Historians like Josephus seem to relish giving gory details about Herod’s worsening health in his latter years. Rashy skin. All-over irritation. Cankles. Swollen feet. Bedridden. Kidney failure. Heart failure. Respiratory…

Herod was a political prostitute. He commodified things that should never be sold. We do the same, sometimes, in different ways. We sell our opinions, our popularity, and our worth…

Fear of God and Fear of Man are diametrically opposed. Fear of God is best understood as awe. Imagine falling asleep on a mountain after a long day hiking trails….

Why don’t we feel welcome in places where we should? It’s Christmas, and about a billion people are going to parties, gatherings, and galas galore. But very few of us…

Len Sweet recently recommended a book called “The Jesus Discovery” by A.T. Bradford. The book is controversial, portraying Christ as the golden-son of Pharisaical Judaism who turns against his teachers,…

The people closest to us don’t care about our achievements. Don’t get me wrong. They celebrate when we succeed. But their enthusiasm doesn’t last. Not like the enthusiasm of strangers. Great…

Herod thought that, by building the new Temple, he would earn the right to control the Sanhedrin and appoint the Chief priests. He did have some measure of influence within…

Today was the second Sunday in our series on Herod the Great, contrasting the last King of the Jews with the True One. It was also the occasion of the…

Herod was known to love women, wine, and food in great quantities. He stuffed himself with pleasures, always asking for additional helpings. Having looked at the ways Herod benefitted from…

Herod’s deal with Rome guaranteed he would have the resources he needed to rebuild Judea as a first-class cosmopolitan region. They gave him the means and in return Herod constructed…