Acts 12
The duration of the time of quiet, that we read of in Acts 9, was not long. Within little more than a year after the events recorded in our last chapter, the flame of persecution against the Christians again burst forth. Famine reigned, and the poor in Judea had help sent to them by the hands of Saul and Barnabas. Thus these beloved men of God were again in Jerusalem at an important crisis.
At this moment “Herod the king stretched forth his hands, to vex certain of the church.” This Herod was the grandson of Herod the Great, who commanded the massacre at Bethlehem, and the father of that King Agrippa before whom Paul was brought. He is usually known in history as Herod Agrippa I. His ruling passion was to stand well with everybody, no matter at what cost. This personal vanity he combined with punctilious attention to the rites of the Jews’ religion, so he stood well with his subjects. To yet further ingratiate himself with them, the new persecution of the Christians was undoubtedly commenced.
The first victim to his vanity which we read that he offered up was the apostle James. “And he killed James the brother of John with the sword” (vs. 2). This apostle we have already observed, was one of the favored three who were present when the Lord raised Jairus’ daughter; when He was transfigured on the mount; and when He was praying in the garden. Equally with his brother John he was surnamed “Boanerges,” that is, “sons of thunder.” From this one gathers that, although we have no record of his life in Scripture, he must in some way have been a prominent man among the saints at Jerusalem. Be this as it may, Herod put him to the sword.
You remember that this martyr’s mother, Salome, had once prayed, “Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.” Turning to them, the Lord had replied, “Are ye able to drink of the cup which I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able” (Matt. 20:21-2221And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. 22But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. (Matthew 20:21‑22)). The moment had come here for one of the two brothers to drink of the cup — the other drank his many years later. Probably John was the latest of all the apostles to suffer martyrdom, but James was the first. His career was short, as the date of his death was only some twelve or thirteen years after his Master’s crucifixion.
Nothing is told us of the manner of his soul in the hour of his going forth to be beheaded, but his mother’s prayer, and his Lord’s reply, we may be sure, would not then be unremembered, and the grace that sustained a Stephen would doubtless make a James more than conqueror, in view of that heavenly kingdom into which he was to pass, and rejoin his blessed Lord. Seeing that James’ death pleased the Jews, Herod laid hands on Peter also, intending after Easter to lead him to the scaffold, and the care he took to make sure of his purpose was excessive. After Easter a grand public spectacle in connection with Peter’s death was evidently designed, whereby the king would still further secure the adulation of the Jews.
There are many Herods in our day; he is not the only one who has lost everything because he would like to stand well with the world. Do not think I speak harshly of Herod. He was fighting against God. Follow him not! He puts forth his hand and takes Peter, really to exalt himself, although doubtless thinking that he was taking the one who had influenced the people most largely with the gospel. He judged that he had made a grand step when he took Peter, and he put four quaternions of soldiers beside him — sixteen soldiers — to guard one solitary man! Peter had escaped from prison once before, and no one knew how he got out (Acts 5). But Peter knew, and that is why here he went to sleep so quietly, for he knew the Lord could take him out again, if He so willed. It is a grand thing to know God, and an awful thing not to know Him. Peter knew God, and slept peacefully, while Herod, recollecting what had taken place in days gone by, put these sixteen soldiers to guard him, four at a time, by watches.
Of these two were chained to him, one stationed at the door of his dungeon, and one a little farther off, at the prison door outside. Herod’s excessive precautions were evidently designed to make a second escape impossible to Peter. But Herod was leaving Clod out of his reckoning. What availed all his bolts, bars, sentinels, and “two chains” upon his prisoner, if God stepped in? We shall see.
“Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him” (vs. 5). To turn to Herod they knew was in vain, to turn to God was their only resource in this critical moment. God has ever been the help of His people. The case seemed very hopeless, save in view of that which the poet wrote —
“But there’s a power which man can wield,
When mortal aid is vain;
God’s eye, God’s arm, God’s love to reach,
God’s list’ning ear to gain.
That power is prayer, which soars on high,
Through Jesus, to the throne,
And moves the hand, which moves the world,
To bring deliv’rance down.”
When the Lord was upon earth He had said, “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:19-2019Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:19‑20)). Acting on this scripture the assembly besought God for Peter “without ceasing” (vs. 5), and “many were gathered together, praying” (vs. 12), when he appeared in their midst.
What shape these earnest supplications took we are not told. God interpreted the desire, as well as answered the faith of His people. The day for the carrying out of Herod’s settled purpose was allowed to draw near. The morrow was to see the end of the imprisoned apostle. So had man proposed, but God disposed, in a marvelous manner, of the wicked king’s intentions.
But what of Peter all the time he lay chained in his cell? No record is given of the exercises he doubtless passed through, but this we read, that the night before he was to be led forth to execution on the morrow, he had unbound his sandals, loosed his girdle, cast off his garment, and lain him down to sleep. All this bespoke sweet confidence in the Lord, an easy conscience, and a restful heart. Sweeter far, I think, was the sleep of the manacled man of God in the dreary prison cell, than that of Satan’s servant, Herod; although he might lie on a sumptuous couch, amid the splendor and luxury of a palace. Better far be God’s man in a prison, than Satan’s man in a palace!
Let me ask you, whose man are you? Face this question honestly. A thousand times better is it to be the “prisoner of Jesus Christ,” as our beloved Simon was here, than be apparently a free man, and yet all the while be the prisoner of Satan; lust, passion, and sin forming, not two, but countless unseen chains, that bind the soul in a veritable condemned cell — the world — and ensure the execution of its final judgment at the hand of God.
