Unbelief here is alas! By the Holy Ghost there is imparted all the firmness of a divine bond, and all the intimacy of a real living relationship of the nearest kind. Back in Jerusalem the church was experiencing much difficulty. From oikos; properly, residence, but usually an abode; by implication, a family. 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 went on his way rejoicing." "But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews that dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ." During his lifetime James was not a supporter of Jesus. As there was a Job in the Old Testament, independent of the law and perhaps before it, so we find a Cornelius before the glad tidings in the New Testament had been formally sent to the nations. Take, as the most solemn moment of all, the day of Pentecost. Rengeteg kivl tterem alkalmas a nagy nap lebonyoltsra. As a rule, a prisoner was chained, his right hand to the left hand of the guard. The word "Grecians" does not mean "Greeks," but rather Greek-speaking Jews; to whom the gospel had been preached long before, as the cases of Stephen, for instance, and Philip clearly testify. This who was here crowned with martyrdom was one of the first three of Christ's disciples, one of those that were the witnesses of his transfiguration and agony, whereby he was prepared for martyrdom; he was one of those whom Christ called Boanerges--Sons of thunder; and perhaps by his powerful awakening preaching he had provoked Herod, or those about him, as John Baptist did the other Herod, and that was the occasion of his coming into this trouble. It was even, and urgently, pressed on them, but they refused with disdain the message, and rejected the messengers to blood. and they took with them John who was surnamed Mark. The common people respected him for his sincere faith and called him James the Just. Josephus, the Jewish historian, describes how, on the second day of the festival, he entered the theatre clad in a robe of silver cloth. In the New Testament he is called Philip and is mentioned in Luke 3:1. They were now put in contact with his wants, and all was instantly light in his soul. A man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the queen of the Ethiopians, was returning after having gone up to Jerusalem to worship. King Herod persecutes the Christians, kills James, and imprisons Peter; whom an angel delivers upon the prayers of the church. Was it not then God's high priest, God's law? A believer would have wondered more at the grace of God, and bowed in adoration before Him. Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church ( Acts 12:1 ). Not that one would deny that a mighty work was then wrought in Cornelius. Because He lives we ". The end of the chapter shows us the progress of Peter. On the contrary, the grand bearing of this chapter is that now the tide of blessing is flowing away from Jerusalem. He was a staunch friend of the Jews and was no doubt influenced by them to make the move to destroy Christianity. Note, Blood to the blood-thirsty does but make them more so, and the way of persecution, as of other sins, is downhill; when men are in it, they cannot easily stop themselves; when they are in they find they must on. For it must be remembered that, however far his profession may be from being a true one, every professor of Christianity professes to be a true, not a mere nominal, Christian. Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular, Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. And so this Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod the Great, began to persecute the church just to curry favor with the Jews.His son, Herod Agrippa II was the one that Paul faced in Caesarea as Paul was actually being interrogated by him in order that they might develop charges against him when he was sent to Nero. There are just a lot of Herods in the Bible and it is a little difficult to keep them all straight. I do not therefore comment upon these additions here: they will remain for their own real and suitable places. While the typical character of the Mosaic institution in general is recognised, it has not been sufficiently borne in mind that the Jewish nation itself in its external or political aspect, was a type, and nothing more, of the Christian Israel . Ministry. Nowhere in the New Testament does the intervention of Almighty God on behalf of his church appear any more timely and dramatic than in this chapter. It is we who by confounding matters lose consequently the blessedness and beauty of the truth of God. And he goes, the Lord communicating another vision to the apostle himself, in which he sees Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him that he might receive his sight. But the correction confirms the true reading. The people of Tyre and Sidon, anxious to ensure a constant food supply from Herods territory, had tried to win his favour with a show of extravagant flattery. Merrill F. Unger gives the following comment on the name Herod: It belonged alike to all the Herodian house as known to the Scriptures. Perhaps you have heard it said, Never underestimate the power ofprayer. In this exciting drama of Acts chapter 12 you can see the reality of this statement. He seems to have lost sight of the words of the Lord Jesus that he was told by Jesus risen from the dead to preach the gospel to every creature. This is the only apostles death that the New Testament recorded. Philip, besides being one of the seven, was an "evangelist," as we are told expressly in another part of this very book (Acts 21:8). But they said unto her, [You're crazy.] Nevertheless, the Lord suffered him whom he had furnished with constancy to be put to death, that by death he might get the victory as a strong and invincible champion. WebActs)12which"gives"you"asnapshotinto"the"prayer"life"of"the" church.Butdontturn$there$yet.