Scorned: Jesus Before Herod Antipas

Luke 23.7-12

In Luke 23, Pilate has finished his examination of the case against Jesus. In Luke 23.4 he issues his verdict: “Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, ‘I find no guilt in this man.’ But they were urgent, saying, ‘He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.’ (Luke 23.4-5)

If Pilate were a dog, you can imagine his ears perking up at this passing reference to Galilee. This was a new development, because if this “Jesus” is Galilean, the He isn’t Pilate’s problem to solve. Plus, there was some tension that needed to be resolved with the wily ruler of that territory, and this man’s deliverance to Herod might serve to warm what had been a very cold relationship between them. The text of Luke 23 continues in v.6:

“When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.’”

Series Title Slide: The Last Day of Jesus’ Life

This morning as we continue our series considering the events of the last day of Jesus’ life, I would like for us to examine Jesus’ interaction with Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great (the king who tried to have Jesus killed as an infant in Matthew 2).

Antipas plays a major role in not just the crucifixion account of Jesus, but in two earlier stories which I want to consider as historical context for Jesus’ meeting with him in Luke 23.

Title Slide:

First, we’ll examine the character of the man Antipas, the man to whom Pilate sent Jesus for judgment.

Second, we’ll look at the cunning of Antipas in Luke 13, and Jesus’ response to this.

Third, we’ll consider Jesus’ interaction with Herod in Luke 23, and how the early church would later view Antipas’ role in Jesus’ death.

The Character of Antipas (Luke 3.1-3; 9.7-9)

Antipas was a wicked man.

Luke 3.1-3: During the reign of Antipas over Galilee, inherited along with Philip from his father Herod the Great, John the Baptist, a cousin of Jesus (cf. Luke 1.36) began His ministry in the wilderness of Judea.

His ministry included not only announcement of the Kingdom of Heaven and preaching repentance for the forgiveness of sins, but condemnations of the evils around him. No wickedness was safe from John’s preaching, including that of Herod Antipas.

Luke 3:18-20: Herod had been reproved by John for his illicit relationship with Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. And it is here where we first learn of Herod’s character.

Josephus tells us that Herod and Herodias met in Rome, where they fell in “love” with each other, and both agreed to divorce their spouses in order to marry one another. (Antiq. 18.1.109-111)

Herod adds to “all the evil things that Herod had done”, which reads as in addition to taking his brother’s wife, imprisoning John the Baptist.

This wouldn’t be the last time the lust of Antipas reared its ugly head.

Antipas’ lust and pride led him to execute John the Baptist.

Luke 9:7–9: Herod recognizes that this movement started by John among the people hasn’t ended!

We know from Matthew 14.1-12 and Mark 6 what happened: Herodias’ daughter, Salome, danced before Herod in such a provocative way as to cause Herod to swear an oath to give her anything she asked, “up to half of my kingdom” (Mark 6.23)

Friends, you don’t convince a man to swear that sort of oath by doing the “Hokey Pokey”!

Salome, after consulting with her mother Herodias, asks for the head of John the Baptist on a platter.

Herod, regretting his rash vow and recognizing the derision that would come from his guests if he failed to do so, complies, and ordered John to be beheaded.

Now, it’s natural, having seen Antipas in the light of scripture, to quickly slam him as wicked, because he is wicked. The Bible says so.

Antipas scorned his covenant vow with his wife, allowed his lust to rule his heart, and agreed with Herodias that they should divorce their spouses to be together.

Even though Mark 6.20 tells us that Antipas was “greatly perplexed” and would listen to John gladly, Antipas scorned a good man who spoke the truth, choosing in fear to imprison him rather than kill him.

Antipas scorned his relationship to Herodias (briefly) when he gave in to his lust over his step-daughter Salome.

Antipas scorned doing the right thing because of his pride and the pressure from his guests.

Antipas was guilty of many other evils that the Bible does not describe. But here’s my point:

Application: Jesus was sent to be judged by someone like us.

Acts 2:23 “this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.”

Antipas certainly qualifies as a lawless, godless man. But friends, we weren’t (or aren’t) any better. Lest you think I’m going too far, consider all that the text describes Antipas as doing:

Have you ever allowed lust to fill your heart and mind, leading you to search for images you have no business seeing, or have a rendesvous with lustful intent, or a conversation you shouldn’t have?

Have you ever scorned someone who told you God’s truth, or been perplexed because you knew what you were hearing was right but there were all these other competing interests that “prevented” you from doing what was right?

Have you ever failed to do the right thing because your pride got in the way?

