It is easy for him to see things in black and white. Herod is a ruler under the rule of Rome. Life is complicated; doing the right thing is complex. John needs to understand that. Maybe his life would be more peaceful if John didn’t exist. But no…he is a holy man. That would not be right. But still…life was more pleasurable before John came around. John brings up God’s law. Yes…it would be good to follow the righteous path. Maybe he ought to return to the religion of his people. But…it is so clear that Rome is the power, and the culture of the Greeks…it seems so beautiful…and their ethics are not so strict. Why, they merely wink at his indiscretions. Why can’t John and his God bend a little? What’s wrong with a little fun, and I’m just trying to get ahead like everyone else? But wouldn’t it be good to be true to God like John?
You get the idea. Herod was merely a man wedded to the world of his age, which was the political world of Rome and the cultural world of Greece. The world of his ancestors on his Jewish side was of an age that had passed. Yes, it had its noble characteristics, but it was dying and certainly inconvenient in the real world.
The irony with Herod is that he eventually had John beheaded for the noble purpose of keeping his word that he made in a moment of foolishness, no doubt brought on by sensual lust. Herod would be haunted by his deed, and when Jesus began to make a name for himself, Herod regarded him as John raised from the dead. Poor Herod, he quiets one voice hurting his conscience only to have another speak up.
Luke mentions Herod again, this time as a threat to Jesus. Interestingly enough, some Pharisees show Jesus concern: At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” 32 And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. 33 Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem’” (13:31-33).
Jesus calls Herod a “fox.” Herod has evil intentions and is shrewd. Even so, he has met his match in Jesus, who will carry out his own plan including coming to Jerusalem at his timetable. Some day he will come face to face with Herod.
8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him.
Herod finally gets to meet Jesus. He had had a strange attraction to John’s preaching. In regard to Jesus, it was a miracle he wanted to see. This interest may seem odd, considering we just read of Herod’s desire to kill him. But seeing already the conflicting emotions of Herod, it should not be strange. No doubt, his feelings waffled. One moment he feels threatened by Jesus; another moment he is attracted to him, just as he was with John.
9 So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him.
If Jesus had had a lawyer, surely this scene would have driven him crazy. Here is Jesus’ chance to get off the hook. His judge shows real interest in him. Herod’s questions must have included inquiries about the miracles he had heard about. All Jesus had to do was one miracle, one sign to win Herod over to his side. But Jesus will not even speak! His accusers attack. They must have been sweating the interview. Herod is unpredictable. Pilate has already revealed his reluctance to get involved. All Jesus needs to do is show some courtesy to Herod and they may lose him. And he remains quiet, even as Herod grows impatient.
11 And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate.
And so Herod reveals the true shallowness of his heart. He is offended by Jesus. Here he is Jesus’ ruler and judge, and the man shows him no respect. Then he will return the contempt in the manner that best suits his character – through mockery. That’s the best Herod can come up with. Notice that he renders no judgment. He just plays the bully. Why doesn’t he either free Jesus or condemn him? Because he never has been a man who acts on conviction. He can feel conviction, as he did in response to John, but what really controls him is the passion of the moment. Herod is not moved by noble sentiment, nor does he cave to opposition; Herod is moved by seduction, whatever appeals to his desires, his cravings for pleasure.
12 And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.
Isn’t that touching? Their cowardly treatment of Jesus has restored their friendship.
Lessons
So Herod had his chance to side with Jesus and he blew it. Of course, Jesus didn’t go out of his way to win him over either. But that is typical of Jesus. He will be received on his own terms. He certainly will not stroke a person’s ego in order to be liked. That is what Herod wanted. “Appease me, Jesus. Do a trick for me.”
He wanted what a lot of people want from Jesus. Do a little trick; entertain them, and, hey, they are reasonable people; they’ll give Jesus his due. Let’s consider the Herod man. What would he be like if he lived among us? I’ll give you two Herods.
