BIBLE STUDY LESSON 09

SERIES S --- THE SON OF YHVH

KNOCK, AND ENTER

WARNINGS AGAINST HEROD

From Luke 13:22-35; 14:1-24

On His way to Jerusalem, Yeshua passed through many cities and villages. In one of them someone asked, [Will only a few be saved?] [Many will try to enter the door to heaven,] Yeshua replied. [But the door is narrow, so you must strive to get in, for once the Head of the house has locked the door it will be too late. Even though you stand there, pounding on the door and pleading to get in, He will reply, ‘I do not know you.’ You may perhaps remind Him, ‘We ate and drank with You and You taught in our streets.’ But His answer will come back again, ‘I do not know you. Go away, you evildoers, for you cannot come in here.’ There will be much wailing and grinding of teeth as you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets inside, and you are unable to enter. From all parts of the world others will come to enter the Kingdom, and will sit down to eat inside. Some whom you think of as outcasts will be in honoured places, and some whom you honour as leaders will be outcasts. Some Pharisees angrily warned Yeshua, [You had better leave here quickly, for Herod plans to kill you.] But Yeshua replied, [Tell that fox Herod that I will keep on doing miracles today and tomorrow, and by the third day will reach Jerusalem, for no prophet should die outside Jerusalem. O Jerusalem! Jerusalem! You are the city that murders prophets and stones to death those who were sent to help you. How often I wanted to gather your children under My protection, just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would not let Me. So you will be left with a desolate, empty house and will not recognize Me until that far-off day when you say, ‘Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of Adonai!’] One Shabbat Yeshua ate with a leading Pharisee, and the other guests watched Him closely to try to trap Him. A man came in who suffered from dropsy. [Tell Me, does the Law permit Me to heal this man on the Shabbat?] Yeshua asked them. They refused to answer for if they did, they would trap themselves. Yeshua healed the man and sent him on his way. [Which of you would refuse to pull your son, or an ox, from a well on the Shabbat?] Yeshua asked. But no one replied. Yeshua had noticed also that the invited guests had scrambled for the places of highest honour at the table when they had arrived. He told them this parable, [When you are a guest at a wedding feast, do not rush to occupy a place of honour. For if a more honoured guest arrives, the host will ask you to move down and you will be disgraced. Instead, take the place of least honour so that your host will invite you to move up to a place of higher honour. Then all the other guests will respect you as you move up. Whoever puts himself higher than he deserves will be put down, and whoever humbles himself to a lower place than he deserves will be lifted up and honoured.] Yeshua also said to his host, [When you host a lunch or dinner, do not invite only your relatives or friends or rich neighbours, for they will feel obligated to invite you in return. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind and you will be blessed, for they do not have enough to invite you in return. Your reward will beat the resurrection of the righteous] One of the guests said, [How blessed are those who sit down to eat in the Kingdom of YHVH.] Then Yeshua told another parable to answer this guest. [A man once gave a big dinner and invited many guests. When the dinner was ready, he sent a slave to those who were invited, telling them that the dinner was ready. But they began to make excuses. One said, ‘I bought some land and must go and see it, so please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have bought five yokes of oxen, and I must try them.’ A third said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ The slave reported what he had heard to the dinner host, who became angry when he heard the news. ‘Go into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring the poor, crippled, blind and lame to my dinner.’ The slave obeyed and then reported back to his master. ‘I have done all you said, but there is still room.’ Then the host told the slave, ‘Go farther then, out to the country roads and beyond, and urge others to come, so that my house will be filled. For not one of those I invited at first will come to my dinner.’]

COMMENTARY

THE HEROD FAMILY

Throughout New Testament times, the Herods were a source of irritation and persecution to Yeshua and His followers.

HEROD THE GREAT

Herod the Great was an old man when Yeshua was born. He had ruled Israel for many years. When he was told of the birth of a baby destined to be King, Herod wanted to prevent his descendants from losing the throne. He tried to have the new king killed by ordering the death of all the new-born babies in Bethlehem. Joseph and Mary were forced to hide from Herod’s jealous hate. They lived in Egypt with the infant Yeshua until Herod’s death.

HEROD PHILIP

Herod the Great had two sons named Herod Philip and two wives named Mariamne. The first Philip was the son of the second Mariamne. Philip later married his niece, Herodias, and had a daughter named Salome.

HEROD ARISTOBULUS

Herod Aristobulus was the oldest son of the first Mariamne, Herod the Great’s favourite wife. He, in turn, was the father of Chalcis, Agrippa I and Herodias.

HEROD ANTIPAS

Herod Antipas inherited a portion of his father’s kingdom. He was the second husband of Herodias and played an important part in the events of the New Testament. Herod Antipas beheaded John the Baptist and judged Yeshua before He was crucified.

HEROD PHILIP II

The second Herod Philip was the son of another of Herod the Great’s wives, Cleopatra. He inherited the northern portion of his father’s kingdom. Philip II later married his grandniece, Salome.

HEROD CHALCIS

Herod Chalcis was also married to his niece. His wife, Bernice, is mentioned with Herod Agrippa I in Acts.

HEROD AGRIPPA I

Herod Agrippa I, like his uncle, Antipas, also played an important part in the New Testament. He ordered the death of the apostle James, and imprisoned Peter for preaching the Gospel. He was the father of Bernice, Drusilla and Herod Agrippa II.

HERODIAS

Herodias was the mother of Salome. She told her daughter to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Herodias was married twice, both times to one of her uncles. Her first husband was Philip I. After his death, she married his brother, Herod Antipas.

BERNICE

Bernice was the wife of her uncle, Herod Chalcis. She was with her brother, Agrippa II, when he tried Paul.

HEROD AGRIPPA II

Herod Agrippa II is the king who was {almost persuaded} by Paul’s defence of the Gospel when he stood trial.

DRUSILLA

Drusilla married Felix, the governor of Judea, who tried Paul.

SALOME

Salome, the young girl whose dance earned her the head of John the Baptist, later married her great-uncle, Herod Philip.