78. B.C. 5 to A.D. 25

B.C. 5 to A.D. 25

Chapter II

Timeline View:

1. The good understanding between Herod and Augustus, was at length interrupted, in consequence of Herod marching some troops into Arabia Petra, against king Obodas, with whom he had quarreled. This was so misrepresented to the emperor, that he was greatly incensed against Herod, and wrote to him saying he should be no longer treated as a friend but as a subject. Accordingly, a commissioner rained Cyrenius, was sent into Judaea to register the taxable population, with a view to the imposition of that capitation or poll-tax; usually paid by the inhabitants of the subject provinces, but from which Herod’s dominion had been hitherto exempt. The registration was completed; but the tax itself was not imposed, as proper explanations restored the good understanding between Herod and the emperor.

2. As, under the decree of registration, the people were to be enrolled in their paternal towns, many persons who had settled in other places, had now to journey to the seat of the families to which they belonged. Those of the house and lineage of David repaired to Bethlehem. Among them was a carpenter named Joseph, with his wife Mary, from Nazareth in Galilee. As the caravanserai was too crowded by previous comers to afford them any accommodation, they lodged in the stable belonging to it. Here Mary gave birth to a son, and cradled him in the manger. That son was Jesus Christ, the Messiah, so long foretold, whose day so many kings and prophets had desired to see. Nor was that illustrious birth without such heavenly celebration as became its importance. Hosts of rejoicing angels sang of “peace on earth, and good will to man;” and by them the shepherds, who lay abroad at night in the plain, watching their flocks, were directed to the birth-place of the Redeemer.

3. Not long after, Jerusalem was astonished by the arrival of three sages from the distant east, inquiring for the new-born king, saying, that they had seen “his star,” and had come to offer him their gifts and homage. They found him in the manger at Bethlehem; and then repaired to their own country without returning to Jerusalem, as Herod had desired. The jealousy of that tyrant had been awakened by their inquiry for the “King of the Jews;” and as their neglect to return prevented him from distinguishing the object of their homage, he had the inconceivable barbarity to order that all the children in Bethlehem under two years of age should be put to death, trusting that the intended victim would fall in the general slaughter; but Joseph had previously been warned in a dream to take his wife and the infant to the land of Egypt, whence they did not return till after the death of Herod.

4. That event was not long delayed. In the sixty-ninth year of his age, Herod fell ill of the disease which occasioned his death. That disease was in his bowels, and not only put him to the most cruel tortures, but rendered him altogether loathsome to himself and others. The natural ferocity of his temper could not be tamed by such experience. Knowing that the nation would little regret his demise, he ordered the persons of chief note to be confined in a tower, and all of them to be slain when his own death took place, that there might be cause for weeping in Jerusalem. This savage order was not executed. After a reign of thirty-seven years, Herod died in the seventieth year of his age.

5. By his will, which was, of course, left subject to the approval of the emperor, Herod divided his dominions among his three sons, Archelaus, Herod Antipas, and Herod Philippians To Archelaus he bequeathed what was regarded as properly the kingdom, namely, Judaea, Samaria, and Idumea; to Antipas was left the tetrarchy of Galilee and Perea; and Philip was appointed tetrarch of the territory formed by the districts of Trachonitis, Gaulonitis, Batanea, and Paneas. The relative value of the territories may be estimated by the revenue derived from them. Archelaus’ territory yielded 600 talents a year, that of Antipas 200, that of Philip 100. This distribution was confirmed by Augustus, excepting that he recognized Archelaus as ethnarch only, reserving the title of king as the future reward of his good conduct in the government. His subjects, however, regarded him as their king, and entertained favorable anticipations of his reign. But he soon showed himself as great a tyrant as his father, without the redeeming qualities that had been sometimes visible in Herod. At the very beginning of his reign, his refusal of a popular demand, raised a commotion in the temple, to quell which he let loose the soldiers upon the people, whereby not fewer than 3000 persons were destroyed. This and other acts revived the general unpopularity of the rule of the Herodian family; and, therefore, when the several members of that family, interested in the will of Herod, proceeded to Rome to promote their claims, a deputation of Jews also went to petition that they might be no longer harassed by a show of independence, but should be allowed to live according to their own laws under a Roman governor. Their suit was, however, refused, and the will of Herod was confirmed.

