That this man is prepared to speak and to declare the whole counsel of God, to unveil his whole life before these men and women, and stand up for Jesus no matter what the cost." Even so, they made choices that went against everything the Jews believed in. In New Testament Political Figures Confirmed in the September/October 2017 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, Purdue University scholar Lawrence Mykytiuk examines the political figures in the New Testament who can be identified in the archaeological record and by extra-Biblical writings. Which Is The Best Study Bible For Pastors. order to urge Berenice to do to Titus what Judith had done to Holophernes. Now Paul stood before the next in line of the Herods, Herod Agrippa. she had an incestuous relationship with her brother Agrippa II - public and very scandalous she had an affair with, and probably hoped to marry, the Roman emperor Titus (see Masada ). An apostle of Jesus Christ is treated as a criminal while criminals Apart from the fact that Herod the Great died in 1BC, not 4BC, this is very helpful and very well displayed. Did Jesus Exist? How did Agrippa and Bernice enter the auditorium? - Now when certain days were passed for and after certain days, A.V. He is passionate about the Lord and spends quality time with the Word of God every day. ), Pauls first judge, left him in prison for two years until new procurator Porcius Festus (r. c. 6062 C.E.) I appreciate that! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Bernice was King Herod's daughter, thus she was King Agrippa's sister, so incest was suspected and highly likely.) Herod the Great was "king of the Jews" at Jesus' birth and tried to have Him killed ( Matthew 2 ). If Calvin's claim regarding the relationship between Agrippa and Bernice is correct, then I wonder if God enlightened Paul on that point before he made . For Jesus' sake we ask it. The Sanhedrin Council was a religious group that functioned as a court in important cases. Resource Toolbox. AD. Flavius Josephus, the Jewish historian, repeats. Sometime later Berenice left Polemo and returned to her kingdom. But he was even more positive that after the king heard Paul speak he would have something to write to Augustus Caesar about him. We love You. Dig into more than 9,000 articles in the Biblical Archaeology Societys vast library plus much morewith an All-Access pass. Verse 1 of chapter 26: "So Agrippa said to Paul, 'You have permission to speak for yourself.' In reaction to suspicions that their relationship was incestuous, she married Polemon, a priest-king of Cilicia, but she soon left him and returned to her brother. Agrippa I is the "King Herod" who killed James and imprisoned Peter (Acts 12:13). Question. Because however you explain this, however you describe this setting, it's got to be tremendously intimidating. According to Josephus, Drusilla and her only child died in Pompeii twenty years later when they tried to escape the volcanic explosion. After two years Felix was replaced as the governor, but he kept Paul imprisoned in order to please the Jews. He was the last of Herod's line to be a king. Much later he held part of Jesus trial. Copyright 2011-2023 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved. The church of the very near future to Luke and Paul is on trial here, and it may well be that in recording this detail Luke is saying to his readers to you and me as much as to his original readers there are lessons to be learned here. Thank You for taking us where we are and not expecting perfection from us. Sproul writes, Festus fully intends to honor his commitment to send Paul to Nero. You'll remember last time, on a Sunday evening about ten days ago, we were looking at Paul's defense before Governor Felix. Who were Bernice and Drusillas relatives? Jesus didn't rise from the dead because dead men don't rise from the dead, because miracles are impossible. The case interested King Agrippa, so he asked Festus if he could hear Paul tell his story. Did you catch the way Luke describes the beginning ceremony? He has been givenwhen his father died in Acts 12, he was only 17 years old. What's the definite thing that changed him? Bernice was Agrippa's sister. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. The setting was set for Paul to give one of his most personal messages. Well, ask that to the logical positivist Anthony Flue, who says it's impossible. This Bible History Daily feature was originally published on September 25, 2017. And then Paul is brought in. chapter on women in the writings of Josephus, Ilan shows how Josephus rhetorical Governor Festus has been appointed in his place. Nothing more is known of her. to Festus in his new office. Titus and Berenice. American The other is Josephus, who claims that rumors of the siblings inappropriate relationship led Berenice to seek a third match (Ant. The ritual, the pageantry? Apparently not (see Josephus describes Berenices role as a solitary pacifying force in preliminaries of the Revolt. ), was replaced by a series of Roman governors, including Pontius Pilate (r. 2636 C.E.). Sign up to receive our email newsletter and never miss an update. He spent his childhood and youth at the imperial court in Ancient Rome where he befriended the imperial princes Claudius and Drusus, the son of Tiberius. I heard Him. Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. Berenice was the daughter of King Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod the Great and client king of Judea. The . 59 C.E. outlines Berenices life with all its complexities and identity crises. 1. fol. Agrippa also had appointive powers for the office of high priest. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. About David Ettinger; Categories. Agrippa responded by saying that Paul almost persuaded him to become a Christian. Manage Settings And then, secondly, he draws attention to his experience of Christ, of Jesus Christ. Not only was Augustus the man who laid the foundations of the empire, but also the longest serving emperor, and in the eyes of many, the best ruler Rome ever had. %PDF-1.3 19.277, 20.104). Festus agreed and planned the meeting for the next day. 1. She married her uncle Herod, King of Chalcis, a small realm in Syria. Well, we'll pick up the reading at verse 13 of chapter 25. He had offered, you remember, a solution: that Paul go to trial in Jerusalem before the Jews. After Salomes dance and his rash promise, he executed John the Baptist. Herod Agrippa II., son of Herod Agrippa I. Four highly acclaimed books, published in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution: Aspects of Monotheism, Feminist Approaches to the Bible, The Rise of Ancient Israel and The Search for Jesus. He didn't have time to hear these cases. Matthew describes her only as the daughter of Herodias. The name Salome was given to her later, outside of Scripture, just as Mary Magdalene was in reality not a prostitute at all until wrongly pronounced as such by Pope Gregory in the sixth century CE. Paul remained in Roman custody for some time following his appearance before Governor Festus (Acts 25:1-12). We make choices every day of our lives. with Titus, his patron, and her negative portrayal as emanating from her support Before we read the passage together, let's look to God in prayer. I saw Him. She later returned to Rome, but they did not renew their relationship. [That is to say, things that you think you know, that it turns out you did not. Donald Rumsfeld.] He suffered a period of disgrace following the death of Drusus which forced him to return to live in Judea. As todays text reveals, it was during this time that King Herod Agrippa II and his sister Bernice visited Festus. Dr. Malka Z. Simkovich Cite Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar; [U]nto Caesar shalt thou go[? Ultimately, he sided with Rome, and he was expelled by his Jewish subjects. During their political visit, Paul's case came up. Below, see a visualization of the Herodian family tree and key events in the New Testament related to members of the Herodian family.Ed. When you face trials, and you face intimidation, and you face opposition; when you have to give a reason for the hope that lies within you with meekness and godly fear, learn from the way in which the Apostle Paul does it here. And, oh, don't you hear the heart of the Apostle Paul beating? I mean, this man of pomp and ceremony and pageantry, he's been offended now. He still does. The New Testament mentions Berenices presence with her brother at the Apostle Pauls trial (Acts 25:13). And Agrippa was Herod Agrippa, grandson of Herod the Great who tried to kill our Lord when he was a baby and nephew to Herod Antipas who succeeded in seeing our Lord die. Paul has been, as you recall, in prison in Caesarea now for just over two years. (LogOut/ Recall the will of the Lord for Apostle Paul. We teach no new thing, but we repeat and establish old things." Festus remains deeply disturbed over. He lived out the rest of his life in Rome. Festus? Pauls appeal places the governor in the unenviable position of having to justify sending Paul to Nero without specific charges. Amen. Every pastor is a teacher. Retail: $19.99. calls him Agrippa the Second, the son of Agrippa the First, the fifth king of the family of Herod: John Gill And when he came he preached Jesus Christ to them. affair of Titus and Berenice. And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him, (Acts 9:29). Hide it now in our hearts for Jesus' sake. was used interchangeably with the position - "Caesar" Festus). In the meantime, King Agrippa and his sister Bernice came to call on Festus. Festus heard Apostle Paul and the Jews accusations against him. The son of Agrippa I, he was the seventh and last king of the family of Herod the Great. What is ironic about that? Festus announced that he had found no charges to accuse Paul of. And Luke is telling you, 'I was there, I saw this, I heard this, you understand. 7. She would become the mistress of Emperor Titus. The next day Agrippa and Bernice arrived with great pomp and circumstance and entered the auditorium with the commanders and prominent men of the city. The two apparently became lovers in 68 C.E. intrigues Agrippa, so he wishes to hear the apostle for himself. Your email address will not be published. That's the only description of Paul that we have extant. In this article Schwartz explores the sources on Agrippa II used by Josephus, 14 Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul's case with the king. Video lectures from world-renowned experts. Therefore, King Agrippa and his wife, Queen Bernice, didnt visit Festus by chance. They were Jews, but they were loyal to the empire. Intrigued, Agrippa said he would like to hear from Paul himself. ii. Acts 9, 22, 26) and the narrative's treatment of Saul's reign (Acts 13.21-22). Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. (Viewed on March 1, 2023) . And that would have been that. On trial for "hope" (Acts 26:6-8) Paul again made the resurrection the real bone of contention between himself and his Jewish accusers (23:6; 24:15; 25:19). Salome danced for Herod Antipas and, at Herodiass direction, requested the beheading of John the Baptist. Our information on her comes initially from Josephus, but it appears that because of personal considerations he withheld vital information about Berenice, which we learn only from various Roman historians. You know that's what your folk in Korea are saying about these dear brothers and sisters: they're out of their minds for going to Afghanistan and putting their lives in danger. Two chapters in this book discuss certain aspects of Berenices life. Paul, so he begins laying out the case before Agrippa. His Books are available for purchase wherever books are sold. Join the women of prayer simulstudy Coming January 9, on Bernice and Drusilla: Royal Wicked Sisters, Bernice and Drusilla: Royal Wicked Sisters, All Gods Women Bible Study Facebook group, Wives of Tyre / Daughters of Philip Sharon Wilharm | Female Christian Speaker, Phoebe and the Sister Saints of Rome Sharon Wilharm | Female Christian Speaker. The Herodian family tree and key events in the New Testament related to members of the Herodian family. Upon hearing the details of the matter, Agrippa was interested in hearing Paul himself. Festus told Agrippa about his Paul problem. In the Bible, she is a sister of King Agrippa. Source: Wikimedia Commons. King Agrippa and his wife, Queen Bernice, visited Governor Festus at an opportune time in the life of Apostle Paul. Father, we thank You for Your word. King Agrippa II (King Herod Agrippa II) and his sister, Bernice [Veronique is what the Latin's called hersorry if you're called Veronique!] 19Rather they had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. Flavius Josephus, the Jewish historian, repeats. Grace abounding to the chief of sinners. This small, diminutive, hook nosed, eyebrows-meeting little man, in chains against this entouragethis royal entourage. Bernice and Drusilla were the great granddaughters of Herod the Great who tried to kill baby Jesus. Pastors do a lot of teachings but they need to be taught the Word of God too. ), was the last king of the Jews.He was the grandson of Herod the Great and son of Aristobulus IV and Berenice. Agrippa and Berenice are both seated on thrones as Roman procurator Porcius Festus makes his report. Combine a one-year tablet and print subscription to BAR with membership in the BAS Library to start your journey into the ancient past today! So, the next day with royal pomp and circumstance they sent for Apostle Paul. When he said that Christ would bring light to the Jewish people as well as the Gentiles, Festus interrupted him. Paris: 1951. Our free eBook Ten Top Biblical Archaeology Discoveries brings together the exciting worlds of archaeology and the Bible! She was widowed for a second time in 48 C.E., when only twenty (Ant. And my uncle is my father." Two ancient sources, Josephus and Juvenal, recorded the growing rumors about their relationship, openly hinting they were incestuous lovers. search online.". [Well, not just that, of course. Jewish Women into Second Temple History. Much learning has made you mad.' King Agrippa 2nd. vm5LgUkM-{8R0B.s@LI"FySyO;Iwd1(2Ju6W7,\\2)1?VJTUiad#Nwfd1a|yx I know that you believe the prophets." xW6+H,pxT%'QdI3R,2Gr2PAmqU&uD2VyQKd6GEQLJz^ He's invoked this law which had been in existence now for perhaps a hundred years or sohe'd invoked the right of a Roman citizen to appeal to Caesar, to have his case heard before the emperor himself. Acts is my favorite bookespecially Acts 2! I'm not ashamed of being thought to be out of my mind. And Festus is more than willing for Agrippa to give him some advice, because he's about to send Paul to Rome, and there is no case! It's a wonderful text; I've preached many sermons on it. and that she returned to Rome before his death in 81, and not because of his King Herod Agrippa I (r. 3744 C.E.) King Agrippa was the Jewish leader approved by Rome so . C"?1p1i63b66F9w,o>aoRn9>/^. and his sisters Berenice and Drusilla were all involved in the interrogation of the Apostle Paul at Caesarea, yet remained unrepentant. Inscriptions indicate that she was a Roman citizen and bore the Roman name Julia. The identical thing happened to Saul. the Flavian claim to the throne, and opposed another such party, headed by This is the reaction of a dog that's in a corner that's beginning to growl, because Agrippa has been put in a corner, because he knows more than he's willing to confesswhich is true of every natural man. Many sources indicate that they were often found together in official capacities. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Change). Having over 40 years experience with the Word! % 8. Thank You for never giving up on us. 1.) So what can we learn from Bernice and Drusilla? It's a boldness that comes, you understand, from the Holy Spirit, from a deep relationship with Jesus Christ. And you've got that scene, and you've got Paul, andwell, you've got to say to yourself, "What courage! Author of. As required by the vow, her hair was shorn and she walked barefoot. It was the resurrection. setting of gender-power relationships. derive from a pious Jewish source and do not reflect Josephus own opinions. Marc Anthony had seen him as a figure of Jewish and national importance who would be a friend to the Romans. YOU WILL BE WATCHING THE BIRTH OF OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST PRAISE GOD. Paul shared about his upbringing as a devout Jew, that he lived as a Pharisee, but now he was being accused by the Jews because he believed that God raised the dead. Here is your ticket to join us as we discover more and more about the biblical world and its people. Do you remember what Luther said at the time of the Reformation? Levick, Barbara. Paul, you are beside yourself! Why would King Agrippa bring his sister Bernice He's a Jew, you understand. College, Oxford: College Record (19992000): 6073. (Acts 12. I wasnt really reading for typos but noticed a couple: *They waited to late*I think it should be TOO late Also, Phebe should be PHOEBE. Agrippa II was the great-grandson of Herod the Great (Matthew 2) and son of Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12). 24 And Festus said, "King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that .
what was the relationship between king agrippa and bernice