Rachel's Cry for Her Children: Matthew's Treatment of the Infanticide by Herod

Park discusses St Matthew's treatment of the infanticide by king Herod. The Gospel of Matthew contains a brief report of a massacre of the infants in Bethlehem that was ordered by King Herod and carried out by his soldiers right after the birth of Jesus (Matt 2:16-18). The question of the historicity of this account has been a matter of scholarly debate for various reasons. It has often been pointed out that there is no corroborating account elsewhere of the massive infanticide in Bethlehem. The fact that Josephus, who narrates many other atrocities by Herod, does not mention this event certainly adds weight to the argument against its historicity.