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Wake up to a Miracle! -- Acts 12

"Now, about that time, Herod the king stretched forth his hand to afflict certain persons of the Church, (2) and killed James the brother of John with the sword."

 

The historian does not follow Barnabas and Saul in their tour through the districts in Judea, but, leaving them for awhile, introduces a very interesting episode concerning events that were then transpiring in Jerusalem.

 

Luke leaves the narrative of the two on their way to Jerusalem to travel ahead of them in his account to prepare our minds for the condition they were to face when they arrived. It was the year 44 A.D. and Herod Agrippa I had just been given his position as "king" over several provinces. (The history of the Herods as well as the emperors is of real interest and help to our study of this book).

 

The king had the difficult task of ruling as a Roman and pleasing the Jews. The Christians or the church could very effectively serve the purpose of Herod; he could mistreat them and please the Jews and still give no offense to the Roman authorities. His plan of persecution was to "put forth his hands to afflict certain of the church." It would appear that his plan was to strike at the leaders. James, brother of John, was the first victim. There is no trial recorded; a mere statement that James was slain with the sword.

 

The persecutions which we have hitherto noticed were conducted by religious partisans in Jerusalem, without any active assistance on the part of the civil authorities. We are now introduced to one in which the reigning prince is the leader, while the old enemies of the truth are working behind the curtain, if at all.

 

There now broke out upon the Church, and especially upon its leaders, a new wave of persecution instigated by King Herod. Let us see briefly the various ramifications of the family of the Herods in their New Testament connections.

 

The first of the New Testament Herods is Herod the Great who reigned from about 41 B. C. to 1 B. C. He is the Herod of Matthew 2, who was in power when Jesus was born, who received the Wise Men from the East and who massacred the children. Herod the Great was married ten times. Those of his family who cross the pages of the New Testament are as follows.

 

(i) Herod Philip the First. He was the first husband of the Herodias who was responsible for the death of John the Baptist. He is mentioned, under the name of Philip, in Matthew 14:3; Mark 6:17; Luke 3:19. He had no official office. He was the father of Salome.

 

(ii) Herod Antipas. He was the ruler of Galilee and Peraea. He was the second husband of Herodias and consented to the death of John the Baptist. He was also the Herod to whom Pilate sent Jesus for trial (Luke 23:7ff.).

 

(iii) Archelaus. He was ruler of Judaea, Samaria and Idumaea. He was a thoroughly bad ruler and was deposed and banished. He is mentioned in Matthew 2:22.

 

(iv) Herod Philip the Second. He was ruler of Ituraea and Trachonitis. He was the founder of Caesarea Philippi which was called after him. In the New Testament he is called Philip and is mentioned in Luke 3:1.

 

(v) Herod the Great had another son called Aristobulus; his mother was Mariamne, a princess who was descended from the great Maccabaean heroes. He was murdered by his own father but he had a son called Herod Agrippa. This is the Herod of our present passage in Acts 12.

 

(vi) To complete the list we may note that Herod Agrippa was the father of (a) Agrippa the Second, before whom Paul was examined and before whom he made his famous speech (Acts 25 and 26). (b) Bernice, who appeared with him when Paul was under examination. (c) Drusilla, who was the wife of Felix, the governor before whom Paul was tried (Acts 24:24).

 

From this family history it may be seen that Herod Agrippa of this chapter was a direct descendant of the Maccabees through his mother Mariamne. He had been educated at Rome, but he sedulously cultivated the good graces of the Jewish people by meticulously keeping the Law and all Jewish observances. For these reasons he was popular with the people; and it was no doubt in order to achieve further popularity with the orthodox Jews that he decided to attack the Church and its leaders. Even his conduct in the arrest of Peter shows his desire to conciliate the Jews.

 

The Passover Feast was on 14th Nisan; for that day and the seven following no leaven must be used and the week was called the days of unleavened bread. During that time no trial or execution could be carried out and that is why Herod purposed to defer Peter's execution until the week was finished. The great tragedy of this particular wave of persecution was that it was not due to any man's principles, however misguided; it was due simply to Herod's bid to gain popular favour with the people.

 

This Herod was a grandson of that Herod by whom the infants of Bethlehem were slaughtered, and a nephew of "Herod the Tetrarch," by whom John the Immerser was beheaded. He grew up in Rome, where he wasted what fortune he had inherited in princely extravagance; but while doing so he acquired an intimacy with Caius Cæsar, afterward the famous Caligula of history. When the latter ascended the throne, at the death of Tiberius, he elevated his friend Agrippa, [151] as this Herod was most usually called, to a kingdom, which was subsequently enlarged by Claudius until it embraced all the territory ruled by his grandfather Herod the Great.

 

He was now in the zenith of his power, and living in the utmost magnificence.{1} Why he undertook this persecution it is difficult to tell, unless he was instigated to it by the old enemies of the Church. This appears most probable from Luke's statement below, that he seized Peter because he saw that the death of James pleased the Jews.{2}

A number of brethren suffered in this persecution, though James the brother of John is the only one who is said to have suffered death. He is designated as the "brother of John" to distinguish him from the other James, who is the author of the epistle bearing this name. He was the first of the apostles to suffer death, and his brother John was the last. In the death of both were fulfilled the words of Jesus, uttered on a memorable occasion, when they asked him for a seat, one at his right hand, and the other at his left. He asked them if they were able to undergo the immersion which he would undergo.

 

They said, "We are able." He replied, "You shall, indeed, drink of my cup, and be immersed in the immersion in which I am immersed; but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but to them for whom it is prepared by my Father." As the sword of the executioner was made bare, and the neck of James laid upon the block, he could but remember these words. He understood, too, far better than when he first made the request, what it is to sit at the right hand of Jesus.

