Tetrarch

Biblical Text

In the Korean Revised Version, the term bunbong wang ("tetrarch") appears in the following passages:

• Matthew 14:1: "At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus." The account of the death of John the Baptist follows.
• Luke 3:1: This verse dates the beginning of John's ministry to the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar. It introduces Herod as tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip as tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias as tetrarch of Abilene.
• Luke 3:19; 9:7: These verses call Herod the tetrarch both when he imprisons John and when he hears reports about Jesus.
• Acts 13:1: Among the leaders of the church at Antioch was "Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch."

Terminology and Historical Background

The original Greek word is tetraarchēs, a compound of "four" and "ruler." It originally referred to one who ruled a quarter of a region. In the Roman period, however, it came to be used as a title for a ruler ranking below a king who governed part of a territory, regardless of whether that territory had been divided into four. The Korean term bunbong (分封) means "to divide and enfeoff," that is, to divide a territory and entrust its parts to others.

After the death of Herod the Great, his territory was divided among his sons. This division is commonly dated to around 4 BC.

• Archelaus received Judea and Samaria.
• Herod Antipas received Galilee and Perea.
• Philip received the region northeast of the Sea of Galilee.

In the New Testament, "Herod the tetrarch" refers in most cases to Antipas. According to the Jewish historian Josephus, Antipas later sought the title of "king" but was instead deprived of his position by the Roman emperor and sent into exile.

Significance in the Bible as a Whole

In the Gospels, Herod the tetrarch is the ruler who imprisoned and executed John the Baptist (Matthew 14:3–12). This account is intertwined with the story of Herodias and Salome. Jesus called him "that fox" (Luke 13:32). Only Luke records that during the trial of Jesus, Pontius Pilate sent Jesus to him (Luke 23:7–12). By naming the tetrarchs, Luke situates the events of the gospel within the actual history of the Roman world.

Interpretation and Points of Discussion

• The title "king": Mark calls the same figure "king Herod" (Mark 6:14), and Matthew likewise uses "king" within the same account (Matthew 14:9). His official title, however, was tetrarch. Some interpreters take this discrepancy to reflect popular usage, while others see it as highlighting his kingly conduct.
• Multiple Herods: Several rulers named Herod appear in the New Testament. Herod the Great in Matthew 2, Herod Antipas the tetrarch, and the Herod of Acts 12 are different individuals and must be distinguished from one another.
• Translation: Some other translations render this title with different terms, such as yeongju ("lord" or "ruler").

No notable differences among denominations in the interpretation of this term are known.