Chapter 15—Delivered From Prison
This chapter is based on
Acts 12:1-23
.
“Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to
vex certain of the church.” The government of Judea was then in the
hands of Herod Agrippa, subject to Claudius, the Roman emperor.
Herod also held the position of tetrarch of Galilee. He was professedly
a proselyte to the Jewish faith, and apparently very zealous in carrying
out the ceremonies of the Jewish law. Desirous of obtaining the favor
of the Jews, hoping thus to make secure his offices and honors, he
proceeded to carry out their desires by persecuting the church of Christ,
spoiling the houses and goods of the believers, and imprisoning the
leading members of the church. He cast James, the brother of John,
into prison, and sent an executioner to kill him with the sword, as
another Herod had caused the prophet John to be beheaded. Seeing
that the Jews were well pleased with these efforts, he imprisoned Peter
also.
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It was during the Passover that these cruelties were practiced.
While the Jews were celebrating their deliverance from Egypt and
pretending great zeal for the law of God, they were at the same time
transgressing every principle of that law by persecuting and murdering
the believers in Christ.
The death of James caused great grief and consternation among the
believers. When Peter also was imprisoned, the entire church engaged
in fasting and prayer.
Herod’s act in putting James to death was applauded by the Jews,
though some complained of the private manner in which it was ac-
complished, maintaining that a public execution would have more
thoroughly intimidated the believers and those sympathizing with
them. Herod therefore held Peter in custody, meaning still further
to gratify the Jews by the public spectacle of his death. But it was
suggested that it would not be safe to bring the veteran apostle out for
execution before all the people then assembled in Jerusalem. It was
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