Holy innocents

'''Holy innocents''' is a term that refers to the children talked about in [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]], Chapter 2, verses 16-18. <blockquote>When [[Herod the Great|Herod]] realized that he had been outwitted by the [[Magi]], he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in [[Bethlehem]] and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled.</blockquote> <blockquote>''"A voice is heard in [[Ramah]], weeping and great mourning, [[Rachel]] weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."'' (Quoted from [[Book of Jeremiah|Jeremiah]] 31:15)</blockquote> These are all the male children aged 2 and under that were murdered because [[Herod]] sought the life of the Infant [[Jesus]]. The massacre of the innocents is not recorded in any of the other Gospels or in contemporary secular accounts. However, that does not mean that it did not happen. As explained by Gordon Franz on the site of the Associates for Biblical Research:<ref>[http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2009/12/09/the-slaughter-of-the-innocents-historical-fact-or-legendary-fiction.aspx#Article The Slaughter of the Innocents: Historical Fact or Legendary Fiction?]</ref><blockquote>The slaughter of the innocents is unattested in secular records, but the historical plausibility of this event happening is consistent with the character and actions of Herod the Great. Besides killing his enemies, he had no qualms in killing family members and friends as well.</blockquote>In other words, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. ==References== <references/> [[category:Bible Study]]