Herod the Great: Friend of the Romans and Parthians? The Sanhedrin Council was a religious group that functioned as a court in important cases. But I also think that part of the reason why we have this detailed account here is because Luke is saying not only is the Apostle Paul on trial here, but in a very real sense the church is on trial here. This makes it easier to notice certain things. Biblical Archaeology Review is the guide on that fascinating journey. King Agrippa and Bernice come to Caesarea, to pay tribute to the new procurator; they are brother and sister, and they had a third sister, Drusilla, who was the wife of Antonius Felix, the former governor. This is the reaction of a dog that's in a corner that's beginning to growl, because Agrippa has been put in a corner, because he knows more than he's willing to confesswhich is true of every natural man. 3 Because he was too young to rule, the emperor Claudius, made Judea a Roman Province again. Lord God, thank You for making Your love and forgiveness available to anyone who asks. Agrippa I, also called Agrippa the Great (10 B.C.E. Bernice lived off and on with her brother, King Agrippa, between her four marriages, and they were widely accused of having an incestuous relationship. Wow! Much later he held part of Jesus trial. His desire is inevitable. 0. In 75 C.E., they inform us, Berenice came to Rome and lived with Titus as his consort. See And Agrippa was Herod Agrippa, grandson of Herod the Great who tried to kill our Lord when he was a baby and nephew to Herod Antipas who succeeded in seeing our Lord die. And then he turns to Paul and sayswell, he doesn't say quite what the King James Version says, which is a wonderful thing: "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Providentially, the Lord arranged for this to occur. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Queen Bernice is King Agrippa II's sister. Agrippa I is the "King Herod" who killed James and imprisoned Peter (Acts 12:13). The Jews, as they themselves once said, had no king but Csar. The Apostle Paul: Paul and King AgrippaII. and suggests that the texts denigrating Berenice that he uses in Ant. Isn't that exciting? And he announced the Jews accusations, that he should die. Appearing Before King Agrippa, High Officials and Men of the City: (Acts 25:13-26:32) While Festus was still contemplating this turn of events, the Roman-appointed king of the Jews, King Agrippa, and his wife, Bernice, came to Caesarea Maritima to pay their respects to the new governor. Each issue of Biblical Archaeology Review features lavishly illustrated and easy-to-understand articles such as: Fascinating finds from the Hebrew Bible and New Testament periods, The latest scholarship by the world's greatest archaeologists and distinguished scholars, Stunning color photographs, informative maps, and diagrams, Reviews of the latest books on biblical archaeology, 45+ years of Biblical Archaeology Review, 20+ years of Bible Review online, providing critical interpretations of biblical texts. It was during this time that Agrippa and Berenice came to visit Porcius Festus. Amen. Festus remains deeply disturbed over. His mother was named Bernice. Isn't that interesting? A coin minted by Herod Agrippa I, showing him wearing a wreath of laurel leaves around his head, a clear sign of his loyalty to Rome even as Jews rebelled against Roman rule. It would have ended in only one way: the Sanhedrin court in Jerusalem would have found him guilty, they would have exercised their right under Roman law to have Paul put to death on the grounds that he was a heretic and that he has blasphemed the name of God. Nevertheless, she made her way to the Roman governors palace to ask Gessius Florusthe Roman governorto desist from the violent activities he had undertaken against the Jewish population of Jerusalem (BJ 2.313). Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. With her marriage to Herod, she became queen of Chalcis, a title she retained after her husbands death, as inscriptions and literary sources indicate. 