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Herod Antipas was one of the few sons of Herod the Great to live a long life. Historians cannot agree if it was due to his cunning, his lethargy, or both. It seems he took great pains not to be a threat or be noticed.
He seemed to rule effectively for some years, but certain events would soon change his life. First, he divorced his Nabatean wife to marry Herodias, the former wife of his half brother. It was hardly a wise move in that it alienated him from his now ex father-in-law, Aretas IV, and tt managed to offend the Jews who found a voice in John the Baptizer.
John’s criticism of their marriage forced Antipas to imprison him. It’s not likely that he wanted to kill John because he had quite a large following. Some historians lay blame on politics for John’s death, but Scripture puts the blame on Herodias and her daughter, Salome, from a previous marriage. Regardless, the message was clear; dissension would not be tolerated.
Antipas was banished to Gaul by Caligula on allegations of a friend of his, Agrippa, a grandson of Herod the Great. Herodias was offered a dispensation [reprieve] from the exile because she was the sister of Agrippa. She refused the dispensation and accompanied Antipas into exile. That may not have been a bad move because tradition has it that they lived happily ever after in a villa near Lyon, France.
It is believed by some that John was beheaded in the palace/fortress of Machaerus, built by Herod the Great, Antipas’ father.
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