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Herod Harasses the Church/James t he Apostle is Martyred
For several years after the conversion of Saul the church enjoyed some peace. Freedom from the persecutions allowed the church to grow. The disciples took the gospel to many places and won multitudes of Jews and Gentiles to Christ. The time of peace has now come to a close. Persecution will again raise its ugly head in the form one Herod Agrippa who was the most powerful ruler in the region. This is not the same Herod who slaughtered the infants in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:13-16), nor the same Herod who killed John the Baptist after John rebuked him for marrying his brother’s wife (Mark 6:14-29). Rather, Agrippa was the grandson of the first Herod (Herod the great) and the nephew of the second Herod (Herod Antipas). Agrippa was a skilled politician who made himself one of Caesar’s favorite .Caesar in turn granted him territory just as large as his grandfather’s, including the entire land of Palestine. While he pursued good relations with Rome he also sought the good favor of the Jewish leaders.
The time came when Herod decided to suppress the church. Herod might have unleashed a mass persecution, but instead he arrested one man, James the brother of John. James and John belonged to Jesus’ inner circle (Matt 17:1-17; 26:36-37; Mark 5:35-36; John 21:20; 19:25-27) which also included Peter. Herod’s arrest of James was an attempt to cripple the church, by striking down a leading figure. James was killed with “the sword” which implies like John the Baptist he was beheaded. Killing James the leader of the Jerusalem church would hopefully bring the others to a voice of silence. Delighted, the Jewish leaders loudly praised Herod for moving against the church. Getting their approval was what he (Herod) wanted, now he would step up his persecution by going after Peter a leader and the most vocal of the Apostles. Herod will deal with Peter at the opportune time.
Peter was arrested during the Passover (The day of unleavened bread which is a week long feast directly following Passover). This was a strategic move because there would be more Jews in the city than usual and now Herod could impress the most people. Peter was not killed on the spot because Herod wanted to wait until the end of the feast and then bring Peter before the people. He wanted to make a public spectacle out of Peter’s trial and execution. Peter being a high profile prisoner was delivered to four squads of soldiers and bounded with chains. All in all, sixteen soldiers guarded Peter. The church prayed fervently and without ceasing for the deliverance of Peter. It had been hard enough to lose Stephen and then James, but to lose their chief Apostle would have been devastating. The prayers of saints reached the ears of our Lord. Security at the prison was tight, escape seemed impossible (with God nothing is impossible) because Peter was sleeping between two soldiers chained to both of them, with a guard outside his cell. Every exit around the prison was guarded, and a large locked gate on the outside. But all of Herod’s measures were useless against God.
In the middle of the night, an angel of the Lord appeared to Peter (no one else heard a thing) and touch him and commanded him to rise and put on his cloak. It is interesting that Peter was sleeping like a baby. His ability to find rest on the night before his execution shows that he became a man of great courage and faith. Although the angel was instructing Peter and with the light in his cell, Peter is still half asleep thinking he is seeing a vision. After leading Peter out of the prison and through the front gate (which opened by itself), the angel departed. Peter finally come to his senses and realize that God has just delivered him from the hands of Herod. After his deliverance from prison by the angel of God Peter goes to the house of Mary where all are in prayer. Luke here mentions John Mark whom Saul/Paul identifies as the cousin of Barnabas (Col.4:10). This John Mark is the author of the Gospel of Mark. Like Saul/Paul John is his Jewish name and Mark is Greek name. Many scholars believe that this is the house where the 120 disciples received the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-12). When Peter knocked on the door, a young women named Rhoda came to the door. Hearing the voice of Peter she was so overcome with joy that she never opened the door and left Peter outside, rushing back to tell the others that Peter was knocking at the door. The disciples did not believe her. Believing that the young Rhoda was mad, they tried to convince her it was Peter’s angel.
As Peter stood outside still knocking, someone at last beside Rhoda heard him. The disciples were amazed that Peter stood before them. They probably wanted to shout, but Peter motioned to keep quiet for fear they might awaken their neighbors and betray his presence. Peter began to tell them how the Lord delivered him from the hands of Herod. He wanted them to go quickly and report to James and other believers the series of events that just took place. This James is the brother of Jesus and the author of the Book of James. He assumed leadership of the Jerusalem church. Peter left the house of John Mark and went to another place which the Bible does not name. The following morning, the guards made an awesome discovery. The prisoner is gone. The guards are in a panic because they know what the dire consequences will be. Everyone would be punished which in turn meant death.
Herod is furious that his prized prisoner has escaped. After questioning the people involved he orders their executions. After this miraculous event, Herod leaves and goes down to Caesarea where he lives. Tyre and Sidon were coastal cities that were free and self-governing but economically dependent on Judea. We don’t know why Herod was displeased with them, but we see representatives from those cities trying to appease him through an intermediary named Blastus. Herod knew that when the people shouted out that he was the voice of a god and not a man, he should have refused such praised. He should have given God the glory, for his abilities as a ruler and an orator. Dressed in all his fine royal apparel and sitting upon his throne he accepted the title “god”. The angel of the lord struck him a deadly disease. Herod was literally eaten alive from the inside out by maggots or worms. After the death of Herod the church again enjoyed a time of peace. The church and the word of God continued to grow.
After depositing the famine relief money with the elders at Jerusalem (11:27-30), Barnabas and Saul returned to Antioch. They took with them John Mark (13:5).
Questions/Answers?
Why was the Roman soldiers executed?
Under Roman law, if guards allowed their prisoners to escape they were subject to death. (See also Acts.16:16-34).
What is a damsel?
