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Acts Lesson Twenty-five

Acts Lesson Twenty-five: Acts 12:1-19 – Persecution Intensifies

About that time King Herod cruelly attacked some who belonged to the church, 2 and he killed James, John’s brother, with the sword. 3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too, during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but prayer was being made earnestly to God for him by the church. 

6 On the night before Herod was to bring him out for execution, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while the sentries in front of the door guarded the prison. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord  appeared, and a light shone in the cell. Striking Peter on the side, he woke him up and said, “Quick, get up!” Then the chains fell off his wrists. 8 “Get dressed,” the angel told him, “and put on your sandals.” And he did so. “Wrap your cloak around you,” he told him, “and follow me.” 9 So he went out and followed, and he did not know that what took place through the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 After they passed the first and second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went outside and passed one street, and immediately the angel left him. 

11 Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from all that the Jewish people expected.” 12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many had assembled and were praying. 13 He knocked at the door in the gateway, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer. 14 She recognized Peter’s voice, and because of her joy, she did not open the gate but ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gateway. 

15 “You’re crazy!” they told her. But she kept insisting that it was true. Then they said, “It’s his angel!” 16 Peter, however, kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded. 

17 Motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he explained to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Report these things to James and the brothers,” he said. Then he departed and went to a different place. 

18 At daylight, there was a great commotion among the soldiers as to what could have become of Peter. 19 After Herod had searched and did not find him, he interrogated the guards and ordered their execution. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. (HCSB)

In this passage, two significant things occur. 

  • First, the persecution against the church reaches a new level of intensity. 
  • Second, the transition from Peter and the Apostles being the main participants to Paul in the remainder of Acts occurs. 

The passage itself contains two storylines. 

  • The first is the martyrdom of James.
  • The second is the arrest and subsequent miraculous escape of Peter.

James is Martyred – verses 1-5.

Before we get into the passage itself, let’s have a detailed look at the main protagonist in this narrative, King Herod. Here are details about King Herod, which should shed additional light on the events in this passage.

  • This is Herod Agrippa, the grandson of Herod the Great.
    • The Herods were Edomites, descendants of Esau.
      • In a sense, we see Esau persecuting Jacob once again.
      • James is another form of the name Jacob.
    • The picture here is a time of tribulation the Jews will endure in the last days.
      • In Matthew 20:20-23, James and John were promised a baptism of suffering.
      • James was the first of the Apostles to be martyred.
      • John was the last to die and lived a life of suffering.
  • He was the nephew of Herod Antipas, who had John the Baptist beheaded.
  • The family was despised by the Jews, who resented having Edomites rule over them.
  • Herod the Great had Agrippa’s father, Aristobulus, executed because Herod the Great feared an assassination attempt.
  • Herod the Great then had Agrippa, and his mother sent to Rome, where he could grow up and be educated along with the children of Roman aristocracy.
    • The friendships he developed during this time eventually led to his ruling over a swath of the Jewish kingdom nearly as large as the one Herod the Great ruled.
    • In 37 A.D., the emperor Caligula gave him the title of king.
      • He initially ruled over the lands of the Transjordan and the Ten Cities (Decapolis) north of Galilee.
      • In 39 A.D., his area of rule was expanded to include Galilee and Perea, areas formerly under the control of his uncle, Antipas, who had been sent into exile.
      • In 41 A.D., his former classmate, Claudius, now installed as the emperor, gave his control of Judea and Samaria.
      • He was now “king of the Jews” as he ruled over all of Judea, Samaria, Galilee, the Transjordan, and the Decapolis.
  • Much, if not all, of his good fortune, was due to his friendships with Caligula and Claudius.
  • Because of the fact that the Herod family descended from the Edomites, the general population hated them, which drove Agrippa to try and gain favor with the Jews by doing them “favors.”
  • The events in this passage likely took place in the spring of 42 or 43 A.D., at the height of his power and influence.