Have you ever given in to pressure from wicked people who find satisfaction in greater wickedness?

Friends and brethren, Jesus was sent to save people like Herod Antipas. People like us.

Read again 1 Corinthians 6:9–11 and ask yourself: How many of these describe Antipas? AND THEN ask yourself: How many of these describe events from my own life?

Jesus was sent so that people like you and me could be washed, sanctified and justified. Jesus must not be scorned, the way Antipas scorned John the Baptist.

The Cunning of Antipas (Luke 13.31-33)

Jesus’ death (or flight) would satisfy everyone!

Based on the response of Antipas in Luke 9, this is an understandable development.

The last time we read of this uprising among the Galileans, John the Baptist was the cause. But in Luke 9.9, Herod seeks to meet Jesus, but now in Luke 13 he seeks to kill him, based on the Pharisees’ report.

You can also understand why these normally-hostile Pharisees were eager to communicate this message to Jesus. If Jesus runs for the hills, their problem is solved alongside Herod’s.

Whether Jesus is executed or exiled by Antipas, the movement behind both John and Jesus ceases, and everyone gets to carry on as before.

However, even under threat of death or exile, stopping the work was not part of Jesus’ mission.

Jesus’ Response: Part 1: Call a Fox, a Fox

Well, our culture’s reaction to this would be “Oh wow, I can’t believe Jesus called him a name, how awful and inconsiderate of Him!”.

In their culture and time they weren’t nearly as triggered by things like this as we are now. (Oh, the good old days...)

This isn’t the first time that Jesus uses animal imagery to describe people, both positively or negatively. In Matthew 23.33 Jesus described the scribes and Pharisees as “serpents” & “brood of vipers”: Leaders who were poisonous, deadly, & evil! In Matthew 10.16 Jesus sent out His disciples as “sheep in the midst of wolves”, instructing them to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves” IN Matt. 7.6 He told His followers to not give to “Dogs” what is holy, nor to throw their pearls before “swine”.

There are people in our world who share characteristics with swine, sheep, dogs, doves, serpents, vipers, and foxes, and it’s not wrong to say so!

Even Paul warned the Philippians to “Look out for the dogs” (Phil. 3.2), and he wasn’t talking about Golden Retrievers!

Jesus sees right through the cunning and artifice of Antipas, and after identifying it continues with the substance of His response.

Jesus’ Response - Part 2: I’m Not Finished Yet.

This isn’t what Jesus says, of course, but it’s the substance of His meaning.

Jesus has important work to do, including exorcisms and healings (a summary for His powerful signs). That work didn’t include coming before Antipas (yet), and it didn’t include ceasing His ministry!

Jesus instructs these Pharisees to tell the “fox” of Galilee that He would not stop today, HE would not stop tomorrow, HE would continue until the “third day” when HE would finish his course.

That phrasing should ring some bells, should it not? Finishing the course on the third day?

He repeats the idea in v.33 of the three days, this time relating it to HIs eventual destination: Jerusalem, where in he would then “perish” as a prophet!

Jesus’ response is clear: ANTIPAS had no more authority to tell Jesus where and how HE would die than HE did to instruct Jesus to stop His ministry!

No matter what, Jesus would do what God set forth for Him to do.

Application: When the wicked threatens us, celebrate and continue God’s work.

How many of us would be as willing as Jesus to continue our work under threat of death? There is no hint here that the threat against Jesus wasn’t credible!

Jesus teaches us both by His example and by His words elsewhere that when we are pressured by the wicked of this world to cease our work for God, there are a couple of responses we should have.

First, Celebrate. (Matt. 5.11-12)

Persecution by the world identifies us as those opposed to the wickedness of this world, or as God’s servants! John 15:20b: “ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.”

Secondly, being reviled and persecuted not only unifies us with the righteous prophets of old who were persecuted, but with Jesus Himself, who in Luke 13 was traveling to Jerusalem to perish as a prophet should!

If the world is upset by our service to God, good! There’s a great chance we’re doing something right!

Second, Continue. (Matt. 23.34)

Read with me in Matthew 23:34 “Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town,”

Question: How can a person be persecuted “from town to town”?

When they proclaim Jesus as Lord in the first town, and are consequently run out of that town, they continue doing God’s work in the 2nd, and 3rd, and everywhere they are driven!

Friends and brethren, if we lose our jobs because we are faithful to Jesus, then let us be faithful to Jesus in our next job! IF we lose a relationship because we are faithful to Jesus, let us continue God’s work in our relationship with the next person!