$ " As there was need in the church at Antioch, he goes and finds him. 1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. Thus all the first-rate Uncials, the Sinai, Vatican, Alexandrian, and Palimpsest of Paris, supported by some of the best cursives and all the best ancient versions, oppose the vulgar reading. Prayer is both the thermometer and the thermostat of the local church; for the spiritual temperature either goes up or down, depending on how Gods people pray.[1]. WebThe greatest sacrifice and act of submission is when we lay our agenda down and pick up Christs. He was led into no small perplexity by the reading current in his day, and, to the shame of Christendom, still tolerated as the received reading. Therefore, I think that the apostle and the son of Alpheus were all one, whom the Jews threw down headlong from the top of the temple, whose death was so highly Commended for his singular praise of holiness. On the greatest occasions, when the Holy Ghost was given, we have no ground to believe that hands were laid on any. He was ruler of Ituraea and Trachonitis. (Prophetic prayer: Let us fight from the heavenlies Lift up your two hands to the heavenlies as if you are beckoning and shout this prayer point:) By Your Rushing Violent Wind from heavens, O God Arise and SWEEP AWAY every power fighting against my promotion and glory this year 2012, in the name of Jesus. Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. The King James translators just translated this word Easter because it does signify that same time of the year. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomons Colonnade. Josephus doth no where call him Herod, it may be, because he had a brother who was king of Chalcis, whose name was Herod. And, of course, he wrote his epistles. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry ( Acts 12:24-25 ), Remember they had taken up an offering. A vltozatossg varzsolja szness a vilgunkat, s ettl olyan klnleges nlam egy fotzs. He would have His people, where they give, to have a voice. It may be all right and in perfect keeping that one preaching the gospel should baptize; but occasion might well arise where he who preached would avoid it himself. he cried, and hears, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest." Philip is told by the angel of the Lord to arise and go towards the south towards "Gaza, which is desert." Acts 13:5,13 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister, Acts 15:37-39 And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. What in our Lord's discourses is a matter of anticipation or prophecy, here appears as a matter of fact. Remember that verse 37 is only an imaginary conversation between him and Philip. (a) To call (name) by a supplementary (additional, alternative) name, (b) mid: To call upon, appeal to, address. Such, I suppose, therefore, was the principle that lay at the bottom of the difference of the divine action on these two occasions. *The copyists of old seem to have confounded in writing, as the Latin and most other ancient translators did in rendering, (Greeks) and (Hellenists), here and elsewhere. They did not know anything about Easter in the early church. "St. Paul, in chap 14 of the first epistle to the Corinthians, presents us with a graphic picture of the mode in which Christians in the first age of the Church celebrated public worship. . But it was not merely one who departed to be with the Lord, which was far better; it was by the act of the Jews in the infuriate spirit of persecution. This was all happening during the days of Unleavened Bread, right after Passover (v. 3), around the same time Jesus was Crucified a decade or so previous. With that energy which characterized him he says, "Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. He was assuredly, before Peter went, a converted man. Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them. He was not only (as Herod Antipas was) tetrarch of Galilee, but had also the government of Judea committed to him by Claudius the emperor, and resided most at Jerusalem, where he was at this time. 1. . And he said unto him, Put your garment on, and follow me. - Pastor David Jetts daily prayer: Lord, SPEAK to me today SEARCH me today SHOW me today SEND me today. - The saint who advances on his knees never retreats. (Jim Elliot) - Be sure that no time is so well spent as that which a man spends on his knees. (J.C. Ryle) - Pray without ceasing. ( 1 Thessalonians 5:17) . Matthew 18:19,20 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven, Many were gathered together praying.