Herod Antipas

From Wiki Maria Valtorta
Medallion of 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 Woman 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 (EMV 51 - EMV 81).

Apostolic journey

Simplified genealogical tree of the Hasmoneans and Idumeans. Source: https://www.maria-valtorta.org/.
- "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?

EMV 47 EMV 51 EMV 66 EMV 67 EMV 69 EMV 72 EMV 78 EMV 81 EMV 93 EMV 99

EMV 103 EMV 109 EMV 121 EMV 131 EMV 133 EMV 158 EMV 168 EMV 180

EMV 266 EMV 270 EMV 281

EMV 345 EMV 348 EMV 362. EMV 376

EMV 461

EMV 540 EMV 549 EMV 578 EMV 583 EMV 587 EMV 589

EMV 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

Notes and references