Trace the history of Herod the Great and the Herodians. What were their major contributions to the history of Judaism and the Jews? What were their main failures?

Herod the Great was an instrument used by God to rebuild the temple of Jerusalem and other structures to prepare the setting for the work of Christ. Hated by his own Jewish subjects, Herod lived a tragic personal and family life, where he imprisoned or even executed his own children and relatives whom he suspected of plotting against him . In the end he was broke, diseased, and insane. Upon his death, Herod’s kingdom was divided among his three sons. Archelaus was designated ethnarch of Samaria and Judea, Philip was designated tetrarch of the lands northeast of the Sea of Galilee, and Antipas, who is called Herod the tetrarch in the New Testament, ruled over Galilee in the north and Perea, which lies east of the Jordan River .
As political rulers at the most critical time in the history of Judaism, Herod the Great and his three sons greatly influenced and shaped the history of Judaism and the Jews through their contributions and their failures. First, King Herod rebuilt the temple, which was the setting for many stories of Jesus in the Gospels. Herod’s work on the temple in Jerusalem was necessary for the temple had been damaged in wars, and was too small for the crowds that flocked to the city during pilgrimage feasts . Second, King Herod’s friendship and collaboration with Rome brought stability and prosperity to the land of Israel . Lastly, apart from the rebuilding of the Jewish temple, Herod’s building projects were so substantial that he virtually rebuilt the city of Jerusalem . His vast rebuilding of the entire city also contributed to the prosperity and protection for the Jewish people. The problem with King Herod’s building projects was that it welcomed pagan temples and other architectures of great Hellenistic influence, which damaged Jewish faith.
There were many other failures of King Herod and his sons that exasperated the Jewish people. Though he was considered to be a competent King, Herod’s harsh, arrogant, calculating, and ruthless character made him one of many resented Kings of Israel. His son Archelaus was even more hated by the Jewish people, because of his incompetence and ruthlessness , so much so, that Samaritan officials appealed to Caesar for relief, which resulted in depose of Archelaus’s rule over Samaria and Judea. This is significant, because one of the Roman procurators that replaced Archelaus rule over Judea was Pontius Pilate.
Similar to Archelaus, Antipas seemingly possessed the negative characteristics of his father, while showing minimal ability to rule. Antipas demonstrated no consideration for the Jewish laws as he married his half brother’s wife. Later, Antipas lusts over the daughter of his half brother, which results in the beheading of John the Baptist.
Philip, the Tetrarch was considered to be just and conscientious ruler who ruled over lands northeast of the Sea of Galilee for twenty eight years . This is also very significant. The people of the Sea of Galilee were mostly poor and humble people who made their living out of fishing, agriculture, and small trade. The fact that God placed Philip to rule over the people of the Sea of Galilee testifies of God’s grace towards the humble people. The sea of Galilee is also one of the primarily setting for Jesus’ ministry. God used Herod the Great and his sons to prepare the land and the hearts of the people for the work of Jesus. Their vast rebuilding of the city and the Jewish temple prepared the setting necessary for of Jesus’ work. And thorough their failure to satisfy Jewish people as their King, God has increased the longing for the Jewish Messiah.