Acts Chapter 12 Verses 1-4

Acts 12:1 “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. 3 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.” 

Herod was appointed king over the realm of the Jews by Caesar.  One of his responsibilities was to keep down any civil unrest.  As such the leaders of the Jews no doubt were speaking against the disciples of Christ to Herod.  With this background Herod killed the apostle James, the brother of John with the sword.  Seeing this pleased the Jews he then proceeded to take Peter also intending to put him to death also. 

A controversy exists concerning the use of the word, “Easter,” in this text.  The word is translated from the same Greek word that is otherwise translated Passover in the New Testament.  Now Easter was a pagan holiday and involved worship of the Greek goddess Estarte.  However, the translator in my opinion got it right.  This was not the Passover as the Passover was the day before the seven day feast of unleavened bread.  The text indicates that the feast of unleavened bread was already begun, so therefore the Jewish Passover could not be what was intended, but rather the pagan holiday. 

Peter was delivered into the hands of four quaternions of soldiers to be kept until his execution.  A quarternion of soldiers is four soldiers, so four quarternion of soldiers would have been 16 soldiers. 

One of the biggest takes from this passage is the joining together of the religious leaders and governmental authorities in persecuting the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.  This has been the case throughout most of history since then. 

Verses 5-10  The Miraculous Escape

Acts 12:5 “Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. 6 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. 8 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. 10 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.”

“Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.”  The church having heard of Peter’s imprisonment prayed to God for his deliverance without ceasing.  This is exactly what the church should have done.  Moreover, as we see in the rest of this passage, the Lord heard their prayers and answers their prayers. 

“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.”  The situation was that the night before Peter was to be brought forth by Herod and executed, he was sleeping between two soldiers, he was bound with two chains and the rest of the soldiers kept the door of the prison.  No doubt those who kept Peter felt confident that Peter would not be able to escape their custody. 

“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.”  The Lord sent an angel to deliver Peter.  Doors and prisons are no limitation for angels.  They have the ability to just appear and also to cause chains to fall off of hands as they did with Peter. 

 “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.  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.”  What took place was so surprising to Peter that it did not seem real.  He thought what was taking place was a vision.  God is not limited as we are.  He can deliver in ways that we would never think about. 

“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.”  From this we learn that angels can cause gates to open of their own accord.  Once Peter was in the city, the angel departed from him.  The angels work was done.  He had been sent by the Lord to deliver Peter from the situation he was in and he did that. 

Verses 11-17 

Acts 12:11 “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. 12 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. 15 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. 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 show these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.”

“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. 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.”  It is amazing to me how things often work out.  Beyond the obvious miraculous delivery of Peter from the prison, it just so happened that the place that Peter first came to was the very house that many of the church had gathered together to pray for his deliverance. 

“And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. 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. And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.”  When Rhoda heard the knock of Peter at the gate and heard his voice, she became so full of joy and gladness that she forgot to open the gate but went and told how that Peter stood without before the gate.  Sometimes, God’s answer to prayers seems so improbable that when he answers it is almost too hard to believe.  This was one of those times.  When Rhoda told them, they were in disbelief. 

“But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished. 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.” God’s miraculous deliveries can be astonishing at times, especially when they are so seemingly impossible. 

“And he said, Go show these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.”  Peter seeing how astonished they were at his deliverance, told them to share the news with James and the brethren.  Some things we need to be ready to share.  Too often, we keep hidden things that we have witnessed or experienced that the Lord has blessed us with in deliverances, when we ought to be sharing them with others. 

Verses 18-19

Acts 12:18 “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.” 

“Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.”  The soldiers saw nothing of what the angel had done in delivering Peter from the prison.  Now, either theirs eyes were blinded or they were all asleep.  “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.”  Here we see the ruthless nature of politics.  Herod, who was guilty of wrongfully killing James and putting Peter in prison with the intent of killing him, now turns his wrath upon the soldiers who failed to keep Peter. The ungodly wrath of ruthless dictators has been evidenced throughout history. 

Verses 20-23 

Acts 12:20 “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. 21 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.” 

In this passage we see the ruthless king Herod make an oration and the people heaps much praise upon him and said it was the voice of a god, and not of a man.  Rather than give God the glory for his ability to speak and make such a great oration, the King received it unto himself.  Then immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory and was eaten of worms and died.  In his death, the church would have had a short respite from the obvious persecution of the civil government against them.

Verses 24-25 

Acts 12:24 “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.”

As a backdrop to the persecution that had arisen against the church the word of God grew and multiplied.  The history of the church tells us that during times of severe persecution, that the word of God has grown and the number of disciples has multiplied. 

“And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.”  John Mark, of course, is the one who wrote the book of Mark.  Barnabas and Saul had gone to Jerusalem from the church at Antioch carrying the relief goods to the church at Jerusalem.  Having fulfilled their ministry they now departed to return to the church at Antioch.