Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. – Acts 12:23

Today's Scripture Reading (January 23, 2021): Acts 12

Italian journalist, Italo Calvino, said in "The Uses of Literature" that "A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say." Meaning is often subjective and dependent on the emotions and circumstances of the reader. A classic book continues to elicit a response from the reader, regardless of the era in which the book is read. I recently read Upton Sinclair's "Dragon Teeth." The 1942 Novel won the Pulitzer Prize for the novel in 1943. It covers the events of the Nazi takeover of Germany, covering the years 1929-1934. Sinclair had no idea as he wrote the novel how the war was going to end. In 1942, things weren't going well for those who opposed Nazi Germany. But he had his own idea about how the world got to 1942, and in his novel, you can see the seeds that Sinclair believed were sown in the period covered by the story. "Dragon's Teeth" is about Adolf Hitler, Hermann Göring, Joseph Goebbels, and others of the Nazi war machine. It is a story of what has already happened, tied very distinctly into the early Nazi era. But the novel is also about the shifting purposes of Hitler led Nazi Germany, from wanting the best for Germany to a quest for worldwide domination. It is a novel mired in history.

And yet, as I read the novel in the opening days of 2021, I see some contemporary politicians and politics described in the story's telling. If Sinclair had been writing in 2020, maybe we would blame him for making some unfair comparisons with his words even if he doesn't mention any names. But Sinclair died in 1968. My mind is making the connections, teaching me a lesson anew, one that I would have never learned if I had read the novel five or ten years ago.

Herod Agrippa died. The year was 44 C.E., and Passover had just ended. Agrippa headed from Jerusalem to Caesarea, where he had planned games to be performed to honor the Roman Emperor, Claudius. The scene of Agrippa's arrival at Caesarea is described by the ancient Jewish historian Josephus.

"He put on a garment made wholly of silver, and of a contexture truly wonderful, and came into the theatre early in the morning; at which time the silver of his garment, being illuminated by the fresh reflection of the sun's rays upon it, shone out after a surprising manner, and was so resplendent as to spread a horror over those that looked intently upon him; and presently his flatterers cried out, one from one place, and another from another (though not for his good), that he was a god. (Josephus, Antiquities).

And then, Herod Agrippa died. Cause of death? Historically the answer to that question remains unknown. The cause of Agrippa's death seems to depend on the meaning the reader attributes to the death. Luke says that he was eaten by worms and died. As beautiful as Agrippa may have looked on the outside, it was the growing evil on the inside that would bring him down. It is a description of the death of the leader because of a spiritual cause.

Josephus probably gives us the most objective cause of death. According to Josephus, "A severe pain also arose in his belly, and began in a most violent manner… when he had been quite worn out by the pain in his belly for five days, he departed this life" (Josephus, Antiquities). But it is easy to connect Luke's interpretation with the cause of death given by Josephus.

The meaning to the death of Agrippa, from Agrippa himself, was that he died as a result of an omen. Tiberius had earlier imprisoned Agrippa, and at that time, he saw an owl perched over his head. The prophecy was said to have meant that he would be swiftly released and reign as King. But if he ever saw the omen again, he would die. On that day in Caesarea, as the crowd proclaimed him to be a god, Agrippa saw an owl perched over his head, and at that moment, he knew that he would die (Josephus, Antiquities).

Maybe the most practical of possible causes of death is provided by the Jews. Herod's death was the result of a political assassination. Rome had simply had enough of the want-to-be King and decided that he must be removed. The five days of stomach pain were likely the result of the poisoning of Herod (Brann, Agrippa I).

Which is the truth? The cause and the meaning of Agrippa's death are now in your hands. You are the reader who now draws conclusions about the death of an ancient want-to-be king.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: James 1