Acts 12:1. Herod's persecution of the Church. Peter's miraculous deliverance from prison 1. _Now about that time_ The events here narrated must have shortly preceded Herod's death, and so the chronological note here given must refer to some date near a.d. 43. _Herod the king_ This was Herod Agripp... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he killed James the brother of John_ One of the two sons of Zebedee, who had been among the three specially favoured disciples of Jesus. It is therefore likely that he would take a leading part in the labours of the Church, and so Agrippa's attention would be drawn to him as a proper person to... [ Continue Reading ]
_And because he saw it pleased the Jews_ Which was so great an object with him. This Josephus notices (_Antiq_. xix. 7. 3), for, comparing Agrippa with the Herod who ruled before him, he mentions that the latter "was more friendly to the Greeks than to the Jews," in which matter he says Agrippa "was... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison_ To keep him a prisoner till the termination of the feast. _and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep_[guard] _him_ A quaternion was a set of four men, which number was at one time occupied in the work of the guard, two soldiers... [ Continue Reading ]
_Peter therefore was kept in prison_ Another indication of the longer duration of the imprisonment, and that he was not arrested on the day of the Paschal sacrifice with the purpose of being brought forth on the morning of the 15th of Nisan, as some have maintained. _but prayer was made without cea... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when Herod would have brought him forth_ Literally, "was about to bring him forth," and this should be expressed, because it is an additional note of the delay and lapse of time between the arrest and the intended punishment. _and the keepers before the door_ Read, "and guards before the door,... [ Continue Reading ]
_And behold, the_[an] _angel of the Lord came upon him_ The verb is the same which is used (Luke 2:9) of the angel appearing to the shepherds. The idea conveyed is that the heavenly visitor appeared over those to whom he was sent. The passage just quoted continues "and the glory of the Lord shone ro... [ Continue Reading ]
_Gird thyself_ A binding up of the loose Oriental robe, so as to be fit for expeditious movement. Thus the Passover was to be eaten (Exodus 12:11) as if by persons prepared to depart at once. So Gehazi was bidden (2 Kings 4:29) to make himself ready for his journey to the house of the Shunammite. _... [ Continue Reading ]
_When they were past the first and the second ward_ i.e. the warders, who were stationed one nearer to the inner door of the prison and another at some further distance away. _they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto_[into] _the city_ This description, with the words which immediately follow... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when Peter was come to himself_ This and other subjective features of the narrative shew that the account must have been derived from St Peter himself. No one else could describe the astonishment and the after realization that all was truly enacted and no vision. _all the expectation of the pe... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when he had considered the thing_ Rather, "when he comprehended it." At first he had been "like them that dream" (Psalms 126:1) at his deliverance from captivity, but at length his mind grasped the whole truth and he could act upon it. _Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark_ This Mary... [ Continue Reading ]
Surprise of the brethren, and anger of Herod 13. _at the door of the gate_ The first named is the wicket which was opened for anyone's admission; the second is the porch into which admission was obtained by the small door. _a damsel came to hearken_ Perhaps we have here a trace of the danger which... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when she knew Peter's voice_ We know that his speech was the cause of his being recognized on a previous occasion (Matthew 26:73). _she opened not the gate for gladness_ Cp. with this action the description of the disciples (Luke 24:41) when they recognized Jesus, "they believed not for joy.... [ Continue Reading ]
_she constantly affirmed_ i.e. confidently, with determination; which was the old meaning of the word in the A. V. Cp. Frith, _Workes, Life_, fol. 3, "he so _constantly_defended himself, that he had prevailed, if he might have been heard." _It is his angel_ The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews ... [ Continue Reading ]
_the Lord had brought him out of the prison_ Which had been his exclamation when he came to himself, "The Lord hath sent his angel." _Go shew_ There is only one verb in the Greek, which signifies "to bear word." This the A.V. has attempted to render fully by the two verbs. _unto James_ This is no... [ Continue Reading ]
_stir among the soldiers_ For the guards who had been chained to the prisoner would discover as soon as they awoke, that he had escaped from between them, and they would know that their lives would probably answer for the life of Peter.... [ Continue Reading ]
_commanded that they should be put to death_ The Greek is literally, "commanded that they should be led forth," implying however that such a proceeding was the prelude to their execution. It is the verb so often rendered "lead away" in the accounts which the Gospels give of the trial and crucifixion... [ Continue Reading ]
Death of Herod Agrippa I. Growth of the Church 20. _And Herod was highly displeased_ The oldest MSS. omit _Herod_. Read, "Now he," &c. The verb implies a deep-seated feeling of anger. It is not found elsewhere in the N. T. _with them of Tyre and Sidon_ They were still seats of maritime industry, a... [ Continue Reading ]
_And upon a set day_ The day was one appointed (as Josephus tells us) for holding a festival on which to make vows for Cæsar's safety. _Herod, arrayed_(having arrayed himself) _in royal apparel_ See the extract from Josephus given below.... [ Continue Reading ]
_And immediately the_(an) _angel of the Lord smote him … and he was eaten of worms_ Cp. the fate of Antiochus Epiphanes (2Ma 9:9), and Herod the Great's death (Josephus, _Ant_. xvii. 6. 5). The passage in which Josephus describes these events is so important in its bearing on the N. Test. narrative... [ Continue Reading ]
_But the word of God grew and multiplied_ Cp. Acts 6:7 and Acts 19:20. "The seed is the word," said Christ, and so the Christian historian tells us that the word was as seed, when it was cast forth diligently it waxed and brought forth fruit... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem_ i.e. to their labours among the Gentile converts in Antioch. _when they had fulfilled their ministry_[ministration] viz., the giving into the care of the Church the contributions of the disciples in Antioch for the support of their brethren in Judæa d... [ Continue Reading ]