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His Angel at the gate
A messenger after an angel

Today we’ll move around between scenes and times hoping for a glance at an angel.

(Have you ever seen one?)

Acts of the Apostles 12:

So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.
Acts of the Apostles 12:5 ESV

~ A.D. 42

Scene: Likely the same upper room where Peter and the Apostles have proclaimed the Gospel to the Church with great power. It is above a palatial home of Mary mother of Mark, who will record his Gospel during these next several years.

Like James, this time the Apostle has been seized in Jerusalem and led to prison.

Here in Mary’s house, the church prays continually for their pastor Peter, who Herod will soon execute to please the Jews.

A servant girl, Ῥόδη [Rhoda] comes up to them as claimed she saw Peter.

..and they kept saying, “It is his angel!”
Acts 12:15c ESV

These believers in the resurrected Christ seem pretty insistent that Peter wasn’t knocking at Mary’s gate as her servant girl insisted, but that Rhoda just saw an angel at the gate.

Just what is it that this flock of Peter’s believes about angels?

ἄγγελος – angelos
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 KJV Translation Count — Total: 186x
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- a messenger,
- envoy,
- one who is sent,
- an angel,
- a messenger from God
..in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate.

15 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!”

Perhaps some in the room had witnessed the risen Christ! (Jesus, though, IS more than just an angel). He demonstrated both spirit-like and human traits during those forty days after the resurrection a dozen years ago.

Perhaps Peter has sent a messenger from Herod’s prison, even a messenger sent from God.

Philip the Evangelist or Cornelius the Centurion

Luke does not account for who is present among those praying for Peter. Maybe John is mourning in a family home for his slain brother James. But Philip might be present, traveling from Caesarea even as Agrippa frequently does. Or maybe Cornelius, now a Roman brother in the Lord and follower of Peter, could have been there (or some of his family).

These men and others had seen angels and delivered the Lord’s message.

He distinctly saw an angel of God

Philip: Evangelizing Christ’s Sheep Beyond Gaza

But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying,
“Get ready and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.)
Acts of Philip, disciple of the Apostles, 8:26 NASB20

A.D. 2022

Scene: In a neighborhood near my own home

I saw an angel. I understood her message, a graceful and timely gesture sent to me.
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Want to know more?
Comment on this post about angels, especially sharing any contemporary experience of your own, and I will privately share the rest of my brief recent encounter - RH
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Having experienced the mysterious and powerful work of the Holy Spirit personally on a Good Friday more than twenty years ago (even as many witnessed its mysteries on that first Pentecost more than a decade prior to our account from Acts of the Apostles 12), I do not marvel that those praying for Peter suggested that Rhonda, servant of the household of John Mark, had seen angel.
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Peter’s witness of Angels

It happens here in Acts 12, that this servant girl had not seen an angel at their gate.

¹³And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. ¹⁴Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate.

Peter, however, has seen an angel – even as Luke records in Acts of the Apostles that he has before.

Arrested AND Released

“The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!”

Were some of those won to Christ by Peter’s preaching and powerful signs in the Temple (even before the stoning of Stephen) now present in this upper room where a servant girl has announced that Peter is at the gate?

Also, of course, there was the Voice Peter heard from the housetop when the angel of the Lord brought Cornelius to him: “Rise up, Peter, slaughter and eat!” .. “What God has cleansed, no longer consider defiled.”

So Peter was kept in prison..

It’s ten years beyond A.D. 30, when Jesus appeared to the Apostles and an angel released Peter from prison to preach in the Temple. And it’s a few months beyond A.D. 40, when an angel of the Lord appeared separately to Peter and Cornelius.

Scene:

A.D. 42 – a high-security prison of King Herod in Jerusalem at the time of the Passover

Agrippa’s timing is not unlike that of twelve years earlier, when Jerusalem’s former Prefect, Pontius Pilate, had crucified the Lord Jesus.

But now is the night before Herod Agrippa is about to make an example of Peter in front of the Passover crowds of Jerusalem, just as he had pleased the Jews so much (remember: *Herod really isn’t a Jew) by killing James with the sword of an executioner.
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*source: Herod the Great's father was half Edomite. Agrippa grew up around Rome. 

For more READ: Herod Vexing Opposition of the Church from our introduction to ACTS 12
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Acts 12:

τετράδιον – When he [Herod] had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four [sixteen men] squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out before the people.

[During every watch of the night..]

Peter was sleeping..
- between two soldiers,
- bound with two chains,
- and [two] guards in front of the door were watching over the prison.
No one is going to escape these Roman guards of Herod’s standing watch over Peter all night.

