King Agrippa I
King Agrippa I
Born:
c.10 B.C.E.
Died:
44
Title / Office:
king (41-44), Judaea
Herod Agrippa I, original name Marcus Julius Agrippa, (born c. 10 B.C.E.—died 44 C.E.), King of Judaea (41–44 C.E.), a clever diplomat who, through his friendship with the Roman imperial family, obtained the kingdom of his grandfather, Herod I the Great. He displayed great shrewdness in conciliating the Romans and Jews.
After Agrippa's father, Aristobulus IV, was executed by his father, the suspicious Herod, Agrippa was sent to Rome for education and safety. There he grew up in company with Emperor Tiberius's son Drusus. After his mother's death, he quickly spent his family's wealth and acquired severe debts. When Drusus died in 23 CE, Agrippa left Rome, settling near Beersheba in Palestine. An appeal to his uncle Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee, won him a minor official post, but he soon vacated it.
In 36, having raised a sizable loan in Alexandria, Agrippa returned to Rome, where Emperor Tiberius received him but refused to allow him to stay at the court until his debt was paid. A new loan covered the obligation, and he secured a post as tutor to Tiberius's grandson. Agrippa also became a friend of Caligula, Tiberius's heir. An unrestrained remark about Tiberius, overheard by a servant, landed Agrippa in prison, but Caligula remained his friend. Within a year, Tiberius was dead, and Agrippa's fortunes were reversed.
In 37, Caligula made him King of the former realm of his uncle Philip the Tetrarch and an adjoining region. Antipas attempted to stop his rise by denouncing him to Caligula; Agrippa made counteraccusations. The confrontation before Caligula ended with Antipas's banishment, and Agrippa acquired his territory. About 41 CE, Agrippa, on the advice of the governor of Syria, dissuaded Caligula from introducing emperor worship in Jerusalem. Later Caligula decided to restore Agrippa to his grandfather's throne but was assassinated in 41 before he could affect that plan. Agrippa supported Claudius, who emerged successfully and added Judaea and Samaria to Agrippa's kingdom. In the delicate question of the imperial succession,
In Judaea, Agrippa zealously pursued orthodox Jewish policies, earning the friendship of the Jews and vigorously repressing the Jewish Christians. According to the New Testament of the Bible (Acts of the Apostles, where he is called Herod), he imprisoned Peter the Apostle and executed James, son of Zebedee. Nonetheless, mindful of maintaining a Roman friendship, he contributed public buildings to Beirut in Lebanon, struck coins in emulation of Rome, and in the spring of 44 was host to a spectacular series of games at Caesarea to honor Claudius. He died prematurely, terminating the compromise he had striven to achieve between Roman authority and Jewish autonomy. Because his son was only 17 years old, Judaea returned to provincial status.
AGRIPPA was educated in Rome with other princes at court and became friendly with Drusus, son of Emperor Tiberius. After a period of overindulgence, he became saddled with debts, and in 23 C.E., he had to return home and stay on the family estates in Idumea. He was subsequently appointed agoranomos ("market overseer") in Tiberias by his brother-in-law, the tetrarch Herod *Antipas. After a quarrel with Antipas, he went to Syria, where he again became involved in debt. To escape from his creditors, he went to Rome, where he became friendly with Gaius, later Emperor Caligula. While drunk, however, he was caught off guard, expressing a wish that Caligula was Emperor instead of Tiberius, and was sent to prison for his indiscretion. Caligula, on his accession, released Agrippa and appointed him to the tetrarchies of *Herod Phillipus and Lysanias, consisting of Bashan-Trachonitis, Gaulanitis, Argob, and Abel, with the title of King. In 39 C.E., he was granted the tetrarchy of Herod Antipas, exiled by Caligula, consisting of Galilee, Tiberias, Sepphoris, and Perea. During this period, Agrippa used his connections in Rome to intercede with Caligula on behalf of the Jews. They wished Caligula to retract an order to erect his statue in the Temple in Jerusalem. Shortly afterward, Caligula was murdered. Agrippa, who was in Rome at the time, was among those who supported the succession of Claudius. He was rewarded in 41 C.E. by the addition of Samaria and Judea to the area under his rule. The event was celebrated with a lavish ceremony, and an official covenant of friendship was concluded between Agrippa and Claudius, the deed of the covenant being placed in the Capitol. With the acquisition of these territories, Agrippa now reigned over the whole area of his grandfather Herod's kingdom, and the procuratorship of Judea was temporarily suspended.
The meeting was broken up by Marcus, the governor of Syria, possibly because he suspected a conspiracy with the King of Parthia. There was little to differentiate Agrippa's foreign policy as a client king of Rome from that of other Hellenistic monarchs. Because of his connections with Rome, Agrippa was regarded as the leading vassal king of the East, and once managed to bring several other kings together in Tiberias. Agrippa gave financial help to foreign cities and built several public buildings, including a theater and amphitheater in Berytus (Beirut).