 

Why James was selected for this murderous example, in preference to any other of the apostles, we are not informed; but we have already seen that the brunt of persecution uniformly fell upon those most prominent in the scenes which were the immediate occasion of it. This consideration gives some ground for the conclusion that, though Peter and John had hitherto acted the most prominent part in Jerusalem, at this time James stood in the foreground in the conflict with the unbelieving Jews.

 

3, 4. When a man engages in a wicked enterprise, his conscience makes him timid while left to himself; but the applause of the multitude enables him to drown the voice of conscience, and rush on madly to the end. Agrippa may have hesitated when he found his hands stained with the blood of an apostle; but when the people applauded, he hesitated no longer. (3) "And seeing that it was pleasing to the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. But it was in the days of unleavened bread. (4) And having apprehended him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him, intending, after the Passover, to bring him out to the people."

 

A public execution during the feast of unleavened bread would have been exceedingly incongruous with the religious solemnities of the occasion: hence this delay.

 

Imagine waking up to a miracle and having an angel for your alarm clock! That’s what happened to Peter when he was in prison for the third time, awaiting trial and certain death. Years later, when he wrote his first epistle, Peter may have had this miraculous experience in mind when he quoted Psalm 34:15-16, "For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil" (1 Peter 3:12). That quotation certainly summarizes what God did for Peter, and it reveals to us three wonderful assurances to encourage us in the difficult days of life.

 

If it pleased the Jews when James was killed, just think how delighted they would be if Peter were slain! God permitted Herod to arrest Peter and put him under heavy guard in prison. Sixteen soldiers, four for each watch, kept guard over the apostle, with two soldiers chained to the prisoner and two watching the doors. After all, the last time Peter was arrested, he mysteriously got out of jail, and Herod was not about to let that happen again.

 

Why was James allowed to die while Peter was rescued?

After all, both were dedicated servants of God, needed by the church. The only answer is the sovereign will of God, the very thing Peter and the church had prayed about after their second experience of persecution (Acts 4:24-30). Herod had "stretched forth" his hand to destroy the church, but God would stretch forth His hand to perform signs and wonders and glorify His Son (Acts 4:28-30). God allowed Herod to kill James, but He kept him from harming Peter. It was the throne in heaven that was in control, not the throne on earth.

 

Please note that the Jerusalem church did not replace James as they had replaced Judas (Acts 1:15-26). As long as the Gospel was going "to the Jew first," it was necessary to have the full complement of 12 Apostles to witness to the twelve tribes of Israel. The stoning of Stephen ended that special witness to Israel, so the number of official witnesses was no longer important.

 

It is good to know that, no matter how difficult the trials or how disappointing the news, God is still on the throne and has everything under control. We may not always under-stand His ways, but we know His sovereign will is best.

 

The four quaternions of soldiers who guarded Peter consisted of sixteen men, each quaternion consisting of four. It was enough to keep four men on guard during each of the four watches of the [152] night. They, together with the strength of the prison doors, were deemed sufficient for the utmost security.

 

(12:1-4) Persecution: there was the first political attack against the church. It had been about eight years since Stephen’s death and the first persecution against the church. The persecution had been squelched by the hand of God in converting the arch-persecutor himself, Saul of Tarsus. However, throughout the eight years, feelings against the church had been growing until they reached the present peak (cp. "all the expectation of the Jews," Acts 12:11). The people were filled with animosity toward Christian believers.

 

There were two primary reasons for their hatred. The public just did not understand...

· the teachings of Jesus and His followers: how the teachings fulfilled the law; how they could be reconciled with Jewish religion.

· the evangelistic outbreak of the church: that Jewish believers would be so full of fervor for Christ that they would reach out to convert the whole world. Apparently, the conversion of Cornelius and the founding of churches throughout the Gentile world upset some of the Jews to no end.

Herod, being the shrewd politician he was, saw an opportunity to please the Jews by persecuting and seeking to destroy the church. If he could please the Jews, it would help...

· keep the Jews quiet, keep them supporting Rome’s policies.

· solidify his own prestige and power with the authorities back in Rome.

Herod launched the government’s attack against the leaders of the church.

1. Persecution. The word "vex" or "persecute" (kakosai) means to oppress, to torment, to harm, to do evil against. Certain leaders in the church were arrested and imprisoned and apparently tortured. A person can just imagine the believers being man-handled and molested as the persecuted of every generation so often are, their homes and property being destroyed and confiscated or stolen.

2. Murder. One of the persons killed was James, the brother of John, one of the three leading apostles of the Lord. Nothing is said about James in the book of Acts except that he was martyred. But the fact that Herod would attempt to silence him is clear evidence that James was very active in serving Christ. Christ had told James he would suffer martyrdom (Matthew 20:23). God makes a glorious promise to the believer who is persecuted.

3. Imprisonment. The persecution of the church’s leaders pleased the Jews, especially the murder of one of the Lord’s leading apostles. Herod’s plan seemed to be working. Note three things.

a. It was the Passover season, the days of unleavened bread. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims had flooded into the city of Jerusalem. As on any festive occasion, there was a party-like atmosphere hovering over the city. The people were filled with a festive, merry spirit. Herod had a unique chance to really gain popularity among multitudes of people.

b. Herod was so elated with the response of the Jews, he lurched forward with the boldest plot imaginable: the arrest and jailing of the leader himself, Peter the apostle. Note: Herod was planning to execute Peter after the Passover. Jewish law did not allow executions during the Passover Feast. Also note: this was Peter’s third imprisonment for the sake of his Lord (cp. Acts 4:3; Acts 5:18; Acts 12:4-5).

