Act 12:1 | Clarke | STEP | Herod persecutes the Christians, . Kills James, . And casts Peter into prison, , . The Church makes incessant prayer for his deliverance, . An angel of God opens the prison doors and leads him out, . Peter rejoices, and comes to the house of Mary, where many were praying, and declares how he was delivered, . The soldiers who kept the prison are examined by Herod, and he commands them to be put to death, , . Herod is enraged against the people of Tyre, but is appeased by their submission, . He makes an oration to the people, receives idolatrous praises, and an angel of the Lord smites him, and he dies a miserable death, . The word of God increases, . Barnabas and Saul, having fulfilled their ministry, return from Jerusalem accompanied by John Mark, . Verse 1 Herod the king - This was Herod Agrippa, the son of Aristobulus, and grandson of Herod the Great; he was nephew to Herod Antipas, who beheaded John they Baptist, and brother to Herodias. He was made king by the Emperor Caligula, and was put in possession of all the territories formerly held by his uncle Philip and by Lysanias; viz. Iturea, Trachonitis, Abilene, with Gaulonitis, Batanaea, and Penias. To these the Emperor Claudius afterwards added Judea and Samaria; which were nearly all the dominions possessed by his grandfather, Herod the Great. See ; see also an account of the Herod family, in the note on (note). To vex certain of the Church - That is, to destroy its chief ornaments and supports.

Acts 12:1

Introduction

Herod persecutes the Christians, Act 12:1. Kills James, Act 12:2. And casts Peter into prison, Act 12:3, Act 12:4. The Church makes incessant prayer for his deliverance, Act 12:5. An angel of God opens the prison doors and leads him out, Act 12:6-10. Peter rejoices, and comes to the house of Mary, where many were praying, and declares how he was delivered, Act 12:11-17. The soldiers who kept the prison are examined by Herod, and he commands them to be put to death, Act 12:18, Act 12:19. Herod is enraged against the people of Tyre, but is appeased by their submission, Act 12:20. He makes an oration to the people, receives idolatrous praises, and an angel of the Lord smites him, and he dies a miserable death, Act 12:21-23. The word of God increases, Act 12:24. Barnabas and Saul, having fulfilled their ministry, return from Jerusalem accompanied by John Mark, Act 12:25.

Verse 1

Herod the king - This was Herod Agrippa, the son of Aristobulus, and grandson of Herod the Great; he was nephew to Herod Antipas, who beheaded John they Baptist, and brother to Herodias. He was made king by the Emperor Caligula, and was put in possession of all the territories formerly held by his uncle Philip and by Lysanias; viz. Iturea, Trachonitis, Abilene, with Gaulonitis, Batanaea, and Penias. To these the Emperor Claudius afterwards added Judea and Samaria; which were nearly all the dominions possessed by his grandfather, Herod the Great. See Luk 3:1; see also an account of the Herod family, in the note on Mat 2:1 (note).

To vex certain of the Church - That is, to destroy its chief ornaments and supports.