In verse two, we read that Agrippa had James killed with the sword. Although it is not necessary for understanding the passage, we don’t know which method, Roman or Jewish, was used to kill James.

  • Roman method – beheading.
  • Jewish method – because Jewish customs forbade beheading as a desecration to the body, they would thrust the sword through the body.
  • Because Agrippa would be concerned with gaining favor with the Jews, it would seem more likely that the Jewish method would be preferred.

Since Agrippa saw that he, indeed, did gain favor with the Jews for the execution of James, he decided to arrest the ringleader, Peter, as the next person to be tried, convicted, and executed. However, because he didn’t want to offend anyone, he decided to postpone the trial until after the Passover festival was complete, as a guilty verdict and subsequent execution during Passover would be considered a desecration.

Assigning four squads of four soldiers to each squad was standard Roman practice. This would involve changing the guard every three hours throughout the twelve hours of the night to ensure that alertness was maintained. Looking ahead to verse six, we also read that Peter was bound with two chains. It’s possible, given historical records, that Peter was chained to the guards. Why would Agrippa use such a large contingent for a peaceful prisoner? It was probably likely that the Sanhedrin had informed Agrippa of Peter’s previous Houdini-like escape, and he didn’t want a repeat performance.

We also see the spiritual characteristics of the church on display during Peter’s imprisonment. They were earnestly praying for him during this time. This is a lesson for all of us, regardless of the trials or difficulties we may be going through. Bring it before the Lord in humble supplication. Often, that is the only thing we are able to do, but at the same time, the most effective.

We could ask one question before moving on to discuss the deliverance of Peter. Why was James allowed to be martyred, and Peter was rescued? Both were faithful servants of God and needed by the church. The only answer is the sovereign will of God. This was the very thing that the church prayed about after their experience with persecution in Acts 4:24-30. Herod had attempted to “stretch forth” his hand to destroy the church in Acts 4, but God stretched forth His hand to perform signs and wonders and to glorify Jesus, Acts 4:28-30. God allowed James to be killed but kept Peter from harm. Almighty God was in control, not any person.

The Rescue of Peter – verses 6-19.

Possibly the most striking statement in this passage is found in verse six, “Peter…was sleeping.” 

How could Peter possibly be sleeping when he knew the next day he was to be executed?

  • The prayers of the church surely provided comfort to him. They were praying day and night for about a week.
  • Faith in the Word of God and Jesus’ promises were the key.
    • Let’s review what Jesus told Peter in John 21:18-19.
      • Peter would not die until he was older.
      • Peter would die by crucifixion, not by the sword.
    • Peter’s faith in what Jesus told him allowed him to be at peace and understand that against all odds, he would not die at this time.
  • We should all ask ourselves if we have the same sense of peace as we face the trials, almost certainly not a threat of execution, in our lives. How we act reflects the level of faith we have in God.

In verses seven to eleven, we see Peter obeying what the angel told him to do. At first, Peter thought he was having a dream, and the events were not real. It wasn’t until after they passed through two sets of guard posts and the gate leading to the city, passed the first street, and the angel left him, that Peter finally realized that this wasn’t a dream, he was free! He proclaims that the Lord sent the angel to rescue him from the clutches of the enemy. He then makes his way to the house where the believers had gathered in prayer for him during the Passover festival. 

This was a sensible choice for two reasons. First, surely Peter understood that the prayers of the saints were heard in heaven and directly contributed to his release. Second, he wanted to let them know their prayers were heard and answered. There are four points connected to the prayers of the believers.

  • Many people were involved in praying.
  • They were praying earnestly.
  • They prayed day and night for about a week.
  • They prayed specifically for Peter’s release.

The scene at Mary’s house is almost comical. Peter knocks on the door; a servant named Rhoda recognizes his voice but is so overwhelmed with joy that instead of opening the door, she runs and tells the others that Peter is at their door. Their response indicates a couple of things.