  1. Herod had Peter heavily guarded.

 

Peter was probably guarded by sixteen different soldiers. Four soldiers at a time served two separate three-hour watches within a twenty-four hour stretch. One wrist of the prisoner was usually chained to the wrist of a guard. Note the extra security with Peter: both wrists were chained (Acts 12:6). The reason for the extra security with Peter was the huge throng of pilgrims visiting the city during the Passover. In the midst of the mass confusion within the city, Herod felt some of Peter’s friends might attempt a rescue.

 

12:5: As we have said, Herod was carrying out this persecution purely for selfish ends, i.e. to seek the favor of the Jews. Since Herod was a part Jewish such actions would suggest to the Jews that he truly was in sympathy with their beliefs. The death of James was heralded as a victory for the cause of Judaism. When word of this reached the ears of Herod he immediately went a step further and imprisoned Peter. But alas, no swift execution could take place for the "days of unleavened bread" had started. If he were to please the Jews he must lay aside the work of slaughter that they might observe the Passover Feast.

 

There were seven days following the eating of the Passover called the "days of unleavened bread." In these days the spirit of the Passover was still present and they were made a vital part of the feast. (cf. Ex. 12:1-20). Peter was made especially secure in the king’s prison. Herod had doubtless heard of Peter’s previous experience in being released from prison; this time he would not escape. To insure this he was delivered to four "quaternions of soldiers" that they might act as his guards. Four men made up a "quaterrdon." While these sixteen soldiers set about their task of guarding Peter there were others who were looking to a higher and greater power than Herod the king, for Peter’s release. "Prayer was made earnestly of the church unto God for him." This prayer meeting, as we shall observe later, was held in the home of Mary the mother of John Mark.

 

The manner in which the soldiers guarded Peter is described in the sixth verse. It would seem that the four quaternions divided the hours up into four watches of three hours apiece every twelve hours. Thus Peter was chained between two men; half of the quaternion and the other two stood guard at the prison gates.

 

Evidently the two guards were also fast asleep or else their eyes were holden. It was necessary for the angel to strike Peter to awaken him. When Peter finally opened his eyes he was greeted by his heavenly visitor with the words "Rise up quickly." He immediate-ly arose from his sitting position; as he did, the shackles that had bound him to his guards clattered to the floor.

 

Peter was following the instructions of the angel with no comment, like one in a trance. We shall see later that he thought it was aU a vision. "Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals." The outer garment or cloak had been laid aside and Peter had removed his sandals to give him greater comfort for the night (what a manifestation of commitment to the will of God.) Peter followed the instruction of the angel. The final words of the angel were "Cast thy garment about thee and follow me." The first portion of this statement is given to emphasize the second. Peter had already dressed, now the angel says in essence "draw your clothes about you to prepare for departure and come follow me."

 

We have noticed that when Peter and John were dismissed from the Sanhedrim, with a threat of violence if they dared any more to speak or teach in the name of Jesus, they came to their own company, and all united in prayer to God for courage.{3} Now that James has been murdered, and Peter is in prison awaiting the same fate, we find the brethren once more unitedly appealing to God. (5) "Peter, therefore, was kept in prison, but fervent prayer was made by the Church to God for him."

 

When we reflect that the circumstances affecting the disciples were calculated in the highest degree to exasperate them against the murderers of their brethren, and stimulate them to active measures for the defense of their own lives, it is exceedingly to their credit that they were engaged in fervent prayer. If they had been taught the modern doctrine that Christians may rightly resist, with violence, the assaults of tyrannical rulers, and, whatever the weakness on their own part, may confidently appeal to the God of battles in vindication of their rights, their feelings, and their conduct, under these circumstances, must have been far different from what they were. If ever there was an occasion on which the boasted first law of nature, the right of self-defense, would justify resistance to oppression, it existed here. But, instead of the passion and turmoil of armed preparation, we hear from the midnight assemblies of the disciples the voice of fervent prayer. Where prayer is, acceptable prayer, there is no passion, no thirst for revenge, or purpose of violence. These men were disciples of the Prince of Peace.

 

"And His ears are open unto their prayers" (1 Peter 3:12). The phrase "but prayer" is the turning point in the story. Never underestimate the power of a praying church! "The angel fetched Peter out of prison," said the Puritan preacher Thomas Watson, "but it was prayer that fetched the angel."

 

6. Time wore away in painful suspense until the Passover was gone by. (6) "And when Herod was about to bring him forth, in that night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and the guards before the door were guarding the prison."

 

Peter was not anxious about the outcome of his imprisonment. His mind and heart were at rest in his Savior. A few hours before he was scheduled to appear before a murderous assassin he was fast asleep in his cell. So sound asleep was the apostle that neither the appearance of the angel nor the light that shone into his cell awakened him.

 

He was securely kept, according to the most ingenious method of the Roman army. Besides the prison-doors, and the guards without, his arms were pinioned by two chains, each to the arm of a soldier on the right and left, so that he could not move without disturbing one or both.

 

If Herod was actuated, in adopting these precautions, by a desire to prevent a rescue, he ought to have known that Peter's brethren never fought with carnal weapons, even to save the life of a brother. Or if he feared a miraculous escape of his prisoner, and intended that the guards should kill him upon the first movement of that kind, he ought to have remembered that all the twelve had once walked out of a prison in that city without hindrance either from the iron doors or the armed soldiers. But wicked men are prone to forget the warnings of the past, and continue to repeat, in endless succession, the blunders of their predecessors.

 

If you were chained to two Roman soldiers and facing the possibility of being executed the next day, would you sleep very soundly? Probably not, but Peter did. In fact, Peter was so sound asleep that the angel had to strike him on the side to wake him up!

 

The fact that Peter had been a prisoner twice before is not what gave him his calm heart. For that matter, this prison experience was different from the other two. This time, he was alone, and the deliverance did not come right away. The other two times, he was able to witness; but this time, no special witnessing opportunities appeared. Peter’s previous arrests had taken place after great victories, but this one followed the death of James, his dear friend and colleague. It was a new situation altogether.

