Herod the Great ruler in Jerusalem around the time of Jesus’ birth was known for the construction of the great temple in Jerusalem and the slaughter of the innocents in Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth. Herod the Great was also ruthless in his dealing with enemies and his own family members. His son, Herod Antipas was tetrarch, a Roman tile for minor king, ruling over Galilee, in northern Palestine, during the adult ministry of Jesus. He was educated in Rome and came from that ruthless, conniving, violent, and selfish family background that his father left him as inheritance.
Being the ruler, Herod was surely well informed about what was happening in his kingdom. Today we find Herod perplexed and wondering about Jesus and who he really was. There were many rumors and opinions about Jesus throughout Galilee then. Even among Jesus’ own disciples there was a wide range of opinions about him, his teachings, and his mission. Here we see that Herod must have been a very concrete man. In his wonderings he says he beheaded John the Baptist. So, Jesus could not be John. We know from later descriptions in the Gospel when Herod meets Jesus during the Passion that Herod was interested mostly in miracles and spectacles. Apparently, Herod concentrated his thoughts and musings about Jesus on the miracles without taking into consideration that the miracles pointed to Jesus’ mission as savior. Being perplexed Herod tried to interpret his life and the presence of Jesus using the values that were important to him: power, selfishness, violence, political intrigue, lies, and manipulations. As I mentioned, Herod came from an extremely complex and violent political family.
Wondering and musing about Jesus, his life, his teachings and his Gospel can lead us into a new wholesome relationship with God and our neighbors. Musing, wondering, and perplexities can lead us to conversion. For Herod being perplexed changed nothing in his lifestyle or relationship with God and others. Herod’s life continued in the same way with the same values and daily behavior. He did not enter into conversion and lost the opportunity of an encounter with the Savior. The underlaying basis of his desire to encounter Jesus was off kilter and he never allowed himself to reorientate his life.
Often, we have the same attitude as Herod. We act as if Jesus’ function in our lives is only to provide spectacles, miracles and wonderous acts. It is so easy to center our faith life on those spectacular moments while at the same time ignoring deeper purpose of those marvelous events. They should lead us to a deeper confidence in the constant presence of a loving, merciful Father in our lives. Despite Herod’s attitude and our similar attitudes, Jesus is constantly present in our lives inviting into a new life.
A true Christian lives in the joy of that constant presence. Those who live on the margin of Christian life or who actively engage in a lifestyle of violence and hatred live out their days perplexed, confused, and disorientated. Such a soul can easily build up a façade of false piety or enter into despair and violence.
Herod’s perplexity presents us today with a basic question in Christian life:
“Who then is this about whom I hear such things?”
And he kept trying to see him
Image: CANVA CJ Dunn 19 September 2026 AI Generated.