Jesus at Herod's court refers to an episode in the

New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Chri ...

which describes

Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religiou ...

being sent to Herod Antipas in

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

, prior to his crucifixion.''New Testament History'' by Richard L. Niswonger 1992 page 172 This episode is described in the

Gospel of Luke The Gospel of Luke), or simply Luke (which is also its most common form of abbreviation). tells of the origins, birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. Together with the Acts of the Apostles, it makes up a two-vol ...

().''The Gospel according to Luke'' by Michael Patella 2005 page 16

Biblical narrative

In the Gospel of Luke, after the

Sanhedrin trial of Jesus In the New Testament, the Sanhedrin trial of Jesus refers to the trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin (a Jewish judicial body) following his arrest in Jerusalem and prior to the trial before Pontius Pilate. It is an incident reported by all t ...

, the Court elders ask

Pontius Pilate Pontius Pilate (; grc-gre, Πόντιος Πιλᾶτος, ) was the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judaea, serving under Emperor Tiberius from 26/27 to 36/37 AD. He is best known for being the official who presided over the trial of ...

to judge and condemn Jesus in Luke 23:2, accusing Jesus of making false claims of being a king. While questioning Jesus about the claim of being the King of the Jews, Pilate realizes that Jesus is a Galilean and therefore under Herod's jurisdiction. Since Herod already happened to be in Jerusalem at that time, Pilate decides to send Jesus to Herod to be tried. Herod Antipas (the same man who had previously ordered the death of

John the Baptist John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...

and, according to some Pharisees, had plotted to have Jesus killed as well) had wanted to see Jesus for a long time, hoping to observe one of the

miracles of Jesus The miracles of Jesus are miraculous deeds attributed to Jesus in Christian and Islamic texts. The majority are faith healings, exorcisms, resurrections, and control over nature. In the Synoptic Gospels (Mark, Matthew, and Luke), Jesus refus ...

.''Pontius Pilate: portraits of a Roman governor'' by Warren Carter 2003 pages 120-121 However, Jesus says nothing in response to Herod's questions, or the vehement accusations of the chief priests and the scribes. Herod and his soldiers mock Jesus, put a gorgeous robe on him, as the King of the Jews, and send him back to Pilate. That day, Herod and Pilate, who had previously been enemies, become friends. The Gospel of Luke does not state that Herod did not condemn Jesus, and instead attributes that conclusion to Pilate who then calls together the Court elders, and says to them:

"I having examined him before you, found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: no, nor yet Herod: for he sent him back unto us; and behold, nothing worthy of death hath been done by him."

After further conversations between Pilate and the Court elders, Jesus is sent to be crucified on Calvary.

Christology

This statement by Pilate that Herod found no fault in Jesus is the second of the three declarations he makes about the innocence of Jesus in Luke's Gospel, (the first being in 23:4 and the third in 23:22) and builds on the "

Christology In Christianity, Christology (from the Greek grc, Χριστός, Khristós, label=none and grc, -λογία, -logia, label=none), translated literally from Greek as "the study of Christ", is a branch of theology that concerns Jesus. Differ ...

of innocence" present in that Gospel.''The character and purpose of Luke's christology'' by Douglas Buckwalter 1996 pages 109-111''Early narrative Christology: the Lord in the Gospel of Luke'' by Christopher Kavin Rowe 2006 page 183''Luke's presentation of Jesus: a christology'' by Robert F. O'Toole 2004 pages 96-101 In the narrative that follows this episode, other people beside Pilate and Herod also find no fault in Jesus. In 23:41 one of the two thieves crucified next to Jesus also states Jesus' innocence, while in 23:47 the Roman centurion says: "Certainly this was a righteous man." The centurion's characterization illustrates the Christological focus of Luke on innocence (which started in the courts of Pilate and Herod), in contrast to Matthew 27:54 and Mark 15:39 in which the centurion states: "Truly this man was the Son of God", emphasizing Jesus' divinity. John Calvin considered the lack of response from Jesus to the questions posed by Herod, his silence in the face of the accusations made by the Jewish elders, and the minimal conversation with Pilate after his return from Herod as an element of the "agent Christology" of the crucifixion.''The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures'' by

Hughes Oliphant Old Hughes Oliphant Old (April 13, 1933 – May 24, 2016) was an American theologian and academic. Until his retirement in 2014 he was the John H. Leith Professor of Reformed Theology and Worship at Erskine Theological Seminary. Previously he had taught ...

2002 page 125''Calvin's Christology'' by Stephen Edmondson 2004 page 91 Calvin stated that Jesus could have argued for his innocence, but instead remained mostly quiet and willingly submitted to his crucifixion in obedience to the will of the Father, for he knew his role as the "willing Lamb of God". The "agent Christology" reinforced in Herod's court builds on the prediction by Jesus in Luke 18:32 that he shall be: "delivered up unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and shamefully treated." In Herod's court, Luke continues to emphasize Jesus' role not as an "unwilling sacrifice" but as a willing "agent and servant" of God who submitted to the will of the Father.''Holiness and ecclesiology in the New Testament'' by Kent E. Brower, Andy Johnson 2007 page 115

References

{{Reflist, 2 Passion of Jesus Gospel of Luke

Biblical narrative

Christology

See also

References