PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS
| UBS4 | NKJV | NRSV | TEV | NJB |
| James Killed and Peter Imprisoned | Herod’s Violence to the Church | Herod Agrippa’s Persecution | More Persecution | Peter’s Arrest and Miraculous Deliverance |
| 12:1-5 | 12:1-5 | 12:1-5 | 12:1-5 | 12:1-5 |
| Peter Delivered from Prison | Peter Freed from Prison | Peter is Set Free from Prison | ||
| 12:6-17 | 12:6-19 | 12:6-11 | 12:6-10 | 12:6-11 |
| 12:11 | ||||
| 12:12-17 | 12:12-15 | 12:12-17 | ||
| 12:16-17 | ||||
| 12:18-19 | 12:18-19 | 12:18-19a | 12:18-19 | |
| 12:19b | ||||
| The Death of Herod | Herod’s Violent Death | Death of Herod Agrippa | The Death of Herod | The Death of the Persecutor |
| 12:20-23 | 12:20-24 | 12:20-23 | 12:20 | 12:20-23 |
| 12:21-23 | ||||
| Barnabas and Saul Appointed | Barnabas and Saul in Cyprus
(12:24-13:12) |
Barnabas and Saul Return to Antioch | ||
| 12:24-25 | 12:24-25 | 12:24 | 12:24 | |
| 12:25-13:3 | 12:25 | 12:25 |
READING CYCLE THREE (from “A Guide
to Good Bible Reading“)
FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR’S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL
This is a study
guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own
interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the
Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not
relinquish this to a commentator.
Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects.
Compare your subject divisions with the five modern translations. Paragraphing
is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author’s intent,
which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one main
subject.
1. First paragraph
2. Second paragraph
3. Third paragraph
4. Etc.
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS
The lineage of Herod the Great (for more information consult the index of
Flavius Josephus in Antiquities of the Jews).
I. Herod the Great
A. King of Judea (37-4 b.c.)
B. Matt. 2:1-19; Luke 1:5
II. His Sons
A. Herod Philip (son of Marianne of Simon)
1. Husband of Herodias
2. Tetrarch of Iturea (4 b.c. – a.d. 34)
3. Matt. 14:3; Mark 6:17
B. Herod Philip (son of Cleopatra)
1. Tetrarch of area north and west of the Sea of Galilee (4
b.c. –
a.d. 34)
2. Luke 3:1
C. Herod Antipas
1. Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea (4
b.c.- a.d. 39)
2. Executed John the Baptist
3. Matt. 14:1-12; Mark 6:14,29; Luke 3:19; 9:7-9; 13:31; 23:6-12,15; Acts
4:27; 13:1
D. Archelaus, Herod the Ethnarch
1. Ruler of Judea, Samaria and Idumea (4
b.c. – a.d. 6)
2. Matt. 2:22
E. Aristobulus (son of Mariamne)
1. his only son was Herod Agrippa I
2. Ruled all of Palestine (a.d.
41-44)
3. Killed James and had Peter imprisoned
4. Acts 12:1-24; 23:35
(a) his son was Herod Agrippa II, Tetrarch of northern territory (a.d.
50-70)
(b) his daughter was Bernice
(1) consort of her brother
(2) Acts 25:13-26:32
(c) his daughter was Drusilla
(1) wife of Felix
(2) Acts 24:24
WORD AND PHRASE STUDY
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 12:1-5
1Now about that time Herod the
king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them.
2And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword.
3When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter
also. Now it was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4When he had
seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four squads of soldiers to
guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out before the people.
5So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made
fervently by the church to God.
12:1 “Herod” This refers to Herod
Agrippa I. He reigned over different areas of Palestine from
a.d. 37-44. He was raised in Rome and became friends with Gaius, who
followed Emperor Tiberius and who later became the Emperor Caligula. The Jews
readily accepted Herod as a leader because his grandmother (Mariamne) was a
Hasmonean/Maccabean (i.e., Jewish patriot) princess. He was a strict follower of
Judaism (but possibly for political reasons). For a full discussion of this
Herod, see Josephus’
Antiq. 19.7.3; 19.8.2.
▣ “church” See Special Topic at 5:11.
▣ “in order to mistreat them” Herod
did this to gain support and approval from the Jewish leadership (cf. vv. 3,11).
Roman leaders did the same thing (cf. 24:27; 25:9).
Luke uses this term several times (cf. 7:6,19; 12:1; 14:2; 18:10). It was a
common term in the Septuagint for ill-treatment. Luke’s vocabulary is greatly
influenced by the Septuagint.
12:2 “James, the brother of John, put to
death with a sword” This refers to the Apostle James, who was the brother
of John (cf. Luke 5:10; 6:14; 8:51; 9:28,54). He was a member of the inner
circle of disciples (cf. Matt. 17:1; 26:37; Mark 5:37; 9:2; 14:33; Luke 9:28).