The three years of Agrippa's reign were a period of relief and benefit for the Jewish people of Judea. The residents of Jerusalem were exempted from the impost [a tax or similar compulsory payment. Synonyms: tax, tariff, toll, excise, duty, fee, imposition, exaction, assessment, tithe, payment, mulct, taxation, customs, dues on houses.] Agrippa also attempted to fortify the city's walls until prevented by Marcus. He omitted the patronymic "Herod" from coins minted for him. He followed a markedly pro-Jewish policy when he was required to arbitrate disputes between Jews and non-Jews, as in a dispute with the citizens of Dor (Dora). He was also mindful of the welfare of Jews in the Diaspora. His most significant achievement was attaining an edict of privileges for the Jews of Alexandria from Claudius. Agrippa made frequent changes in the appointment of the high priest. He was highly sympathetic to the *Pharisees and was careful to observe Jewish precepts. He married his daughters to Jewish notables and withdrew his consent to the wedding of one daughter to Antiochus, King of Commagene when the latter refused to be circumcised. His close association with the Pharisees has attested in the statement of Josephus that "his permanent residence was Jerusalem, where he enjoyed living, and he scrupulously observed the ancestral laws." It is Agrippa I who is referred to in the Mishnah, which points out that when celebrating the festival of the first fruits, "even King Agrippa carried the basket [of fruits] on his shoulder" (Bik. 3:4). He is also apparently mentioned in Sotah 7:8, which states that contemporary rabbinical sages accorded him particular regard when he made a unique point of standing up to read the Torah, even though it was permissible for a king to do so while seated. When he reached the passage, "one from among thy brethren shalt thou set a king over thee; thou mayest not put a foreigner over thee," his eyes filled with tears since he was not of pure Jewish descent. The sages, however, called out, "Agrippa, you are our brother! You are our brother!" Agrippa died suddenly when in Caesarea, possibly due to poisoning by the Romans who feared his popularity with the population. After his death, Judea reverted to the Who was King Agrippa in the Bible?
There are two King Agrippas in the Bible, both part of the Herod family. King Herod Agrippa I was a grandson of Herod the Great; he ruled over Judea and Samaria. Agrippa I is the "King Herod" who killed James and imprisoned Peter (Acts 12:1–3). The son of Agrippa I was King Herod Agrippa II, also known as Julius Marcus Agrippa; he was the brother of Bernice and Drusilla and heard Paul's defense of the Gospel in Acts 26. Agrippa II had quite a lot of power in Jewish religious affairs, for he had been given custodianship of the Temple and the authority to appoint the high priest.
The apostle Peter escaped King Agrippa I's clutches, being miraculously released from prison (Acts 12:6–11). Later, Agrippa I traveled to Caesarea, where he addressed a crowd from his throne. The people shouted, "The voice of a god, and not of a man!" (Acts 12:22). Agrippa, filled with pride, accepted the praise, and "immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last" (Acts 12:23). So the persecutor of Christians died, "but the word of God increased and multiplied" (Acts 12:24).
During King Agrippa II's rule, the apostle Paul was engaged in a missionary journey. Many accepted his teachings about Jesus Christ and salvation, but he also gathered many enemies. When opponents to Paul's preaching incited a citywide riot in Jerusalem (see Acts 21:27–31), Paul was arrested by the Roman commander in charge of the city. Not knowing what to do with a Roman citizen who could incite so much anger among the Jews, the commander brought him before the Sanhedrin. The priests conspired to kill Paul, but the Roman commander got wind of the plot and had Paul safely transferred to Caesarea (Acts 23:35). Here, the Jewish leaders secured a lawyer named Tertullus (Acts 24:1) and accused Paul before the Roman governor, Felix. To appease the Jews, Felix imprisoned Paul.
After two years in prison, Paul was brought before Festus, Felix's successor (Acts 24:27—25:1). Paul appealed to the Emperor, and Festus acquiesced, intending to send Paul to Rome. A few days later, King Agrippa II and his sister Bernice (with whom Agrippa had an incestuous relationship) arrived for a visit. Festus told King Agrippa about Paul's case, admitting that he was at a loss regarding how to handle the matter (Acts 25:20). Agrippa's curiosity was piqued, and he asked to hear what Paul had to say (Acts 25:22).
The next day, Paul was brought before Festus, Agrippa, Bernice, and other officials gathered in the audience chamber of the palace (Acts 25:23), where Festus announced that he needed specific charges against Paul before sending him to Emperor Nero. King Agrippa II gave Paul leave to speak his mind (Acts 26:1). Paul spoke boldly, outlining his Roman citizenship, reputation, history as a Pharisee of the Law, and conversion to Christianity. In his speech, he laid out the Gospel clearly to all who were gathered.
