HERODIAS

 

NAME MEANING:

Heroic

CHARACTER:

A proud woman, she used her daughter to manipulate her husband into doing her will. She acted arrogantly, from beginning to end, in complete disregard for the laws of the land.

STORY IN BRIEF:

Herod, the great accomplished much for his subjects yet committed so much atrocities also. He build completed great projects, including building the temple. But he killed the Jews, and his own wife. Even on his day of death, he ordered for the killing of the Jewish leaders though they were finally saved after his death.

Herodias was his granddaughter. Yet she got married to another son of his, Philip Herod. Herodias lived in Rome with her husband.

But when Antipas Herod visited them, things took a different turn. Herodias got attracted to his husband's brother - Antipas, who was the governor over some states.

The two then divorced their partners and became couples. Now John, the baptist whose message of righteousness hurt Herodias, got imprisoned later by Antipas.

On his birthday, Antipas promised granting Salomey - his daughter-in-law any request, as much as half his kingdom, for he was so pleased by her dance.

When Salomey sought her mum's guidance on making a demand, Herodias suggested she asked for  John's head.

Though challenging, the king was bound by his promise. So John was killed, and his head offered.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE:

Matthew 14:3 – 12; Mark 6:14 – 29; Luke 3:19 – 20; 

9:7 – 9