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Matthew 2:3-6 (NLT)
3 Herod was deeply disturbed by their [the wise men] question, as was all of Jerusalem. 4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law. “Where did the prophets say the Messiah would be born?” he asked them.
5 “In Bethlehem,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:

6 `O Bethlehem of Judah,
you are not just a lowly village in Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’ “ [1]

[1]
Micah 5:2; 2 Samuel 5:2.

DRAWING NOTES:

TIME OF DAY:
Not specified in the Bible narrative.

LIGHTING NOTES:
This scene is set indoors, in king Herod’s throne room. Bright sunlight, streaming in from narrow windows set high up in the walls (unseen) illuminate this scene. Notice that light is coming from both the right & left hand sides, causing shadows to fall below the figures & objects.

CHARACTERS PRESENT:
King Herod is robed in red & standing with his arms folded, in front of his red & gold throne.
In the foreground are many Pharisees, leading priests & teachers of the law.

RESEARCH/ADDITIONAL NOTES:
I decided to show king Herod standing in front of his throne, looking concerned & “deeply disturbed” as verse 3 (above) clearly indicates. In front of him are some of the leading priests and teachers of religious law, whom he questioned regarding the Messiah’s birth place. I decided to show all the assembled men in the scene (young & old alike) with expressions of worry, concern, fear, etc, since verse 3 tells us that king Herod & all of Jerusalem were deeply disturbed at the news of the Messiah’s birth.

Here’s the scene without king Herod & the leading priests and teachers of religious law in the foreground.

Background of Matthew 02 – The Nativity SET 02 – Scene 06 – Herod deeply disturbed

Click on the colour bar below to view/buy this Background:
Background of Matthew 02 – The Nativity SET 02 – Scene 06 – Herod deeply disturbed

Why was king Herod so deeply disturbed by the wise men’s question “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We have seen his star as it arose, and we have come to worship him.” (see Matthew 2 verse 2). I imagine it was because a newborn king would be a direct threat to Herod’s power, something no human king could stand to allow. In the case of Herod we know what his reaction to the news that there was a potential rival for the throne was; he had all the baby boys 2 years old and younger killed by his guards in Bethlehem (see scene 13). Such was the perceived threat to Herod’s control & power as king of Judaea, that he tried to kill this new king, but was thwarted by the Lord God warning Joseph in a dream.

Here is my initial rough pencil sketch of this scene.

Matthew 02 – The Nativity SET 02 – Scene 06 – Herod deeply disturbed – Greyscale