People of the Bible
Who Was Herod in the Bible?
Herod is the name of a ruling family in the Gospels whose members opposed Christ from His birth onward, a study in how threatened power resists the true King.
Herod the Great, king when Jesus was born, was so disturbed by news of a newborn king that he ordered the killing of the children of Bethlehem, while the holy family fled to Egypt. His son Herod Antipas later mocked Jesus and had beheaded John the Baptist.
Still later, Herod Agrippa persecuted the young church, killing the apostle James, and himself died under God's judgment for accepting worship due to God alone. Across the family, the Herods show power clutching at a throne that belongs to Christ.
Key verses
“When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.”Matthew 2:3, King James Version
“And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.”Acts 12:23, King James Version
A key moment
Hearing that a king has been born, Herod is troubled and turns to violence, revealing a heart that would rather destroy than bow to the true King.
What we learn
We learn, soberly, that clinging to our own thrones sets us against God, and that all earthly power is fleeting before the King who truly reigns.
How Herod points to Jesus
The Herods raged against Jesus from His cradle onward, yet could not stop Him. Their fear only underlines who He is: the true and rightful King, whose kingdom outlasts every dynasty that tried to snuff Him out.
Common questions
Where is Herod in the Bible?
Matthew 2, Mark 6, Luke 23, and Acts 12.
What can we learn from Herod?
We learn, soberly, that clinging to our own thrones sets us against God, and that all earthly power is fleeting before the King who truly reigns.
The same God who met Herod is near to you today. Step inside The Living Bread to read the Scriptures, pray, and walk with the family of God.