1NowG1161 aboutG2596 thatG1565 timeG2540 HerodG2264 the kingG935 stretched forthG1911 his handsG5495 to vexG2559 certainG5100 ofG575 the churchG1577. 2AndG1161 he killedG337 JamesG2385 the brotherG80 of JohnG2491 with the swordG3162. 3AndG2532 because he sawG1492 itG3754 pleasedG2076 G701 the JewsG2453, he proceeded furtherG4369 to takeG4815 PeterG4074 alsoG2532. ThenG1161 wereG2258 the daysG2250 of unleavened breadG106. 4AndG3739 G2532 when he had apprehendedG4084 him, he putG5087 him inG1519 prisonG5438, and deliveredG3860 him to fourG5064 quaternionsG5069 of soldiersG4757 to keepG5442 himG846; intendingG1014 afterG3326 EasterG3957 to bringG321 himG846 forthG321 to the peopleG2992. 5PeterG4074 G3303 thereforeG3767 was keptG5083 inG1722 prisonG5438: butG1161 prayerG4335 wasG2258 madeG1096 without ceasingG1618 ofG5259 the churchG1577 untoG4314 GodG2316 forG5228 himG846. 6AndG1161 whenG3753 HerodG2264 wouldG3195 have broughtG4254 himG846 forthG4254, the sameG1565 nightG3571 PeterG4074 wasG2258 sleepingG2837 betweenG3342 twoG1417 soldiersG4757, boundG1210 with twoG1417 chainsG254: andG5037 the keepersG5441 beforeG4253 the doorG2374 keptG5083 the prisonG5438. 7AndG2532, beholdG2400, the angelG32 of the LordG2962 came uponG2186 him, andG2532 a lightG5457 shinedG2989 inG1722 the prisonG3612: andG1161 he smoteG3960 PeterG4074 on the sideG4125, and raisedG1453 himG846 upG1453, sayingG3004, Arise upG450 quicklyG1722 G5034. AndG2532 hisG846 chainsG254 fell offG1601 fromG1537 his handsG5495. 8AndG5037 the angelG32 saidG2036 untoG4314 himG846, Gird thyselfG4024, andG2532 bind onG5265 thyG4675 sandalsG4547. AndG1161 soG3779 he didG4160 . AndG2532 he saithG3004 unto himG846, CastG4016 thy garmentG2440 aboutG4016 theeG4675, andG2532 followG190 meG3427. 9AndG2532 he went outG1831, and followedG190 himG846; andG2532 wistG1492 notG3756 thatG3754 it wasG2076 trueG227 whichG3588 was doneG1096 byG1223 the angelG32; butG1161 thoughtG1380 he sawG991 a visionG3705. 10WhenG1161 they were pastG1330 the firstG4413 andG2532 the secondG1208 wardG5438, they cameG2064 untoG1909 the ironG4603 gateG4439 that leadethG5342 untoG1519 the cityG4172; whichG3748 openedG455 to themG846 of his own accordG844: andG2532 they went outG1831, and passed on throughG4281 oneG3391 streetG4505; andG2532 forthwithG2112 the angelG32 departedG868 fromG575 himG846. 11AndG2532 when PeterG4074 was comeG1096 toG1722 himselfG1438, he saidG2036, NowG3568 I knowG1492 of a suretyG230, thatG3754 the LordG2962 hath sentG1821 hisG846 angelG32, andG2532 hath deliveredG1807 meG3165 out ofG1537 the handG5495 of HerodG2264, andG2532 from allG3956 the expectationG4329 of the peopleG2992 of the JewsG2453. 12AndG5037 when he had consideredG4894 the thing, he cameG2064 toG1909 the houseG3614 of MaryG3137 the motherG3384 of JohnG2491, whose surname wasG1941 MarkG3138; whereG3757 manyG2425 wereG2258 gathered togetherG4867 prayingG2532 G4336 . 13AndG1161 as PeterG4074 knocked atG2925 the doorG2374 of the gateG4440, a damselG3814 cameG4334 to hearkenG5219, namedG3686 RhodaG4498. 14AndG2532 when she knewG1921 Peter'sG4074 voiceG5456, she openedG455 notG3756 the gateG4440 forG575 gladnessG5479, butG1161 ran inG1532, and told howG518 PeterG4074 stoodG2476 beforeG4253 the gateG4440. 15AndG1161 they saidG2036 untoG4314 herG846, Thou art madG3105 . ButG1161 she constantly affirmedG1340 that it wasG2192 even soG3779. ThenG1161 said theyG3004, It isG2076 hisG846 angelG32. 