Brit Chadasha Foundations-Concepts in Acts-Chapter 12

Acts 12.1-25 tells us about the death of James the brother of John; the release of Peter from prison through an angel; Yehovah judging Herod Agrippa I and his death; and the continued growth of the Eschatological Kahal.

v 1…Now about that time Herod (Agrippa I), the grandson of Herod the Great and son of Aristobulus) laid hands on some who belonged to the kahal, in order to mistreat them (it seems he is going after the leaders).

v 2…And he had James (Jacob) the brother of John (Yochanon) put to death with a sword (beheaded as a deceiver-it fulfilled Mark 10.35-39).

v 3…and when he saw that it pleased the Jews (the rulers-he was a friend of the sages and he appointed them to important positions in his administration), he proceeded to arrest Peter (illegally detained him. Now it was during the days of Unleavened Bread (Nisan 15-21; Lev 23.6).

v 4…And when he seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four squads of soldiers (16 guards) to guard him, intending after Passover (or the days of Unleavened Bread in v 3; Passover and Unleavened Bread was referred to as Passover or Unleavened Bread, meaning the whole eight days -the KJV translated the Greek “Pascha” or Passover as “Easter.” In Hebrew it would be “Pesach”) to bring him out before the people.

v 5…So Peter was kept in prison, but prayer for him was being made by the kahal (assembly) of God.

v 6…And on the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward (for trial and execution), Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison.

v 7…And behold (see), an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and aroused him saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands.

v 8…And the angel said to him, “Gird yourself (get dressed) and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”

v 9…And he went out and continued to follow, and he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

v 10…And when they passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate which leads to the city, which opened up for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street; and immediately the angel departed from him.

v 11…And when Peter had come to himself (out of his sense of awe), he said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

v 12…And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary (Miriam), the mother of John who was also called Mark (a cousin of Barnabas-Col 4.10), where many were gathered together and were praying.

v 13…And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda (meaning “rose” or “from Rhodes”) came to answer.

v 14…And when she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate (free and alive).

v 15…And they said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. And they kept saying, “It is his angel (not Peter himself, but a messenger from him that she mistook for Peter).

v 16…But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened (the door), they saw him and were amazed (that it really was him).

v 17…But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to James (son of Alphaeus, who succeeded the other James as Nasi of the Kahal in Jerusalem-Matt 10.3; brother of Jude-Jude 1) and the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place (from Mary’s house).

v 18…Now when day came , there was no small disturbance among the soldiers as to what could have become of Peter.

v 19…And when Herod (Agrippa I) had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be led away (imprisoned or suffer punishment ). And he went down from Judea to Caesarea and was spending time there.

v 20…Now he (Herod) was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and with one accord they (ambassadors from both cities) came to him, and having won over Blastus the king’s chamberlain (probably with bribes and gifts), they were asking for peace, because their country was fed by the king’s country (Herod discontinued commerce with them).

v 21…And on an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel (this was at dawn and he wore a tunic with silver threads, looking “shiny”-Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book 19, Chapter 8, Verse 2-Whiston Edition) and took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them (in Caesarea).

v 22…And the people kept crying out, “The voice of a god and not of a man (he was often flattered and didn’t reprove them)!”

v 23…And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died (five days later, he was 54 years old; his outward splendor was in contrast to his inner corruption; Moses refused worldly honor-Heb 11.24-26).

v 24…But the word of the Lord continued to grow and be multiplied (there were believers in that city from the house of Cornelius, his family and friends).

v 25…And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission (as shaliachim to bring contributions for the relief of Judea-Acts 11.29), taking along with them John, who was also called Mark (this ends the record of the kahal (assembly) in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria).

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Current Events, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Festivals of the Lord, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament

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