Why was Herod reluctant to kill John the Baptist?

Answer 1

A:Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee and son of King Herod the Great, was afraid that the Jews would rise up in insurrection because of John the Baptist's public criticism of Herod's marriage to Herodias. Herodias was the former wife of Antipas' own brother and John the Baptist began to criticise this as immoral. The wedding took place in 34 CE. John was executed in 35 or 36 CE on the orders of Herod Antipas, out of fear that he was stirring the Jews up for rebellion. The relevant text from Book 18 of Antiquities of the Jews:

"Now many people came in crowds to him, for they were greatly moved by his words. Herod, who feared that the great influence John had over the masses might put them into his power and enable him to raise a rebellion (for they seemed ready to do anything he should advise), thought it best to put him to death. In this way, he might prevent any mischief John might cause, and not bring himself into difficulties by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it would be too late. Accordingly John was sent as a prisoner, out of Herod's suspicious temper, to Macherus, the castle I already mentioned, and was put to death."

Answer 2

We know from the Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, that Herodias had divorced Philip in order to marry Herod Antipas around 34 CE. Josephus does not mention any grudge, but does say that John the Baptist disapproved of the marriage and was imprisoned at Macherus and eventually executed because of his outspokeness.

The gospels differ in some respects from Josephus' account, but do say that Herodias had a quarrel with John the Baptist, without saying what that quarrel was - no doubt his outspokeness. She would have killed him if she could, but told her daughter to ask for his head on a platter. Although this account differs from that of Josephus, it has many similarities to Homer's story of the death of Agamemnon. The grudge that Clytemnestra had for Agamemnon, who posed a threat to her affair, could help explain the grudge held by Herodias in the gospels.

Answer 3

Matthew and Mark both say that Herod Antipas was sorry to have John beheaded, but did so only because he had given his word and felt that he could not fail to keep it. Neither gospel gives a reason for that reluctance, although Luke hints that Herod Antipas felt guilty for having done so. The first-century Jewish historian, Josephus, suggests that there was neither reluctance nor any feeling of guilt. He simply says that John was imprisoned and executed for publicly condemning Antipas for marrying his brother's former wife. For Herod Antipas, the sooner he had John the Baptist executed, the less risk of trouble from his Jewish subjects.

Answer 4

A:In the gospel accounts, Herod Antipas held a party in Galilee for the senior men. The daughter of his new wife, Herodias, entranced him with her dancing and he offered to give her anything she wanted. Herodias wanted John the Baptist dead for criticising her marriage to Antipas, after divorcing Philip, so she told her daughter to ask for John's head on a platter. Herod Antipas was loathe to have John killed, but was forced to keep his promise. In the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke), John was executed right at the very beginning of Jesus' ministry, apparently about 29 CE.

The historical account, told by Josephus, is somewhat different. The gospel account is correct in that John the Baptist had publicly criticised Antipas' marriage to Herodias, which took place in 34 CE. But Herod himself had wanted John killed, lest he start an uprising among the people of Galilee. There was no party in Galilee and John the Baptist died in 35 or 36 CE in the faraway castle of Macherus. The relevant text from Book 18 of Antiquities of the Jews says:

"Now many people came in crowds to him, for they were greatly moved by his words. Herod, who feared that the great influence John had over the masses might put them into his power and enable him to raise a rebellion (for they seemed ready to do anything he should advise), thought it best to put him to death. In this way, he might prevent any mischief John might cause, and not bring himself into difficulties by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it would be too late. Accordingly John was sent as a prisoner, out of Herod's suspicious temper, to Macherus, the castle I already mentioned, and was put to death."

Answer 5

AnswerThe first-century Jewish historian, Josephus, tells us that Herod Antipas was not so much in fear of an uprising after the death of John the Baptist as before. He had John executed in order to forestall an uprising.

John the Baptist provoked King Herod Antipas, and ultimately brought about his own death, by criticising Antipas' marriage to his own brother's former wife. Josephus tells us that the marriage took place no earlier than 34 CE, and that when John's public criticisms came to Antipas' notice he had him shut up in the castle of Macherus and then executed, for fear of a revolt by the Jews. John the Baptist seems to have been a remarkably charismatic person, who could have led a revolt against Herod, but Herod seems to have been confident that John's execution would remove that threat.

As it turned out, Herod had more to fear from his former father-in-law, King Aretas. King Aretas attacked and defeated Antipas in 36 CE in revenge for the slight to his daughter, whom Herod Antipas had divorced. The Jews saw the defeat as God's punishment for his execution of John the Baptist, which appears to have taken place in shortly before this battle.

Answer 6

A:There is no suggestion anywhere in The Bible that King Herod ever knew of John the Baptist. King Herod died in 4 BCE, when John would probably have been just a baby. However, King Herod is often confused with his son, Herod Antipas, who never became king but was made tetrarch of Galilee.

Herod Antipas was afraid that the Jews would rise up in insurrection because of John the Baptist's public criticism of his marriage to Herodias. Herodias was the former wife of Antipas' own brother, and John the Baptist began to criticise this as immoral. The wedding took place in 34 CE. John was executed in 35 or 36 CE on the orders of Herod Antipas, out of fear that he was stirring the Jews up for rebellion. The relevant text from Book 18 of Antiquities of the Jews:

"Now many people came in crowds to him, for they were greatly moved by his words. Herod, who feared that the great influence John had over the masses might put them into his power and enable him to raise a rebellion (for they seemed ready to do anything he should advise), thought it best to put him to death. In this way, he might prevent any mischief John might cause, and not bring himself into difficulties by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it would be too late. Accordingly John was sent as a prisoner, out of Herod's suspicious temper, to Macherus, the castle I already mentioned, and was put to death."

Answer 7

A:John the Baptist was clearly a popular preacher who taught high moral values. When Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee and son of King Herod the Great, married Herodias, his brother's former wife, John the Baptist began to criticise this as immoral. Herod Antipas was afraid that the Jews would rise up in insurrection because of John the Baptist's public criticism of the marriage, which took place in 34 CE. John was executed in 35 or 36 CE on the orders of Herod Antipas, out of fear that he was stirring the Jews up for rebellion. The relevant text from Book 18 of Antiquities of the Jews:

"Now many people came in crowds to him, for they were greatly moved by his words. Herod, who feared that the great influence John had over the masses might put them into his power and enable him to raise a rebellion (for they seemed ready to do anything he should advise), thought it best to put him to death. In this way, he might prevent any mischief John might cause, and not bring himself into difficulties by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it would be too late. Accordingly John was sent as a prisoner, out of Herod's suspicious temper, to Macherus, the castle I already mentioned, and was put to death."