16ButG1161 PeterG4074 continuedG1961 knockingG2925 : andG1161 when they had openedG455 the door, and sawG1492 himG846,G2532 they were astonishedG1839 . 17ButG1161 he, beckoningG2678 unto themG846 with the handG5495 to hold their peaceG4601, declaredG1334 unto themG846 howG4459 the LordG2962 had broughtG1806 himG846 out ofG1537 the prisonG5438. AndG1161 he saidG2036, Go shewG518 these thingsG5023 unto JamesG2385, andG2532 to the brethrenG80. AndG2532 he departedG1831, and wentG4198 intoG1519 anotherG2087 placeG5117. 18NowG1161 as soon as it wasG1096 dayG2250, there wasG2258 noG3756 smallG3641 stirG5017 amongG1722 the soldiersG4757, whatG5101 G686 was becomeG1096 of PeterG4074. 19AndG1161 whenG1934 HerodG2264 had sought forG1934 himG846, andG2532 found himG2147 notG3361, he examinedG350 the keepersG5441, and commandedG2753 that they should be put to deathG520 . AndG2532 he went downG2718 fromG575 JudaeaG2449 toG1519 CaesareaG2542, and there abodeG1304 . 20AndG1161 HerodG2264 wasG2258 highly displeasedG2371 with them of TyreG5183 andG2532 SidonG4606: butG1161 they cameG3918 with one accordG3661 toG4314 himG846, andG2532, having madeG3982 BlastusG986 the king'sG935 chamberlainG1909 G2846 their friendG3982, desiredG154 peaceG1515; becauseG1223 theirG846 countryG5561 was nourishedG5142 byG575 the king'sG937 country. 21AndG1161 upon a setG5002 dayG2250 HerodG2264, arrayedG1746 in royalG937 apparelG2066, satG2523 uponG1909 his throneG968, andG2532 made an orationG1215 untoG4314 themG846. 22AndG1161 the peopleG1218 gave a shoutG2019, saying, It is the voiceG5456 of a godG2316, andG2532 notG3756 of a manG444. 23AndG1161 immediatelyG3916 the angelG32 of the LordG2962 smoteG3960 himG846, becauseG473 G3739 he gaveG1325 notG3756 GodG2316 the gloryG1391: andG2532 he wasG1096 eaten of wormsG4662, and gave up the ghostG1634 . 24ButG1161 the wordG3056 of GodG2316 grewG837 andG2532 multipliedG4129 . 25AndG1161 BarnabasG921 andG2532 SaulG4569 returnedG5290 fromG1537 JerusalemG2419, when they had fulfilledG4137 their ministryG1248, andG2532 took with themG4838 JohnG2491, whose surname wasG1941 MarkG3138.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH BY HEROD AGRIPPA I--MARTYRDOM OF JAMES AND MIRACULOUS DELIVERANCE OF PETER. (Acts 12:1-19)
Herod the king--grandson of Herod the Great, and son of Aristobulus. He at this time ruled over all his father's dominions. PALEY has remarked the accuracy of the historian here. For thirty years before this there was no king at Jerusalem exercising supreme authority over Judea, nor was there ever afterwards, save during the three last years of Herod's life, within which the transactions occurred.
2 killed James . . . with the sword--beheaded him; a most ignominious mode of punishment, according to the Jews. Blessed martyr! Thou hast indeed "drunk of thy Lord's cup, and hast been baptized with his baptism." (See on
Mark 10:38-
Mark 10:40.) A grievous loss this would be to the Church; for though nothing is known of him beyond what we read in the Gospels, the place which he had as one of the three whom the Lord admitted to His closest intimacy would lead the Church to look up to him with a reverence and affection which even their enemies would come to hear of. They could spring only upon one more prized victim; and flushed with their first success, they prevail upon Herod to seize him also.
