Albert Barnes Commentary Acts 12

Now about that time. That is, during the time the famine existed; or the time when Barnabas and Saul went up to Jerusalem. This was probably about the fifth or sixth year of the reign of Claudius, not far from A.D. 47.

Herod the king. This was Herod Agrippa. The Syriac version expressly states this, and the chronology requires us to understand it this way. He was a grandson of Herod the Great and one of the sons of Aristobulus, whom Herod put to death (Josephus, Antiquities, Book 18, Chapter 5). Herod the Great left three sons, between whom his kingdom was divided: Archelaus, Philip, and Antipas (see Barnes on Matthew 2:19).

Iturea and Trachonitis were left to Philip ; Galilee and Perea to Antipas; and Judea, Idumea, and Samaria to Archelaus. Archelaus, being accused of cruelty, was banished by Augustus to Vienna in Gaul, and Judea was reduced to a province and united with Syria.

When Philip died, this region was granted by the emperor Caligula to Herod Agrippa. Herod Antipas was also driven as an exile into Gaul and then into Spain, and Herod Agrippa also received his tetrarchy. In the reign of Claudius, the dominions of Herod Agrippa were still further enlarged.

When Caligula was slain, Herod Agrippa was at Rome. Having ingratiated himself with Claudius, Claudius also conferred Judea and Samaria on him, so that his dominions were equal in extent to those of his grandfather, Herod the Great (see Josephus, Antiquities, Book 19, Chapter 5, Section 1).

Stretched forth his hands. This is a figurative expression, denoting that he laid his hands on them or that he endeavored violently to oppress the church.

To vex. This means to injure, to do evil to (Greek: kakwsai).

Certain. This refers to some of the church. The writer immediately specifies who they were.

And he killed, etc. He caused him to be put to death with a sword, either by beheading or by piercing him through. The Roman procurators were entrusted with authority over life, though in the time of Pilate the Jews did not have this authority.

James the brother of John. This was the son of Zebedee (Matthew 4:21). He is commonly called James the Greater, as distinguished from James the son of Alpheus, who is called James the Less (Matthew 10:3). In this manner, the predictions of our Savior concerning him were fulfilled (Matthew 20:23): You shall indeed drink of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with.

And because he saw it pleased the Jews. This was the principle on which he acted. It was not from a sense of right; it was not to do justice, and protect the innocent; it was not to discharge the appropriate duties of a magistrate, and a king; but it was to promote his own popularity.

It is probable that Agrippa would have acted in this way in any circumstances. He was ambitious, vain, and fawning; he sought, as his great principle, popularity; and he was willing to sacrifice, like many others, truth and justice to obtain this end. But there was also a particular reason for this in his case.

He held his appointment under the Roman emperor. This foreign rule was always unpopular among the Jews. In order, therefore, to secure a peaceful reign, and to prevent insurrection and tumult, it was necessary for him to court their favor, to indulge their wishes, and to fall in with their prejudices.

Alas! How many monarchs and rulers there have been, who were governed by no better principle, and whose sole aim has been to secure popularity, even at the expense of law, and truth and justice. That this was the character of Herod is attested by Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book 19, Chapter 8, Section 3:

"This king (Herod Agrippa) was by nature very beneficent, and liberal in his gifts, and very ambitious to please the people with such large donations; and he made himself very illustrious by the many expensive presents he made them. He took delight in giving, and rejoiced in living with good reputation."

To take Peter also. Peter was one of the most conspicuous men in the church. He had made himself particularly obnoxious by his severe and pungent discourses, and by his success in winning men to Christ. It was natural, therefore, that he should be the next object of attack.

The days of unleavened bread. The Passover, or the seven days immediately succeeding the Passover, during which they were required to eat bread without leaven (Exodus 12:15–18). It was some time during this period that Herod chose to apprehend Peter.

Why this season was selected is not known. As it was, however, a season of religious solemnity, and as Herod was desirous of showing his attachment to the religious rites of the nation (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book 19, Chapter 7, Section 3), it is probable that he chose this period to show to them more impressively his purpose to oppose all false religions, and to maintain the existing establishments of the nation.

And when he had apprehended him. When he had taken or arrested him.

He put him in prison. During the solemn observances of this religious festival, it would have been considered improper to engage in the trial of a supposed criminal. The minds of the people were expected to be devoted solely to the sacred rites of religion; and for this reason, Herod chose to keep him in custody until the Passover had ended.

To four quaternions of soldiers. A quaternion was a company of four; consequently, the whole number employed here was sixteen. The Romans divided the night into four watches, so that the guards could be relieved, with those on guard serving for three hours before being relieved.

Of the four who were on guard, two were with Peter in the prison (Acts 12:6), and two kept watch before the door of the prison. The utmost precaution was therefore taken to ensure he would not escape, and Herod thereby gave the Jews the most ample assurance of his intention to secure Peter and bring him to trial.

Intending after Easter. There never was a more absurd or unhappy translation than this. The original is simply after the Passover, meta to pasca.

The word Easter now denotes the festival observed by many Christian churches in honor of the resurrection of the Saviour. But the original has no reference to that, nor is there the slightest evidence that any such festival was observed at the time this book was written.

This translation is not only unfortunate, as it does not convey the meaning of the original at all, but also because it may contribute to fostering an opinion that such a festival was observed in the times of the apostles.

The word Easter is of Saxon origin and is supposed to be derived from Eostre, the goddess of love, or the Venus of the North, in whose honor a festival was celebrated by our pagan ancestors in the month of April. (Webster.)

As this festival coincided with the Passover of the Jews, and with the feast observed by Christians in honor of the resurrection of Christ, the name came to be used to denote the latter. In the old Anglo-Saxon service-books, the term Easter is frequently used to translate the word Passover. In the translation by Wycliffe, the word paske (that is, Passover) is used. But Tyndale and Coverdale used the word Easter, and therefore it has very improperly crept into our translation. (Clark.)

To bring him forth to the people. That is, evidently, to put him publicly to death to gratify them. The providence of God, in regard to Peter, is thus remarkable. Instead of being put suddenly to death, as James was, he was reserved for future trial; and thus an abundant opportunity was given for the prayers of the church, and for his consequent release.

But prayer was made. The church was aware of his imprisonment and danger, and had no recourse but to apply to God by prayer.

In scenes of danger, there is no other refuge; and the result shows that, even in the most discouraging circumstances, God can hear prayer.

Hardly anything could appear more hopeless than the idea of rescuing Peter out of the hands of Herod, out of the prison, and out of the custody of sixteen men, by prayer. But the prayer of faith prevailed with God.

Without ceasing. Intense, steady, ardent prayer. The word used here, ektenhv, is found in only one other place in the New Testament, 1 Peter 4:8: Have fervent charity among yourselves. The word rather indicates that their prayer was earnest and fervent, than that it was constant.

Of the church. By the church.

2 Corinthians 1:11; Ephesians 6:18–19; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; James 5:16

The phrase "without ceasing" is also rendered "earnestly."