HOW HEROD THE GREAT MURDERED HIS FAVORITE WIFE
I can get really caught up into a good episode of Dateline. Truth be told, nearly every episode of Dateline is exactly the same. Some unsuspecting person murders someone that everyone loved and now Dateline drags out the episode for far too long. Yet, somehow, they get you to stick around until the end to find out who committed the murder. They’re masters at bringing you into a good story. We all love a good murder mystery though, don’t we?
As Josephus writes about the life of Herod, he makes it clear that when it came to murder, Herod did it. It’s really shocking how often he got away with it. It just goes to show you that power in the wrong hands is completely destructive, abusive and demonic.
Let’s imagine that Josephus was a writer for Dateline and this upcoming episode is entitled something like, “How Herod Got Away with Murder.”
Herod’s sister, Salome didn’t like his favorite wife, Mariamne, and so when things were a bit rough between Herod and Mariamne Solome, took the opportunity to make up the ultimate lie about the sister in law she had so much hatred for.
She told Herod that Mariamne created a love potion for him that she spiked with poison. Herod had his wife put on trial and the innocent Mariamne was found guilty and ordered to be executed. After her execution Josephus writes that because Herod the Great loved his wife so much, he would still continue to call out her name, …”he would frequently call for her, and frequently lament for her in a most indecent manner.” Obviously, the reality of a life live of pure selfishness affects your overall well-being and mental stability. That being said, if we’re all being honest, haven’t we all done something out of fear or insecurity we wished we would have never done?
Power placed in the wrong hands can be deeply destructive. Mix in a little fear and insecurity and things get even worse. Many of us have experienced that in ministry though, haven’t we? A fearful, insecure senior pastor, or a powerful person who constantly swings the church leadership in their direction. Possibly a parent who takes the brunt of their frustration out on you or a youth leader who wants too much power and it’s hard to do anything about it because they’re family members or best friends with the senior pastor. So, how do we deal with such unfair treatment if we have been the ones hurt?
We choose to forgive and then, we let God handle it.
I remember, years ago, standing in a very, very long, lunch line at a youth conference. A number of students cut in line right in front of us to join their friends. We had already been standing in line for at least 10 minutes and I was starting to feel a bit hangry. As the students joined their friends I began to step out of line and said, “I’m going to talk to those students.” One of my youth stopped me dead in my tracks and said to me, “Heather, let Jesus handle it.”
Wait, what? Excuse me? There’s a wrong that needs to be made right here! Can’t you see the deep injustice? What if one of these thieves gets the last cheese quesadilla? What will I be left with?
Friend, whatever wrong has been done to you, “Let Jesus handle it.” Now, I’m not saying that there aren’t moments when we should stand up to evil and thus step in and seek justice. However, most of our woes in life are really things we must learn to let go of through forgiveness and let Jesus take it from there.
Before you get out of line and began barking at all the people who’ve done you wrong take a moment to let God be the true King of your heart. Then, you can live a life that is free from the need to have things made right in your way and in your time.
We certainly don’t want to become bitter people who hurt others like Herod The Great or end up on an episode of Dateline for that matter.
Quote from the Josephus: The Complete Works, https://ccel.org/ccel/josephus/complete/complete.ii.xvi.vii.html