3 because he saw it pleased the Jews--Popularity was the ruling passion of this Herod, not naturally so cruel as some of the family [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 19.7.3].
to take Peter also--whose loss, at this stage of the Church, would have been, so far as we can see, irreparable.
Then were the days of unleavened bread--seven in number, during which, after killing and eating the Passover, no leaven was allowed in Jewish houses (
Exod 12:15,
Exod 12:19).
4 delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers--that is, to four parties of four each, corresponding to the four Roman watches; two watching in prison and two at the gates, and each party being on duty for the space of one watch.
intending after Easter--rather, "after the Passover"; that is, after the whole festival was over. (The word in our King James Version is an ecclesiastical term of later date, and ought not to have been employed here).
to bring him forth to the people--for execution; for during "the days of unleavened bread," or the currency of any religious festival, the Jews had a prejudice against trying or putting anyone to death.
5 prayer was made without ceasing--rather, "instant," "earnest," "urgent" (Margin); as in
Luke 22:44;
Acts 26:7; and
1Pet 4:8 (see Greek).
of the church unto God for him--not in public assembly, for it was evidently not safe to meet thus; but in little groups in private houses, one of which was Mary's (
Acts 12:12). And this was kept up during all the days of unleavened bread.
6 And when Herod would have brought him forth--"was going to bring him forth."
the same night--but a few hours before the intended execution. Thus long were the disciples kept waiting; their prayers apparently unavailing, and their faith, as would seem from the sequel, waxing feeble. Such, however, is the "law" of God's procedure (
Deut 32:36 and see on
John 21:3).
Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains--Roman prisoners had a chain fastened at one end to the wrist of their fight hand, and at the other to the wrist of a soldier's left hand, leaving the right arm of the keeper free in case of any attempt to escape. For greater security the prisoner was sometimes, as here, chained to two soldiers, one on each side. (See
Acts 21:23.) Ye think your prey secure, bloodthirsty priests and thou obsequious tyrant who, to "please the Jews," hast shut in this most eminent of the servants of Christ within double gates, guarded by double sentinels, while double keepers and double chains seem to defy all rescue! So thought the chief priests, who "made the sepulchre of the Lord sure, sealing the stone and setting a watch." But "He that sitteth in heaven shall laugh at you." Meanwhile, "Peter is sleeping!" In a few hours he expects a stingless death; "neither counts he his life dear unto him, so that he may finish his course with joy and the ministry which he has received of the Lord Jesus." In this frame of spirit he has dropped asleep, and lies the picture of peace.
7 the angel of the Lord--rather, "an angel."
came upon him--so in
Luke 2:9, expressive of the unexpected nature of the visit.
smote Peter on the side . . . Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off . . . Gird thyself . . . And so he did . . . Cast thy garment--tunic, which he had thrown off for the night.
8 about thee . . . follow me--In such graphic minuteness of detail we have a charming mark of reality: while the rapidity and curtness of the orders, and the promptitude with which they were obeyed, betoken the despatch which, in the circumstances, was necessary.
9 wist not that it was true; but thought he saw a vision--So little did the apostle look for deliverance!
10 first and the second ward . . . the iron gate that leadeth unto the city--We can only conjecture the precise meaning of all this, not knowing the position of the prison.
passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him--when he had placed him beyond pursuit. Thus "He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their heads cannot perform their enterprise" (
Job 5:12).
11 when Peter was come to himself--recovered from his bewilderment, and had time to look back upon all the steps that had followed each other in such rapid succession.
Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me, &c.--another evidence that Peter expected nothing but to seal his testimony with his blood on this occasion.
12 he came to the house of Mary, &c.--who "must have had a house of some pretensions to receive a large number; and, accordingly, we read that her brother Barnabas (
Col 4:10) was a person of substance (
Acts 4:37). She must also have been distinguished for faith and courage to allow such a meeting in the face of persecution" [WEBSTER and WILKINSON]. To such a house it was natural that Peter should come.
mother of John . . . Mark--so called to distinguish him from the apostle of that name, and to distinguish her from the other Marys.
where many were gathered together praying--doubtless for Peter's deliverance, and continuing, no doubt, on this the last of the days of unleavened bread, which was their last hope, all night in prayer to God.
