In this final episode of Characters of Christmas, we explore a subtle, yet powerful distinction Matthew makes between Jesus and Herod that many people completely miss. Despite being appointed “king of the Jews,” Herod was religiously Jewish, culturally Greek, politically Roman, racially Arab, and ancestrally Edomite. Talk about an identity crisis! As we’ll see, Herod may have possessed the title “king of the Jews,” but he wasn’t the true king, and he knew it. Once you grasp what Matthew is really saying, you’ll see how the Christmas story challenges us to ask whether our allegiance is to Jesus, and to him alone.