Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. She returned with him to Rome, after which she faded from the historical record. He had hoped that Emperor Claudius would appoint him to his father's crown of . In New Testament Political Figures Confirmed in the September/October 2017 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, Purdue University scholar Lawrence Mykytiuk examines the political figures in the New Testament who can be identified in the archaeological record and by extra-Biblical writings. Corrections? They lived shameless lives, flaunting their lack of morals. And may God bless to us that reading of His holy and exciting word. and his sisters Berenice and Drusilla were all involved in the interrogation of the Apostle Paul at Caesarea, yet remained unrepentant. Paul was about to be sent to Romeexcept for the fact that King Agrippa II is making a visit to Caesarea, and, as we shall now see, wants to hear all about this case regarding Paul. Acts 25), and he wasn't required to. Our free eBook Ten Top Biblical Archaeology Discoveries brings together the exciting worlds of archaeology and the Bible! John Moors Cabot Professor of History, Harvard University. King Agrippa. Marcus Julius Agrippa II (A.D. 27-100) was the son of Agrippa I (12:23), and the great-grandson of Herod the Great. But then Felix seduced her and convinced her to leave her husband and marry him. and T.R. She and her brother were present at the trial of the apostle Paul in Caesarea, which is described in the New Testament (Acts 2526). You understand between the lines, he would look a complete fool before the emperor if he sent him to Rome with no charges!] Festus explained the conflict between Paul and the Jews in Jerusalem as a religious dispute. For Jesus' sake we ask it. You have Herod the Great at the time of the birth of Jesus; you have Herod Antipas (the Herod that Jesus called a fox); you have Herod Agrippa I (who had put James to death and had died that violent death in Acts 12); and now you've got the great-grandson of Herod the Great, Herod Agrippa II. By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Have an update or correction? Krieger, Klaus-Stefan. instead of his wife? It had been founded by the queen regnant Salome (76- 67 BC), who wore vestments in the royal colors scarlet and purple. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Why is knowing about the various characters in the Bible important. Paul, you are beside yourself! In this article Schwartz explores the sources on Agrippa II used by Josephus, He first of all appeals to the witness of others about his character. Every pastor is a teacher. Are you making wise choices in your life right now? Grace abounding to the chief of sinners. 59 C.E. About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him (Acts 25:15). Herodias left Herod Philip to marry his half-brother Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee & Perea. And Festus is more than willing for Agrippa to give him some advice, because he's about to send Paul to Rome, and there is no case! And so she ends her life in great poverty and bitterness. Governor Felix has been called back. Luke is ensuring that the record of Paul's life is given in all of its detail when he comes to trial in Rome. Agrippa is the son of the King Herod who had James killed and Peter imprisoned (Acts 12), so this family history is part of the background to Paul's appearance before Agrippa. Didn't "Augustus" (Acts 25:25) already die in 14 The Roman Caesar at this time was Nero. Later in Acts we meet Agrippa, he is Herod Agrippa II (Agrippa II is Marcus Julius Agrippa, Acts 25-26). But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him (Acts 25:25). King Agrippa was the Jewish leader approved by Rome so . Not at all! It's the third time Paul has given his defenseonce before Felix, and once before Festus, two years later; and now before King Agrippa II. He's putting them in a difficult position, but he turns to Agrippa, and he knows that Agrippa has Jewish background, and he says to him, "Do you believe the prophets? Not daring to marry her because of her foreign originalthough she was a Roman citizen by birthhe eventually sent her away, probably on his accession in 79. Oh, to be thought out of our minds! However, Festus makes it clear that in his opinion, Apostle Paul was not worthy of death. Agrippa II (b. Though Herod the Great killed many of his relatives including three sons, his sister Salome remained unscathed; she was probably quite powerful at court. Macurdy, Grace H. Vassal The ritual, the pageantry? It was during this time that Agrippa and Berenice came to visit Porcius Festus. And (didn't it grip you as we read it?) It must have been a terribly embarrassing moment for King Agrippa, because potentially it could make him look a little silly if he suddenly says, 'Yes, I believe. From Lawrence Mykytiuk's BAR article identifying real New Testament political figures. account. I mean, you can think of the worst incidents in the sixteenth or seventeenth century, where we read of terrible things that were done to Christians and forcing them to blaspheme their God, and that's what Saul of Tarsus was. certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive" Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Augustus's co-emperor. Herod Agrippa I is one of the Roman-appointed rulers in Israel from the Herod dynasty. 21But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar. 22Then Agrippa said to Festus, I would like to hear the man myself. Tomorrow, said he, you will hear him. (Acts 25:1322 (ESV). Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. Ilan, Tal. ), was Herodiass uncle and second husband. He also describes Philip son of Jacimus writing a letter addressing the two royal siblings (Josephus, Vita 48; 180). Learn the fascinating insights gained from artifacts and ruins, like the Pool of Siloam in Jerusalem, where the Gospel of John says Jesus miraculously restored the sight of the blind man, and the Tel Dan inscriptionthe first historical evidence of King David outside the Bible. As they heard about his miraculous salvation experience, how God had taken a Jewish murderer and saved him, they should have realized that God could do the same for them. Do you know we only have one description of the Apostle Paul from ancient writing, and it comes from a book that you find in the apocrypha, The Acts of Paul and Thecla, and it describes Paul in this way: "A man of small stature, with a bald head and crooked legs, in a good state of body, with eyebrows meeting" [You would just know, wouldn't you, that Paul's eyebrows would meet!] You need far more wisdom.' 7. April 20, 2022. He introduced Paul and summarized the . Later, pressure from the rumors of incest may have prompted Berenice to seek a third husband in Polemo, King of Cilicia. The identical thing happened to Saul. We dont have to remain in the tangled web weve woven. He displayed great acumen in conciliating the Romans and Jews. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). This King Agrippa was the son of Herod Agrippa, who killed James the brother of John, and of whose death mention is made in Acts 12:1 the Jewish chronologer (1) (Ganz Tzemach David, par. He's a Jew, you understand. Give us the courage and strength to resist temptation. Bernice was the thrice-married, twice-widowed and once-divorced sister of King 11. Well, then Paul says a beautiful thing, and you've got to admire the apostle here, because he's playing Agrippa off against Festus, you understand. After his death (A.D. 40) she lived in incestuous connection with her brother Agrippa II. %PDF-1.3 The All-Access membership pass is the way to get to know the Bible through biblical archaeology. All this. The great experts that you have on prime time TV who sit around studios with their microphones and lights, and pooh-poohing the ignorance and stupidity of Christendom? Title: Herod Agrippa II. Salome danced for Herod Antipas and, at Herodiass direction, requested the beheading of John the Baptist. Isn't that what the sophists of today are saying? Festus agreed and planned the meeting for the next day. ii. Recall the will of the Lord for Apostle Paul. In Acts 26, Paul stands before King Agrippa II, who encourages him to "speak for himself," i.e., in his own defense. Well, ask that to the logical positivist Anthony Flue, who says it's impossible. Late in his career, Herod Agrippa II saw that tensions were rising between Rome and the Jews, and he tried unsuccessfully to prevent war. In this note Braud suggests that Titus dismissed Berenice only after Isn't that exciting? Crook, John A. Herod the Great, founder of the dynasty, tried to kill the infant Jesus by the slaughter of the innocents at Bethlehem. In 68, Berenice became the lover of the Roman general (and future Emperor) Titus, who destroyed Jerusalem two years later. Acts 25:13-22 Festus lays Paul's case before Agrippa. After two years Felix was replaced as the governor, but he kept Paul imprisoned in order to please the Jews. His reputation as a persecutor, and imprisoner of Christians preceded him. Herod Agrippa's grandfather executed his father, Aristobulus IV. Do you mock anything that condemns your personal sins? Agrippa and Bernice were committing incest with each other; Agrippa never married. Well, we'll pick up the reading at verse 13 of chapter 25. Nothing more is known of her. 13 A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. Berenice was considerably older than Titus. Isn't that interesting? They were Jews, but they were loyal to the empire. Did you catch the way Luke describes the beginning ceremony? Festus). JQR He had offered, you remember, a solution: that Paul go to trial in Jerusalem before the Jews. Educated in Rome, the younger Agrippa was still a teenager when his father died in AD 44. Therefore, Festus had nothing to write to the king, Augustus Caesar, about. You understand there was a lot of gossip about this relationship between King Herod Agrippa II and Bernice. 8. King Saul in the book of Acts, contrary to the predominant view (Augustine; S. Chapman; R. Pervo), does not prefigure the rejection of Jesus but serves as a crucial illustration of the limits of rejuvenation in the time before Christ. Though, as a Jew, Agrippa was sensitive to Jewish concerns, he was unswervingly loyal to Rome And what is it? Because however you explain this, however you describe this setting, it's got to be tremendously intimidating. However, he wanted to allow for Paul to face his accusers before adjudicating. Appearing Before King Agrippa, High Officials and Men of the City: (Acts 25:13-26:32) While Festus was still contemplating this turn of events, the Roman-appointed king of the Jews, King Agrippa, and his wife, Bernice, came to Caesarea Maritima to pay their respects to the new governor. It's recorded now a third time here. There is one note missing Herod Agrippa I suffered an agonising death after accepting blasphemous praise (Acts 12.20-23) an event confirmed by the Jewish historian Josephus. Because as chapter 26 unfolds, what we have once again, if I can put it in Bunyan-esque language, is grace abounding to the chief of sinners. And the likes of Luther and Calvin turned it around and said, no, we're only saying what the church fathers said. Tell me how I can become a Christian.' Agrippa said, "Speak for yourself," and Paul started telling his testimony including his conversion, preaching to the . Queen Berenice is infamous for being the traitorous lover of Titus and for rejecting the Great Rebellion against Rome, along with her brother Agrippa II. ] (Acts 25:12). In two sources this constant companionship is interpreted as incest. So what can we learn from Bernice and Drusilla? He is passionate about the Lord and spends quality time with the Word of God every day. How did Paul enter the auditorium? chapter on women in the writings of Josephus, Ilan shows how Josephus rhetorical Omissions? 