The Massacre of the Innocents is a biblical event described in the Gospel of Matthew, in which King Herod orders the execution of all male children in Bethlehem under the age of two in an attempt to kill the newborn Jesus.
The Gospel of Matthew tells how the Magi visit Jerusalem to seek guidance as to where the king of the Jews has been born; King Herod directs them to Bethlehem and asks them to return to him and report, but they are warned in a dream that Herod wishes to find the child and kill him, and do not do so. Matthew continues:
When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
According to historical accounts, Herod the Great was the regional king of Judea, which contained the cities of Bethlehem and Jerusalem. He ruled from about 37 BC until his death in 4 AD, at a time when Judea was still under Roman influence. Most scholars estimate that Jesus was born between 6 and 4 BC – during Herod’s reign, as Matthew’s Gospel indicates.
Herod’s reign was marked by political intrigue and social unrest. It was characterized by his ruthless pursuit of power and his paranoia about potential threats to his rule.
Against this backdrop, the biblical narrative of the Massacre of the Innocents unfolds, depicting Herod’s violent response to the news of the birth of a potential rival king.
The Greek liturgy asserts 14,000 Holy Innocents, while an early Syrian list of saints asserts 64,000. Coptic sources assert 144,000 and that it took place on 29 December. The Catholic Encyclopedia of 1907–1912, recognizing that Bethlehem was too small a town to provide such numbers, reduced the victims to between six and twenty children in the town, with a dozen or so more in the surrounding areas.
No historical evidence the Massacre of the Innocents occurred
However, there is no historical evidence to support the claim that the Massacre of the Innocents occurred. The story is found only in the Gospel of Matthew, and there are no independent corroborating accounts from other historical sources.
Given the lack of independent confirmation, many scholars consider it folklore inspired by Herod’s reputation. New Testament scholar Richard T. France held that, if this was a historical incident, it is unsurprising that it was not recorded by other historical sources.
It is more likely that the story of the Massacre of the Innocents is a literary device that Matthew used to emphasize the significance of Jesus’ birth.
By portraying Herod as a ruthless tyrant who kills innocent children, Matthew sets up a stark contrast between Jesus, the innocent child who is destined to save the world, and Herod, the evil king who is doomed to destruction.
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