Innocents, Massacre Of The
TextsWhat is the meaning of Innocents, Massacre Of The in the Bible?
The narrative describes King Herod the Great ordering the execution of male children aged two and under in Bethlehem and its surrounding areas in an attempt to eliminate the prophesied 'King of the Jews.' This account appears exclusively in the Gospel of Matthew (2:16-18) and is not corroborated by contemporary historical records or other canonical gospels.
TEXTUAL SIGNIFICANCE
Understanding this passage reveals Matthew's literary strategy of portraying Jesus as a new Moses who escapes a tyrant's decree, thereby framing the nativity story within a pattern of divine deliverance and foreshadowing the conflict between Jesus and political authority.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
- Why did the biblical author mention Innocents, Massacre Of The in this passage?
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Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.