Acts 12:1

Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. Herod Persecutes the Church, and Puts James, the Brother of John, to Death (12:1-2) NOW ABOUT THAT TIME - about the time referred to at the close of the preceding chapter. Whether Barnabas and Saul returned to their post at Antioch immediately after executing their commission, or remained throughout the trying period to which this chapter refers, cannot with certainty be determined. But see the note at Acts 12:25. The exact date can only be approximated (see Introduction). HEROD THE KING. This was Herod Agrippa I, before whose son-Herod Agrippa II-Paul made his celebrated defense, (Acts 26:1) This one was grandson to Herod the Great, being...

1.Here followeth new persecution raised by Herod. We see that the Church had some short truce, that it might, as it were, by a short breathing, recover some courage against the time to come, and that it might then fight afresh. So at this day there is no cause why the faithful, having borne the brunts of one or two conflicts, should promise themselves rest, (748) or should desire such a calling (749) as old overworn soldiers use to have. Let this suffice them if the Lord grant them some time wherein they may recover their strength. This Herod was Agrippa the greater, [elder,] the son of Aristobulus, whom his father slew. Josephus doth no where call him Herod, it may be, because he had a brother who was king of Chalcis, whose name was Herod. This man was incensed to afflict the Church not so much for any love he had to religion, as that by this means he might flatter the common pe

1-5 James was one of the sons of Zebedee, whom Christ told that they should drink of the cup that he was to drink of, and be baptized with the baptism that he was to be baptized with, Matthew 20:23. Now the words of Christ were made good in him; and if we suffer with Christ, we shall reign with him. Herod imprisoned Peter: the way of persecution, as of other sins, is downhill; when men are in it, they cannot easily stop. Those make themselves an easy prey to Satan, who make it their business to please men. Thus James finished his course. But Peter, being designed for further services, was safe; though he seemed now marked out for a speedy sacrifice. We that live in a cold, prayerless generation, can hardly form an idea of the earnestness of these holy men of old. But if the Lord should bring on the church an awful persecution like this of Herod, the faithful in Christ would learn what s...

CHAPTER XII. _Herod persecutes the Christians_, 1. _Kills James_, 2. _And casts Peter into prison_, 3, 4. _The Church makes incessant prayer for his deliverance_, 5. _An angel of God opens the prison doors and leads him out_, 6-10. _Peter rejoices, and comes to the house of Mary, where many were_ _praying, and declares how he was delivered_, 11-17. _The soldiers who kept the prison are examined by Herod, and he_ _commands them to be put to death_, 18, 19. _Herod is enraged against the people of Tyre, but is appeased by_...

NOW ABOUT THAT TIME - That is, during the time that the famine existed, or the time when Barnabas and Saul went up to Jerusalem. This was probably about the fifth or sixth year of the reign of Claudius, not far from 47 ad. HEROD THE KING - This was Herod Agrippa. The Syriac so renders it expressly, and the chronology requires us so to understand it. He was a grandson of Herod the Great, and one of the sons of Aristobulus, whom Herod put to death (Josephus, _Antiq._, 18, 5). Herod the Great left three sons, between whom his kingdom was divided - Archelaus, Philip, and Antipas. See the notes on Matthew 2:19. To Philip was left Iturea and Trachonitis. See Luke 3:1. To Antipas, Galilee and Perea; and to Archclaus, Judea, Idumea, and Samaria. Ar

EXPOSITION ACTS 12:1 _Put _for _stretched, _A.V.;_ afflict _for _vex, _A.V. The phrase, ABOUT THAT TIME, as in Acts 19:23, points to what had just before been related (Meyer). The interposition of the narrative in this chapter between Acts 11:20 and Acts 12:25 evidently implies that the bulk or rather the chief of the events narrated happened in the interval. Which of the events was the chief in the mind of the narrator with reference to his general narrative, and what are the coincidences which he wished to note, it is not easy to say with certainty. The narrative in this c

NOW ABOUT THAT TIME,.... That the famine was in Judea, and Saul and Barnabas were sent thither with what the church at Antioch had collected. HEROD THE KING; not Herod the great that slew the infants at Bethlehem, nor Herod Antipas that beheaded John, but Herod Agrippa; and so the Syriac version adds here, "who is surnamed Agrippa"; he was a grandson of Herod the great, and the son of Aristobulus: this prince STRETCHED FORTH HIS HANDS TO VEX CERTAIN OF THE CHURCH; Beza's ancient copy adds, "in Judea": it seems to be the church at Jerusalem; perhaps some of the principal members of them; and so the Ethiopic version renders it, the rulers of the house of God. It is scarcely credible that he should lay hands on any of them himself in person; but it is very likely he encouraged his soldiers, or his servants, to abuse them, reproach them, strike and buffet them, as they met with them in the...

HEROD Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great, (_ See Scofield) - (Matthew 2:1), _ a strict observer of the law, and popular with the Jews, see (Acts 12:21). Herod Agrippa II, Paul's Agrippa, was his son....

ACTS 12:1 After evkklhsi,aj the Western text adds the information that it was the church in Judea which Herod was persecuting (evn th|/ VIoudai,a|, D 614 itp syrh with * copG67). In this way the following account is brought into closer connection with the preceding resolve to send relief from Antioch to the brethren in Judea ( Acts 11:29 f.)....

CHAPTER 12 _ 1. The great Persecution by Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:1)._ 2. The miraculous deliverance of Peter (Acts 12:6). 3. The Presumption and Judgment of Herod (Acts 12:18). 4. Barnabas and Saul returning to Jerusalem (Acts 12:24). With this chapter we reach the conclusion of the second part of this book. Jerusalem had heard the second offer concerning the Kingdom, and mercy was ready even for the murderers of the Prince of Life. But that offer was rejected. Stephen's testimony followed by his martyrdom marked the close of that second offer to the city where our Lord had been crucified. Then broke out a great p