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The great majority of modern New Testament scholars believe there never was the 'Slaughter of the Innocents' described in Matthew's Gospel. Ian Wilson (Jesus: The Evidence) points out that Josephus, who very willingly catalogued Herod's every crime, has no mention of such an atrocity, yet had anything like it occurred it would surely have rated among the best-remembered of Herod's misdeeds. Others point out that Matthew's story of the nativity has much in common with the story of Moses and an earlier Joseph, and that the author was drawing parallels with the Old Testament. Just as the pharaoh had ordered the slaughter of the Hebrew boys under two years old, so did Matthew's King Herod order the slaughter of boys under two years old. And just as Moses had escaped the slaughter, so did Jesus.
Having said that, Matthew says that when Joseph was warned in a dream, the young family fled from Bethlehem to Egypt, where they stayed, no doubt for several years, until word reached them that Herod was dead. Joseph, Mary and Jesus then began the return journey to their home in Bethlehem but, being once again warned of danger in the home town, turned aside and travelled to Galilee, where they found a new home in a city called Nazareth.
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What is the duration of Slaughter of the Innocents film?
The duration of Slaughter of the Innocents - film - is 1.73 hours.
Was the Slaughter of the Innocents on December 16?
AnswerIf there really was a "slaughter of the innocents", it would have taken place after the birth of Jesus, not before. But the problem is that we do not know which day or month (or even year) that Jesus was born. December 25th was traditionally the birthday of Mithras and other sun gods, but was assigned as the nominal birthday of Jesus in the fourth century.Moreover, there is no evidence outside Matthew's Gospel that there even was a slaughter of the innocents. Even the author of Luke's Gospel was clearly unaware of this event, since he wrote that the family went straight away to Jerusalem and then returned peacefully to Nazareth. Some biblical scholars suggest that the "slaughter of the innocents" story was designed to draw a parallel between Jesus and the ancient Hebrew patriarchs in Egypt, but was not really historical.
When was Slaughter of the Innocents - film - created?
Slaughter of the Innocents - film - was created on 1993-12-02.
What Gospel is The Slaughter of the Innocents in?
The Slaughter of the Innocents is in the nativity account in Matthew's Gospel. This somewhat contradicts the story in Luke's Gospel, and John Shelby Spong (Born of a Woman: A Bishop Rethinks the Birth of Jesus) says that Matthew was clearly writing Christian midrash.
What was the special name given to the slaughter of the children at Bethlehem?
Slaughter of the Innocents.
Who are the Holy Innocents?
The Holy Innocents are the children who were killed by King Herod in his attempt to kill the baby Jesus. They are regarded as martyrs by the Christian church for their innocence and are commemorated in the Feast of the Holy Innocents on December 28th.
A sentence for slaughter?
John led the pigs to the slaughter house. Hitler was guilty of slaughtering millions of innocents.
Who sent soldiers to kill Jesus?
No one...that is, when He was an adult. However, when He was a child, King Herod sent soldiers to the town where He was reported to be living and had them kill all the male children two years old and under in an effort to kill Jesus. Jesus and His family escaped, and the tragic "Slaughter of the Innocents" failed in its attempt to snuff out Jesus' life.
What order did King Herod give near the time of Jesus' birth?
According to Matthew's Gospel, King Herod ordered the slaying in the region of Bethlehem of all the boys under two years old, causing Joseph, Mary and Jesus to flee to Egypt. This famous order is now known as the "Slaughter of the Innocents".Strangely, the "Slaughter of the Innocents" was unknown to the author of Luke's Gospel, who describes Jesus as being taken from Bethlehem to Jerusalem within weeks of his birth, and the the young family travelled peacefully to Nazareth in Galilee. Scholars have even pointed out that the Jewish historian, Josephus, never mentioned the order to slay the innocents, although he would certainly have done so if he knew of it.John Shelby Spong (Born of a Woman: A Bishop Rethinks the Birth of Jesus) says that Matthew was clearly writing Christian midrash.
Where in the Bible is the story of the birth of Jesus found?
In the new testament - at the start of Luke's Gospel and Matthew's Gospel. Luke tells the story of the shepherds, angels and the details surroding the birth. Matthew tells of the Wise men, the star of Bethlehem and the slaughter of the innocents by Herod.
Where did the number 14000 innocents killed by Herod come from?
AnswerThe Christian tradition that King herod slaughtered 14,000 infants in and around Bethlehem is taught by many religious leaders. But this did not come from history; Matthew's Gospel does not give us this figure; the story of the Slaughter of the Innocents is not even mentioned in Luke's Gospel; and it was unknown to the Jewish historian Josephus. The slaughter of 14,000 boys under 2 years old, in and around the small town of Bethlehem, even defies logic, because it implies the population of a major city. It is more reasonable to say that it comes from a Christian desire to portray Herod as so evil that he killed such an astonishing number of innocents. The facts are that there was no Slaughter of the Innocents.
Is there proof of the Slaughter of the Innocents story from the Bible?
In Matthew's Gospel, King Herod was so anxious to kill the infant Jesus that he ordered the slaughter of all recently born children in the hope of eliminating Jesus. This crime is known as the Slaughter of the Innocents.There is no extant written record of any such atrocity and no other evidence to suggest that it ever happened. The story has close parallels in the Old Testament account of the slaughter of the Hebrew infants by the pharaoh, suggesting that this record inspired the author of Matthew's Gospel.Ian Wilson (Jesus: The Evidence) says that Josephus, who never shrank from cataloguing Herod's crimes, makes no mention of such an atrocity, yet had anything like it occurred it would surely have rated among the best-remembered of Herod's misdeeds.