  • A lack of faith in the power of their prayers.
    • They had prayed for about a week for Peter’s release.
    • Peter was now knocking on the door, but they didn’t believe it was him.
  • Their belief in angels.
    • The Jews believed in guardian angels.
      • Matthew 18:10.
      • Hebrews 1:14.
    • Each person had a guardian angel as their spiritual counterpart.
      • They believed that the angel appeared immediately after the person’s death.
      • This is why they responded to Rhoda with the phrase, “It’s his angel.”

Verse seventeen has three components.

  • Peter gives them the details of his miraculous deliverance.
  • He tells them to report what had happened to James and the brothers.
  • He departs from them and goes to “a different place.”
    • He could have done this for two reasons.
      • To avoid the likely wrath of Agrippa.
      • To prevent the gathered believers from being connected to his escape.
    • We don’t know where the “different place” was located.
      • It could have been a safer place in Jerusalem.
      • It could have been a location outside the city.

The narrative now switches from the events surrounding Peter to the consequences of his escape.

  • When the guards woke up, Peter was gone, but there was no indication of how his escape occurred.
  • A search was made to find Peter, but it was not successful.
  • Herod then had the guards interrogated to find out how Peter escaped. 
    • One has to wonder whether Peter’s previous escapes had entered Agrippa’s thoughts.
    • Agrippa’s plan to curry additional favor with the Jews had now come undone.
  • We also see evidence of Roman law coming into play.
    • A guard that allowed a prisoner to escape was subject to the same penalty the escapee would have suffered.
    • The fate that befalls the guards leaves little doubt that Agrippa had intended to execute Peter.
  • With his plan unraveled, Agrippa now makes his way back to his residence in Caesarea, likely embarrassed and in a foul mood.

Applications

  • Believers are to pray. Although Peter’s situation appeared grim, there was a large group of believers who gathered to pray for about a week for his release. The same is expected of us. No matter how dark the situation may appear, we are to bring our prayers before God. We see once again in this passage that the early church was a church of prayer, a model that should be part of every New Testament church.
  • Believers are to have peace regardless of the circumstances, trusting that God is in control and He will work according to His sovereign plan for the good of all. If we are absorbed with feelings of anxiety or worry, it indicates that we don’t trust God. Rest in the assurance of His Word. Jesus said He would never leave us nor forsake us. Do you believe that?
  • No matter how others hurt us, actual or intended, remember that it isn’t our place to retaliate. God will bring judgment in His time according to His plan. We’ll read in the next section that Agrippa met a swift end after his failed attempt to execute Peter. We are to follow Jesus and leave judgment to the Lord.
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Acts Lesson Three

Acts Lesson 3: Acts 2:1-13 – Pentecost

2 When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. 3 And tongues, like flames of fire that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them ability for speech. 

5 There were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 When this sound occurred, a crowd came together and was confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 And they were astounded and amazed, saying, “Look, aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 How is it that each of us can hear in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites; those who live in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking the magnificent acts of God in our own languages.” 12 They were all astounded and perplexed, saying to one another, “What could this be?” 13 But some sneered and said, “They’re full of new wine!” (HCSB)

Chapter one was preparation for what now transpires. The disciples had listened to Jesus’ instructions over a forty day period. They received His commission to take the Gospel to the world. They received the promise that the Holy Spirit would fill them with power for their assignment. After Jesus’ ascension, there was nothing left to do but wait and pray for the fulfillment of the promise. Now in chapter two, the promise is fulfilled. 

This passage is split into two sections. The first is the coming of the Spirit in verses 1-4, and the second is their witness to the power of the Spirit in verses 5-13.

Verse 1

The literal translation of the beginning of verse one reads, “when the day of Pentecost was fulfilled.” The period of waiting was over; the promise had arrived.

Let’s take a brief history lesson by looking at the feasts listed in Leviticus 23 and comparing them with the work of Jesus.