 

What gave Peter such confidence and peace? To begin with, many believers were praying for him (Acts 12:12), and kept it up day and night for a week; and this helped to bring him peace (Phil. 4:6-7). Prayer has a way of reminding us of the promises of God’s Word, such as, "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep; for Thou, Lord, only makest me to dwell in safety" (Ps. 4:8). Or, "Fear thou not, for I am with thee. Be not dismayed, for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness" (Isa. 41:10).

 

But the main cause of Peter’s peace was the knowledge that Herod could not kill him. Jesus had promised Peter that he would live to be an old man and end his life crucified on a Roman cross (John 21:18-19). Peter simply laid hold of that promise and committed the entire situation to the Lord, and God gave him peace and rest. He did not know how or when God would deliver him, but he did know that deliverance was coming.

 

7-11. Though Peter undoubtedly expected to die the next day, he seems to have slept as soundly as the soldiers to whom he was chained. All was dark and still within the prison until a late hour of the night, when the scene suddenly changed. (7) "And behold, an angel of the Lord, stood by, and a light shone in the prison; and striking Peter on the side, he raised him up, saying, Rise up quickly. His chains fell from [153] his hands. (8) And the angel said to him, Gird yourself, and bind on your sandals. He did so. And he said to him, Cast your mantle about you and follow me. (9) And he followed him, going out, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. (10) But having passed through the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate which leads into the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and going out, they went forward one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. (11) Then Peter, coming to himself, said, Now I know in reality that the Lord has sent his angel, and delivered me from the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the Jewish people."

 

As we have said, Peter moved as one in a dream for although he was now following the angel he could not believe it was real. Probably the first and second guards spoken of in verse ten were half of the quaternion that was on guard at the time of the deliverance. The fact that they were enabled to pass by these men without detection bespeaks of some providential intervention.

 

There was yet one barrier between Peter and the streets of Jerusalem, the iron gate which opened into the prison. Upon approaching this gate it began to move of its own accord and opened to permit the two to step out into the street. The angel stayed with Peter until they had "passed on through one street" (probably referring to a walk of a few blocks distance) until they reached the street on which Mary

the mother of John Mark lived.

 

When the angel left him Peter "came to himself." Upon looking about him he could truly lift his face to God and say from his heart "NOW I know of a truth, that the Lord bath sent forth His angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the ex-pectation of the people of the Jews."

While the angel was with him it seemed too good to be true; but now he could rejoice in an unmistakable reality. The phrase "the people of the Jews" refers to the Sanhedrin or rulers who here are called "the people."

 

It is not at all strange that Peter thought, at first, that he was dreaming; for the deliverance was entirely unexpected, and was effected in the most wonderful manner, and amid the bewilderment usual upon being suddenly aroused from deep sleep. When he found himself alone in the street, and had collected his senses, he knew that it was a reality, and felt like one waking from a singular dream.

 

Once again we behold the ministry of angels (Acts 5:19; 8:26; 10:3, 7) and are reminded that the angels care for God’s children (Ps. 34:7). The angel brought light and liberty into the prison cell, but the guards had no idea that anything was going on. However, if Peter was going to be delivered, he had to obey what the angel commanded. He probably thought it was a dream or a vision, but he arose and followed the angel out of the prison and into the street. Only then did he come to himself and realize that he had been a part of another miracle.

 

The angel commanded Peter to bind his garments with his girdle, and then to put on his sandals. These were certainly ordinary tasks to do while a miracle is taking place! But God often joins the miraculous with the ordinary just to encourage us to keep in balance. Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes, but then commanded His disciples to gather up the leftovers. He raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead, then told her parents to give her something to eat. Even in miracles, God is always practical.

 

God alone can do the extraordinary, but His people must do the ordinary. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, but the men had to roll the stone from the tomb. The same angel that removed the chains from Peter’s hands could have put the shoes on Peter’s feet, but he told Peter to do it. God never wastes miracles.

 

Peter had to stoop before he could walk. It was a good lesson in humility and obedience. In fact, from that night on, every time Peter put on his shoes, it must have reminded him of the prison miracle and encouraged him to trust the Lord.

 

This deliverance took place at Passover season, the time of year when the Jews celebrated their Exodus from Egypt. The word "delivered" in Acts 12:11 is the same word Stephen used when he spoke about the Jewish Exodus (Acts 7:34). Peter experienced a new kind of "exodus" in answer to the prayers of God’s people.

 

12:12. When the angel departed, he stood in the street for awhile, reflecting upon the incident, and considering what he should do. In the house of Mary the sister of Barnabas,{4} a number of disciples were at that very hour engaged in prayer in his behalf. He knew nothing of this, but, guided either by the proximity of the house, or the well-known character of its inmates, he turned in that direction. (12) "When he understood the matter, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying."

 

When Peter escaped the soldiers were led away to execution because it was the law that, if a criminal escaped, his guard should suffer the penalty the prisoner would have suffered.

 

In this story we do not necessarily see a miracle. It may well be the story of a thrilling rescue; but, however it happened, the hand of God was most definitely in it.

 

When Peter escaped he took his way straight to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark. From that we learn that this was the headquarters of the Church. It has indeed been suggested that it was in this very house that the Last Supper was eaten and that it continued to be the meeting place of the disciples in Jerusalem. Note what the Christians were doing. They were praying. When they were up against it, they turned to God.