6. On his return, Archelaus conducted himself with great harshness towards his refractory subjects. This produced new disorders; and the ensuing years were disturbed by insurrections against the Romans by pretenders to the crown, and by powerful bands of brigands, who kept the kingdom in continual alarm, and checked the communications between one part of the country and another. At length the mal-administration of Archelaus, and his unfitness to govern, became so evident, that the complaints of his subjects were no longer treated with neglect at Rome. In the tenth year of his reign he was deposed, and banished to Vienne in Gaul.

7. At the same time Judea was reduced to the form of a Roman province, annexed to Syria, and governed by Roman procurators. This change threw into the rough hands of strangers those powers which the kings had previously exercised. Thus, tribute was paid directly to the Romans; the power of life and death was taken away; and justice was administered in the name and by the laws of Rome. The procurators were appointed directly by the emperors, and the place of their residence was Caesarea, which hence became the reputed capital of the province. A magnificent palace which Herod had built there for himself, became the residence of the procurators. At the great festivals, the procurators usually visited Jerusalem, attended by some cohorts (or regiments) of soldiers, with the view of repressing any disturbance which might arise in so vast a concourse of discontented people. Six cohorts were constantly kept in Judea, of which five were generally at Caesarea, and one always at Jerusalem. A part of the Jerusalem cohort was quartered in the tower of Antonia, so as to command the Temple and the praetorium or palace of the governor.

8. The duty of the procurator was to maintain good order in his province, to collect the imperial revenues, and to administer justice. Some of those who came to Judea, held independent jurisdiction, while others were dependent on the president or general governor of Syria, whose seat was at Antioch. The tribute paid to the Romans was peculiarly galling to the Jews, many of whom, arguing on abstract tenets, without reference to its being compulsory, held that it was “unlawful” for the chosen people of God to pay tribute to the heathen. The persons holding this doctrine, or making it a cover for their restlessness, were called “zealots;” and under that name they are distinguished in the few sad pages that remain of the Jewish history. Such people were not likely to admit of any middle course, nor indeed was there any such course open to them. They raised numerous insurrections against the Roman government, or united in formidable bodies of brigands; and considering all those Jews who were willing to rest quiet under the Romans, as unworthy and degenerate sons of Israel, they counted them as enemies, and treated them as such. The effect of this was increasing disorder, insecurity, and rapine.

9. Even the more quietly disposed who, from seeing no hope of deliverance, were disposed to submit to the Roman yoke, detested the tribute in their hearts: and hence those Jews who assisted in the collection, and were called “publicans,” were disliked beyond all men, being regarded as betrayers of their country’s liberties, and extortioners in behalf of the Romans. This feeling naturally threw the office of collector or publican into the hands of men of how character, whose conduct generally justified the dislike with which they were regarded. The lofty notions entertained by the Jews of their national privileges as the peculiar people of Jehovah, rather than any enlarged and patriotic views of public liberty, fostered those feelings of hatred to the Roman government. Besides, the Romans, being idolaters, were looked upon by the Jews with disgust, as polluted and abominable men, with whom they could not sit at the same table or mix in any social intercourse. This marked and avowed abhorrence of the Jews to the persons of the Romans, was by no means calculated to produce in that overbearing people a kind feeling towards their tributaries.

10. But for their national peculiarities and prejudices the Jews would have had no good ground for complaint. They were allowed the free exercise of their own religious rites; they worshipped in their temple and synagogues without restraint; they followed their own customs, and were still in a great degree governed by their own laws.