Herod or Jesus: Which “King” has had the most lasting influence?

A site located about 7.5 miles south of Jerusalem called the Herodium is a site that looks like a volcano—but it is not!   The Herodium was built by Herod the Great (Matthew 2).  According to Josephus, a Jewish historian, the Herodium served as a palace/fortress for Herod the Great.  Herod was buried here in 4 B.C.  Later the Herodium served as a base for Jewish rebels during the first (A.D. 66-70) and second (A.D. 132-135) revolts against the Romans.

View looking southwest at the volcanic-shaped Herodium
The Palace, Fortress, and Burial Site of Herod the Great

In addition, the Herodium is located only 3.5 miles southeast of Bethlehem—where Jesus (called the Christ) was born.

The Grotto of the Nativity
The “Traditional” Site Where it is said that Jesus was born

Herod was the king when Jesus was born—the same one who killed not only three of his sons, his favorite wife (Mariamne), the High Priest, his mother-in-law, but also the babies of Bethlehem (Matt 2:16).

Visitors to Israel are keenly aware of all the places built by Herod the Great and will probably visit Caesarea Maritima, the Temple Mount, and Masada.  And there are many others.  If fact, the land is littered with archaeological remains of places and buildings built by Herod.  But really, one must consider the lasting (cosmic?) significance of Herod versus that of the child that was born in the insignificant hamlet of Bethlehem—namely Jesus.

In spite of all the “oohing and aahing” at Herodian remains, today no one actually “worships” Herod—as they do Jesus.

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Herodium

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Herodium 31.665833, 35.241389


The source of this article is quoted as the HolyLandPhotos’ Blog

Carl Rasmussen

I am Professor Emeritus of Old Testament at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota. I received my PhD in Ancient Near Eastern Studies from Dropsie University. I have spent 16 years of my adult life living in, and guiding, academic groups in Israel, Jordan, Greece, and Turkey (including living, teaching, and guiding in Jerusalem for 7 years). I am an adjunct professor at the Jerusalem University College in Jerusalem and Bethel University in St. Paul, MN and serve as a consultant for a publisher and several media organizations. In June, 2010, Zondervan published a new, updated version of my Zondervan Atlas of the Bible. Lavishly illustrated, the new version has been updated in every way including new maps, pictures, graphics and updated text. I maintain the web site www.HolyLandPhotos.org that features over 5,200 free, high quality and high-resolution images of Israel, Turkey, Greece, Jordan, and Italy. Each year I lead adult “study tours” to Turkey, Greece, and Israel and teach in Israel, Turkey, and Greece. To request information on our May 14–31, 2019 trip send me the following form and I’ll forward information to you (you will not be bombarded with emails!).

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