Acts 12 - Introduction
THE BOOK OF ACTS. CHAPTER 12 OUTLINE AND COMMENTARY. MARK DUNAGAN I. OUTLINE OF CHAPTER 12: I. Herod's plot (Acts 12:1) II. Herod's defeat (Acts 12:5-19) III. Herod's death (Acts 12:20-24)... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BOOK OF ACTS. CHAPTER 12 OUTLINE AND COMMENTARY. MARK DUNAGAN I. OUTLINE OF CHAPTER 12: I. Herod's plot (Acts 12:1) II. Herod's defeat (Acts 12:5-19) III. Herod's death (Acts 12:20-24)... [ Continue Reading ]
"Now about that time" "Perhaps the time referred to is the time of the famine, predicted by Agabus. Perhaps the time is the time Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem. It is near the year 44 A.D." (Reese p. 426). "Herod the king" This is Herod Agrippa I. He appears only here in Acts 12:1 in pages of t... [ Continue Reading ]
"He had James the brother of John put to death with the sword" This was James the son of Zebedee, one of the original twelve apostles. Being executed with the sword either meant being beheaded or pierced through. It also indicated that the sentence had been pronounced by. civil ruler (compare with t... [ Continue Reading ]
"When he saw it pleased the Jews" "Luke is telling us that Herod's motives were simply political expediency. It wasn't that he had any real anti-Christian fanaticism, nor was he particularly interested in justice or protecting the innocent" (Reese p. 428). Yes, there are politicians who really have... [ Continue Reading ]
"Delivering him to four squads of soldiers" Each squad consisted of four men, thus sixteen soldiers guards were responsible for his safekeeping around the clock. "If the question be asked why such security measures were taken for this prisoner, it must be remembered that this is the third time Peter... [ Continue Reading ]
"But prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God" The adverb "fervently" implies both intensity and continuity. This term has been previously used of Jesus' intense agony in Gethsemane (Luke 22:44). "Here we have two communities, the world and the church, arrayed against one another... [ Continue Reading ]
"On the very night" On the very night before his scheduled trial and execution. "Peter was sleeping" It is difficult to sleep when the mind is filled with worry and apprehension, yet Peter does not seem to be alarmed about his impending death. Notice that Peter probably does not expect deliverance b... [ Continue Reading ]
"Behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared" "God is able to deliver in spite of all the precautions of men, soldiers, prison, chains, iron gates. The wisdom of God so surpasses the wisdom of men, that He is able to overcome even the most ingenious plans of men" (Reese p. 432). In our own times... [ Continue Reading ]
Peter is instructed to put on his outer garments and his sandals. "When lying down to sleep, people of the first century naturally laid aside their outer garments (or used them for. cover), loosened the belt that bound the inner garment to the waist, and took off their sandals" (Reese p. 433).... [ Continue Reading ]
Peter thinks he is involved in some sort of vision, (remember such had happened to him in Acts 10:1.) "Peter may have felt as the proverb states, ‘Don't pinch me,. may be dreaming'" (Reese p. 433). This does reveal how "realistic" many visions were (compare with 2 Corinthians 12:1 ff). Notice that h... [ Continue Reading ]
"The first and second guard" The soldiers outside the cell were apparently stationed at intervals in the entry way to the prison cell. These guards they passed without the guards even seeing them (compare with Luke 24:16). "The iron gate" The gate simply opened by itself! The Greek word here is auto... [ Continue Reading ]
"Peter came to himself" That is, he realized that this was no vision! He was actually free and outside the prison walls, and he knew this for sure. "And from all that the Jewish people were expecting" That is, Peter knew that the Jewish people wanted another execution (Acts 12:3). Many in Jerusalem... [ Continue Reading ]
"When he realized this" "He quickly surveys the situation as. whole, weighing the possibilities of what he should do" (Reese p. 435). "The house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark" This family of Christians had stayed in Jerusalem despite the persecution of Acts 8:1 ff. This is the... [ Continue Reading ]
"The task of being doorkeeper was commonly assigned to. young female slave. Visitors, upon arriving at the door, would call out. If the girl recognized the voice, she would unbolt the door and allow them to enter" (Reese pp. 436-437). The name "Rhoda" is Greek and means "a rose". "Came to answer" Is... [ Continue Reading ]
"Because of her joy she did not open the gate" This is both humorous and true to life. She is so excited that she forgets to let Peter in! "She is so eager to share the good news she feels that she fails for the moment to have presence of mind to open to the one standing outside" (Reese p. 437).... [ Continue Reading ]
"You are out of your mind" Notice that they had been praying for Peter-but not for his release. The last person they expected to see at the door that night was Peter. Do we pray for too little? "It is ironical that the group who was praying fervently and persistently for Peter's deliverance should r... [ Continue Reading ]
"But Peter continued knocking" This is also humorous, why they are debating about "who" or "what" is at the door, Peter keeps on knocking! Will someone let the poor man in! In addition, notice the suspense. First, what was Peter thinking? "Hey, open the door before some Roman soldier sees me!" And s... [ Continue Reading ]
"Motioning to them with his hand" This is what. person does when they wish the audience to become silent so he can be heard. "Report these things to James and the brethren" The James referred to is probably James the Lord's brother who becomes. prominent member in the Jerusalem congregation (Galatia... [ Continue Reading ]
"There was no small disturbance among the soldiers" Peter is not discovered missing until dawn, which indicates that Peter was probably delivered around midnight and the soldiers did not change shifts until dawn. What we have in this verse is sheer panic among the soldiers as they rush around desper... [ Continue Reading ]
HEROD'S DEATH"Although Herod's victim had escaped his clutches, Herod himself was still at large" (Stott p. 212). Acts 12:19 "He went down from Judea to Caesarea" Josephus informs us that Herod died in 44 A.D. Apparently he caused no further persecution against Christians. The reader should note th... [ Continue Reading ]
"He was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon" The phrase very angry indicates that he was angry enough to go to war with them. We are not told what the cause of this anger was. Tyre and Sidon were cities in the Roman province of Syria, and therefore were not in Herod's jurisdiction. But the... [ Continue Reading ]
Josephus tells us that this appointed day was the second day of the sports and games held in Caesarea, at Herod's insistence, in honor of Claudius Caesar (Antiquities, XIX. 8.2.) "His royal apparel" Josephus tells us he had put on. robe of silver tissue, such. Caligula used to wear at banquets.... [ Continue Reading ]
"The people kept crying out" The verb tense shows that they kept it up. "The voice of. god and not. man" And this is exactly the type of praise and false flattery that Herod so earnestly wanted. This was probably proclaimed by the Gentiles in the audience who would address Caesar in similar language... [ Continue Reading ]
"Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory" God holds pagan rulers accountable! Both Luke and Josephus agree that God's judgment fell on Herod because he glorified himself rather than God. It is. terrible crime against God to not give Him the glory. Are we see... [ Continue Reading ]
Herod had intended to bring Christianity to an end, but the church instead only grew. Notice that the church grows when the word of the Lord is spread by Christians. There is no substitute for personal evangelism.... [ Continue Reading ]
Barnabas and Saul come back from Jerusalem to Antioch with John Mark after spreading the relief funds that were mentioned in Acts 11:27-30. Thus now we are prepared for the first missionary journey that is mentioned in the next chapter. "Indeed, one cannot fail to admire the artistry with which Luke... [ Continue Reading ]