In the Hebrew it is the word “naarah” which implies a female child servant (Strong's 5291). In the Greek the word is “paidiske” which means female slave or servant (Strong's 3814)
Reference:
Strong, J. (1990). The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Nashville, TN: Nelson
For several years after the conversion of Saul the church enjoyed some peace. Freedom from the persecutions allowed the church to grow. The disciples took the gospel to many places and won multitudes of Jews and Gentiles to Christ. The time of peace has now come to a close. Persecution will again raise its ugly head in the form one Herod Agrippa who was the most powerful ruler in the region. This is not the same Herod who slaughtered the infants in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:13-16), nor the same Herod who killed John the Baptist after John rebuked him for marrying his brother’s wife (Mark 6:14-29). Rather, Agrippa was the grandson of the first Herod (Herod the great) and the nephew of the second Herod (Herod Antipas). Agrippa was a skilled politician who made himself one of Caesar’s favorite .Caesar in turn granted him territory just as large as his grandfather’s, including the entire land of Palestine. While he pursued good relations with Rome he also sought the good favor of the Jewish leaders.
The time came when Herod decided to suppress the church. Herod might have unleashed a mass persecution, but instead he arrested one man, James the brother of John. James and John belonged to Jesus’ inner circle (Matt 17:1-17; 26:36-37; Mark 5:35-36; John 21:20; 19:25-27) which also included Peter. Herod’s arrest of James was an attempt to cripple the church, by striking down a leading figure. James was killed with “the sword” which implies like John the Baptist he was beheaded. Killing James the leader of the Jerusalem church would hopefully bring the others to a voice of silence. Delighted, the Jewish leaders loudly praised Herod for moving against the church. Getting their approval was what he (Herod) wanted, now he would step up his persecution by going after Peter a leader and the most vocal of the Apostles. Herod will deal with Peter at the opportune time.
Peter was arrested during the Passover (The day of unleavened bread which is a week long feast directly following Passover). This was a strategic move because there would be more Jews in the city than usual and now Herod could impress the most people. Peter was not killed on the spot because Herod wanted to wait until the end of the feast and then bring Peter before the people. He wanted to make a public spectacle out of Peter’s trial and execution. Peter being a high profile prisoner was delivered to four squads of soldiers and bounded with chains. All in all, sixteen soldiers guarded Peter. The church prayed fervently and without ceasing for the deliverance of Peter. It had been hard enough to lose Stephen and then James, but to lose their chief Apostle would have been devastating. The prayers of saints reached the ears of our Lord. Security at the prison was tight, escape seemed impossible (with God nothing is impossible) because Peter was sleeping between two soldiers chained to both of them, with a guard outside his cell. Every exit around the prison was guarded, and a large locked gate on the outside. But all of Herod’s measures were useless against God.
In the middle of the night, an angel of the Lord appeared to Peter (no one else heard a thing) and touch him and commanded him to rise and put on his cloak. It is interesting that Peter was sleeping like a baby. His ability to find rest on the night before his execution shows that he became a man of great courage and faith. Although the angel was instructing Peter and with the light in his cell, Peter is still half asleep thinking he is seeing a vision. After leading Peter out of the prison and through the front gate (which opened by itself), the angel departed. Peter finally come to his senses and realize that God has just delivered him from the hands of Herod. After his deliverance from prison by the angel of God Peter goes to the house of Mary where all are in prayer. Luke here mentions John Mark whom Saul/Paul identifies as the cousin of Barnabas (Col.4:10). This John Mark is the author of the Gospel of Mark. Like Saul/Paul John is his Jewish name and Mark is Greek name. Many scholars believe that this is the house where the 120 disciples received the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-12). When Peter knocked on the door, a young women named Rhoda came to the door. Hearing the voice of Peter she was so overcome with joy that she never opened the door and left Peter outside, rushing back to tell the others that Peter was knocking at the door. The disciples did not believe her. Believing that the young Rhoda was mad, they tried to convince her it was Peter’s angel.
As Peter stood outside still knocking, someone at last beside Rhoda heard him. The disciples were amazed that Peter stood before them. They probably wanted to shout, but Peter motioned to keep quiet for fear they might awaken their neighbors and betray his presence. Peter began to tell them how the Lord delivered him from the hands of Herod. He wanted them to go quickly and report to James and other believers the series of events that just took place. This James is the brother of Jesus and the author of the Book of James. He assumed leadership of the Jerusalem church. Peter left the house of John Mark and went to another place which the Bible does not name. The following morning, the guards made an awesome discovery. The prisoner is gone. The guards are in a panic because they know what the dire consequences will be. Everyone would be punished which in turn meant death.
Herod is furious that his prized prisoner has escaped. After questioning the people involved he orders their executions. After this miraculous event, Herod leaves and goes down to Caesarea where he lives. Tyre and Sidon were coastal cities that were free and self-governing but economically dependent on Judea. We don’t know why Herod was displeased with them, but we see representatives from those cities trying to appease him through an intermediary named Blastus. Herod knew that when the people shouted out that he was the voice of a god and not a man, he should have refused such praised. He should have given God the glory, for his abilities as a ruler and an orator. Dressed in all his fine royal apparel and sitting upon his throne he accepted the title “god”. The angel of the lord struck him a deadly disease. Herod was literally eaten alive from the inside out by maggots or worms. After the death of Herod the church again enjoyed a time of peace. The church and the word of God continued to grow.
After depositing the famine relief money with the elders at Jerusalem (11:27-30), Barnabas and Saul returned to Antioch. They took with them John Mark (13:5).
Questions/Answers?
Why was the Roman soldiers executed?
Under Roman law, if guards allowed their prisoners to escape they were subject to death. (See also Acts.16:16-34).
What is a damsel?
In the Hebrew it is the word “naarah” which implies a female child servant (Strong's 5291). In the Greek the word is “paidiske” which means female slave or servant (Strong's 3814)
Reference:
Strong, J. (1990). The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Nashville, TN: Nelson
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