But the prayer of faith on earth, had moved the hand of God on high, and the time was now come for Him to step in, and do His will. No sentry said, “Ho! who goes there?” as the angel of the Lord entered the cell of the soundly sleeping Peter and “a light shined in the prison.” God always brings in light. “In him is no darkness at all,” is the character of His nature. I presume Simon’s two keepers slept too, for they saw not the light, nor heard the voice, “Arise up quickly,” which the now awakened Peter heeds, for he had been aroused by the angel’s touch, ere he “raised him up.” It would appear that as Peter obeys the call to rise, “his chains fell off from his hands.” No turnkey or smith’s tool effects this. When God sets Himself to unlock man’s fetters, how noiseless, rapid, and effectual is the work; and even the clanking chains, as they fall on the floor, arouse not the insensible keepers.
“Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals,” is the next command. There is no undue hurry; all is orderly. Peter obeys, and then hears, “Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.” Thinking he “saw a vision,” and not knowing “that it was true that was done by the angel,” he nevertheless accompanies him. The first and second guard are safely passed without interruption, and then “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” (vs. 10). The street of the city, which Peter knew so well, once reached, there is no further need for angelic, or miraculous guidance, so the angel of the Lord leaves our twice liberated apostle to his own reflections, and ways.
Peter’s bewilderment at the moment one can readily conceive to have been great. We all know how difficult it is to apprise the situation when suddenly aroused from profound slumber. Peter was in that condition. He had lain down only expecting to wake and go forth to die, and then to see and hear an angel bidding him — chained man that he was — to arise, clothe himself, and walk out of prison, and then suddenly to find himself on the pavement of a well-known street, a free man, might well be accompanied by considerable bewilderment. But it soon passed, for we read, “And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent His angel, and path delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectations of the people of the Jews” (vs. 11). Thus he acknowledges the gracious intervention of the Lord on his behalf, and then “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.” The deep earnestness of the saints in prayer is strikingly marked by their being thus before God at the untimely hour of Peter’s appearance on the scene.
Arrived there he knocks, and Rhoda, the portress, going to inquire who was at the “door of the gate” — the wicket-gate into the court — hears his voice. So overwhelmed is she with gladness that instead of at once letting the apostle in — as a more sensible girl would have done — she ran back into the house to apprise the others of the answer to their prayers, and “that Peter stood before the gate.” Alas I faith and fervor are not always combined. “Thou art mad” was the first response that the supplicants at a throne of grace made to the messenger, who simply told them that their prayers were heard, and answered by God. When she “constantly affirmed that it was so,” the others — instead of going out to the gate to see if the report were true — argued thus, “It is his angel.” They evidently thought Rhoda had seen some apparition like unto Peter, or that his representative angel (see Matt. 18:1010Take heed that ye 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 which is in heaven. (Matthew 18:10)) had paid her a visit.
“But Peter continued knocking,” a manifest testimony to the truth of Rhoda’s statement; so at length, either calming down, or overcoming their incredulity, they proceeded to the gate, “and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.” If we did not know our own hearts, we should be inclined to wonder at all this. Here were a number of God’s people crying specially to Him for a certain thing, and when it was granted, they were “astonished.” Alas! our faith is often so feeble that God’s answer to our prayer surprises us. Were we only truly simple and right before Him, the surprise would be if the answer were not quick in coming.
But surprised as the attendants at this late at night, or early morning prayer-meeting, wore, it was nevertheless the fact that God, true to Himself, had heard and answered their prayer. This would never surprise us if only we knew God better. He loves to respond to the cry of His people. He delights in being counted on. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him,” but it is manifest that faith — real child-like confidence in Himself — does greatly please Him.
The effect of Peter’s entrance among the gathered ones evidently was great, and many voices were heard. Doubtless, uppermost in every mind, and possibly on every lip, was the query — ”How ever did you get out, Peter? “But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of prison. And he said, Go, show these things unto James and to the brethren. And he departed, and went unto another place” (vs. 17). The danger of his situation, though free, was manifestly more patent to Peter than to his friends, so he wisely withdrew to more secret and safer quarters.
At daybreak “there was no small stir among the soldiers what was become of Peter.” He was in God’s safe keeping; so that though Herod sought for him, he found him not. Thereafter, disappointed in his bloodthirsty scheme, in which Peter was to have played so prominent a part, he wreaked his wrath on the keepers of the prison, and then, going to Caesarea shortly after, died under the dire judgment of God, of a most terrible malady. Most men give up the ghost, and are eaten of worms; Herod “was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost,” is the record of the Holy Spirit; while, in striking contrast with the fleeting character of all the earthly greatness of this wicked man, He immediately adds, “But the Word of God grew and multiplied” (vss. 23-24). That is the moral that adorns this striking tale of human plans, and Divine intervention, while the lesson it teaches us, as to the efficacy, and all prevailing power of prayer, is most blessed. It should indeed encourage us to wait on God in united, persevering, believing prayer. No case could seem more hopeless. God sufficed for it. Is He changed? Not one whit. What we want is more faith in Him, and more importunity before Him. “Lord, teach us to pray,” we may well say.
This interesting chapter closes with, “And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark” (vs. 25). From this one may conclude that Paul had been in Jerusalem at the time of Peter’s imprisonment, and exodus under God’s hand. If this were so, one can understand the joy that would fill his large heart in seeing the beloved Simon again at liberty, and free to go on with the Lord’s work. Jealousy of another servant’s pre-eminence never seems to have had any place in Paul’s heart. At this point, however, Paul becomes specially the vessel of the Spirit’s power, and Peter passes off the scene, only for a brief space reappearing in the momentous conclave of Acts 15, which our next chapter will bring before us.