Herod the Great: Comparing Josephus with Matthew 2

Here is a lengthy excerpt from a paper I wrote last week about Herod the Great. My thesis: Josephus' accounts of Herod confirm his actions in Matthew 2. He is just the type of guy who would murder all the boys in Bethlehem.

Herod’s governing policies show his selfish and even paranoid grip on the reins of power. The first major event that reveals information about Herod’s rule is the death of Antony. According to Josephus, Herod and Antony were good friends and they held a political alliance. But when Antony was defeated by Octavian at Actium, Herod recognized that his position as ruler over Judea was in jeopardy unless he show his allegiance to Octavian. So Herod immediately sailed to Rhodes to meet with him. He presented himself before Octavian without a crown and in the clothing of a commoner in order to show his deference. Herod could have well been killed immediately for his previous alliance with Antony. But instead, Octavian granted him his kingdom back and even extended Herod’s rule. This event shows that Herod was not shy to change his political allegiances when he was threatened or it served his best interest. We may infer that in Herod’s quest for power, he would ally himself with whoever would gain him the most advantageous position.

Another major event that we find chronicled in Josephus’ writing is Herod’s program to rebuild the Jewish Temple, and the build the Antonia Fortress and the Caesareum and Agrippeum palaces in Jerusalem. Josephus writes,

"Thus, in the fifteenth year of his reign, [Herod] restored the Temple and, by erecting new foundation-walls, enlarged the surrounding area to double its former extent. The expenditure devoted to this work was incalculable, its magnificence never surpassed…the fortress he restored at a lavish cost in a style no way inferior to that of a palace, and called it Antonia in honor of Antony. His own palace, which he erected in the upper city, comprised two most spacious and beautiful buildings, with which the Temple itself bore no comparison; these he named after his friends, the one Caesareum, the other Agrippeum." (Josephus, War i. 401ff, 408, 417, 422)

When one combines this information from Josephus with archeological evidence of other cites such as Caesarea Maritima, one begins to wonder what Herod’s motives were for undergoing such ambition building programs. As already noted, Herod seems to be type of politician who carefully calculates his allegiances and works hard to secure his position of power. It is becoming clear that Herod’s rebuilding of the Temple likely is an attempt to buy favor with the Jews who do not approve of him. Furthermore, Herod seems to enjoy naming massive building projects after his friends and political allies. Naming his palace buildings Caesareum and Agrippeum are perfect examples. We are beginning to get a picture of a man who will go to great lengths to gain friends or appease his subjects. The root of Herod’s motivations is selfishness.

A last event that we find recorded in Josephus tells of Herod’s growing paranoia regarding the security of his throne. We learn from Josephus,

"For, on ascending the throne, [Herod] had dismissed his wife whom he had taken when he was still a commoner, a native of Jerusalem named Doris, and married Mariamme, daughter of Alexander, the son of Aristobulus…in the interest of his children by Mariamme, [Herod] banished from the capital the son whom he had had by Doris…Next he put to death, on suspicion of conspiracy, Hycranus, Mariamme’s grandfather, who had come back from Parthia to Herod’s court." (Josephus, War i. 429-33)

In this account, we see that even Herod’s family relations come down to calculated political decision. He changes wives to secure a political alliance, going so far as banishing his own son from the capital. Herod then murders his new wife’s grandfather on suspicion of conspiracy. These actions give a window into Herod’s selfish and even paranoid method of ruling. This evidence from Josephus also shows first-hand that Herod is not beyond murder in order to secure his own seat of power.

The implications for understanding Matthew 2:1-18 must be investigated. In these verses, we see the background material from Josephus vividly illuminate the actions of Herod. In this account, Magi from the East come to Palestine to find a new king who has been born. They arrive in Jerusalem and ask Herod, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him” (Matt 2:2, NIV). The text says, “When Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him” (Matt 2:3). After consulting with the chief priests and the teachers of the law, Herod “send them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him’” (Matt 2:8). But the Magi were warned in a dream not to return to Herod. “When Herod realized that he has been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under” (Matt 2:16a). When one compares this passage with the material from Josephus, it seems that Herod is simply acting in line with what we already know about his personality and political policies. He clearly is afraid of any threat to his throne, and he first attempts to snuff out the threat of the baby Jesus by trickery. When that doesn’t work, he simply murders every child in the Bethlehem area. From what we know about Herod’s selfishness, paranoia, and fear of political opponents, this action should not be surprising.