Verses 1-2 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. 2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
What time? Possibly around the time of the famine as prophesied by Agabus in the previous chapter. King Herod was a tetrarch in that he ruled a quarter portion of territory under the Roman government. He was an Idumean which made him a descendant of Esau, the brother of Jacob. He was extremely wicked and he used his power and position to oppose the God of Heaven by persecuting the leadership of the Jerusalem Church.
Verses 3-5 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) 4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. 5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
King Herod was political and he used whatever he could to control the Jews that he ruled over and to please the Roman Caesar. So if the Jews wanted the followers of Jesus eliminated, he would oblige them. So his next target was the Apostle Peter.
The “days of unleavened bread” meant the Passover celebration of the Jews as the pagan holy day of Easter occurs around the same time of the year. A quaternion was a guard of four soldiers, so four quaternions was 16 soldiers that were to guard the Apostle Peter.
Application: Here in Scripture is a reference to the pagan holy day of Easter. Why did God have Luke include this in the narrative? Because God transcends time and knew that eventually Satan and his fallen angels would infiltrate the Church, primarily via Catholicism, and believers would be deceived and celebrate this pagan day disguised as a remembrance of the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of the LORD Jesus Christ, the body of flesh inhabited by the Spirit of God. So there is no excuse for true Christians to pretend this day is anything other than the celebration of the pagan goddess Diana or Ishtar. King Herod was going to murder Peter, but Herod wanted to celebrate Easter first. Read the section on Easter in this web site under “Topics” for further information and heed the words found in Jeremiah 10:2 which commands God’s people to, “learn not the way of the heathen. . .”. The heathen had this holiday first and it cannot be Christianized, plain and simple.
Application: Notice that the Church in Jerusalem prayed without ceasing for the Apostle Peter’s situation. This writer’s mother often told of times in her childhood that the local body of Christian believers would gather and pray all night until an answer from God was received. And if they did not get an answer that first night, they continued to pray day and all night until they did. Does this happen in today’s mainstream organized evangelical establishment churches? Does this happen in the lives of individual believers? Is there a seriousness or a fervent seeking of the LORD God Almighty?
Verses 6-7 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. 7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
In a Roman quaternion two soldiers would be chained to the prisoner and two would stand guard, hence the Apostle Peter was sleeping between the two soldiers chained to him. In the natural world this was an impossible situation to escape from as any movement by a prisoner would be immediately noticed by the soldiers. In Scripture when there is a reference to “the” angel of the LORD, it usually means the LORD Jesus Christ as opposed to another angel such as Gabriel. Notice that the Apostle Peter was sleeping, apparently not worried. Why? Because Jesus had told him that he would live into old age and be the LORD’s minister to the Jews first, then the Samaritans, and then the Gentiles. He didn’t know exactly what would happen, but he had faith and knew that the words of Jesus were true and that he would not be executed according to King Herod’s plans.
Application: People without Jesus are in chains, in bondage to the desires of the flesh, to the temptations of the world, and to the influence and even possession of devils. They are basically the walking dead spiritually and in this world and the world to come they have no hope. Just as the physical chains binding the Apostle Peter fell off at the words and presence of the LORD, spiritual chains fall off people when they hear and accept the Word and presence of Jesus in their lives. The only freedom that exists is not in secular government, organized religion, or escape mechanisms such as drugs and alcohol, wealth, power, or sexual pursuits. Freedom is only found in a relationship with the LORD Jesus Christ.
Verses 8-9 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. 9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.
The Apostle Peter had to follow directions. He had to dress himself and put on his shoes. He was not just miraculously lifted out of the prison and deposited elsewhere in the city. All this activity and noise went unnoticed by the soldiers because a miracle was happening. The Apostle Peter was not even sure that anything was real and that he was not just dreaming or experiencing a vision. Remember that he had already had multiple visions, so one more would not be unusual when walking in the Spirit with the LORD Jesus Christ.