 

In this passage we come on the first mention of the man who was the real leader of the church in Jerusalem. Peter instructs them to go and tell the news to James. This is the brother of our Lord. There is a certain mystery about him. In the East it would have been the natural thing for the next brother to take on the work of an elder brother who had been killed; but from the gospels we learn that Jesus' brothers did not believe in him (John 7:5) and that they actually thought him mad (Mark 3:21). During his lifetime James was not a supporter of Jesus. But the Risen Christ made a special appearance to James (1 Corinthians 15:7).

 

The apocryphal Gospel according to the Hebrews tells that after the death of Jesus, James made a vow that he would neither eat nor drink until he saw Jesus again; and that Jesus did appear to him. It may well be that what the life of Jesus could not do his death did, and that when James saw his brother die he discovered who he really was and dedicated all his life to serve him. The change in James may well be another great example of the power of the Cross to change the lives of men.

 

13-16. Although the condition of Peter was the burden of the prayers of these disciples, they were by no means expecting his deliverance, and were most likely praying that he might be enabled to endure with fortitude a death which they regarded as inevitable. (13) "And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant girl named Rhoda came to hear who it was. (14) And recognizing the voice of Peter, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in and told that Peter was standing before the gate. (15) But they said to her, You are mad. But she positively affirmed that it was really so. Then they said, It is his angel. (16) But Peter continued knocking, and when they had opened the door and saw him, they were astonished."

 

When we remember that these disciples were so familiar with miracles, it is rather surprising that the deliverance of Peter should have caused so much astonishment. It shows that they were still disposed, like ourselves, to estimate the probabilities of even what God may do, by the difficulties of the execution. This is really judging of God by the standard of human ability. While we are compelled to approach the unknown through the known, we will, perhaps, never rise above this weakness. Still, it should not, even in the most difficult cases, check the fervency of our prayers. They undervalued the power or the willingness of God to grant their desires, in the day of miracles, as we undervalue his power to work without miracles; yet their prayers were none the less fervent or persistent.

 

When Rhoda insisted that it was Peter at the gate, and the disciples said, It is his angel, they undoubtedly had allusion to the popular [154] superstition of their day, that a man's guardian angel sometimes assumed his form. Before this, the twelve had twice imagined that they saw a disembodied spirit; once when they saw Jesus walking on the water, and once when he miraculously entered a closed room where they were sitting.{5}

 

These facts show how strong a hold the popular superstitions had upon their minds. But while the conception that angels sometimes assumed the forms of those whom they guarded, and that disembodied spirits were sometimes visible, was superstitious, we must not forget that beneath this superstition there was a solemn reality.

 

Jesus says, "Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven."{6} Paul asks, "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for those who shall inherit salvation?"{7}

 

And David, under the old economy, says, in his own poetic style, "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them who fear him."{8} In view of these statements, we can not doubt that the ministration of angels in behalf of the saints is still a reality.

 

As Peter followed the angel, God opened the way; and when Peter was free, the angel vanished. His work was done and now it was up to Peter to trust the Lord and use his common sense in taking the next step. Since it was the prayers of God’s people that had helped to set him free, Peter decided that the best place for him would be in that prayer meeting at Mary’s house. Furthermore, he wanted to report the good news that God had answered their prayers. So Peter headed for the house of Mary, mother of John Mark.

 

When you remember that (a) many people were praying, (b) they were praying earnestly, (c) they prayed night and day for perhaps as long as a week, and (d) their prayers were centered specifically on Peter’s deliverance, then the scene that is described here is almost comical. The answer to their prayers is standing at the door, but they don’t have faith enough to open the door and let him in! God could get Peter out of a prison, but Peter can’t get himself into a prayer meeting!

 

Of course, the knock at the door might have been that of Herod’s soldiers, coming to arrest more believers. It took courage for the maid Rhoda ("rose") to go to the door; but imagine her surprise when she recognized Peter’s voice! She was so overcome that she forgot to open the door! Poor Peter had to keep knocking and calling while the "believers" in the prayer meeting decided what to do! And the longer he stood at the gate, the more dangerous his situation became.

 

The exclamation, "It is his angel!" (Acts 12:15) reveals their belief in "guardian angels" (Matt. 18:10; Heb. 1:14). Of course, the logical question is, "Why would an angel bother to knock?" All he had to do was simply walk right in! Sad to say, good theology plus unbelief often leads to fear and confusion.

 

We must face the fact that even in the most fervent prayer meetings there is sometimes a spirit of doubt and unbelief. We are like the father who cried to Jesus, "Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief!" (Mark 9:24) These Jerusalem saints believed that God could answer their prayers, so they kept at it night and day. But, when the answer came right to their door, they refused to believe it. God graciously honors even the weakest faith, but how much more He would do if only we would trust Him.

 

Note the plural pronouns in Acts 12:16: "They . . . opened the door and . . . they were astonished." I get the impression that, for safety’s sake, they decided to open the door together and face together whatever might be on the other side. Rhoda would have done it by herself, but she was too overcome with joy. It is commendable that a lowly servant girl recognized Peter’s voice and rejoiced that he was free. Rhoda surely was a believer who knew Peter as a friend.

 

All doubt as to who was right was removed when there came echoing into the room the loud knocks and cries of the apostle himself. Imagine the absolute dismay and astonishment that must have filled the hearts of those assembled. They went out to greet him. Before any of them could say a word, Peter motioned for quietness and quickly told them what had happened. He requested that those present tell James and the other brethren of Jerusalem. Then without saying where he was going he departed. The wisdom in not telling where he was going can be immediately seen in view of the fact that soldiers would doubtless be inquiring on the morrow and the disciples could say with all truthfulness that they knew not where he had gone. That James was singled out to be told of the news seems to indicate something of his position of leadership. The account of the 15th chapter and Gal. 1:17, 18 bears this thought out.

