Catholic Dictionary

Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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HEROD ANTIPAS

Son of Herod the Great. He was Tetrarch of Galilee from 4 B.C. to A.D. 39. Since his regime roughly paralleled the life of Jesus, he is mentioned more often in the New Testament than any other Herod. Because of Herod's devious methods, Jesus referred to him as "that fox" (Luke 13:32). He broke the law by marrying his niece, Herodias, who was already married to his half-brother (the beheading of John the Baptist was the aftermath of John's denunciation of this unholy marriage). The curiosity of Herod Antipas was stirred by the accounts he received of Jesus' public ministry (Matthew 14:1-12; Luke 9:9). Pontius Pilate proposed sending Jesus to Herod, who looked forward to the meeting with anticipation. But Jesus refused to answer any questions. Contemptuously Herod sent him back to Pilate to be sentenced. In A.D. 39 Herod Antipas was banished to Gaul (Luke 23:7-11).