  • Passover – pictures the death of Jesus as the Lamb of God.
  • Feast of Firstfruits –  pictures His resurrection.
  • Pentecost – the pouring out of the promised Spirit to the church.

The location, “one place,” is somewhat vague. It was most likely the upper room where they had been praying. It is also likely that it was close to the temple because of the response of the people who had arrived in Jerusalem for Pentecost and who were drawn to what was occurring to Jesus’ followers.

Who was the Spirit poured out upon?

  • From the context of the passage, it appears that it was the 120 who were gathered together.
    • The large range of nations represented in verses 9-11 suggests it was more than the 12 Apostles who received the Spirit.
    • Peter also quotes Joel in verses 17-18, indicating that both men and women received the Spirit.

Verses 2-4 describe the coming of the Spirit in three consecutive verses, each pointing to a specific aspect of the event.

  • Sound that filled the house.
    • The picture is one of a blowing blast of wind, like the sound of a tornado.
    • Wind phenomena often accompanied the appearance of God in the Old Testament.
      • 1 Kings 19:11b At that moment, the LORD passed by. A great and mighty wind that was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind.
      • Isaiah 66:15a Look, the LORD will come with fire – His chariots are like the whirlwind.
    • The Greek word used here, pneuma, has the double meaning of wind and Spirit. 
    • Just as in Ezekiel 37:9-14, Yahweh’s breath, the Spirit, brings life.
  • Tongues of flame.
    • The Greek word for tongue, glossa, can refer to the physical tongue, or it can refer to what is spoken by the tongue.
    • The flames described here were in appearance like physical tongues.
    • Throughout the Old Testament, flames were used to signify the presence of God.
      • Exodus 3:2a – Then the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire within a bush.
      • 1 Kings 18:38 – Then Yahweh’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.
    • The illustration is of one great flame, representing the Spirit, which then separated into many tongues resting on each person.
      • Under the old covenant, the divine presence rested on Israel as a corporate body and many of its leaders for special purposes.
      • Under the new covenant, the Spirit rests on each individual believer. This doesn’t remove the importance of the corporate relationship with God (the church), but the corporate rises from the individual. This fulfills the prophecy in Jeremiah 31:33 that stated the law would be written on their hearts.
    • Luke is clearly using metaphorical language with the phrases “like that of a violent rushing wind” and “like flames of fire.”
  • Wind and fire together are symbols of judgment – wind blows away the chaff, and fire burns up the chaff.
  • The coming of the Holy Spirit means life for some and judgment for others. 
  • Speaking in other languages.
    • From the context of the passage, this is not talking about a heavenly language as described by Paul in 1 Corinthians.
    • The people from each of the nations listed in this passage heard the disciples in their own language.
    • The conclusion must be drawn that these were all “earthly” languages that were spoken by the various nations represented in the passage.
  • God intends the Gospel to be heard by the whole world, not just a select few. The imagery of everyone present hearing it in their own language reinforces the idea that the Gospel message is for everyone.
  • In addition, there is a reversal of the Tower of Babel scattering of the human race. Now, all people will be brought back together. 
  • People would no longer need to come to one central location using one language to worship God. Instead, people are now able to worship God in their own language and country.

Verse 5

The point behind this seemingly simple verse is that “Jews…from every nation” would be able to understand the sermon that Peter would give starting in verse 14 in, most likely, Aramaic that they would be able to understand.

Verse 6-8

A logical question to ask is, “what was the sound that the Jews heard that caused them to gather?” Luke doesn’t give us much explicitly in this passage, but we can deduce from the context what occurred.

