Herodians

The Herodians (Greek: Ἡρώδειοι; Latin: Herodiani) were a sect of Hellenistic Jews mentioned in the New Testament on two occasions – first in Galilee and later in Jerusalem – being hostile to Jesus (Mark 3:6, 12:13; Matthew 22:16; cf. also Mark 8:15, Luke 13:31–32, Acts 4:27). In each of these cases their name is coupled with that of the Pharisees.^[1]

According to many interpreters, the courtiers or soldiers of Herod Antipas ("Milites Herodis," Jerome) were intended; others argue that the Herodians were probably a public political party who distinguished themselves from the two great historical parties of post-exilic Judaism (the Pharisees and Sadducees) by the fact that they were and had been sincerely friendly to Herod the Great, the Edomite placed as king over Judea by Rome, and to his dynasty.^[2]

^ In Mark 3:6, the Pharisees began to plot against Jesus in response to his actions in healing on the Sabbath day, and drew the Herodians into their conspiracy. In Mark 8:15, Jesus recognised that the alliance of Pharisees and Herod (i.e. the Herodians) was a source of danger to him. In Mark 12:13ff, the Pharisees and Herodians together, having sent a delegation to investigate and challenge what Jesus was teaching in the Temple in Jerusalem, jointly flattered Jesus for his honesty and impartiality, then questioned him politically in relation to his attitude to paying Roman taxes. Jesus did appear (from Mark 12:17 and Matthew 22:22) to have impressed the Herodians with his reply: "... they marveled (εθαυμασαν, ethaumasan) at Him".
^ One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Herodians". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 13 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 381.

[1] In Mark 3:6, the Pharisees began to plot against Jesus in response to his actions in healing on the Sabbath day, and drew the Herodians into their conspiracy. In Mark 8:15, Jesus recognised that the alliance of Pharisees and Herod (i.e. the Herodians) was a source of danger to him. In Mark 12:13ff, the Pharisees and Herodians together, having sent a delegation to investigate and challenge what Jesus was teaching in the Temple in Jerusalem, jointly flattered Jesus for his honesty and impartiality, then questioned him politically in relation to his attitude to paying Roman taxes. Jesus did appear (from Mark 12:17 and Matthew 22:22) to have impressed the Herodians with his reply: "... they marveled (εθαυμασαν, ethaumasan) at Him".

[EB1911-2] One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Herodians". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 13 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 381.

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