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Acts 12 describes Herod's sudden and painful death as divine punishment for his arrogance, echoing Antiochus's death in 2 Maccabees, where a similar punishment follows a blasphemous outburst. Acts may have used this tradition to shape its narrative.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
2 Maccabees 9:5
Deuterocanon
1 Now about that time, Antiochus retreated in disorder from the region of Persia. 2 For he had entered into the city called Persepolis, and he attempted to rob a temple and to control the city. Therefore the multitudes rushed in and the people of the country turned to defend themselves with weapons; and it came to pass that Antiochus was put to flight by the people of the country and broke his camp with disgrace. 3 While he was at Ecbatana, news was brought to him about what had happened to Nicanor and the forces of Timotheus. 4 Being overcome by his anger, he planned to make the Jews suffer for the evil deeds of those who had put him to flight. Therefore, with judgment from heaven even now accompanying him, he ordered his charioteer to drive without ceasing until he completed the journey; for he arrogantly said this: “I will make Jerusalem a common graveyard of Jews when I come there.” 5 But the All-seeing Lord, the God of Israel, struck him with a fatal and invisible stroke. As soon as he had finished speaking this word, an incurable pain of the bowels seized him, with bitter torments of the inner parts— 6 and that most justly, for he had tormented other men’s bowels with many and strange sufferings.
Date: 160–63 BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
Acts 12:23
New Testament
20 Now Herod was having an angry quarrel with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they joined together and presented themselves before him. And after convincing Blastus, the king’s personal assistant, to help them, they asked for peace because their country’s food supply was provided by the king’s country. 21 On a day determined in advance, Herod put on his royal robes, sat down on the judgment seat, and made a speech to them. 22 But the crowd began to shout, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” 23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck Herod down because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died. 24 But the word of God kept on increasing and multiplying.
Date: 70–90 CE (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... Luke shows himself to be acquainted with some at least of the literature in which martyrdom is developed as a narrative form. His acquaintance with Daniel needs no proof. More important is the likelihood that he knew 2 Maccabees. This is evident in his description of the death of Herod in Acts 12:23. While the sudden and humiliating death of a tyrant is a widespread theme, there are particular parallels with the death of Antiochus in 2 Maccabees 9:5 ... The reading in Acts 12: 23, if not original, suggests a scribe who was aware of the parallel (2 Maccabees 9:9). It is therefore not fanciful to suggest, if parallels in Luke with earlier martyr-literature can be found, that Luke was aware of their significance ..."
William Horbury, Suffering and Martyrdom in the New Testament: Studies Presented to G. M. Styler (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1981), 29.
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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