Herod Antipas
Son of Herod the Great and Malthace (Maltaké), a Samaritan. He had as a childhood friend or milk-brother, Manahen. After repudiating his first Woman, daughter of a Nabatean king, he married Herodias, his niece, former wife of Philip his half-brother.
John the Baptist, whom he fears but is fascinated by, will reproach him for this. His hesitations will lead him, under the influence of alcohol and lust, to order the beheading of the Baptist on his birthday.[1]
He eventually turns away from Herodias and her daughter Salome, instigators of the murder of John the Baptist."He wanted to laugh at the expense of the young girl (Salome) of whom he is now nauseated, just as he is nauseated by her mother (Herodias). And he laughed like a madman hearing your (Jesus) words repeated by Kouza. He repeated: 'Too, too gentle still for this young one... (and he said a word so coarse that I will not repeat it to you). He should have trampled on her greedy breast... But he would have contaminated himself!'. He sends Manaen, his milk brother, To ask that Jesus come to the Court. 'No!' answers Jesus.[2]The spectacular resurrection of Lazarus[3] plunges him into great anguish: "Herod seems mad in his palace. He clenches his teeth telling his most faithful to defend him... from ghosts. He has gotten drunk to give himself courage and the wine spins in his head making him see phantoms. He shouts that the Christ also resurrected John who now shouts the curses of God into his ears."[4]
It is a mixture of curiosity and fear that now animates Herod. Kouza says: "My king keeps saying: 'Even if Heaven commanded it, I would not raise my hand against Him. I am too afraid!' "[5]
During the hearing of Jesus before him, he To aska successively to heal a dog then an idiot. He tempts him with lascivious dancers. To all this, Jesus will respond with silence."Enough. I treated you as God and you did not act as God. I treated you as a man and you did not act as a man. You are mad. A white garment. Dress him in it so that Pontius Pilate knows the Tetrarch has judged his subject mad. Centurion, you will tell the Proconsul that Herod humbly presents his respects and venerates Rome. Go." he will conclude.[6]
Character and appearance
Superstitious, cruel and libertine (GRM 51 - GRM 81).
Apostolic journey
- "He is guilty of idolatry because he gives his Adoration to the flesh rather than to God, of adultery, of theft, of illicit desire, and soon of homicide."- "Will he be saved by You, Savior?"
- "I save those who repent and return to God. The unrepentant will not obtain redemption."[7]
His name
Herod has no recognized meaning. Perhaps a typical name from Idumea (southern current Jordan), where his father was from.
Where is he discussed in the work?
GRM 47 GRM 51 GRM 66 GRM 67 GRM 69 GRM 72 GRM 78 GRM 81 GRM 93 GRM 99GRM 103 GRM 109 GRM 121 GRM 131 GRM 133 GRM 158 GRM 168 GRM 180
GRM 345 GRM 348 GRM 362. GRM 376
GRM 540 GRM 549 GRM 578 GRM 583 GRM 587 GRM 589
GRM 604
Learn more about this character
Six years after the death of the Christ (36), his army is defeated by that of Aretas IV the Nabatean king, his former bWater-father. From setback to setback, he is exiled with Herodias in Gaul at "Lugdunum" in "Hispania"[8]. The current tendency is to designate Lugdunum Convenarum in the Pyrenees (now Saint Bertrand de Comminges) near Spain, but other hypotheses designate Lyon or some places in Spain. Herod Antipas seems to have died there in 40, as the exact date is not known.
Notes and references
Note: Quotations from the work of Maria Valtorta on this page currently use machine-translated text and will gradually be replaced by the official English translation. Until then, the official translation may be consulted through the reference link provided with each quotation.