When the world threatens us as Antipas threatened Jesus, take courage! Keep fighting the good fight, and do not let anyone other than God decide when our service is done!

Transition: Now we have the context for Jesus’ meeting with Antipas in Luke 23. We understand that this exceedingly wicked man Jesus is about to meet for the first time had His relative brutally and shamefully executed not more than a couple years prior. We know that this “fox” has at times sought a meeting with Jesus’, while at others decided Jesus was better off dead.

So, what will happen when the “fox of Galilee” meets the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah”? All this buildup, all this tension, all this backstory leads finally to the meeting between Antipas and Jesus, FOX vs. LION, what will happen?

The Confrontation with Antipas (Luke 23.6-12)

In short, nothing happened. (Luke 23.9)

Herod is very happy to meet Jesus at long last, and attempts to question Jesus “at some length”, but to no avail. Jesus wouldn’t budge.

Herod wanted to see Jesus do a miraculous sign. Jesus didn’t oblige him.

The chief priest and scribes laid into Jesus, “vehemently accusing Him”. Jesus didn’t dignify them with a response.

In short, all Jesus did that day was stand there and bleed, and there is one powerful thing to take from this I believe.

NO ONE THERE had any authority to tell or desire or berate Jesus into doing anything!

The “fox” and all his minions yipped and chirped and nipped at Jesus, but THE LION stood firm!

Jesus was accused, treated with contempt, and mocked. (Luke 23.10-11a)

In Mark 9:12b Jesus once said “And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt?”

Antipas and his minions were only able to do what Jesus had already said they would do, and so they did.

They treated Him with contempt and mocked Him as the Jews had done already.

But then they go one step further, and do something that was completely appropriate, yet had no idea why.

Jesus was dressed appropriately, unbeknownst to them. (Luke 23.11b)

Look closely at the end of Luke 23:11 “Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate.”

Twice in the final day of Jesus’ life He is dressed in an outfit with tremendously significant meanings. We remember that later the Roman guard will dress Jesus in a scarlet (Matt.) or purple (Mark, John) robe, a crown of thorns and a reed, mocking Him as a king, which unknown to them was actually true!

Antipas, in mockery, arrays Jesus in “splendid” (ESV), or “bright” (CSB), or “gorgeous” (KJV) clothing.

The word is [lampran], the adjective form of [lampros], meaning “bright, shining, brilliant, radiant” (It’s the same word from which we get the word “lamp”)

Do you know where else that word is used?

In Acts 10.30, Cornelius describes his angelic visitor as a man standing before him “in bright clothing”

In Revelation 15.6, the angels that come from before the presence of God in His sanctuary are described as “clothed in pure, bright linen”

In Revelation 22.1, the “river of the water of life” is described as “bright as crystal”

Finally, and most powerfully, Revelation 22:16 ““I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.””

Friends and brethren, Antipas dressed Jesus as a divine entity having come from God with a message from God, and He had NO CLUE how right he was!

Jesus said NOTHING to Antipas, and yet Antipas declared to the world that Jesus came from Heaven!

Conclusion: To Herod Antipas, the ruling “fox of Galilee”, Jesus said nothing.

Out of all the scenes of the last day of Jesus’ life, this is the only one in which Jesus says nothing.

Whatever Antipas could know of Jesus would only have come from reports, rumors, and the Jewish accusations and misrepresentations made against Him that day.

Jesus directly, personally, and verbally told Antipas NOTHING, and yet Antipas was held responsible for His response to Jesus.

Do you know how much Jesus has said to you, directly, personally, and verbally/audibly? Nothing.

Everything you know about Jesus has come from reports (i.e. from the Bible, God’s word), rumors (both true and untrue, from Christians and non-Christians) and the world’s now manifold misrepresentations, fake news, and wishful thinking concerning Jesus.

Like Antipas, we will all be held responsible for our response to Jesus.

What will YOU do with Him?

Will you scorn Him, or submit to Him?

Mock Him, or Magnify Him?

Will you treat Him with contempt, or appeal to God for a good conscience through obedience to the Gospel?

Will your treatment of and response to Jesus make your relationship with your worldly friends and coworkers better, like it did between Antipas and Pilate, or will it set you on God’s side, at odds with the world?

Just like Antipas, you get to decide today what you’ll do with Jesus.

If you would bow before Him, either in obedience to the Gospel or return to His service, we’re ready to help you today, either during this song or after our final prayer. We beg you to side with Jesus, as we stand and sing together.