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By Tyson Thorne

August 6, 2014
 
 

HerodConsequence large

With Peter running from the law, Luke turns to the reaction of the authorities to Peter’s escape, and it’s not a pleasant one. The soldiers guarding Peter’s cell were the first to notice his absence. When word reached Herod he ordered a careful search for Peter and, when not found, ordered the execution of the guards. Four men died that day instead of Peter. Dismayed that his public spectacle could not proceed, Herod left town to reside at the palace in Caesarea-Maritima.

Shortly thereafter Herod entered into a diplomacy bungle with the rulers of Tyre and Sidon. All three came to the table to hammer out a peace accord that would grant the free trade of food between kingdoms (remember, this is 44 AD and a severe famine was affecting the entire empire). With an agreement made, Herod made a public display of the peace treaty with all the pomp and circumstance he could muster. He dressed himself in his royal robes and made a speech before the assembly of people and rulers.

Josephus describes his appearance:

…he put on a garment made wholly of silver, and of a contexture truly wonderful, and came into the theater early in the morning; at which time the silver of his garment being illuminated by the fresh reflection of the sun’s rays upon it, shone out after a surprising manner, and was so resplendent as to spread a horror over those that looked intently upon him; and presently his flatterers cried out, one from one place, and another from another, (though not for his good), that he was a god; and they added, “Be thou merciful to us; for although we have hitherto reverenced thee only as a man, yet shall we henceforth own thee as superior to mortal nature.” Upon this the king did neither rebuke them, nor reject their impious flattery.

During his speech the crowd was awed by his words and some began to shout that Herod was more akin to a god than a man. Herod did nothing to correct this view, so an angel of the Lord took the life of Herod then and there. The ruler’s end was gruesome. The Bible simply indicates that he was eaten by worms, but Josephus indicates his condition began with a severe stomach pain, upon which he was carried into the palace where he died. This has lead modern scholars to believe he (as well as his grandfather who was responsible for the death of John the Baptist and Jesus) was afflicted with a flesh-eating bacteria that began in the genital region. Without medical attention, it is entirely possible that as the infection grew maggots began to eat away the dead and dying flesh hastening his demise.

Clearly this chapter illustrates that the persecution of the church in 44 AD was a conflict between Herod’s ego and God’s jealous righteousness, not between the church and Jewish leadership. Again one can find remarkable parallels between Peter’s situation and that of Elijah. Jezebel was also killed in a dramatic and gruesome fashion, being pitched out of a tower’s window and run over by a chariot. It is best for political rulers not to threaten the servants of God!