PREVIOUS CHAPTER - NEXT CHAPTER - HELP - GR VIDEOS - GR YOUTUBE - TWITTER - SD1 YOUTUBE CHAPTER 12 Ac 12:1-19. PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH BY HEROD AGRIPPA I--MARTYRDOM OF JAMES AND MIRACULOUS DELIVERANCE OF PETER. 1-3. 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 Mr 10:38-40.) 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].
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.
5, 6. prayer was made without ceasing--rather, "instant," "earnest,"
"urgent" (Margin); as in
Lu 22:44;
Ac 26:7;
and 1Pe 4:8
(see Greek).
6. And when Herod would have brought him forth--"was going to bring
him forth."
7-11. the angel of the Lord--rather, "an angel."
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.
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.
12-17. 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
(Ac 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.
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."
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.
18, 19. 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"
(Mt 28:4),
or had slept on their watch and been divinely kept from awaking.
Ac 12:20-25. HEROD'S MISERABLE END--GROWING SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL--BARNABAS AND SAUL RETURN TO ANTIOCH.
20. 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.
21. And upon a set day Herod . . . made an oration unto them--to the Tyrians and Sidonians especially. 22, 23. 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.
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