King Herod

When King Charles III was coronated, some protesters in England held the sign “Not My King.” Years before that, in America, people held the sign “Not My President” when Trump and Biden were elected. Centuries earlier, if people could have held signs, the Hebrews in Judea would have held signs that said, lo hameleki (לא מלכי) in Hebrew or uhe o vasileos mu (ουχί ο βασιλέως μου) in Greek, meaning, “Not My King” about Herod.

Herod was the second son of Antipater, an Idumean kingmaker. Idumeans were Gentiles. John Hyrcanus I, a Maccabean king, conquered and forced the men to be circumcised and the people to follow the Law of Moses.

Later, when two Maccabean kings fought to rule the Israelites, Antipater, the Idumean, sided with the weaker of the two brothers and helped him defeat his brother. As a “thank you,” the king appointed Herod, Antipater’s son, as a governor in Galilee. Herod was so successful in capturing and killing Rome’s enemies and taxing the people that Julius Caesar appointed him the King of Israel, dethroning the Hebrew kings. He was a Gentile king over the Hebrews, 40–4 BC.

Theophilus would have been aware of King Herod. Luke, therefore, began his narrative with him.

“In the days of Herod, the king of Judea” (Luke 1:5a)

Theophilus could check Luke’s accuracy because other Historiographer Royals would have documented everything in King Herod’s reign. Luke continued,

“A priest, by the name Zechariah, of the division of Abijah, and his wife, of the daughters of Aaron, by the name Elizabeth – both were righteous before God, keeping all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. And they had no children because Elizabeth was barren, and both were elderly.” (Luke 1:5–7)

Luke had a reason for these details. Theophilus could fact-check him.

There were several Abijah-s in the OT, including King Solomon’s son. But if Theophilus were to inquire, the priests would have directed him to 1 Chronicles 24:10. With an abundance of priests in Jerusalem, the priests were grouped, and each group served in the temple twice yearly for one week. When the time came for a group to serve in the temple, their duties were divided by a lot. The greater honor fell to the one chosen to enter the Temple and burn incense, as was Zechariah.

The greater honor, however, went to Elizabeth, “of the daughters of Aaron.” Jacob/Israel’s third son, Levi, had three sons. One of those sons had four sons, including Amram. Amram married his aunt (father’s sister) and had two sons: Aaron and Moses. Aaron married Elisheba and bore him sons and daughters. Elizabeth was a descendant of Elisheba and Aaron, the first high priest and the mouthpiece of Moses.

These husband and wife, of priestly families, “both were righteous before God, keeping all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.” They lived in a time when priests were as crooked as the Hebrew letter shin (ש). But Zechariah and Elizabeth were exceptions. They were righteous and blamelessly kept all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.

Further, they didn’t have any children. For the Hebrews, this meant they were like Abraham and Sarah, Jacob and Rachel, and Elkanah and Hannah – couples who waited for God to interfere. But for Theophilus, a curious beginning of a narrative. “Why is Luke telling me about a childless couple to talk about Paul?” Soon Theophilus would understand – miracles after miracles would follow this couple.

Blessings do not reflect our holiness. Righteous people can be childless or lose a child. God works in mysterious ways.