For our Scripture Reflection today, it is good to know who Herod Antipas was.
Who was Herod Antipas?
Herod Antipas, one of Herod the Great’s four sons, was given Galilee and Perea to rule as Tetrarch after his father’s death. He was known for being fickle, weak, and a murderer and adulterer. His conscience was haunted by his role in the death of John the Baptist. This made him paranoid. Herod was perplexed by rumors about Jesus, who he believed couldn’t be the same John the Baptist, as he had beheaded him.
Despite his discomfort, Herod, like many others, was fascinated by Jesus. It is no secret that Jesus is one person who cuts across as difficult to ignore. He is the primary person of human history, not because of worldly power or wealth, but because He was the Lord of history and is the Author of Life.
Therefore, no matter how hardened of heart or sinful Herod was, he could not ignore Jesus. We, too, cannot ignore Jesus. Even in our sinfulness and unworthy state, we are aware of the greatness, wonders, and saving powers of Jesus.
Vanity
The author of Ecclesiastes asserts that all is vanity, and that many vainly and uselessly strive for material prosperity and worldly goodies, highlighting the profound and realistic teachings about the truth of life.
The author of Ecclesiastes emphasizes the importance of being aware of the vanity of life’s pursuits and activities. He argues that while many strive for material prosperity and worldly upcoming, they often fail to realize that these pursuits do not provide lasting satisfaction or contentment.
The author does not advocate pessimism or negativism. Rather, the author appreciates the good things in life and encourages hard work, enthusiasm, and the drive to accomplish something.
The main thrust of the book is to be deeply aware of the perishable nature of our worldly pursuits and activities, as they have inherent shallowness, superficiality, precarity, and uncertainty. The author’s message is not to kill the spirit of hard work and enthusiasm.
The text emphasizes the importance of being aware of the perishable nature of our worldly pursuits and activities. We are cautioned that these things have inherent shallowness, superficiality, precarity, and uncertainty.
It therefore encourages us not to become too engrossed in these worldly affairs and lose sight of the essentials. Some of these vanities are unbridled pursuits of money, possessions, power, popularity, immoral pleasures, and gratifications.
Herod the Tetrarch is a typical example of such vanity. He was perplexed by Jesus’ authenticity, spiritual authority, and power of working miracles. He felt threatened by Jesus’ rising popularity and was filled with jealousy at his corrective teachings. This was a negative fear of the Lord.
Consequently, it led him to somehow become wise and see the Lord and life with clarity. We are called to have a positive fear of the Lord. One that will help us to see the Lord and life with clarity.