How could a dead man seek to kill Baby Jesus?

THE SHOOTIST

Historians say that King Herod the Great the famous baby killer who sought to kill baby Jesus, died in the year 4 B.C.. Now all those religious groups like the JWs who believe Jesus was born Oct 1/2, 2 B.C. seem to have a real problem reconciling that with historians. How could a man dead for 2 years carry out this act of aggression against the Son of God? How come Philo, a writer of that day who chronicled the events in and around Jerusalem along with 40 or more writers of that time period, fail to chroncile such an outstanding event? All these same writers seemed to forget to mention Jesus as well. I think I smell a con.

Spectre

No con, he's just good at killing babies, damn good.

Narkissos

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/103909/1798857/post.ashx#1798857

There is no indication of the date of Jesus' birth other than the contradictory legends in Matthew and Luke (both refer to the reign of Herod the Great but Luke adds Quirinius' census which is a decade later than Herod's death). The WT insists on 2 BC (and so dates Herod's death down in 1 BC) for its own fanciful chronology -- I don't know if any other group does.

Lilycurly

And how did John the Baptist get out of it alive? Wasn't he about the same age as Jesus?

Also, according to historians, even someone as important as Herod would not have been allowed to massacre all these kids, he would have being trialed and exiled by the roman officials.

It was also said that the story was probably inspired by the legend of tyran Kamsa, 1500 B.C., who persecuted Krishna and ordered the murder of thousands of young children.

Narkissos

Lily,

Matthew limits the slaughter to Bethlehem and its neighborhood. Besides, only Luke suggests that John the Baptist and Jesus were related and about the same age. Some Gospel traditions suggest that John and Jesus were much more apart in time (Jesus is held to be the resurrected John, Mark 6:14//; 8:28// which puts John together with prophets of ancient times; cf. also the expression "from the days of John the Baptist until now," Matthew 11:12//).

A closer influence on the story of the slaughter is Exodus 1:15ff about the birth of Moses, which in turn is partly inspired by the narrative about Sargon I, king of Akkad.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sargon_of_Akkad

For more information on the nativity story see Leolaia's thread http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/10/82425/1.ashx

aniron

How many children were killed? According to one historian I remember reading.

Bethlehem at the time was just a small village. With maybe about a 1,000 people at the very most.

So have many children would have been 2 yrs old and under?

Its reckoned between 10-15.

mdb

Some Gospel traditions suggest that John and Jesus were much more apart in time (Jesus is held to be the resurrected John, Mark 6:14; 8:28 which puts John together with prophets of ancient times;

Read these two Scriptural references in context. They do not "suggest" what you indicate. King Herod thought Jesus was John raised from the dead as some believed that He was Elijah (John was symbolically "Elijah who is to come" - Matt 11:11-14) Because Herod "thought" it, doesn't make him right. According to Luke, John was only 6 months older than Jesus, so... John was only 6 months older than Jesus.

And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits. He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts— but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.
Also He said to them, “In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for

Mark 6:7-18

Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?”
So they answered, “John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.”
Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.

Mark 8:27-30

Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.”
Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of , and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted . And it happened, when heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

Luke 1:36-45

skyman

Wow thanks a bunch.

Everyone should click http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5052156
then click Listen and you be amazed at what you will learn.

Bart Ehrman's 'Misquoting Jesus'

RubaDub

How come Philo, a writer of that day who chronicled the events in and around Jerusalem along with 40 or more writers of that time period, fail to chroncile such an outstanding event?

Maybe he misplaced his notes and forgot ...

Rub a Dub

Benjamin Belial

If the slaughter was only in Bethlehem, why did they flee all the way to Egypt? And why are there no historical records of any such thing taking place?

How could a dead man seek to kill Baby Jesus?

Bart Ehrman's 'Misquoting Jesus'

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