In the story of the Massacre of the Innocents, recorded in the Gospel of Matthew (2:1–16). Herod the Great, king of Judea, commands the murdering of children to kill Jesus. The Massacre of the Innocents is a well-known biblical story in the Gospel of Matthew. Which tells of Herod the Great’s repression of the Jews in Bethlehem. According to the Gospel, Herod was contacted by the Magi. Who asked him to tell them where they could find the newborn king of the Jews.

In response, Herod ordered the massacre of all male children in Bethlehem who were two years old and under. This horrific act of violence was intended to ensure that he would not be challenged for his throne by the newborn Jewish king.

The Massacre of the Innocents is one of the most tragic events in the Bible. And is a reminder of the terrible consequences of unchecked power and ambition.

The Massacre of the Innocents: A Biblical Story of Herod’s Demise

According to the Gospel of Matthew, an angel forewarned Joseph to flee to Egypt in a dream. As a result, Jesus was spared the massacre. Only after Herod’s demise did Joseph make his way back and settle in Nazareth, Galilee.

Most contemporary Christian scholars affirm its historical accuracy while pointing out how the incident fits with Herod’s repressive regime. Herod, who repeatedly warned against the threat of usurpation, killed his wife, three in-law brothers, his mother-in-law, three sons, and several hundred rivals without hesitation.

The story has been transformed into a cultural top in the Christian tradition. Inspiring a variety of artistic interpretations throughout time.

The Catholic Church refers to the children who perished in the Massacre of the Innocents as “Holy Innocents,” and December 28 has been set aside as their liturgical memorial.

How many innocent children were killed in the Massacre of the Innocents?

How many victims must there have been in the Massacre of the Innocents? With the assumption that Bethlehem and its surrounding area may have had no more than 1,000 residents. One concludes that there were roughly 30 babies born there each year, or 60 in two years.

However, because the sexes were equal and Herod had no reason to kill the female newborns, only the 30 male infants were subject to his cruelty.

Because infant mortality is so high in the East. And so many infants do not live to be two years old, this statistic is likely too high. The victims must have been between 20 and 25 years old.

The Massacre of the Innocents in Rome: Is It a Revelation of the Impending Birth of a King?

The Massacre of the Innocents has undeniable historical significance and properly reflects Herod’s moral character. However, even in Rome, if Augustus was truly aware of it, as Macrobius would have it. The news should have had little impact because there were also reports in Rome about an incident similar to this one that included Augustus himself.

According to Suetonius, a warning that occurred in Rome shortly before the birth of Augustus was interpreted as portending the impending birth of a king to the Roman populace. The Senate, made up of tenacious republicans, was alarmed by this and ordered that no child born in that year should be raised and brought up. However, those senators whose wives were expecting relaxed their republican tenacity on that occasion.

While it is legitimate to question the historical integrity of this incident. The fact that a similar rumor was reported by Suetonius and spread throughout Rome indicates that the news of the Massacre of the Innocents would have been met with laughter if it had reached the Urbe, almost as if the old king had killed nothing more than several fleas.

The Case of Bethlehem in the Gospel according to Matthew (2:1–16)

There are no analogs to the incident in any other canonical gospels described in the Gospel according to Matthew (2:1–16).

The story begins after Jesus was born, during Herod the Great’s reign (73-4 BCE). Some magi traveled to Jerusalem to inquire about the location of the newly crowned Jewish monarch. After learning that the predictions pointed to Bethlehem, Herod was troubled by the news and asked the high priests and scribes of the people where the Messiah would be born.

The magi were summoned in secret and told to travel to Bethlehem and report back to Herod so that he, too, could worship him. However, the magi decided not to return to Jerusalem after being warned by an angel in a dream.

After this, Herod ordered the execution of all male newborns under two in the Bethlehem region (Mt 2:1-16).

The episode comes to a close with a reminder of how the killing of the innocents had fulfilled a prophecy found in the Book of Jeremiah (Mt 2:17-18).

Herod’s Way of Operating: A Non-Gospel Source 

No other source, whether evangelical or not, reports the Massacre of the Innocents besides the Gospel of Matthew.

A month or so after his birth, according to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is carried to the temple before his family departs for Nazareth (Lk 2:21-39). The omission of the massacre from Flavius Josephus, the Jewish historian who was Herod’s greatest foe and the primary non-Gospel source at the time, raises doubts about the episode’s veracity.

But “the narrative seems full in keeping with Herod’s way of operating,” on the other hand. King Herod was “one of the most bloodthirsty men known to history,” according to Ricciotti.  He had no reluctance to use force because he was afraid for his throne. He executed 45 Hasmoneans and numerous members of the Sanhedrin in 37 B.C.

In 35 B.C., he killed the high priest and his brother-in-law Aristobulus; 34, his uncle Joseph;  in 29, Mariamme (one of his wives);  25, Kostobar, his brother-in-law (sister’s husband); and finally, two sons (Alexander and Aristobulus), along with 300 officers.

First-Century Jewish History: The Herod Massacre

Because Josephus Flavius, the primary source for first-century Jewish history, does not provide any evidence to support the episode’s historicity, many contemporary historians reject its veracity. However, other Christian scholars acknowledge its historical accuracy. And point out how the incident fits with Herod’s repressive regime.

Herod, who repeatedly warned against the threat of usurpation, killed his wife, three in-law brothers, his mother-in-law, and three sons. And several hundred rivals without hesitation.

The story has been transformed into a cultural top in the Christian tradition. Inspiring a variety of artistic interpretations throughout time.

The Catholic Church honored the children who died in the massacre as “Holy Innocents,” December 28 is their liturgical memory.