 

17. Apprehensive of a pursuit, Peter did not remain long with the brethren in the house of Mary. (17) "But, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, he related to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison, and said, Tell these things to James and the brethren. And going out, he went to another place."

 

Whether this other place was a place of concealment in the city, or an entirely new field of labor, is not known. The prominence given to the name of the surviving James, in this speech of Peter, shows that he already occupied a prominent position among the brethren. We will, hereafter, see that he continued to occupy this position.

 

Apparently everybody began to speak at once and Peter had to silence them. He quickly gave an account of the miracle of his deliverance and no doubt thanked them for their prayer help. He instructed them to get the word to James, the half brother of the Lord, who was the leader of the Jerusalem assembly (Matt. 13:55; Acts 15:13ff; Gal. 1:19). James was also the author of the Epistle of James.

 

Where Peter went when he left the meeting, nobody knows to this day! It certainly was a well-kept secret. Except for a brief appearance in Acts 15, Peter walks off the pages of the Book of Acts to make room for Paul and the story of his ministry among the Gentiles.

 

First Corinthians 9:5 tells us that Peter traveled in ministry with his wife, and 1 Corinthians 1:12 suggests that he visited Corinth. There is no evidence in Scripture that Peter ever visited Rome. In fact, if Peter had founded the church in Rome, it is unlikely that Paul would have gone there, for his policy was to work where other Apostles had not labored (Rom. 15:18-22). Also, he certainly would have said something to or about Peter when he wrote his letter to the Romans.

 

Before we leave this section, it would be profitable to consider how Christians can best pray for those in prison; for even today there are many people in prison only because they are Christians. "Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them" commands Hebrews 13:3. In other words, pray for them as you would want them to pray for you if your situations were reversed.

 

We ought to pray that God will give them grace to bear with suffering so that they might have a triumphant witness for the Lord. We should ask the Spirit to minister the Word to them and bring it to their remembrance. It is right to ask God to protect His own and to give them wisdom as they must day after day deal with a difficult enemy. We must ask God that, if it is His will, they be delivered from their bondage and suffering and reunited with their loved ones.

 

(12:5-17) Persecution—Deliverance: there was God’s pattern for deliverance. Note a significant point: God’s providence saved Peter but not James. Why? Very simply, it was time for James to join his Lord and receive the fruit of his labor for work done here on earth. Peter’s work was not yet done. Believers must always remember, the day when they are to go to their Lord does come. God’s will may be for the believer to suffer and bear martyrdom for His name’s sake. God’s plan may be to use the persecuted believer’s faithfulness as a testimony to reach others.

God’s pattern for delivering believers through or from persecution is fourfold.

1. There is the pattern of prayer. Church-wide prayer delivered Peter (Acts 12:5). Note three points.

a. The whole church was praying.

b. The church was doing all it could do, praying specifically for Peter’s deliverance.

c. The words "without ceasing" (ektenes) mean fervently and earnestly continuing in prayer. The idea is intense prayer, prayer that captivates and focuses a person’s concentration. The root meaning of the word is "to stretch out." The picture is that the church was stretched out, prostrate before God, earnestly and fervently crying out to Him for God’s sovereign deliverance of Peter. The church could do nothing and they knew it. Peter’s only hope was God.

2. There is the pattern of confidence. Confidence in God’s will and care delivered Peter (Acts 12:6). Note that Peter was asleep, and it was the very night before his execution. Christ was meeting His dear servant’s need, infusing him with His very special grace and peace. Peter sensed the very special trust and care of his Lord.

3. There is the pattern of God’s miraculous work and the believer’s obedience. Both were involved in delivering Peter (Acts 12:7-10). Note the Scripture and outline.

a. The angel did not do for Peter what Peter could do for himself. Peter had to act; he had to obey the commands of the angel.

b. Once Peter was safely delivered out of danger, he was left on his own, left to work out his own deliverance. He was to continue his "walk by faith"...

· to return to the church and to the believers on his own.

· to seek the Lord about remaining or leaving Jersualem and in making any other decisions that needed to be made.

The point is this: God’s miraculous deliverance involved only what Peter could not do for himself. When Peter was helpless, God then took over. This is the point of miracles. Miracles are acts of God, acts that men cannot do for themselves. They are worked by God and by Him alone; therefore, He and He alone gets the praise and honor.

4. There is the pattern of God’s sovereign will (Acts 12:11). It was God’s sovereign will for Peter to be delivered. It was not His will for James to be delivered. The true believer rests in God’s sovereign will, knowing that God’s will results in the greatest blessings. Peter thought he was having a vision (Acts 12:9), that he was in some semi-conscious state, dreaming of God delivering him. Peter was startled; it took a moment to collect his thoughts and grasp what had happened. When he did, he realized...

· that God had delivered him by His sovereign will.

· that God still had a purpose for him on earth.

· that he still had a ministry to perform for the Lord.

He quickly sized up the situation and fled the city, for he knew Herod would have the soldiers searching for him as soon as his escape was discovered. But before fleeing, Peter decided to quickly visit the house of Mary (the mother of John Mark), hoping some of the believers were gathered there. He needed to let them know God had delivered him and where he was fleeing.

 

18, 19. The escape of Peter had been altogether unobserved by the soldiers who guarded him. The two who were chained to him in the prison slept on till day, and those guarding the outside changed their watches at the regular hours without suspecting any thing wrong within. (18) "Now when it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter. (19) And when Herod had sought for him and found him not, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Cæsarea, and abode there."

 

The military law of the Romans required that guards who allowed the escape of a prisoner, and rendered no satisfactory account of it, should be put to death. But it is impossible to believe that on this occasion Herod was governed by an honest sense of military duty. He must have known that the escape of Peter was miraculous, and the execution of the guards was an act of insane fury. A conscience stained by the blood of an apostle and of sixteen faithful soldiers could not find rest in the place where the deeds were done; and doubtless this had much to do with the removal of his residence to Cæsarea.