13 came to hearken--not to open; for neither was it a time nor an hour of night for that, but to listen who was there.
14 opened not for gladness, but ran in and told, &c.--How exquisite is this touch of nature!
15 Thou art mad--one of those exclamations which one can hardly resist on hearing what seems far "too good to be true."
she constantly affirmed--"kept steadfastly affirming."
that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel--his disembodied spirit, his ghost; anything, in fact, rather than himself. Though this had been the burden of their fervent prayers during all the days of unleavened bread, they dispute themselves out of it as a thing incredible. Still, it is but the unbelief of the disciples who "believed not for joy and wondered" at the tidings of their Lord's resurrection. How often do we pray for what we can hardly credit the bestowment of, when it comes in answer to our prayers! This, however, argues not so much hard unbelief as that kind of it incident to the best in this land of shadows, which perceives not so clearly as it might how very near heaven and earth, the Lord and His praying people, are to each other.
16 Peter continued knocking--delay being dangerous.
17 But he, beckoning . . . with his hand to hold their peace--a lively touch this. In the hubbub of joyful and wondering interrogatories there might mingle reflections, thrown out by one against another, for holding out so long against the testimony of Rhoda; while the emotion of the apostle's own spirit would be too deep and solemn to take part in such demonstrations or utter a word till, with his hand, he had signified his wish for perfect silence.
Go show these things unto James and to the brethren--Whether James the son of Alpheus, one of the Twelve, usually known as "James the Less," and "James the Lord's brother" (
Gal 1:19), were the same person; and if not, whether the James here referred to was the former or the latter, critics are singularly divided, and the whole question is one of the most difficult. To us, it appears that there are strong reasons for thinking that they were not the same person, and that the one here meant, and throughout the Acts, is the apostle James. (But on this more hereafter). James is singled out, because he had probably begun to take the oversight of the Church in Jerusalem, which we afterwards find him exercising (Acts 15:1-29).
And he departed, and went into another place--according to his Lord's express command (
Matt 10:23). When told, on a former miraculous liberation from prison, to go and speak unto the people (
Acts 5:20), he did it; but in this case to present himself in public would have been to tempt God by rushing upon certain destruction.
18 as soon as it was day, &c.--His deliverance must have been during the fourth watch (three to six A.M.); else he must have been missed by the keepers at the change of the watch [WIES].
19 examined the keepers--who, either like the keepers of our Lord's sepulchre, had "shaken and become as dead men" (
Matt 28:4), or had slept on their watch and been divinely kept from awaking.
commanded that they should be put to death--Impotent vengeance!
20 HEROD'S MISERABLE END--GROWING SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL--BARNABAS AND SAUL RETURN TO ANTIOCH. (
Acts 12:20-
Acts 12:25)
Herod was . . . displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon--for some reason unknown; but the effect on their commercial relations made the latter glad to sue for peace.
their country was nourished by the king's country--See
1Kgs 5:11;
Ezra 3:7;
Ezek 27:17. Perhaps the famine (
Acts 11:28) made them the more urgent for reconciliation.
21 And upon a set day Herod . . . made an oration unto them--to the Tyrians and Sidonians especially.
22 the people gave a shout, &c.--JOSEPHUS' account of his death is remarkably similar to this [Antiquities, 19.8.2]. Several cases of such deaths occur in history. Thus was this wretched man nearer his end than he of whom he had thought to make a public spectacle.
24 But the word grew, &c.--that is, Not only was the royal representative ignominiously swept from the stage, while his intended victim was spared to the Church, but the cause which he and his Jewish instigators sought to crush was only furthered and glorified. How full of encouragement and consolation is all this to the Christian Church in every age!
25 Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem--where, it thus appears, they had remained during all this persecution.
when they had fulfilled their ministry--or service; that mentioned on
Acts 11:29-
Acts 11:30.
took with them John . . . Mark--(See on
Acts 12:12), not to be confounded with the second Evangelist, as is often done. As his uncle was Barnabas, so his spiritual father was Peter (
1Pet 5:13).
PAUL'S FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY:
In Company with Barnabas.