Why James should die and Peter be spared is a mystery of God. Beheading with a
sword was the normal method of capital punishment for Roman citizens, but it
apparently was odious to Jews.
It is interesting that at this time
the early church did not sense the need to replace James as they had Judas (cf.
1:15-20). The reasons are unclear, but possibly it was Judas’ treachery, not
death, that caused the replacement (cf. 1:15-26).
Some may assert that Paul calling James, the half brother of Jesus and leader
of the Jerusalem church, an apostle (cf. Gal. 1:19) constitutes a replacement.
The question relates to the official position of the original Twelve versus the
ongoing gift of apostleship (cf. Eph. 4:11).
Reading James D. G. Dunn, Unity and Diversity in the New Testament has
caused me to think about the possible different authority structure in the first
century church.
1. the Jerusalem Apostles
2. the inner circle (Peter, James, John) of the Apostles
3. James the Lord’s half-brother, who led the Jerusalem church
4. the Seven (Acts 6) who were leaders of the Greek-speaking Jews
5. later Paul and Barnabas and their sending to the church in Antioch of
Syria
To this could be added the sects related to Christianity, Judaizers,
Gnostics, Ebionites. Each of these also had their own leadership. The unity that
Luke often refers to among Christians was difficult to maintain. The preaching
of Jesus and the Scriptures were ambiguous enough to allow multiple
interpretations. This is the reason that the “rule of faith” developed in the
first centuries. There had to be a standard to evaluate a group’s theology. The
dynamic Spirit-led emphasis of the NT turned into the organized structure of the
eastern and western church centers. Orthodoxy is a significant issue for those
generations removed from the Founder and eyewitnesses.
12:3 “arrest Peter” This is Peter’s
third arrest (cf. 4:3; 5:18). Christians are not spared from persecution.
▣ “during the days of Unleavened Bread”
This refers to the Passover Feast (cf. v. 4), combined with the Feast of
Unleavened Bread, which lasted eight days (cf. Exod. 12:18; 23:15; Luke 22:1).
Both celebrated Israel’s deliverance from Egyptian bondage. It was celebrated on
Nissan 14-21, which would be our March or April, depending on the Jewish lunar
calendar.
12:4 “four squads of soldiers” This
would mean four squads of soldiers four times a day, or sixteen men. The number
shows Herod’s concern over Peter’s possible escape (cf. 5:19).
12:5 “prayer for him was being made fervently
by the church to God” The church is praying (cf. v. 12), but will be
surprised when God answers! “Fervently” is a very intense adverb (cf. Luke 22:44). It is used only three
times in the NT (cf. I Pet. 1:22).
SPECIAL TOPIC: INTERCESSORY PRAYER
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 12:6-17
6On the very night when Herod
was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound
with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison.
7And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in
the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.”
And his chains fell off his hands. 8And the angel said to him, “Gird
yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your
cloak around you and follow me.” 9And he went out and continued to
follow, and he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but
thought he was seeing a vision. 10When they had passed the first and
second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened
for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately
the angel departed from him. 11When Peter came to himself, he said,
“Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from
the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” 12And
when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John
who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.
13When he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came
to answer. 14When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy
she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in
front of the gate. 15They said to her, “You are out of your mind!”
But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, “It is his angel.”
16 But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door,
they saw him and were amazed.
17But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to
them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these
things to James and the brethren.” Then he left and went to another place.
12:6 “On the very night” Luke’s
writings are characterized by time indicators (cf. vv. 3,4,5,6,7,8,10,18). But
be careful of interpreting this as western, sequential, chronological history.
Luke has a theological evangelistic purpose.
▣ “between two soldiers” This verse
shows the impossibility of Peter’s escape. It is almost as if they expected an
attempt to release him (cf. 5:19).
12:7 “an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared”
It is unusual that the supernatural interventions of the angel of the Lord (cf.
5:19; 7:30,35,38,53; 8:26; 10:3,7,22) and the Holy Spirit (cf. 8:29,39; 10:19)
are interchanged throughout the book of Acts. Apparently the Spirit speaks
intuitively, but the angel is an outward physical manifestation. It is
interesting to see the combination of the natural and the supernatural in this
account (similar to the plagues of the Exodus).
▣ “Get up quickly” This is an aorist active imperative which denotes
urgency. Why is the angel in a hurry? Is he not in control of events?
12:8 “Gird yourself and put on your sandals”
These are both aorist middle imperatives.
▣ “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me”
This is an aorist middle imperative followed by a
present active imperative. The angel was really in a hurry to perform
this task! This was one nervous angel!
12:9 Peter was uncertain whether this
was a vision, dream, or reality (cf. v. 11-12; 10:17,19; 11:5).