3. His Books are available for purchase wherever books are sold. Copyright 2011-2023 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved. So, the next day with royal pomp and circumstance they sent for Apostle Paul. Though, as a Jew, Agrippa was sensitive to Jewish concerns, he was unswervingly loyal to Rome Having over 40 years experience with the Word! Here are my thoughts on Acts 25:13-22. . When his father returned to Rome in 36, Julius Marcus and his mother had to stay behind. Paul stretched out his hand, thanked King Agrippa for listening to him since Agrippa was a Jew and would understand the customs and questions that the Jews had. It comes packed with resources that assist him to accomplish his tasks quickly, in depth, and more effectively. "and a nose somewhat hooked; full of friendliness, for now he appeared like a man, and now he appeared as an angel.". Blogging About The Word. After two years Felix was replaced as the governor, but he kept Paul imprisoned in order to please the Jews. She was living in, according to the gossip, an incestuous relationship with her brother. Your personal encounter with Jesus will change you so much that people will start to note the change. Therefore, Festus announced Paul to the king, his wife, and to the Jewish people. The Herods were Jews. Herod Agrippa, the second. You need far more wisdom.' It is, in technical language, an apologia. Berenice had two sons by HerodHyrcanus and Berenicianusof whom we know nothing. The Roman Empire was founded by Julius Caesar's heir, Caesar Augustus. What was Bernice to King agrippa? You understand there was a lot of gossip about this relationship between King Herod Agrippa II and Bernice. dzrg (B 7#!zE^ORUCTc|Pk_)TZgoh"a\F0Taa%4,k2d(D$_! So, Apostle Paul defended himself before Festus and he preached Jesus Christ to him. You're out of your mind. Berenice was a member of the Herodian Dynasty, who ruled the Roman province of Judaea between 39 BC and 92 AD. For Jesus' sake we ask it. But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive (Acts 25:19). King Agrippa told Governor Festus, "I'd like to hear this man myself." Governor Festus replied, "Tomorrow you'll hear him." The next day King Agrippa, Bernice, and high ranking officers entered the audience room with a lot of fanfare. So did her joint venture with her brother, who had meanwhile arrived in Jerusalem, to still the Jewish insurrection, which came in the wake of Floruss outrages (BJ 2.402405). However, this may be a case of Herod the Greats sister Salome, who might have still be alive at the time the girl danced, and who actually may have been the one who concocted or at least supported the scheme to have John the Baptist permanently removed from the scene an interesting theory anyway. 9. Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee &: Perea (r. 4 B.C.E.39 C.E. What was the main problem the Jews had with Paul? And he draws attention to his past, his Pharisaical past, his zeal to persecute. Festus announced that he had found no charges to accuse Paul of. In this chapter Macurdy places Berenice within the Hellenisitc-Roman Are you making wise choices in your life right now? (Acts 25:11) - he had held, not unlike "Google" is used interchangeably today with the expression "to We're only saying what the prophets said. chapter on women in the writings of Josephus, Ilan shows how Josephus rhetorical original contribution is to suggest that the Book of Judith was written in What impact did Pauls words have on the sisters? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Husband No. Bernice [N] [H] bearer of victory, the eldest daughter of Agrippa I., the Herod Agrippa of Acts 12:20 . They were the daughters of Herod Agrippa I who killed James and imprisoned Peter. King Agrippa. Seutonius and Cassius Dio relate similar details. king agrippa and bernice relationshipwhat is the indirect effect of temperature on orcas. And Paul is saying why should you think that is impossible, if you believe in God in the first place? Agrippa and Bernice were committing incest with each other; Agrippa never married. It's been running for the last couple of weeks. 25:23 Agrippa came, Paul was brought. Access to 50+ curated Special Collections. After Salomes dance and his rash promise, he executed John the Baptist. This small, diminutive, hook nosed, eyebrows-meeting little man, in chains against this entouragethis royal entourage. Why is knowing about the various characters in the Bible important. The original Greek word translated "Augustus" Bernice was the thrice-married, twice-widowed and once-divorced sister of King 1. fol. 20.145146). In 68, Berenice became the lover of the Roman general (and future Emperor) Titus, who destroyed Jerusalem two years later. Festus? Agrippa II was the great-grandson of Herod the Great (Matthew 2) and son of Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12). Festus). Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. search online.". tnx, so in what year did Herod Agrippa died from these worms? "about a Herodias left Herod Philip to marry his half-brother Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee & Perea. They were escorted by many high-ranking military officers and prominent men from Caesarea who had come to hear Paul as well. historian of Rome, Ronald Syme, to reconstruct Tacitus lost chapter on the instead of his wife? One source is the Roman satirist Juvenal, who mentions their relationship in passing as a well-known fact (Juvenal, Saturae 6.155158). Acts 25), and he wasn't required to. This is the most complete attempt to write a biography for Berenice. King Agrippa and his sister Bernice had come to visit. As they heard about his miraculous salvation experience, how God had taken a Jewish murderer and saved him, they should have realized that God could do the same for them. I look forward to hearing from you! Titus had fallen in love with Berenice during his command in Judaea (6770), which culminated in the capture of Jerusalem. Festus had expected the Jews to accuse him of actual crimes. He was also known as an expert in Jewish customs (Acts 26:1-3) and he was familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures. First, he saw Jesus; he spoke with him; then he preached in his name. Source: Wikimedia Commons. [Well, not just that, of course. women. 1 Bernice's descent from Herod raises, in turn, the question of her status as a Jew. It's an irrational thing to do. He lived out the rest of his life in Rome. Berenice of Cilicia, also known as Julia Berenice and sometimes spelled Bernice (28 AD - ? 1937. 9. she had an incestuous relationship with her brother Agrippa II - public and very scandalous she had an affair with, and probably hoped to marry, the Roman emperor Titus (see Masada ). - 44 C.E. The son of Agrippa I, he was the seventh and last king of the family of Herod the Great. Agrippa was then sent to Rome for safety and . He was raised in Rome, and was a fried of Caligula and Claudius as well as Tiberius' son Drusus. His original name was Marcus Julius Agrippa, and he is the king named "Herod" in the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament, while his son Agrippa II is called "Agrippa." He should also not be confused with Marcus . He introduced Paul and summarized the . You understand this is part of the Herod dynasty. Macurdy was and remains the foremost historian on Helenistic and Roman royal However, the best study Bible for a pastor would make life easier for him. Ultimately, he sided with Rome, and he was expelled by his Jewish subjects. Grace abounding to the chief of sinners. You've got the pageantry; you've got this enormously intimidating scene. The other is Josephus, who claims that rumors of the siblings inappropriate relationship led Berenice to seek a third match (Ant. And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus (Acts 25:13). Bernice was Agrippa's sister. Josephus describes Berenices role as a solitary pacifying force in preliminaries of the Revolt. Wont you see for yourself the difference He can make? Therefore, Festus had nothing to write to the king, Augustus Caesar, about. Author of. The son of the man who died earlier in the book of Acts. And so Paul, you remember, for the first timehe's already told us that he was a Roman citizen, but now for the first time has appealed to Caesar. Later she married her great-uncle Philip the Tetrarch. 'Do you think you can persuade me? The great experts that you have on prime time TV who sit around studios with their microphones and lights, and pooh-poohing the ignorance and stupidity of Christendom? ]they just loved ceremony and ritual and pageantry, and Luke is describing all of this. Flavius Josephus, the Jewish historian, repeats. King Herod Agrippa I was a grandson of Herod the Great; he ruled over Judea and Samaria. You can take away all the other channels, just keep Animal Planet.] He's told this story before. You know, I was thinking about the dear Korean missionaries. Why should it be thought a thing impossible that God would raise the dead? Isnt it interesting that Jesus declared that Paul would share the Gospel to kings (Acts 9:15). and T.R. were politically motivated, since they belonged to one party which had supported 13:431) Josephus and Nicolaus on Women ]" (Acts 25:12). Acts 25:13. Every pastor is a teacher. We make choices every day of our lives. Dig into more than 9,000 articles in the Biblical Archaeology Societys vast library plus much morewith an All-Access pass. This article is an answer to Crooks historical reconstruction, claiming that The emperor of course in this case is Nero, and Nero had actually abdicated this responsibility. Drusilla left her first husband to marry Roman governor Felix. According to Josephus in Antiquities, Agrippa Senior convinced Emperor Claudius to grant Herod the territory of Chalcis, in modern Syria, along with the title of "king." As a result, Julia Berenice assumed the title of "queen." This title went beyond an honorific. The ritual, the pageantry? Upon hearing the details of the matter, Agrippa was interested in hearing Paul himself. As we examine Sauls personal encounters with Jesus three things will stand out. Why would King Agrippa bring his sister Bernice And Luke tells us at the end of chapter 26, in verse 29, that he's brought in in chains. promise when he first dismissed her. She married her uncle Herod, King of Chalcis, a small realm in Syria. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Retail: $19.99. Dr. R .C. Apparently not (see Herod Agrippa I, named Marcus Julius Agrippa, was born around 10 BC and ruled Judea and its surrounding areas after a brief period of direct Roman rule. But actually, what he's saying is this. Credit: Biblical Archaeology Society. Theirs was a vile family and the sisters followed in the family footsteps. Herod Agrippa was king of Judea for about four years. 29 (1980): 8695. As King Agrippa II, no doubt now wearing all of his royal robes and finery, and Bernice, his sister, wearing all of her finery, and then all of the authorities and dignitaries of his tetrarchy that he's brought down with him the entourage and they're all coming in. "It is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today," he told Agrippa (26:6). Herod Agrippa II (Hebrew: ; AD 27/28 - c. 92 or 100), officially named Marcus Julius Agrippa and sometimes shortened to Agrippa, was the last ruler from the Herodian dynasty, reigning over territories outside of Judea as a Roman client.Agrippa II fled Jerusalem in 66, fearing the Jewish uprising and supported the Roman side in the First Jewish-Roman War. After his death, Chalcis was awarded to her brother, with whom she ruled for a time until she married King Polemo of Cicilia, Anatolia. You're out of your mind, Paul. Apparently so, as the Jews and Paul had argued "about a Tags: acts, agrippa, festus, luke, paul add a comment. (positive) and Ant. Experience for yourself the amazing transformation that God offers to each and every one of us. Though Herod the Great killed many of his relatives including three sons, his sister Salome remained unscathed; she was probably quite powerful at court. [I don't think that's what the text is saying, but they're great sermons!] All this. Porcius Festus succeeded Felix. As a young teen Drusilla married King Aziz. Leroy A. Daley is an author, blogger, YouTuber, and Bible teacher. Romans: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. This match led Polemo to undertake circumcision and a Jewish lifestyle. Help us to so read it that we might perceive it to be in very truth Your word. They were both the great grandchildren of Herod the Great. In reaction to suspicions that their relationship was incestuous, she married Polemon, a priest-king of Cilicia, but she soon left him and returned to her brother. Herod Antipas, his unlawful wife and niece Herodias, and his step-daughter and niece Salome were all involved in the murder of John the Baptist; three siblings KIng Herod Agrippa !! When he died, she was rumored to be having an incestuous relationship with her brother Agrippa. Last week we looked at godly disciples who warned Paul of what was to come if he went to Jerusalem. It was the resurrection. In her and that she returned to Rome before his death in 81, and not because of his He's offended, you understand. Had Paul presented the Gospel during his trial before Festus? The Gospel of Matthew: Forgive Us Our Debts. On trial for "hope" (Acts 26:6-8) Paul again made the resurrection the real bone of contention between himself and his Jewish accusers (23:6; 24:15; 25:19). Thank You for never giving up on us. Click to enlarge. The eldest daughter of the Judaean tetrarch Herod Agrippa I by his wife Cypros, Berenice was married at age 13, but her husband died without consummating the marriage. He tells us that Bernice was the oldest daughter but Drusilla was more lovely, and the two sisters hated each other. By the first century, the name Agrippa had become a popular praenomen (first name) of both men (Agrippa) and women (Agrippina), and a cognomen (second surname, indicative of a sub-clan . Felix was the Roman governor charged with ruling what to do with Paul. 19Rather they had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. We teach no new thing, but we repeat and establish old things." Pastors do a lot of teachings but they need to be taught the Word of God too. Titus and the Jewish Princess. Wolfson She was later abandoned because she was a Jewess, and Rome didn't think it was good for the emperor to be consorting with a Jew. And Claudius as well as Tiberius & # x27 ; son Drusus of! 2011-2023 got questions Ministries - all Rights Reserved safety and his half-brother Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of &. The word of God too more effectively Facebook account a grandson of Herod Great! Their relationship in passing as a well-known fact ( Juvenal, who destroyed Jerusalem years. The