Let’s make one a college student. This is the “I just want to have fun” Herod. This Herod knows how to party. He can drink with the best of the drinkers and score with the women. He likes having a good time. He can be rude and lewd during these good times, but he doesn’t mean harm. He expects some day to settle down and become a respectable citizen; maybe even attend church when he has a family. After all, he was raised attending church. He believes in God and would even call himself a Christian. He doesn’t attend now because, well…this is the time in his life to have fun. Church is boring; the members are hypocrites who judge people like himself for their freedom.
There are churches trying to reach Herod on his terms. They promote themselves as exciting and dynamic. If Herod would come to their services and activities, he would have fun. They have cool music and exciting special effects. The only things that they will talk about is how to have an even more dynamic and successful life. And best of all, they tell him he doesn’t have to change. He will be accepted just as he is. Indeed, they will do their best to conform to him. They will even adapt their worship of God to suit him. What he wants will determine what they will do and be.
These tactics work. Herod will attend such a church. He likes being able to have God without God cramping his lifestyle. He feels good about being able to attend church and keep his pleasure loving activities. The church feeds his consumer oriented mentality – that religion is really about feeding his needs and desires. And thus Herod changes the church. Instead of her being the agent of God that confronts people with their sin and calls them to following God, she becomes the marketing agent who lures them to become consumers of her products.
Another Herod to consider is the religious Herod, or, as he would prefer to be known, the spiritual Herod. This Herod desires to be connected to God or whatever the spiritual force of the universe may be. He wants higher consciousness and to feel a sense of purpose in life. He may seek these things in a number of ways. He may join a liberal church which maintains the form of the Christian religion without being encumbered by doctrine. Thus, he can have the prayers, the rituals, and the symbols that make him feel spiritual, but not be bothered with the beliefs that originally had brought them into being.
Another alternative for Herod is to attend a church that has shed itself of the Christian label, such as the Unitarian-Universalist Church. This church is free to select whatever it wants from all the religions and philosophies of the world at any given time. Even belief in God is an optional elective for its members. Herod, then, can feel good about being a church member while believing and doing only what suits him.
Or Herod can follow the most popular route, which is to be spiritual and untied to any institution. Bookstores have whole sections of books dedicated to feeding his spiritual impulses. He can read about heaven from people who have actually been there. He can learn about God from others who have had interviews with him. Channelers will connect him with the departed and other spiritual beings. He can attend seminars, go on retreats, and drop in on meditation services. He can pick and choose what works for him, and never does he have to adapt himself to anyone. No rules, no laws.
Both of these Herods level a charge against Christian churches and all other “institutional” religions. The charge is this: what such churches and religions are really about is control. They want to control people. They especially want to gain control of people’s money, but they also want to control how everyone lives.
What these Herods reveal is how obsessed they are with control, for what they make clear is that nothing is more important to them than control over their own lives. They want no one telling them what to do or what to believe. It makes no difference how wise anyone else may be, nor what position they may hold; no one, no parent, no authority figure of any kind will tell them what is right or best for them. And that includes God. It is fine to “be connected” with God, but not if he tries to butt in on their way of life. They want affirmation with no restrictions attached; and no one at no time had better “judge” them. To judge them is the greatest sin anyone could commit against them.
They want it all. They want the religion without the obligations. They want to be connected with the divine without the divine encroaching upon their authority. They want pleasure without responsibility.
For them the good news of the gospel is bad news. God provides salvation but only according to his plan. Jesus redeems but only on his terms. That is the problem with Jesus. He wouldn’t give Herod Antipas what he wanted, even to save himself, and he want give modern Herods what they want just to win their acceptance of him. He will stroke no one’s ego. Here is Jesus’ call to the Herods of this world: If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Mark 8:34).
The irony of the whole situation is this. The Herods fear to lose control of their lives, thinking that it will lead to bondage. And yet, those who have taken up their crosses have found those crosses lighter than expected; for they find themselves carried by their Lord, and they have learned the truth of his other call:
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
