Anxious to see Jesus?
A Gospel Enquiry
Introduction
Why would Herod be anxious to see Jesus? The man we meet in the Gospels lusted for power. Being so focused on himself and the satisfaction of his own wants, Herod ruled by fear and ridicule with no regard for human life or for the culture of the people of his land.
He built the city of Tiberius, in honor of the Roman emperor, on the western shore of Lake Galilee. He unwisely chose land that was a Jewish cemetery and was incensed when none of his fellow Jews would live in the city he built.
When he married the wife of his half-brother Philip, after divorcing his own wife, a Nabatean princess, he incurred the wrath of his father-in-law, King Aretas IV, who sent his army to punish Herod. Herod’s army was defeated and its commander-in-chief was humiliated. His fellow Jews saw the defeat as God’s punishment of their king who had flaunted God’s law.
And when John the Baptist spoke out against the king’s illegal marriage, Herod had him imprisoned. In a moment of rashness, he ordered the execution of John to keep his word with his step-daughter, Salome.
Was Herod anxious to see Jesus? Any anxiety that Herod felt was most certainly the result of feelings of insecurity he suffered brought on by the shame and guilt he experienced as the king of the Jews in Galilee province. Jesus was popular. Many saw him ans the long-awaited Messiah. Herod feared an uprising.
When Jesus was arrested, Pilate sent him to Herod, who made fun of him and sent him back to Pilate. How could the son of a carpenter pose a threat to his rule?
The Gospel
Herod the tetrarch had heard about all that was being done by Jesus; and he was puzzled, because some people were saying that John had risen from the dead, others that Elijah had reappeared, still others that one of the ancient prophets had come back to life. But Herod said, ‘John? I beheaded him. So who is this I hear such reports about?’ And he was anxious to see Jesus. (Luke 9:7-9)
The Enquiry
See
What happens in this Gospel story? What do we learn about Herod? About Jesus?
Why is Herod anxious to see Jesus? Have you ever been anxious to see Jesus? Why?
What happens when Herod does meet Jesus? (You will have to read Luke 23:6-12 if you cannot recall the details of Herod’s meeting with Jesus.)
Judge
What conclusions have you reached about the people involved in this Gospel story and about the event that is described?
What does your faith tell you about Jesus? Is your faith challenged in any way by what you have read here?
Why should people be anxious to see Jesus?
Act
What are you prompted to change in the world that you experience because of this Gospel story?
What small action can you take that will contribute to bringing about this change?
Who can you involve in your action and how, when and how often will you get them to participate in your action?
Image Source: Fr Lawrence Lew OP (Creator): Detail of the ‘Padrão dos Descobrimentos’ monument in Lisbon. Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0