When Paul mentioned the resurrection of Christ in Acts 26:23, Governor Festus interrupted his speech in a state of incredulity, saying that Paul's learning must have made him insane (Acts 26:24). However, Paul turned to Agrippa instead, knowing that Agrippa knew Jesus' ministry and the prophets' predictions about Him: "For the king knows about these things, and to him, I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner" (Acts 26:26). Paul then pressed the ruler on faith: "King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe" (Acts 26:27). However, King Agrippa, likely knowing that he had a reputation to uphold, replied, "In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?" (Acts 26:28). Paul responded graciously with the prayer that the whole assembly would come to know Christ (Acts 26:29). Then King Agrippa, Bernice, and the governor left the room. Conferring with each other, they decided that Paul was innocent and need not be jailed. King Agrippa II pointed out that he could not be released since Paul had appealed to Caesar (Acts 26:32).
Paul was later transferred to Rome, where he was placed under house arrest. He would eventually be executed in this city in A.D. 68, the final year of Emperor Nero's reign.
Interesting facts concerning:
King Agrippa I
• Agrippa I was born in 10 B.C.E. He was the son of Aristobulus IV, the son of Herod the Great.
• Father and son, however, did not get along, and Herod had Aristobulus executed in 7 B.C.E. when Agrippa was 3.
• Agrippa, who was named Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa after a friend of the Emperor, was spared. According to biblical texts, he was also known as Herod Agrippa or just Herod.
• Shortly after his father's death, Agrippa was sent to Rome to be educated. He became very close with the Emperor's son, Drusus Caesar, and became accustomed to living a life of luxury with endless financial resources. His other companions included the future emperors, Caligula and Claudius.
• When Agrippa was just 13, Drusus suddenly died, leaving him without a patron and deeply in debt.
• Given this change of fortune, he contemplated suicide.
• However, at some point, he married Cyprus (Cypros), who was one of his distant relatives. Together, they had five children.
• His wife, Cypros, and sister, Herodias, convinced his uncle, Herod Antipas, to give him a civil position in Tiberias.
• This lasted only a short time because Agrippa chafed under this "act of charity" and was only aware of his inferior status.
• He returned to Rome in 36 C.E. One day, he was overheard wishing for the death of Tiberius (who was quite elderly), so Caligula (his close friend) could be named Emperor. Right after making this remark, he was imprisoned.
• Within six months, Tiberius died. When Caligula assumed the throne, he freed Agrippa.
• He was then given several territories governed by his uncles, Philip and Lysanias, and the title "king."
• Herodias wanted equal rank for Herod Antipas, but Agrippa managed to have Herod exiled and be granted his territories through political intrigue.
• When Caligula was assassinated in 41, Agrippa supported Claudius' (another childhood friend) election to the Senate. For this, he was rewarded with the territories of Judea and Samaria.
• Eventually, his territories included Samaria, Judea, Galilee, and Perea – equaling an area more significant than Herod the Great.
• He was an essential and influential ruler whose successes began to worry Claudius.
• According to Josephus (first-century Jewish/Roman historian) and the Jews, Agrippa was well-loved and brought peace and stability to his territories.
• The hardships of his earlier years and his time in Rome taught him self-control and temperance.
• He ruled his territories with compassion and friendship.
• When he minted coins, he was careful not to include any symbols that would offend Jewish sensibilities.
• According to legend, he interceded on the Jews' behalf to prevent Caligula from setting up his statue in the Jewish Temple shortly before death. In this way, he prevented the Temple from being desecrated.
• The Christian account is somewhat different.
• He is the "King Herod" that appears in Acts, where he is described as a cruel and heartless ruler.
• Acts 12:1ff states that he arrested some who belonged to the church and intended to persecute them.
• He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
• When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he also seized Peter.
• After arresting Peter, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each.
• Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
• Probably, Agrippa did not look favorably upon a movement that seemed opposed to Judaism, a movement that began during his absence and quickly flourished.
• Accounts of his death also vary. After Passover in 44 C.E., he went to Caesarea for his sponsored games in Claudius's honor. During the games, he noticed an owl perched over his head. This had happened once before when Tiberius had imprisoned him. Then, it had been a good omen—signaling that he would soon be released.
• The caveat, however, was that if he ever saw the same event, it would signal his impending death – within five days.
• Indeed, he immediately came down with severe stomach and heart pains. He died within five days.
• Acts 12 reports that worms had eaten him. It is possible that this was a case of Fournier's gangrene, a type of abdominal bacterial infection that was usually fatal. Scholars think this was also the cause of the death of Herod the Great.
• The Christian version is that he had addressed the crowd; they had acclaimed him by saying, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man." Because he did not correct their thinking, Agrippa was immediately struck down by an angel for not giving praise to God.
• In either event, he died very unexpectedly in 44 C.E. and was deeply lamented by Jews and Romans.
