Monday, June 3 - Acts 12

v.1  Herod   This is Herod Agrippa

(from http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/Acts/Herods-Opposition-Jerusalem)
Herod Agrippa I (10 B.C.-A.D. 44), grandson of Herod the Great (Lk 1:5) and nephew of Herod the Tetrarch (Lk 3:19; 13:31; 23:7-12), spent his childhood and some of his adult life in the highest imperial circles in Rome. He had recently returned to Palestine to rule over territory that by A.D. 41 extended as far as his grandfather's kingdom. Committed to maintaining the Pax Romana by supporting the Jewish majority in Palestine, he was both a pious observer of Jewish practices and a ruthless suppressor of minorities when they became disruptive (Longenecker 1981:407-8).


v.2  James   The Apostle and close friend of Jesus is one of the first martyrs for Christ.  Herod probably intends a sham trial for Peter and then to kill him also.

v.5.  earnestly praying.   Note that the upcoming miracle is linked to the church's prayer.  The early Christians were learning that prayer was their most powerful weapon against their enemies.

v. 7.  light shines in the cell.  Almost reminds us of the appearance of Jesus to St. Paul.  chains fell of Peter's wrists   The strongest tools of the enemy are nothing when compared to the power of God.  Iron shackles fall off as if they were never locked.

v.9  he thought he was seeing a vision.  Peter doesn't recognize the miracle at first.  The angel, who opens his chains, also seems to hide Peter from the view of the guards.  The gate opens for them all by itself, at the bidding of God's angel.  When he has finished his work, the angel leaves Peter. 

How often do we net recognize the miracles of God and attribute them to doctors, fate, good medicine, or some other factor.  God's hand is constantly at work performing miracles even today.  We need to keep our eyes open,

v.12   Rhoda   She is so surprised to see Peter that she leaves him standing outside.    The rest of the group is also dumbfounded and does not believe, at first, that it is actually him. 

v.19.  After a thorough search for Peter, and cross-examination of the guards, Herod executes the guards as he probably assumed that they had let Peter go.

v.23.  Herod's brutality and pride are rewarded with a particularly disgusting scene.  His body is eaten by worms.

v. 24   But the word of God continued to increase and spread.   A continuous theme reiterated throughout the book of Acts.   The scene now shifts again back to the ministry of St. Paul.