Real History and Politics of the Gospels

One of the catalysts of turmoil in Jesus' day, was the political strife and hardship caused by the Herods. From before Jesus was born, until well into the first century, the Herodian Dynasty was one of renown. Their rise to power came during the time of the then Hasmonean ruler John Hyrcanus (134-104 BC), when Judea conquered Edom and forced the Edomites to convert to Judaism. Gradually integrated into the Jewish nation some were able to reach high ranking positions. In the days of Alexander Jannaeus, an Edomite by the name of Antipas was appointed governor of Edom. His son Antipater I, father of Herod the Great, was the chief adviser to Hasmonean leader Hyrcanus II and managed in this position to establish a good relationship with the rising Roman Republic, who following conquest of Syria had intervened in a civil war in Judea. As a result of this friendship, Julius Caesar appointed Antipater I to be procurator of Judea in 47 BC and he appointed his sons Phasael and Herod to be governors of Jerusalem and Galilee. 

Mark Antony

As history notes, Julius Caesar was assassinated, in 44 BC, Caesar was due to appear at a session of the Senate. Mark Antony had vaguely learned of the plot the night before and fearing the worst, went to warn Caesar. The plotters, however, had anticipated this and, fearing that Antony would come to Caesar's aid, had arranged for Trebonius to intercept him just as he approached the portico of Theatre of Pompey, where the session was to be held, and detain him outside. When he heard the commotion from the senate chamber, Antony fled.  To combat Brutus and Cassius, who were massing an enormous army in Greece, Antony needed soldiers, the cash from Caesar's war chests, and the legitimacy that Caesar's name would provide for any action he took against them. On 27 November 43 BC, the Second Triumvirate was officially formed, composed of Antony, Octavian, and Caesar's loyal cavalry commander Lepidus. The Second Triumvirate reinstated the practice of proscription and engaged in the legally sanctioned murder of a large number of its opponents to secure funding for its forty-five legions in the second civil war against Brutus and Cassius. Antony and Octavius defeated them at Philippi.  During all of this Antipater was forced to side with Cassius against Mark Antony. When Cassius came to Syria to collect troops, he began to demand harsh tributes, so much so that some entire cities and city curators were sold into slavery. Antipater was poisoned in 43 BC however; his sons managed to hold the reins of power and were elevated to the rank of tetrarchs in 41 BC by Mark Antony. Not long after this, Mark Antony formed an alliance with Caesar's lover, Cleopatra, intending to use the fabulously wealth of Egypt as a base to dominate Rome. A third civil war then broke out between Octavian on one hand and Antony and Cleopatra on the other. This final civil war, culminating in the latter's defeat at Actium, resulted in the permanent ascendancy of Octavian, who became the first Roman emperor, under the name Caesar Augustus.

The Jews did not consider Herod a true Jew because he was Idumean or Edomite. Even

Herod the Great

though incorporated into Jewish society, Herod’s background and atrocities cast him in disfavor and the Jewish political and religious community became viewed by the common people as corrupt.  With Octavian declaring himself Caesar Augustus or “son of the divine” the Jews who had fought so hard to overcome the chains of bondage, once again found themselves under what they considered tyranny.  Many rebelled and were killed. The cry for a deliverer became even more feverish, and the prophesies of Daniel began to resound once more. And it would indeed be “in the days of these kings” that God would choose to send His Son and set up His kingdom.  You can read about them today in the Gospels and New Testament.

Jim