 

"But the face of the Lord is against them that do evil" (1 Peter 3:12). If the account had ended with Peter’s departure, we would find ourselves wondering, "What happened to the prison guards and to Herod?" We do not know at what time the angel delivered Peter, but when the next quaternion arrived at the cell, imagine their consternation when they discovered that the guards were there but the prisoner was gone!

 

If the new watch awakened the old watch, it was certainly a rude awakening for them! If the old watch was already awake and alert, they must have had a difficult time explaining the situation to the new watch. How could a chained prisoner escape when there were four guards present and the doors were locked?

 

If a guard permitted a prisoner to escape, Roman law required that he receive the same punishment that the prisoner would have received, even if it was death (see Acts 16:27; 27:42). This law did not strictly apply in Herod’s jurisdiction, so the king was not forced to kill the guards; but, being a Herod, he did it anyway. Instead of killing one man to please the Jews, he killed four and perhaps hoped it would please them more.

 

"The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead" (Prov. 11:8). This truth is illustrated in the death of Herod. While God does not always bring retribution this quickly, we can be sure that the Judge of all the earth will do what is right (Gen. 18:25; Rev. 6:9-11).

 

The people of Tyre and Sidon, who depended on the Jews for food (see Ezra 3:7), had in some way displeased King Herod and were in danger of losing this assistance. In true political fashion, they bribed Blastus, who was in charge of the king’s bed chamber, and thus a trusted official; he in turn convinced the king to meet the delegation. It was an opportunity for the proud king to display his authority and glory, and for the delegates to please him with their flattery.

 

The Jewish historian Josephus said that this scene took place during a festival honoring Claudius Caesar, and that the king wore a beautiful silver garment in honor of the occasion. We do not know what Herod said in his oration, but we do know why he said it: he wanted to impress the people. And he did! They played on his Herodian ego and told him he was a god, and he loved every minute of it.

 

But he did not give the glory to the Lord, so this whole scene was nothing but idolatry. "I am the Lord: that is My name: and My glory will I not give to another" (Isa. 42:8; see 48:11). Instead of Peter being killed by Herod, it was Herod who was killed by Peter’s God! Perhaps the same angel who delivered Peter also smote the king. Herod contracted some affliction in his bowels and died five days later, according to Josephus. This was in a.d. 44.

 

This event is more than a slice of ancient history, because it typifies the world and its people today. The citizens of Tyre and Sidon were concerned about one thing only—getting sufficient food to feed their stomachs. To be sure, food is essential to life, but when we pay any price to get that food, we are doing wrong. By flattering the king and calling him a god, the delegation knew they could get what they wanted.

 

The world still lives for praise and pleasure. Man has made himself his own god (Rom. 1:25). The world still lives on the physical and ignores the spiritual (see 1 John 2:15-17). It lives by force and flattery instead of faith and truth, and one day it will be judged.

 

The church today, like Israel of old, suffers because of people like Herod who use their authority to oppose the truth. Beginning with Pharaoh in Egypt, God’s people have often suffered under despotic rulers and governments, and God has always preserved His witness in the world. God has not always judged evil officials as He judged Herod, but He has always watched over His people and seen to it that they did not suffer and die in vain. Our freedom today was purchased by their bondage.

 

The early church had no "political clout" or friends in high places to "pull strings" for them. Instead, they went to the highest throne of all, the throne of grace. They were a praying people, for they knew that God could solve their problems. God’s glorious throne was greater than the throne of Herod, and God’s heavenly army could handle Herod’s weak soldiers any day or night! The believers did not need to bribe anyone at court. They simply took their case to the highest court and left it with the Lord!

 

And what was the result? "But the word of God grew and multiplied" (Acts 12:24). This is another of Luke’s summaries, or "progress reports," that started with Acts 6:7 (see 9:31; 16:5; 19:20; 28:31). Luke is accomplishing the purpose of his book and showing us how the church spread throughout the Roman world from its small beginnings in Jerusalem. What an encouragement to us today!

 

At the beginning of Acts 12, Herod seemed to be in control and the church was losing the battle. But at the end of the chapter, Herod is dead and the church—very much alive—is growing rapidly!

 

The secret? A praying church! Missionary Isobel Kuhn used to pray when in trouble, "If this obstacle is from Thee, Lord, I accept it; but if it is from Satan, I refuse him and all his works in the name of Calvary!"

 

And Dr. Alan Redpath has often said, "Let’s keep our chins up and our knees down—we’re on the victory side!"

 

God works when churches pray, and Satan still trembles "when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees."

 

20-23. The historian pursues the history of this murderous prince a little further. (20) "Now Herod was enraged against the Tyrians and Sidonians. But they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace, because their [155] country was nourished by that of the king. (21) And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration to them. (22) And the people cried out, The voice of a God, and not of a man. (23) And immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory, and being eaten by worms, he expired."

 

Josephus says of the "royal apparel" in which he was arrayed, that it was woven wholly of silver threads, the glittering of which, in the morning sun, suggested the idolatrous exclamation of the multitude. He also relates that Herod was seized with pains in the bowels, so violent that he had to be carried into the palace, and lingered five days in excruciating torments from the worms also mentioned by Luke. This historian mentions some circumstances of a superstitious character in connection with this terrible event, but his account agrees substantially with that of Luke. Thus was the righteous judgment of God, which is chiefly reserved for the future state, displayed even in the world, for the terror of wicked men and the encouragement of the righteous.

 

(12:18-23) Herod, Death of—Judgment: there was God’s sovereign wrath, His vindication of the church. God never has and never will allow the persecution of His followers to go on and on. God is longsuffering, wanting all to repent and to turn to Him, but He tolerates evil for only so long. Every man has to give an account for his evil deeds. Herod’s time had now come. The judgment of God fell and fell swiftly.