  • The followers of Jesus likely left the upper room and moved into the area close to the temple.
  • Because of the fact that over 3,000 became believers that day, it would require a location of sufficient space for that many to gather.
  • The “sound” they heard was the believers speaking in the various earthly languages.
  • Considering what the believers had just experienced, they were probably acting in an energetic and excited manner, praising God and speaking in various languages as they moved from the upper room to the temple area.
  • Their actions would naturally draw a crowd.
  • The pilgrims who came to Jerusalem for Pentecost would initially be confused by what they saw and heard. Some estimates placed their number at 200,000 people.
  • What they witnessed would naturally amaze them. It is safe to say that they’d never seen anything like what was now happening.
  • What made it even more amazing is that a sizable portion of Jesus’ followers likely came from Galilee, not an area known for higher education.
  • Verse 8 is basically a repeat of verse 6, with the addition of the word “native.” This adds further support to understand that the term “tongues” is referring to an earthly language.

Verses 9-11a

These verses list the locations of the pilgrims. There is much that could be said about this list, and scholars have debated various meanings or interpretations over the years. The following is a simple listing of the predominant interpretations.

  • It starts in Parthia (modern-day Iran) to the east and works its way all the way to Rome in the west.
  • It progresses in a relatively steady curve from southeast to north to southwest.
  • Judea likely referred to the Davidic kingdom, which stretched from the Euphrates to Egypt. This would follow the geographic flow of coming after Mesopotamia. It would also include Syria, which is omitted from Luke’s list.
  • Each territory listed has extensive Jewish communities.
  • The “visitors” from Rome is probably a reference to the occupying forces.
  • The inclusion of the Cretans and Arabs would complete the picture by adding those who lived on islands as well as those who lived a nomadic life in the desert.
  • The list paints a picture of the Jewish Diaspora and its presence at Pentecost.

Verses 11b-13

We now read again that the pilgrims were amazed that they heard Jesus’ followers speaking in their native tongue. We also know that what they were proclaiming were the magnificent acts of God. Jesus’ followers were praising God, maybe even singing songs of praise. However, what they were witnessing provoked two divergent trains of thought.

Verse 12

The group identified here was “astounded and perplexed,” yet they also expressed curiosity in finding out what they were witnessing. 

Verse 13

The second group was not receptive to what they were witnessing. They believed that they were observing a group of people who had consumed too much alcohol.

As we share the Gospel with the lost around us, we often face the same divergent attitude. Those who are curious and/or accept the message and those who reject it for various reasons. The basic response to the Gospel hasn’t changed over the centuries, and we shouldn’t be surprised or discouraged when our message is rejected by an unbelieving generation.

Let’s summarize what Luke is trying to get across with this passage and his treatment of Pentecost.

  • The new church has been empowered for its mission. Everything so far in Acts has led to the moment of the pouring out of the Spirit. Without this event, the rest of the book would be blank.
  • This initial pouring out of the Spirit led to an immediate harvest of 3,000 believers, which we’ll see in the next lesson.
  • Pentecost, also known as the festival of firstfruits, was the firstfruits of the harvest of the Spirit.
  • The spiritual harvest didn’t conclude at Pentecost. It continues in an ever-widening arc as the Gospel is spread to the ends of the earth.
  • It contains eschatological significance, beginning the final period of God’s plan of salvation to the world. The Spirit is the sign of these last times.

Applications

  • Ask yourself whether you believe all people groups are equal to you as brothers and sisters in Christ. Scripture clearly says this is true. It is not difficult for us to slip into the mentality that we are “better” than nation “A.” The Gospel was meant for all of us. As you interact with the lost of the world, don’t pick who gets to hear the message. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you each day in sharing the message.
  • Some of us may not be comfortable with the “sign gifts.” Some are cessationists, who believe that the sign gifts ceased during the Apostolic Age, while others are continuists, who believe that the sign gifts continue. This debate has gone on through the centuries. Whichever side of the debate we fall on, what is essential is that we extend grace to the countering view. Personally, I am a continuist. However, the sign gifts, especially tongues, must be exercised in keeping with what Scripture says.
  • Do we proclaim the magnificent acts of God in our lives? Many of us would think nothing of cheering or jumping as we support our favorite sports team. But how many of us would act in the same manner when praising God? I’m not suggesting out of control behavior, but I am suggesting acting freely in our praise of God.