Application: When praying for a miracle, often the miracle just happens, but often one must do something and participate in the miracle. For example, if praying for someone’s healing, the LORD may expect the praying believer to go to the one who is sick and lay hands on the individual before a miracle of healing comes forth. As recorded in 2 Kings 5, Naaman, the captain of the king of Syria’s army was told by the prophet Elisha to go and wash in a river if he wanted to be healed of leprosy. At first he was angry at this command, but he changed his mind and did as he was told and he was healed. But he had to humble himself and step into the water. Many other examples can be found throughout Scripture where the person praying for others must do something or the person needing the help must do something, and there are many examples throughout Scripture of the person needing the help doing nothing. Believers need to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Ghost/Spirit when seeking a miracle from the LORD.
Verses 10-11 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. 11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.
The Apostle Peter had been put in the middle of the prison so that not only did he have 16 soldiers nearby, he also had to walk through various parts of the prison that would also be guarded and then through the iron gate that was locked. No problem when walking with Jesus or with one of the LORD’s angels. So when the Apostle Peter had distance between himself and the prison, the angel left him. One can only imagine his mental state when he found himself free and standing in a street of the city. Notice that the Apostle Peter was well aware that it was the Jews that wanted him dead.
Verses 12-14 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying. 13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. 14 And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.
John Mark was a cousin of Barnabas and the cause of the disagreement that resulted in the Apostle Paul separating from the Apostle Barnabas later in this book. John Mark also penned the Gospel of Mark of the New Testament. The name, Mark, means “a defense”. The name, Rhoda, means “rose”. This maid servant got so excited that the Apostle Peter was on the other side of the door that she ran with joy to tell the others and left him standing in the street.
Verses 15-16 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel. 16 But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.
Just as Mary Magdalene was not believed when she reported the empty tomb, so poor Rhoda was not believed when she reported the Apostle Peter alive and well outside the house. But when the door was finally opened, the people praying for his release were amazed at seeing the Apostle Peter in the flesh.
Application: The praying believers’ astonishment at receiving the answer to their prayers is not an unusual response. Sometimes God moves in such a way that it seems unbelievable for a time. And of course the devils try to minimize the miracles of God by suggesting that a coincidence has occurred or by trying to get the believer to think that natural events caused the miracle. An example of this is when a believer’s refrigerator quit working and the believer could not afford to repair or replace it, so it was prayed over, and the next day if began working again. Was it a miracle, or was there a short or some mechanical problem that righted itself? The devils will try to convince the believer that something happened in the natural instead of in the spiritual realm. Beware of their devices. Regardless of whether there was a short or mechanical problem, God fixed it and the refrigerator functioned again.
Verse 17 But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.
The James in the above verse was the brother of Jesus as the brother of the Apostle John, son of Zebedee, had been killed by King Herod as recorded in verse 2 above. The Apostle Peter was wise and left the area, but he made sure the Church in Jerusalem knew the story of his release from prison. James was a leader in the Jerusalem church as well as Peter and so he needed to be informed of the nights events.
Verses 18-19 Now as soon as 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 keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.
Under Roman law, if a prisoner escaped, the punishment that was to be given to the escaped prisoner was given to the guards on duty at the time of the escape. The Apostle Peter was to be executed and so the guards were given his sentence and executed instead. No reason is given for King Herod’s departure to Caesarea, but God knew where he was and judgement was coming soon to this wicked and evil man.
Verse 20 And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country.
So while in Caesarea, King Herod negotiated a peace treaty and was pretty pleased with himself.
Verses 21-23 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
King Herod’s pride was on full display as he set a day and a time when he would give a speech and he made sure there were a lot of people present to hear his speech. Sounds a bit like the political rallies that go on during election cycles in countries today, does it not? Anyway, King Herod’s adoring public began to praise him and call him divine and therefore a god. And at that very moment he was miraculously cut down and all his words, his wealth, his power, his physical glory, and his pride could not save him. Judgement came forth from God.
Application: Be assured Christian believer that judgment will come to all those who oppose the Israel of God which today is the Church composed of many tribes, tongues and nations. It may not happen immediately. King Herod had time to relocate to another part of the country. But it will happen just assuredly as the sun rises in the morning.
Verses 24-25 But the word of God grew and multiplied. 25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark. (Acts 12)
The focus now returns to the Apostles Saul and Barnabas as they left Jerusalem, taking John Mark with them, to continue their missionary outreach.