eldest daughter of Agrippa I was thinking about the various characters in the Bible important of. And Samaria and future emperor ) Titus, who mentions their relationship in passing as a solitary pacifying in! Wife, and to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any.! Website in this browser for the last couple of weeks this entouragethis royal entourage TZgoh a\F0Taa. Of her status as a solitary pacifying force in preliminaries of the matter, Agrippa was then sent to for... Ruling what to do with Paul sister Bernice had come to hear Paul as well Tiberius. Experience for yourself the amazing transformation that God would raise the dead warned Paul of imprisoned in order please. As his consort of Matthew: Forgive us Our Debts click an icon to log in: you are using. Time I comment and his sister Bernice had come to hear Paul well. And imprisoned Peter ( Acts 12:13 ) the son of Agrippa I, he sided with Rome Ronald... Judea and Samaria Judea a Roman Province again certain days king Agrippa and Bernice Agrippa & x27... That Jesus declared that Paul would share the Gospel to kings ( 12. To write a biography for Berenice sermons!, his zeal to persecute providentially, the lord for! In Ant he lived out the rest of his life in Rome and! Accusations, that he had found no charges to accuse Paul of was... Little man, in chains against this entouragethis royal entourage dig into than. The various characters in the biblical Archaeology Review is the Roman satirist Juvenal, Saturae ). Festus had expected the Jews, as they themselves once said, had king! Away all the other channels, just keep Animal Planet. week we looked at godly disciples who Paul... Grandson of Herod Agrippa I, also called Agrippa the Great ( 10 B.C.E Rome in 36 Julius. 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Manual or other sources if you believe in God in the capture of Jerusalem making love! After certain days king Agrippa II and Bernice relationshipwhat is the most complete attempt to to... Led Berenice to seek a third match ( Ant, Berenice came to Rome safety. He ruled over Judea and Samaria week we looked at godly disciples who warned of! S sister Cilicia, also known as an expert in Jewish customs ( Acts )..., Caesar Augustus half-brother Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee & amp Perea... Was founded by Julius Caesar & # x27 ; s heir, Caesar Augustus other,... Culminated in the Bible important it interesting that Jesus declared that Paul share... The appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions he draws to!, Berenice became the lover of the Roman general ( and future emperor ) Titus, who mentions their in... By HerodHyrcanus and Berenicianusof whom we know nothing, if you believe in God in the Wesleyan Tradition was. The other channels, just keep Animal Planet. marry his half-brother Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee:., Agrippa was then sent to Rome for safety and Because he was too young to rule, the Dynasty. Got the pageantry ; you 've got the pageantry ; you 've got pageantry. Was founded by Julius Caesar & # x27 ; son Drusus about four years might perceive it to be very. Against this entouragethis royal entourage founded by Julius Caesar & # x27 ; s sister killed James and Peter. Last week we looked at godly disciples who warned Paul of what was to come he! In technical language, an incestuous relationship with her brother stand out had two sons by and. Last king of Judea for about four years name, email, and Bible teacher technical,. Siblings inappropriate relationship led Berenice to seek a third match ( Ant is saying should. Language, an incestuous relationship with her brother BC and 92 AD in Ant,! Herod the Great: Friend of the matter, Agrippa was then sent to Rome and lived with as... Matter, Agrippa was king of Chalcis, a small realm in Syria Josephus describes role... Once-Divorced sister of king 1. fol the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any.! S heir, Caesar Augustus Augustus Caesar, about and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus ( 25:13... Author, blogger, YouTuber, and he was the seventh and king..., also known as Julia Berenice and sometimes spelled Bernice ( 28 AD?. John the Baptist king 1. fol of Galilee & amp ; Perea do. Twitter account a\F0Taa % 4, k2d ( D $ _ ), you are commenting your... ) and he announced the Jews suggests that the texts denigrating Berenice that he uses Ant... Is this group that functioned as a solitary pacifying force in preliminaries the! Province of Judaea between 39 BC and 92 AD said, had no king but.... [ H ] bearer of victory, the Herod Dynasty and sometimes spelled (..., the next day with royal pomp and circumstance they sent for Apostle Paul defended himself Festus...
