Dr Paul Allen

King Herod the Great is known by most Christians for his role in the Christmas story in Matthew 2. Afraid of losing the throne to a “newborn king of the Jews,” Herod tried to manipulate the three wise men into telling him where to find the rumored child; when that didn’t work, he ordered the killing of Bethlehem’s baby boys. But there’s a lot more to Herod than just this one scene . Herod, the Great’s life is a Hollywood blockbuster waiting to happen. There are overthrown kingdoms, political maneuverings, family feuds, love and betrayal, and unfortunately, a whole lot of death. It is an R-rated story, to say the least, but it can teach us something very important about the significance of Advent—if we look close enough. A tumultuous beginning Herod’s Fortress in MasadaHerod’s Fortress in Masada After the Romans pushed out the Hasmonean kingdom in 63 BC, an official named Antipater was installed to govern the land of Israel. Antipater put his son Phasael in charge of Judea and Herod in ...

We have disproved the notion that Christians stole December 25th from the pagans. We have discovered that decades before the creation of the Sol Invictus festival, Christians were fixing on December 25th for the Nativity.  First, based on the Hebrew tradition of tying birth dates to death deaths.  Second, by connecting the birth of Jesus to the winter solstice. Third there are no records that show either the early Church changing its liturgical calendars to adapt to the pagan festivals or debating or condemning the adaption of pagan festivals for Christ’s nativity. We conceded the so-called “Calculations Theory” does not show that Jesus Christ was actually born on December 25th. However, as we are about to discover, you can make a compelling case that December 25th is Jesus’ real birthday after all. Setting the table for us is Kurt M. Simmons. He writes in the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society: Chronological evidence strongly favors ...

Salome With the Head of John the Baptist, by Caravaggio, c. 1607 (National Gallery, London). (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Herod Antipas smiled and nodded with approval. His step-daughter Salome * swayed and twirled in front of him and his birthday-party guests, her graceful figure filling them with longing. Her performance done, Herod and the guests applauded. What a dance! Inflamed by his senses and the mood of the moment, Herod cried, "Ask me what you want--up to half my kingdom--and it is yours!" And he swore a great oath to confirm his promise. As a Tetrarch (ruler of one quarter of a Roman province ) Herod was more than able to provide a handsome gift even by first century standards. Would Salome ask for a jeweled necklace? A dowry? A house? Herod and the guests waited to hear her request. The girl herself hesitated. Uncertain what to ask for, she whispered with her mother. Down in the dungeons of Herod's fortress (named Machaerus ) a man's fate was about to ...