Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 12, verses 1-11
1 King Herod persecuteth the Christians, killeth James, and imprisoneth Peter, whom an angel delivereth upon the prayers of the churchJohn, Chapter 8, verses 31-42
12 He preacheth himself the light of the world, and justifieth his doctrine, 33 answereth the Jews that boasted of Abraham8
8:32 The truth - Written in your hearts by the Spirit of God, shall make you free - From guilt, sin, misery, Satan.
8:33 They - The other Jews that were by, (not those that believed,) as appears by the whole tenor of the conversation. We were never enslaved to any man - A bold, notorious untruth. At that very time they were enslaved to the Romans.
8:34 Jesus answered - Each branch of their objection, first concerning freedom, then concerning their being Abraham's offspring, Joh 8:37, etc He that committeth sin, is, in fact, the slave of sin.
8:35 And the slave abideth not in the house - All sinners shall be cast out of God's house, as the slave was out of Abraham's: but I, the Son, abide therein for ever.
8:36 If I therefore make you free, ye - shall partake of the same privilege: being made free from all guilt and sin, ye shall abide in the house of God for ever.
8:37 I know that ye are Abraham's offspring - As to the other branch of your objection, I know that, ye are Abraham's offspring, after the flesh; but not in a spiritual sense. Ye are not followers of the faith of Abraham: my word hath no place in your hearts.
8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father - He is not named yet.But when they presumed to call God their Father, then he is expressly called the devil, Joh 8:44.
8:42 I proceeded forth - As God, and come - As Christ.
12
12:1 About that time - So wisely did God mix rest and persecution in due time and measure succeeding each other. Herod - Agrippa; the latter was his Roman, the former his Syrian name. He was the grandson of Herod the Great, nephew to Herod Antipas, who beheaded John the Baptist; brother to Herodias, and father to that Agrippa before whom St. Paul afterward made his defence.Caligula made him king of the tetrarchy of his uncle Philip, to which he afterward added the territories of Antipas. Claudius made him also king of Judea, and added thereto the dominions of Lysanias.
12:2 James the brother of John - So one of the brothers went to God the first, the other the last of the apostles.
12:3 Then were the days of unleavened bread - At which the Jews came together from all parts.
12:4 Four quaternions - Sixteen men, who watched by turns day and night.
12:5 Continual prayer was made for him - Yet when their prayer was answered, they could scarce believe it, Act 12:15. But why had they not prayed for St. James also? Because he was put to death as soon as apprehended.
12:6 Peter was sleeping - Easy and void of fear; between two soldiers - Sufficiently secured to human appearance.
12:7 His chains - With which his right arm was bound to one of the soldiers, and his left arm to the other.
12:8 Gird thyself - Probably he had put off his girdle, sandals, and upper garment, before he lay down to sleep.
12:10 The first and second ward - At each of which doubtless was a guard of soldiers. The gate opened of its own accord - Without either Peter or the angel touching it. And they went on through one street - That Peter might know which way to go. And the angel departed from him - Being himself sufficient for what remained to be done.
12:11 Now I know of a truth - That this is not a vision, Act 12:9.