Topical Bible: Children: Edict to Murder of Herod

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Topical Encyclopedia

The edict to murder the children, often referred to as the "Massacre of the Innocents," is a significant event recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. This tragic episode is set in the context of the birth of Jesus Christ and highlights the tyrannical rule of Herod the Great, the Roman-appointed king of Judea.

Biblical Account

The account is found in Matthew 2:16-18. After the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem seeking the "King of the Jews" (Matthew 2:2). Herod, disturbed by the news of a potential rival to his throne, deceitfully instructed the wise men to report back to him once they found the child, under the pretense of wanting to worship Him (Matthew 2:8).

Warned in a dream not to return to Herod, the wise men departed for their country by another route (Matthew 2:12). Realizing he had been outwitted, Herod was furious and ordered the massacre of all male children in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, based on the time he had learned from the wise men (Matthew 2:16).

Historical and Theological Context

Herod the Great, known for his architectural achievements and political acumen, was also infamous for his paranoia and brutality. Historical records outside the Bible, such as those by the Jewish historian Josephus, corroborate Herod's ruthless nature, though they do not specifically mention the massacre. This omission is often attributed to the relatively small scale of the event in the context of Herod's other atrocities.

Theologically, the massacre fulfills the prophecy of Jeremiah: "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing consolation, because they are no more" (Matthew 2:18; cf. Jeremiah 31:15). This prophecy, originally referring to the Babylonian exile, is seen as typologically fulfilled in the sorrow of the mothers of Bethlehem.

Significance in Christian Tradition

The massacre is commemorated in the Christian liturgical calendar as the Feast of the Holy Innocents, observed on December 28th. The event underscores the cosmic battle between good and evil, with Herod's actions representing the forces of darkness attempting to thwart God's redemptive plan through Jesus Christ.

In Christian thought, the Holy Innocents are often regarded as the first martyrs for Christ, as their deaths were directly linked to the attempt to eliminate the Messiah. This event serves as a somber reminder of the cost of discipleship and the reality of suffering in a fallen world.

Moral and Ethical Reflections

From a moral perspective, the massacre highlights the destructive nature of power when wielded without regard for justice or human dignity. Herod's actions serve as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked ambition and the devaluation of human life.

For believers, the narrative calls for a response of compassion and advocacy for the innocent and vulnerable, reflecting the heart of God who values and protects the least among us. The account of the Holy Innocents challenges Christians to stand against injustice and to uphold the sanctity of life in all its forms.

Nave's Topical Index

Matthew 2:16-18
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Cruelty of Herod Toward the Infants, and the Manner of his ...
... to be his birthplace he commanded, in a single edict, all the ... reign by successive
calamities in his family, by the murder of wife and children, and others ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter viii the cruelty of herod.htm

"In the Volume of the Book it is Written of Me" (Heb. . .
... we know from the Scripture record, no human eye witnessed the dastardly murder of
Abel ... Fourth, in this edict of slaying the young children in Bethlehem ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/in the volume of the.htm

The Sixth Commandment
... So, many kill little children by medicines that cause their ... with blood, consider
what a sin murder is ... breach of his command, and trampling upon his royal edict. ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 6 the sixth commandment.htm

Obedience
... look upon, but, being barren, said, Give me children, or I ... 4. Why does a king publish
an edict, but that ... kingdom), God looked upon it as no better than murder. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/the ten commandments/1 1 obedience.htm

Acts v. 17, 18
... What royal edict, I ask, would ever have persuaded men ... The man who has children to
be provoked with, the ... what was even worse than perjury, he committed murder. ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xiii acts v 17.htm

The City of God. Index of Subjects.
... when it may be inflicted without committing murder, [441]15 ... the, [643]263, etc.,
[644]264, etc.; children of the ... Herod, [841]393; a persecutor, [842]388, [843]389 ...
/.../augustine/on christian doctrine in four books /the city of god index.htm

General Index to Sozomen's Ecclesiastical History.
... 269; character, [2677]269; baptized children when a ... Crispus, son of Constantine,
murder of, [3034]242 ... Gratian, emperor, [3336]209; toleration edict of, [3337]210 ...
/.../general index to sozomens ecclesiastical.htm