King Herod tried to kill Jesus because he saw the newborn “king of the Jews” as a threat to his throne. Herod was a ruthless ruler appointed by Rome, and when the Magi asked where the new king had been born, he responded with fear and then violence, ordering the deaths of Bethlehem’s baby boys. God protected Jesus, and Herod’s story confronts every one of us with a question: whose kingdom are we building, ours or God’s?
Who Was King Herod?
The Bible mentions several rulers named Herod, which can get confusing. The one in the Christmas story is Herod the Great, the founder of the dynasty. His sons and grandsons appear later in the New Testament, including Herod Antipas, who executed John the Baptist and mocked Jesus at his trial.
Herod the Great was an Idumean, from the region south of Judea, and many Jews never accepted him as a legitimate king. The Roman Senate gave him the title “King of the Jews” around 40 BC, and he spent years fighting to secure it. He was a brilliant builder who expanded the temple in Jerusalem into one of the wonders of the ancient world. But he was also notoriously paranoid. Ancient historians record that he executed one of his wives and several of his own sons because he feared they were plotting against him.
So when foreign visitors arrived asking about a newborn king of the Jews, it’s not hard to imagine how Herod reacted.
Matthew 2:3-4 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.
The word translated “disturbed” describes being stirred up or shaken. Herod’s title, power, and identity felt threatened by a baby. And because everyone knew what Herod did when he felt threatened, all Jerusalem was disturbed along with him.
A King Willing to Do Anything
Herod pretended to want to worship the new king and asked the Magi to report back (Matthew 2:8). But God warned them in a dream, and they went home another way. When Herod realized what had happened, his true intentions came out.
Matthew 2:16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
Bethlehem was a small town, so the number of children killed may have been relatively small, which is probably why secular historians don’t mention it. But the grief was real. Matthew connects it to Rachel weeping for her children (Matthew 2:17-18). The Christmas story isn’t only lights and carols. Jesus was born into a dark world where power is often protected at any cost.
God Protects His Plan
Herod was powerful, but he was no match for God. Before the soldiers ever reached Bethlehem, God had already moved Jesus out of harm’s way.
Matthew 2:13-15 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
Herod died not long afterward, and his kingdom was divided among his sons. Jesus’ kingdom, on the other hand, will never end (Luke 1:33). Like Israel, Jesus was called out of Egypt, and he would go on to accomplish the rescue Israel needed. No ruler, plot, or power can stop what God has promised to do.
Whose Kingdom Are You Building?
It’s easy to see Herod as the obvious villain of Christmas. But if we’re honest, we share more with him than we’d like to admit. Every one of us is tempted to protect our own little kingdom: our reputation, our comfort, our control. We may not be violent, but we can push people away, cut corners, or ignore God when Jesus threatens our plans. Jesus didn’t come to fit into our kingdoms. He came to be King.
The good news is that Jesus’ kingdom isn’t like Herod’s. Herod grabbed power and destroyed lives to keep it. Jesus gave up his life to save ours. That’s why he can invite us to let go of our own thrones and trust him instead.
Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
This Christmas, Herod’s story invites a simple, searching question. Is there any part of your life where you’re treating Jesus as a threat instead of a King? Surrendering that area isn’t a loss. It’s the beginning of real freedom.
The Takeaway
Why did King Herod try to kill Jesus? Herod saw the newborn King as a threat to his own power, so he lashed out in fear and violence. But God protected Jesus and kept his promises. Herod’s story challenges us to stop building our own kingdoms and to seek first the kingdom of the true King.
