Peter in Prison

Having described the start of the church in Syrian Antioch after Jewish Christians fleeing persecution preached the gospel there (Acts 11:19–26), Luke turns to focus on some events in Jerusalem, where the persecution of the church originated after the death of Stephen (see also 8:1–3). Stephen, one of the seven appointed to serve in chapter 6, was the Apostolic church’s first martyr, but as we see in today’s passage, he was not the last.

Acts 12:1 tells us, “Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church.” This was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod the Great, whom the Roman emperor Caligula appointed king over the Jews in AD 37 and who reigned over Herod the Great’s full territory from AD 41 to 44. Herod Agrippa I had a close relationship with the Pharisees and sought to remain in the good graces of the Sadducees, who controlled the temple and Jewish priesthood. No doubt, he helped facilitate the persecution of the church after Stephen’s death to please the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Verse 2 indicates that Herod had “James the brother of John” killed with the sword. This James was not the brother of Jesus but the son of Zebedee and brother of the Apostle John (see Matt. 4:18–22). He was the first Apostle to be martyred for the faith, giving us an example to follow of one who lost his life because he wanted to save it, for Jesus said that those who are faithful to the gospel even if it means death ultimately gain eternal life (Luke 9:24). This is not because martyrdom earns our salvation but because it demonstrates the authenticity of our faith, through which we lay hold of salvation. In dying for Christ instead of renouncing Him, James demonstrated Christian courage and gave us more confidence of the Lord’s truth. Matthew Henry comments, “The first preachers of the gospel were so well assured of the truth of it that they sealed it with their blood, and thereby have encouraged us, if at any time we are called to it, to resist unto blood too.”

Herod persecuted not only James but also the Apostle Peter. As Luke notes in Acts 12:3–5, Herod had Peter arrested once he saw that killing James pleased the Jews. The king put four squads of soldiers in charge of Peter, a total of sixteen troops, being unwilling to put the Apostle to death until after Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As Jesus had promised, evil men were hating His servants because of Him (Luke 21:17).