Sunday, December 24, 2008

Christmas story. He sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb. The contrast between this

aged ruler and the tiny Christ child could not be any greater!

The 70 year-old Herod is on his death bed: the critically-ill king will die in the

same year Jesus is born. Herod has reigned for 33 years, but Jesus will only live to be 33.

This "great" monarch of Judaea (Herod) has erected a number of magnificent

monuments to his own glory, the crowning achievement being the modern city of Caesaria,

named after the Roman Emperor. He has a lovely summer palace on the shores of Lake

Galilee. Jesus has no home to call his own: "'Foxes have holes and birds of the air have

nests; but the Son of man (will) have nowhere to lay his head'" (Matt. 8:20). His "summer

palace" will be the stern of a smelly fishing boat.

Now the baby sleeps in a crude feeding trough in a borrowed stable. With his

parents he will soon become a fugitive on the road into Egypt. While Herod slaughters

hundreds of innocent little children, Jesus will die that countless millions may have new life. And after he dies, he will be laid to rest in another man's tomb.

Herod rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem, no doubt with money minted during his

reign. The historian Josephus once wrote, "one who has not seen Herod's temple has never

seen a beautiful building." Jesus will drive out the money changers and he will promise

the destruction of this temple.

Herod has had ten wives, several of whom he murdered. Two sons plotted to steal

his throne, who were subsequently executed by Herod's own court. This king's last living

act will be to order the death of yet a third son. Jesus will have no wife, yet he will respect

and honor women as no other Jewish male before or after him. Mary's first-born will have

no family of his own. It will seem that he cares little for his own mother and brothers:

"'Who are my mother and my brothers...Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and

sister, and mother'" (Mark 3:34-35). His final living act will be to entrust his mother to the

loving care of his favorite disciple.

Herod the Great is a noted war hero, a distinguished military commander, who rose

to power during civil insurrection. Jesus will refuse to take up the sword; he is the Prince

of Peace, but his truth will cut deeper than any weapon of war.

Herod cared nothing for the tradition of his homeland. He violated every ethical

standard and tradition of the Jews. Before the end of his regime, it was said that he no

longer had the ability to separate the truth from all the lies. The One who claims, "'I am

the Truth,'" will pay careful attention to the ethical mores, laws and traditions of his

homeland. He is the fulfillment of the law, a teacher of the law, but he will also replace it.

Herod bought his kingdom with a bribe; he paid to have his chief rival murdered.

Jesus will not allow the crowd to acclaim him king on Palm Sunday and he will not say a

word in his defense before one who is able to sentence him to death. Herod is Jewish by

birth, the second of five sons, and the favorite of his father. His ordinary parents were

converts. Jesus, the first of five sons, also born of ordinary parents, nevertheless comes

from the royal, priestly line of David. While Herod may have been king of Judaea, he was

in no real sense the king of the Jews. He died and is gone, and history has dismissed him

--good riddance to an evil, murderous tyrant. The son of Joseph, a carpenter, was truly

"the king of the Jews" and king over all who will follow him. Jesus lives and reigns in our

midst--2,000 years later, and we confess him to be "Lord and Savior."

* * *

What makes the critical difference between these two first-century men, these two

kings of Christmas? The answer is quite simple. Herod the Great lived only for himself,

and the basis for his kingdom was absolute power. Jesus the Christ lived only for others,

and the basis for his life was a perfect obedience to the love of his Father in heaven.