12:11 “When Peter came to himself”
Luke uses a similar phrase in describing the Prodigal Son (cf. Luke 15:17).
Suddenly the reality of the experience and its implications dawned on him (cf.
v. 12).
12:12 “the house of Mary” Mary was a
very common name. There are several Marys mentioned in the Gospels.
1. the mother of Jesus (cf. Luke 1:27)
2. Mary of Magdala, a disciple from Galilee (cf. Luke 8:2; 24:10)
3. mother of James and John (cf. Luke 24:10)
4. sister of Martha and Lazarus (cf. Luke 10:39,42)
5. wife of Cleophas (cf. John 19:25)
6. mother of John Mark (here)
▣ “the mother of John” This refers to
John Mark’s mother. The early church met in this family’s house in Jerusalem
(cf. Acts 12:12). It was also the site of the Lord’s three post resurrection
appearances and the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost.
John Mark accompanied Paul and his cousin Barnabas (cf. Col. 4:10) on the
first missionary journey (cf. Acts 12:25-13:13). For some reason he deserted the
team and returned home (cf. Acts 15:38). Barnabas wanted to include him on the
second missionary journey, but Paul refused (cf. Acts 15:36-41). This resulted
in Paul and Barnabas separating. Barnabas took John Mark to Cyprus (cf. Acts
15:39). Later, while Paul was in prison, he mentions John Mark in a positive way
(cf. Col. 4:10) and still later in Paul’s second imprisonment at Rome, just
before his death, he mentions John Mark again (cf. II Tim. 4:11).
Apparently John Mark became part of Peter’s missionary team (cf. I Pet.
5:13). Eusebius’ Eccl. His. 3.39.12 gives us an interesting account of
John Mark’s relation to Peter.
“In his own book Papias gives us accounts of the Lord’s sayings obtained from
Aristion or learnt direct from the presbyter John. Having brought these to the
attention of scholars, I must now follow up the statements already quoted from
him with a piece of information which he sets out regarding Mark, the writer of
the gospel:
This, too, the presbyter used to say. ‘Mark, who had been Peter’s
interpreter, wrote down carefully, but not in order, all that he remembered of
the Lord’s sayings and doings. For he had not heard the Lord or been one of His
followers, but later, as I said, one of Peter’s. Peter used to adapt his
teaching to the occasion, without making a systematic arrangement of the Lord’s
sayings, so that Mark was quite justified in writing down some things just as he
remembered them. For he had one purpose only—to leave out nothing that he had
heard, and to make no misstatement about it'” (p. 152).
In this quote Papias refers to “John the elder.” Irenaeus says “and these
things are borne witness to in writing by Papias, the hearer of John, and a
companion of Polycarp.” This implies Papias heard it from John the Apostle.
▣ “many were gathered together and were
praying” The grammatical forms of these words reveal that the church had
gathered and intended to remain in prayer (perfect passive participle followed by a present middle [deponent] participle).
12:13 “door of the gate” This was a
small door on the street. There was a larger door upstairs.
▣ “Rhoda” Her name means “rose.” It is
uncertain whether she worked for the homeowners or was a member of the prayer
meeting.
12:15 “You are out of your mind” The
church was praying for God to act, but they were extremely surprised (cf. v. 16)
when He did.
▣ “They kept saying” There are two imperfect active indicatives in this context,
which implies that Rhoda’s affirmation and that of those in the prayer meeting
in the upper room’s response happened more than once.
▣ “It is his angel” Angels play a
prominent role in Luke’s writings. Apparently the Jews believed that one’s
guardian angel could take their physical shape (for a good discussion of Jewish
sources and beliefs about guardian angels, see Encyclopaedia Judaica,
vol. 2, p. 963). There is no scriptural basis for this belief. This development
of angeology may have come from the concept of fravashi in
Zoroastrianism. Much of rabbinical angelology can be traced to this Persian
influence. There is some scriptural evidence for guardian angels for new
believers (cf. Matt. 18:10). Angels are servants of the redeemed (cf. Heb.
1:14).
12:17 “motioning to them with his hand to be
silent” This is obviously an eyewitness detail (cf. 13:16). Luke records
this gesture several times (cf. 13:16; 19:33; 21:40).
▣ “Report these things to James and the
brethren” This shows that James, the half-brother of Jesus, was already
the leader of the Jerusalem church (cf. 15:13-21).
SPECIAL TOPIC: JAMES, THE HALF-BROTHER OF JESUS
▣ “went to another place” No one knows
where Peter went, but apparently he did not go to Rome as some supposed because
he is present at the Jerusalem Council recorded in Acts 15.
Even though God supernaturally delivered Peter, this did not imply that he
could be reckless or expect this miraculous intervention every time. Remember
James had been killed! Peter also sends word to the church to expect more
physical persecution because of his deliverance.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 12:18-19
18Now when day came, there was
no small disturbance among the soldiers as to what could have become of
Peter. 19When Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he
examined the guards and ordered that they be led away to execution.
Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and was spending time there.
12:18 “there was no small disturbance”
It is interesting that Luke states things in the negative, often by
understatement (cf. 12:18; 15:2; 19:11,23,24; 20:12; 26:19,26; 27:30; 28:2, see
footnote #8, p. 134, of G. B. Caird, The Language and Imagery of the Bible).
This literary feature is unknown in Hebrew literature, but is used often in
Greek literature. Luke was a highly educated Greek!
12:19 “he examined the guards and ordered
that they be led away to execution“ This is the implication of the
text (cf. NKJV, NRSV, TEV), but it is not stated explicitly (cf. NJB). Some
translations use italics to identify words that are not in the Greek text. If a
guard lost his prisoner, he had to bear the prisoner’s punishment (cf. 16:27;
27:42, Code of Justinian 9.4.4).
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 12:20-23
20Now he was very angry with
the people of Tyre and Sidon; and with one accord they came to him, and having
won over Blastus the king’s chamberlain, they were asking for peace, because
their country was fed by the king’s country. 21On an appointed day
Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and
began delivering an address to them. 22The people kept crying
out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23And immediately an
angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was
eaten by worms and died.
12:20 “Now he was very angry with the people
of Tyre and Sidon” Herod was very angry and continued to be so
(periphrastic imperfect). The particular historic incident and person are
not known in history, but the region of Tyre and Sidon depended on the
agricultural produce from the area of Galilee (cf. I Kgs. 5:11; Ezra 3:7; and
possibly Ezek. 27:17).
12:21 “On an appointed day Herod, having put
on his royal apparel” This occurred in
a.d. 44. For a more complete account of this event see Josephus’
Antiq. 19.8.2 (translated by William Whiston, Kregal).
“At which festival, a great multitude was gotten together of the principal
persons, and such as were of dignity through his province. On the second day of
which shows he put on a garment made wholly of silver, and of a contexture truly
wonderful, and came into the theatre early in the morning; at which time the
silver of his garment being illuminated by the fresh reflection of the sun’s
rays upon it, shone out after a surprising manner, and was so resplendent as to
spread a horror over those that looked intently upon him: and presently his
flatterers cried out, one from one place, and another from another, (though not
for his good,) that he was a god: and they added,—‘Be thou merciful to us; for
although we have hitherto reverenced thee only as a man, yet shall we henceforth
own thee as superior to mortal nature.’ Upon this the king did neither rebuke
them, nor reject their impious flattery. But, as he presently afterwards looked
up, he saw an owl sitting on a certain rope over his head, and immediately
understood that this bird was the messenger of ill tidings, as it had once been
the messenger of good tidings to him; and fell into the deepest sorrow. A severe
pain also arose in his belly, and began in a most violent manner. He therefore
looked upon his friends, and said,—‘I, whom you call a god, am commanded
presently to depart this life; while Providence thus reproves the lying words
you just now said to me; and I, who was by you called immortal, am immediately
to be hurried away by death'” (p. 412).
Herod’s temper and the physical condition which accompanied it are also
described in gruesome detail in
Antiq. 17:6:5.
The Jerome Biblical Commentary (vol. 2, p. 191) informs us that these
gruesome details of a person’s death was ancient writer’s way of showing what
happens to those who offend God.
1. Antiochus IV Epiphanes – II Macc. 9:5-18
2. Herod the Great – Josephus, Antiq. 17.6.5
12:23 “the angel of the Lord” This
refers to the Death Angel (cf. Exod. 12:23; II Sam. 24:16; II Kgs. 19:35). Death
is in the hands of God, not Satan. This is an example of temporal judgment.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 12:24
24But the word of the Lord
continued to grow and to be multiplied.
12:24 This is a characteristic Lukan
summary statement (cf. 6:7; 9:31; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20; 28:31).
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 12:25
25And Barnabas and Saul
returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, taking along with
them John, who was also called Mark.
12:25 This begins the account of
Paul’s missionary journeys. There is a textual variant in this verse relating to
whether they returned “to” Jerusalem (cf. eis, MSS א and B) or “from” Jerusalem (cf. apo, MS D or
ek, MSS P74, A). Chapter 13 begins with Barnabas and Saul in
Antioch (“from Jerusalem to Antioch,” cf. MS E and Old Latin, Syrian, and Coptic
versions).
▣ “Mark” See note at “Persons
Mentioned,” Acts 16 Introduction.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study
guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own
interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the
Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not
relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you
think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be
thought-provoking, not definitive.
1. Why did God spare Peter and not James?
2. Was the assembled church surprised when their prayers were answered?
Explain the implication.
3. Do believers need angels if they have the indwelling Holy Spirit?
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