--The facts of the case show that the meeting was held at night, possibly to avoid persecution, or, it may be, as the sequel of the evening gathering to "break bread.". A body of believers indeed had been by Christ gathered out of the Jewish people to be the first recipients of the Pentecostal effusion; but before that event, this body could not be called distinctively His Church. The civil power, not now, as usual (for aught that appears) stirred up by the ecclesiastics, acts by itself in the persecution. Matthew 12:30 14. He was the father of Salome (see G4539) . Undoubtedly they could not have believed the gospel, had there not been the quickening operation of the Holy Ghost; but we must distinguish between the Holy Ghost giving life and the Holy Ghost Himself given. Thus we see God had allowed things apparently to take their course. But not so the word of God. SERMON POINTS Acts 12:1-19 records an example of how the Lord answered the fervent prayers of His people and shows us how we too can pray effectively. His was the first spirit that departed to be with Christ after the Holy Ghost was given. WebActs 12:1 (NASB) Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church, in order to mistreat them. Upon an agreed day Herod put on his royal robes and seated himself on a throne and made a speech to them. And he actually murdered several of his sons. We are given a striking prefiguration of the evil king that will be found in the latter day; he that will reign over the Jews under the shadow and support of the Gentiles as Herod was, and not less but more than his prototype bent on the murder of the innocents, and with his heart full of evil for others who will be rescued by the goodness of the Lord. It gives teaching on how to face trials and temptations, on the character of true faith, and on many practical matters such as the control of the tongue, the use of wealth and the exercise of patience (James 1:3,James 1:12; James 2:14-17; James 3:2,James 3:13; James 4:1-2; James 5:8). That one name, through faith in it, what could it not accomplish? The sun glinted on the silver and the people cried out that this was a god come to them. The reading of the Sinai MS. ( ) is a mere blunder, not uncommon in that most ancient but not very accurate document, arising from confusion through a contiguous word; it would give the sense of "unto the preachers, preaching the Lord Jesus." Philip goes down, then, preaching Christ; "and the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did." Thus, God preserved him. There can be no doubt that the facts at Samaria were analogous; but this remarkable feature is to be noticed, that the Holy Ghost was here conferred by (not, as at Jerusalem, apart from) the laying on of the hands of the apostles. The Martyrdom of James; Peter's Imprisonment. There was the revelation now of Christ as an object for the Christian in heaven, and the revelation of Him too in a way entirely outside the narrow boundaries of Judaism. So there were sixteen soldiers altogether watching Peter in three-hour shifts, at all times chained to two of them while two were watching the door. . But as we are told here, "When they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women; and Simon himself believed also." But as far as the record in the book of Acts, it shifts now from the church in Jerusalem and beginning in with chapter 13, Antioch becomes the center of church activity. To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary, Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. He slew James, as, when any sedition is raised, the heads and captains go first to the pot, (750) that the common riff-raft may by their punishment be terrified. The saints in Jerusalem not only suffered as a result of the famine, they also suffered because Jewish and Roman governmental opposition against them intensified as time passed. . But if the church were distrustful, the Lord was not unmindful, and knew how to give courage to the heart of His servant. Unquestionably it was. Peter and John prayed for the Samaritans (Acts 8:1417), 6. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea and stayed there. The doctrine of His Sonship did not in the smallest degree, of course, set aside the Messiahship. He was one of the twelve who were commissioned to disciple all nations; and to take him off now, before he had removed from Jerusalem, was like Cain's killing Abel when the world was to be peopled, and one man was then more than many at another time. We are here to consider, 1. Who the martyr was: it was James the brother of John; so called to distinguish him from the other James the brother of Joses. The Encyclopedia Britannica has this regarding Herod's death: It is ironic that the Jews who had, in the elevation of Herod Agrippa I, achieved for themselves tolerance and accommodation, should at the same time have refused so adamantly to extend the same to Christians; and that God's thwarting of their campaign against the body of Christ, by the summary execution of Herod, also by that same event removed the one man who could have preserved their own toleration by Rome. How all-important for our souls that we should have Christ before us, and that we should have no desire but for His glory! Was his faith nothing more than a profession of Christian doctrine? If you From this family history it may be seen that Herod Agrippa of this chapter was a direct descendant of the Maccabees through his mother Mariamne. Note, Those make themselves an easy prey to Satan who make it their business to please men. