In brief
Archelaus is a son of King Herod, the one who had the children of Bethlehem killed. He is named only once in the Bible, in Matthew 2:22. When Joseph returns from Egypt with Jesus and Mary after Herod's death, he learns that Archelaus is ruling Judea in place of his father. He is afraid to go there and, warned in a dream, withdraws to Galilee, to Nazareth. Archelaus thus remains linked to the childhood of Jesus.
What does the name Archelaus mean?
Archelaus is a Greek name, generally understood as ruler of the people, built on words meaning to rule and people. The Bible does not comment on the name; it only states that he is the son of Herod (Matthew 2:22).
The story of Archelaus
The son of a murderous king
Matthew 2:1-18Archelaus is the son of Herod, king of Judea at the birth of Jesus. Troubled by the birth of the king of the Jews announced by the Magi, Herod seeks to destroy the child. Tricked by the Magi, he has all the boys two years old and under killed in Bethlehem and its region. Joseph, warned in a dream, has already fled to Egypt.
The return from Egypt
Matthew 2:19-21When Herod dies, an angel of the Lord appears in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. He tells him to take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead. Joseph gets up and sets out on the road with Mary and Jesus.
Archelaus rules over Judea
Matthew 2:22On the way, Joseph learns that Archelaus is ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod. He is afraid to go there. The Bible gives no detail of Archelaus's actions; it only reports Joseph's fear. God does not leave him alone with this worry: Joseph is divinely warned in a dream.
Toward Nazareth
Matthew 2:22-23Warned in a dream, Joseph withdraws to the region of Galilee and settles in a town called Nazareth. Matthew sees in this the fulfillment of what the prophets had announced, that he would be called a Nazarene. Through the fear caused by Archelaus, God leads the family to the place where Jesus will grow up.
What Archelaus teaches us
- God guides his children through dangers, sometimes by leading them along another path.
- Joseph's prudence, joined to listening to God, protects the family of Jesus.
- The powerful of this world pass away, but God's plan is fulfilled.
- God can use even the threats of men to accomplish what he has announced.
Key verses
Joseph fears Archelaus, but he is not left alone with his fear: God warns him in a dream. A legitimate fear, placed in God's hands, becomes the occasion to receive his direction.
By settling in Nazareth because of Archelaus, the family of Jesus fulfills what the prophets had announced. The most constraining circumstances serve God's purpose.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Archelaus in the Bible?
Archelaus was a son of King Herod. Matthew 2:22 reports that he was ruling over Judea in place of his father when Joseph returned from Egypt, and that Joseph, out of fear, settled in Galilee. Historical sources, notably the Jewish historian Josephus, report that he governed Judea for some years before being removed by Rome.
Why was Joseph afraid of Archelaus?
The Bible says only that Joseph was afraid to go to Judea when he learned that Archelaus was reigning there in place of his father Herod (Matthew 2:22). Herod had wanted to put Jesus to death and had killed the children of Bethlehem. Warned in a dream, Joseph withdrew to Galilee.
Where is Archelaus found in the Bible?
Archelaus is named only once, in Matthew 2:22, at the end of the account of the childhood of Jesus. To understand the context, read all of Matthew 2: the visit of the Magi, the flight to Egypt, the massacre of the children of Bethlehem and the return to Nazareth.