1. The sins of Herod were very serious. He was guilty...

· of opposing God. He violently persecuted God’s church, which was equal to persecuting the Lord Himself. He was determined to wipe the church off the face of the earth (Acts 12:1-4; cp. Luke 10:16; Acts 9:4; 1 Cor. 8:12).

· of murder: killing the servants of God, apparently plotting to kill them all (Acts 12:2-4).

· of loving the world: its power, position, and influence (Acts 12:3).

· of hypocrisy and deception: pretending to be religious—all for power and position.

· of wrath and lack of compassion (Acts 12:19): it was Roman law that the keepers of escaped prisoners were subject to bear the same punishment as the prisoner.

· of hostile and unwise leadership (Acts 12:20): the dispute with Tyre and Sidon is not explained, but Herod’s nature is seen in the word "displeased" (en thumomachon). The word means to be inflamed, to be filled with violent hostility. It is very hot anger, an emotion that should never characterize the leader of a nation.

· of pride: the pride of office, position, and person (Acts 12:21).

· of self-glory and self-exaltation (Acts 12:22): he willingly received the declaration that he was a god (Acts 12:22).

2. The death of Herod was under the sovereign will of God. Herod’s time had run out; his sin could not be allowed anymore. The day of God’s wrath against a heart so hardened in sin had arrived. Sitting there on the throne, Herod was immediately stricken down with a severe stroke of some sort. His body was being "eaten of worms" (genomenos skolekobrotos). The word "skolex" was used by the Greeks to refer to intestinal worms. Josephus, the renown historian of that day, reported that Herod lingered for five days, suffering great pain in the area of the stomach (Flavius Josephus. Josephus Complete Works. Translated by William Whiston. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 1960. Ant. 19.8.2).

 

24. It was impossible that this providential and sudden death of Herod, occurring so soon after the murders which he had committed in Jerusalem, should not seriously affect the public mind. We are not surprised, therefore, that Luke adds: (24) "But the word of the Lord grew and multiplied." Once more the efforts of men to crush the cause of Christ resulted in the extension of its triumphs.

 

25. This narrative concerning the death of James, the imprisonment of Peter, and the miserable death of Herod, is thrown in between the arrival of Paul and Barnabas on their mission to the poor saints, and their return to Antioch. It is most probable that they were in Jerusalem at the feast during which Peter lay in prison. (25) "Now Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John who was surnamed Mark." This is the first appearance in public life of the evangelist Mark, whose education in the house of Mary his mother, and whose subsequent familiarity, first with Barnabas and Saul, and afterward with Peter, very happily fitted him for the gospel narrative which we have from his pen. We will have more to say of him hereafter.{9}

 

(12:24-25) Church: there was the church marching on triumphantly.

1. The words "grew and multiplied" (euxanen kai eplethuneto) mean that the church kept on growing and multiplying. The progress of God’s Word could not be stopped. Men and governments might try to stop it. They might persecute, imprison, and kill those who proclaim God’s Word; but their efforts to silence the Word will always be to no avail. God overrules all and always will.

Þ He has ordained His Word to be proclaimed, and it shall be by all those who are truly His.

 

Þ He has ordained His Word to bear fruit, to grow and multiply, never to return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11).

2. A young man was discipled, a young man destined for greatness. Barnabas and Saul had brought relief goods from Antioch to the famine-stricken churches throughout Judea and Jerusalem (cp. Acts 11:27-30). They were now returning to Antioch, and note what happened. John Mark, a young disciple, had joined them. This was a young man who was destined by God...

· to be discipled by three of God’s greatest servants: Paul, Barnabas, and Peter.

· to write one of the four gospels of the New Testament, the Gospel of Mark

 

John Mark had a godly mother (Acts 12:12). It seems that her home was the center of the Church(Acts 12:12). In fact, her home may have been the Upper Room which Jesus used for the Last Supper (Luke 22:10f) and for Pentecost (Acts 1:13). John Mark was related to Barnabas (Col. 4:10) and was a disciple of Paul and Barnabas (Acts 12:25). As a young man and disciple something happened that caused his faith to weaken, and he forsook Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:13; Acts 15:38).

 

However, he later recommitted his life to missionary service and became so staunch in his commitment that he was willing to let Paul and Barnabas argue over his seriousness and divide their team efforts over him (Acts 15:36-40). Scripture is silent about what happened after this.

 

Mark is seen only as a man who had redeemed himself in the eyes of Paul (Col. 4:10; Philemon 1:24; 2 Tim. 4:11). And Peter said Mark was serving with him (1 Peter 5:13). When writing to the churches of Asia Minor, Peter sent his special greetings from Mark. This points toward the churches knowing Mark personally. Mark apparently joined Peter on his missionary journeys. This is significant, for it means that much of what is in Mark’s gospel probably comes from what Peter had told him.

 

The Gospel of Mark, which Mark wrote, was probably the preaching material of Peter. John Mark also may have been the man carrying the pitcher of water as a sign for the disciples to approach him in order to secure a room for the Passover (Luke 22:10f). He was probably the young man who fled the scene of Jesus’ arrest (Mark 14:51-52).

 

{1} For a detailed and very interesting history of this prince, see Josephus's Ant., Books 18 and 19.
{2} Acts xii: 3.
{3} Acts iv: 24.
{4} Compare verse 12 with Col. iv: 10.
{5} Matt. xiv: 26; Luke xxiv: 37.
{6} Matt. xviii: 10.
{7} Heb. i: 14.
{8} Ps. xxxiv: 7.
{9} See Acts xiii: 13; and xv: 37-39 

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