KILLING INNOCENTS—FOR A GOOD REASON: TODAY’S HEROD, CAIAPHAS, AND PILATE

[Geee]

American Spectator:

You have most probably heard the haunting “Coventry Carol” sung principally during the Christmas season. It recounts King Herod the Great’s massacre of all males under the age of two in Bethlehem described in the Gospel of Matthew 2:1-18. Herod had been outwitted by the three Magi who had not returned to Jerusalem, as he had requested, to inform him of the location of the child-king they had been seeking. Herod had told the Magi he wanted to worship the child. In fact, he wanted to kill any pretender to the throne Herod occupied. Human history has been filled with Herods.

 

Another example, another from the Bible, appropriate to reflect on today, a day commemorated by Christians worldwide as Good Friday, is Caiaphas (pronounced “kahy-uh-fuhs”). He was a Jewish high priest in first century A.D. Palestine, the son-in-law of the former high priest Annas. According to the Jewish historian Josephus, Caiaphas had been appointed high priest in 18 A.D. by Valerius Gratus, the predecessor to the Roman procurator Pontius Pilate (pronounced like the word “pilot”). Caiaphas was not removed for 18 years — until Vatellius removed him in 36 A.D. One commentator has observed that, at “a time when high-priests were made and unmade by officials of Rome, and when the principal quality required seems to have been subserviency, it is no credit to the character of Caiaphas to have enjoyed their favour so long.”

 

The New Testament reports on a dinner at a home in Bethany. One account says it was the home of Simon “the Leper” (he could not have actually been a leper, although he could have been ostracized). The other account says it was the home of Mary, Martha, and the recently raised-from-the-dead Lazarus. In both accounts, a woman poured hugely expensive oil, equal to 300 days’ wages, on the head of Jesus. Judas Iscariot, a disciple of Jesus, became inflamed at this “waste.” Judas went to the chief priests who were meeting in Caiaphas’ home, plotting to put Him to death. Judas asked for their price and they gave him 30 pieces of silver. (Matthew 26: 3-15; Mark 14:3-11; John 11:45-53.)