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God." The Spread of the Gospel in Judaea and Samaria (Acts 8-12), C. The Spread of the Gospel to the Uttermost Part of the earth (Acts 13-28), How did the Gospel? Theirs was not the joy that saw into the presence of God. But what I want to press for our profit, beloved brethren, is that at any rate he who is the object of grace can afford to be gracious. They refused utterly the Holy Ghost's testimony to the Son of man glorified in heaven, and slew or scattered the witnesses, Who then was specially used as the instrument of the free action of the Holy Ghost elsewhere, without plan, without thought of man, and apparently the simple result of circumstances, but in truth God's hand directing all? The place once so famous for its nicknames was now to give a name that will never perish a name of incalculable sweetness and blessing, connecting Christ as it does with those that are His. "Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word;" for the God who not only has hearts at His command, but controls all circumstances, was now about to accomplish that which He had always at heart, making the disciples to be witnesses of Jesus to the very ends of the earth, though first of all to Judea and Samaria. Of Hebrew origin; Joannes, the name of four Israelites. Of the fathers, Eusebius among the Greek, and Cassiodorus among the Latins, are in favour of the true; others are in strange conflict, their text having the wrong reading (perhaps through mistaken scribes), and their comment correcting it. Persecution of the Christians now swung from religious to include political motivation. God's going to do what God wants to do whether you have faith or not. (p. Certainly the Ethiopian received the truth; but verse 37 had better be passed by in your minds, at least in this connection. .," pp. ", Let me tell you something. The gospel goes forth elsewhere; it is in no way bound to Jerusalem. Why didn't God intervene and miraculously deliver James? The first of the New Testament Herods (see Herodes G2264) is Herod the Great who reigned from about 41 B.C. And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him ( Acts 12:4 ); Now a quaternion was actually four soldiers. Though He did see fit and purpose that Peter should be delivered from Herod's sword. James and John were called by Jesus the sons of thunder. For courage to witness for Christ (Acts 4:2331), 3. It may be interesting to many readers to read as follows from Mr. Edward A. Litton's work on "The Church of Christ in its Idea, Attributes, and Ministry; with a particular reference to the Controversy between Romanists and Protestants." a. Herod the king: This was Herod Agrippa I, the And in the present case this requirement is the more reasonable from the circumstance that the Apostles uniformly identify themselves, as regards their Christian standing and hopes, with those to whom they write. The facts were notorious; but of this we may be sure, that never had they been put together before the mind of the Ethiopian as then, never connected with the living Word and His grace. Egy eskv, az ifj pr szmra mr relatv korn reggel kezddik. God will always be Himself, and cannot be other than Sovereign. So meanwhile, back at the prison Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter ( Acts 12:18 ). He was led of God. Stretched forth his hands - A figurative expression, denoting that he laid his hands on them, or that he endeavored violently to oppress the church.. Then they said, "Well, it must be his angel. . It was of all moment to keep up the links practically between a work which might have looked to many there, as now, not a little irregular. It is not only that God uses one and another: this He does and we may bless Him that so He does; but the God who employs means is also above them, and He needs now only to draw out by circumstances the souls of some simple Christian men who had faith and love to seek the Gentiles without requiring the same vigorous and extraordinary means, under His mighty hand, as even the apostle did. The change of reading here seems to prove it was too much for the copyists of this book. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. In the reign of Claudius also, the dominions of Herod Agrippa were still further enlarged. I refer to this just to show how far scripture is from countenancing the cramped ideas of men, and that the only way of truth is to believe all the word of God, searching out the special principle of God by which He instructs us in the different characters of His action. How often our words show where we are! But Luke distinguisheth them from those, whom he calleth afterward [this is precisely where he is mistaken; his reasoning is sound, but his knowledge defective]. Contrariwise, we see that which outwardly looks exceedingly weak; but this was the man that was in another day to say that he gloried in his infirmities. The Spread of the Gospel in Jerusalem (Acts 1-7), B. So at this day there is no cause why the faithful, having borne the brunts of one or two conflicts, should promise themselves rest, (748) or should desire such a calling (749) as old overworn soldiers use to have. Water baptism is neither slighted nor is it put forward as a command or condition. "It has already been remarked that, far from intending to establish a mere invisible fellowship of the Spirit, our Lord contemplated His Church as having a visible existence, His followers as collected into societies [that society called the Church or assembly of God]. Their lands lay to the north of Palestine and in two ways Herod could make things very difficult for them. He would direct attention to the fact, that the ordinary greeting of St. Paul, at the beginning of each epistle, is to the 'saints and faithful brethren' constituting the Church of such a place, fellow-heirs with himself of eternal life; and that throughout these compositions, the members of the Church are presumed to be in living union with Christ, reasonings and exhortations being addressed to them, the force of which cannot be supposed to be admitted, except by those who are led by the Spirit of God; in short, that the members of the Corinthian or the Ephesian Church are addressed as Christians; and a Christian is one who is in saving union with Christ.". [Note: Longenecker, p. (2.) (v) Herod the Great had another son called Aristobulus (see Aristoboulos G711) ; his mother was Mariamne, a princess who was descended from the great Maccabaean heroes. James was the second Christian martyr whom Luke identified (cf. Here we find not even the apostle Paul was above it. Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. . Jesus was talking about His death and Jesus said, "Ye shall indeed be baptized with the baptism wherein I was baptized: but to grant to you to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is something really that isn't really in my jurisdiction, that is given to the Father" ( Matthew 20:23 ). theology. After this comes no slight discipline for Saul. And they said, "You're crazy!" And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. Israel had the truth presented to them as it was afterwards to all. Salvation means that the heart enters into deliverance by grace as a present known public standing in the world. (748) Perpetuam. After his death, the word of God prospers. In fact, I don't expect you to keep them all straight. Way, more, had these been Presbyterians, all under the same government, the phraseology would not have been even the church of Judea, and the church of Galilee, and the church of Samaria, but all these would have been in one church, and even then but a small part of a church. Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our personsbut they are helpless against our prayers. (J. Sidlow Baxter). If Israel would have received, the Lord would have given. In the midst of a storm, Paul prayed for Gods blessing (Acts 27:35), and after a storm, he prayed that God would heal a sick man (Acts 28:8). Why is it so important to love God and place Him first in But in the sense in which they supposed themselves to be Christians, do they, to all appearance, apply that title to those to whom they write" (pp. "Herod the king" was Herod Agrippa I whom the Roman emperor Gaius appointed king over Palestine in A.D. 37. Prayers To Cancel Bad Dreams 18. So then these people succeeded in gaining the ear of Blastus, the king's chamberlain, and in due course a public session was arranged. 4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. 12:12-19 When Peter had grasped what had happened, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John, who was surnamed Mark. In the remarks sometimes made upon this subject it seems to be assumed that there is no medium between our affirming of persons that they are not perfect Christians, and that they are not Christians at all; whereas in fact there is no Christian, however holy, who comes up to the ideal of Christian practice. When day came there was no small disturbance among the soldiers about what had happened to Peter. The same event doomed secular Israel. 'Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria,' etc. He made an appearance to his half brother and after that point his half brother James and His half brother Jude became pillars in the early church. This I ask in Jesus name, AMEN. Pray we exercise our gifts according to the grace given us (12:6-8). Kedvenc terleteim kz tartozik Gyr-Moson-Sopron megye is, nagyon gyakran kapok eskvi megbzst Sopron szvbl, de nagyon szvesen jrok fotzni Tapolcra is elvgre mgis csak ott szlettem. Or Mariam of Hebrew origin; Maria or Mariam, the name of six Christian females. I have already touched upon the practical effects, and therefore will not enlarge on these now. But what is more to the purpose for us Gentiles, when Cornelius and his household were brought in, not only no appearance of it is visible, but positive proof to the contrary. This solemn act was not merely an ancient sign of divine blessing, but of identification also. All descendants of Herod the Great down to the fourth generation, who were identified with the government of Palestine and are mentioned in the New Testament, are known in history by the surname Herod; Herod Archaelaus, Herod Antipas, Herod Philip II, Herod Agrippa I, and Herod Agrippa II (470). At first they were more timid; they spoke only to Jews. It says Easter there, and that's a King James translation. The spiritual power which wrought so wonderful a change in the Apostles must first descend from heaven, and give to the Church its inner form as its spiritual characteristic! Vincent says the word "vex" is used "in the older and stronger sense of torment or oppress rather than its modern usage of petty annoyances" (508). A nevem Hring Attila, profi fotogrfus vagyok. Thus on the great Gentile occasion, as before on the Jewish at Pentecost, the medium of man completely disappears. The Old-Testament martyrs were slain with the sword (Hebrews 11:37), and Christ came not to send peace, but a sword (Matthew 10:34), in preparation for which we must arm ourselves with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and then we need not fear what the sword of men can do unto us. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword ( Acts 12:2 ). When he had beheaded James, he proceeded further, he added, to take Peter also. There is no question of a Jew, but "Whosoever believeth in him." "It was known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord." Stephen prayed as he was being stoned (Acts 7:5560), 5. A fotzs szmomra nem csak egy munka, hanem egy szenvedly, amit csak fnykpezvel tudok csillaptani Szeretem az egyedi elkapott pillanatokat, de nem szeretem az erltetett belltsokat. Accordingly we find, as the testimony had gone forth throughout Jerusalem at least, so now the old rival of Jerusalem comes within the dealings of God.