Day 2 and Evil enters our study. I find it amazing that in both the OT and the NT readings for today, we have schemers and evil-doers. My translation calls the serpent ‘crafty’. This is the definition of crafty in Dictionary.com: skillful in underhand or evil schemes; cunning; deceitful; sly.
The nuance of that word is hard to deny. In my world, we call that a ‘pot-stirrer’. Just wanted to see if they could push the others into getting into trouble.
Now, Herod, on the other hand, is WICKED.
Dictionary.com again: evil or morally bad in principle or practice; sinful; iniquitous: wicked people; wicked habits. 2.mischievous or playfully malicious 3.distressingly severe, as a storm, wound, or cold: a wicked winter. 4.unjustifiable; dreadful; beastly: wicked prices; a wicked exam. 5.having a bad disposition; ill-natured; mean: a wicked horse
Herod ranks right up there with Hitler, Stalin, and Pol Pot. Someone challenges you, kill them. And any other that may avenge or could possibly be like them.
What is so chilling about the story of Herod killing all the baby boys in Bethlehem is the casual, offhanded way that Matthew treats that story. There is no elaboration, no sidewalk gawking, it is just cold hard facts with a little bit of prophesy thrown in. There is no extra-Biblical evidence that this killing actually happened but in every account that I read regarding Herod, the common phrase was “it would have been totally in character for the Herod to commit such a terrible act”. 1
You have to be careful with the Herods. The Herod of Jesus’ birth died soon thereafter of a terrible cancerous disease – too bad. He left his kingdom to three of his sons after killing 2 others just before he died along with at least one of his 10 wives, possibly 2 others. One of his sons that survived the execution cycle was named Herod Antipas and this was the Herod of Jesus’ trial and execution.
I don’t know any wicked people. (Thank you, God!) I know a lot of pot-stirrers. Heck, sometimes I am the pot-stirrer. What makes a p-s shove all the way over to wicked? Is it getting caught by God like the serpent? I mean, the serpent ended up pretty bad. I am one of the few people I know that really likes snakes. The Hispanic workers that cut my neighbor’s yard killed my big 6’ black snake one summer. They kept shouting “El Diablo, El Diablo” (the devil, the devil) and nothing I could do would convince them not to kill him. He wasn’t even poisonous. But he was, in their culture, a manifestation of the Devil.
Or does it really take another poison, say, power or money, to push someone to evil? If I had been in Herod’s position, would I have ordered the killing of the babies? It truly is a frightening thought. How far do you have to go to become like that? What about the rest of the Genesis reading? Revenge. Jealousy. Cain. Evil.
In our psalm today, God tells the way to get great power, money, influence, possessions:
Vs 8:” Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.”
That is how you come out on top. By following the Lord. And from our Proverb :”the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom”.
1:http://www.livius.org/he-hg/herodians/herod_antipas.html
I did not know the information about Herod. Interesting. It also explains a question that i had. I have always wondered why Herod after trying to kill Jesus as a baby did not simply kill him 30 years later when he began preaching. The answer appears to be that Herod Sr did it tell Herod Jr about the prophecy or wise men.
ReplyDeleteI love the verses from Proverbs.
Of all the passages, this one intrigued me the most from Proverbs
ReplyDeleteListen, my son, to your father’s instruction
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
9 They are a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.
the yin and the yang
Starting through this again in 2024. I have used the information about the 2 different in discussions since then. I had even forgotten how I knew it.
ReplyDeleteOn the way Matthew describes the killing of the 2 year olds. I think He says it so matter of factly because he and everyone he thought would be reading his account would have known about it. This was not new information although the reason for it may have been.
Sylvia so happy that your blog is still here 13 years later. Looking forward to rereading it as I go 9 (and probably discovering more stuff that I know and don't know how I know it)