15 When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked . it was not politics that led to Berenices dismissal but commonsense on the It's a boldness that you and I ought to crave for and long for, that we might always be ready in and out of season to give a reason for the hope that lies within useven if it makes us look foolish in the eyes of the world. Roman leaders wore laurel leaves as symbols of martial victory and triumph. % Agrippa and Bernice were committing incest with each other; Agrippa never married. 9296: Things Unbecoming a Woman (Ant. In this article Crook suggests that all Titus actions regarding Berenice This Bible History Daily feature was originally published on September 25, 2017. He just thinks that he is. in Josephus BJ The Emperor Claudius, who had confirmed Agrippas kingship in Judea, also nominated his brother Herod as king of Chalcis, a tiny principality in the Lebanon Mountains. Happy Womens History Month! There were those who didn't share his faith fellow Jews who could well attest and corroborate and confirm what he's now going to say about his former life: that he was raised in the strictest sect of the Pharisees. And Festus says, well, I suppose today he might say 'You're off your rocker. Intrigued, Agrippa said he would like to hear from Paul himself. Apparently so, as the Jews and Paul had argued "about a Festus was agreeable and the audience would occur the next day. The son of Agrippa I was King Herod Agrippa II, also known as Julius Marcus Agrippa; he was the brother of Bernice and Drusilla and heard Paul's defense of the gospel in Acts 26. i. Festus was unable to formulate a charge against Paul because the accusations by the Jews pertained to religious matters having nothing to do with Roman law.. (Acts 25:19). Festus heard Apostle Paul and the Jews accusations against him. Integrating Herod Archelaus, Ethnarch of Judea, Samaria and Idumea (r. 4 B.C.E.6 C.E. Copyright 2010 2023. By Mary Jane Chaignot. Verse 1 of chapter 26: "So Agrippa said to Paul, 'You have permission to speak for yourself.' stream He lived out the rest of his life in Rome. We must do it! Nero and his officials would not take kindly to a governor who showed incompetence in judging trivial matters. In an enchanting book of documentary fiction Jordan 10. Amen. 4. What a soap opera life these two sisters lived. Agrippa I is the "King Herod" who killed James and imprisoned Peter (Acts 12:13). Herodias left Herod Philip to marry his half-brother Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee & Perea. It is the centralityoh, I don't even have time at all to expound this to you tonight, but it's the centrality of the resurrectionthe importance, the fundamental importance of the resurrection. The history of Bernice, or Berenice (the name seems to have been a Macedonian form of Pherenice), reads like a horrible romance, or a page from the chronicles of the Borgias. Searching for Evidence Beyond the Bible, 53 People in the Bible Confirmed Archaeologically. Braud, D. C. Berenice in Rome. Historia Take us by the hand and lead us to where we need to be. These concessions on his part, however, did not guarantee a successful marriage. But actually, what he's saying is this. You'll remember last time, on a Sunday evening about ten days ago, we were looking at Paul's defense before Governor Felix. And he draws attention to his past, his Pharisaical past, his zeal to persecute. Below, see a visualization of the Herodian family tree and key events in the New Testament related to members of the Herodian family.Ed. The Herod of Acts 12 is Agrippa I. Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense. Paul and Agrippa. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Obviously, these girls were not raised in a godly home. Herod Agrippa I, original name Marcus Julius Agrippa, (born c. 10 bcedied 44 ce), king of Judaea (41-44 ce), a clever diplomat who through his friendship with the Roman imperial family obtained the kingdom of his grandfather, Herod I the Great. Wow! I don't care what the world thinks of me. Philip the Tetrarch of northern territories (r. 4 B.C.E.34 C.E.) 20Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. The eldest daughter of the Judaean tetrarch Herod Agrippa I by his wife Cypros, Berenice was married at age 13, but her husband died without consummating the marriage. 28 (1997): 111. 18When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. "Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar; [U]nto Caesar shalt thou go [? About David Ettinger; Categories. ), Pauls first judge, left him in prison for two years until new procurator Porcius Festus (r. c. 6062 C.E.) And the Romans, well, they just loved ceremony. Festus discussed the case concerning the Apostle Paul with the visiting royal couple. He's invoked this law which had been in existence now for perhaps a hundred years or sohe'd invoked the right of a Roman citizen to appeal to Caesar, to have his case heard before the emperor himself. Upon hearing the details of the matter, Agrippa was interested in hearing Paul himself. Tags: acts, agrippa, festus, luke, paul add a comment. Paul was brought before them. Drusilla left her first husband to marry Roman governor Felix. Mireaux, Emile. After his death, Chalcis was awarded to her brother, with whom she ruled for a time until she married King Polemo of Cicilia, Anatolia. This is beautiful. And he announced the Jews accusations, that he should die. However, public pressure made the emperors son relinquish his ties with the queen and she was sent away. Herod the Great was "king of the Jews" at Jesus' birth and tried to have Him killed ( Matthew 2 ).

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