And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared

and a light shone in the cell;

and he struck Peter’s side and woke him up, saying,

“Rise up quickly.”

And his chains fell off his hands.

And the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and [bind] your sandals.” And he did so.

And he said to him, “[Bind] your [cloak] around yourself and follow me.”

[So Peter] went out and continued to follow, and he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but was thinking he was seeing a vision.
Acts 12:9 of an angel leading Peter from prison

When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now truly I know that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.”

FREE from prison & certain death

Peter, standing in the early morning hours alone in the streets of Jerusalem.

And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer…

ACTS of the Apostles – To be continued…
August 23, 2022
Herod Vexing Opposition of the Church
Acts 12: of Herod vs Jesus’ Apostles

Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
Acts of the Apostles 12:1 King James Version
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A contest is about to begin between: King Herod Agrippa verses the Apostles of Jesus.
Today we'll read the King James Version of the Bible for our look at Acts 12. Like me you'll probably have to look up some of these 'kingly' 17th c. 'Olde English'  words like "vex."
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And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

James – a Greater Thunder and a lesser king

Last time we pointed out that James (in English) is rooted in the Hebrew name Jacob.

Score one for Agrippa (ten to go)

And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also.
(Then were the days of unleavened bread.) 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.
Acts 12:3-4 of Herod Agrippa – King James Version

πάσχα – pascha

King James of the 17th century translates the Pascal Feast as Easter. Jews of the first century church celebrate the same Passover Feast before which the Messiah Jesus had been hurriedly convicted as “KING OF THE JEWS” then hung on a Cross as our Pascal Lamb of Sacrifice for sin.

Lexicon :: Strong’s G3957 – pascha

Source: BlueLetterBible.org –
1. the paschal sacrifice (which was accustomed to be offered for the people’s deliverance of old from Egypt)
2. the paschal lamb, i.e. the lamb the Israelites were accustomed to slay and eat on the fourteenth day of the month of Nisan (the first month of their year) in memory of the day on which their fathers, preparing to depart from Egypt, were bidden by God to slay and eat a lamb, and to sprinkle their door posts with its blood, that the destroying angel, seeing the blood, might pass over their dwellings; Christ crucified is likened to the slain paschal lamb
3. the paschal supper
4. the paschal feast, the feast of the Passover, extending from the 14th to the 20th day of the month Nisan
If you think of the Easter Jesus rose from death as ~A.D. 30, then this Pascal Feast takes place in ~A.D. 44, some fourteen years later.

the Herod’s Vex their Opponents

‘Who will be king of the Jews’ becomes a question of self-preservation and obsession of most of the Herod’s who consequently eliminated other heirs and vexed ANY potentially popular opponents such as John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth.

κακῶσαί – to vex

Lexicon :: Strong’s G2559 – kakoō
- to oppress, afflict, harm, maltreat
- to embitter, render evil affected
Jerusalem’s religious leaders had harassed these little Christs by stoning Stephen [A.D. 32] and sending their most zealous Pharisee Saul of Tarsus after them for nearly five years. But then on his way to Damascus, Saul miraculously became a Christian and disappears in Arabia [in AD 37] just as Agrippa comes to power in Jerusalem.

So now Jerusalem’s political king begins with Jesus’ inner circle of Apostles.

Peter, James, John and the other Apostles have challenged authority of the Herod’s ever since their bold appearance in the Temple during Pentecost more than a decade ago [A.D 30].

Ἡρῴδης

A Hero Conquers (and changes the maps)

As you know, the Herod’s are not a particularly nice family. Agrippa’s grandfather, King Herod the Great, tried to kill Jesus as soon as Israel’s Messiah was born. Agrippa is not quite so powerful, but his grandpa had built many of Judah’s great buildings (with Roman taxes and adept political action of Herod intermingling with Rome’s unpredictable leaders).

King Agrippa’s grandfather also had five wives! Herod’s wives had ten sons in the line of kingly succession. So everyone’s question: Which one will become king?

What you may not understand about the ‘maps’ of your Bible is this:

Several subtle shifts in the political winds of Rome blurred boundaries of the landscape of what was once Israel and corrupted Jerusalem’s Jewish rulers who have been under Rome’s control during this half century since the death of Herod the Great in 4 B.C. until now [A.D. 44].

The Jerusalem of Agrippa is looking back at Herod the Great’s glory days and the Jews want to make Jerusalem great again.
Herod had Agrippa’s mother Mariamne killed.

Herod charged his sons Alexander and Aristobulus (Agrippa’s father) with treason and received Caesar Augustus’ permission to execute them.

Antipater II (his son not listed here) was executed just days before Herod died.

Judea had been annexed to Rome in AD 6. No Herod’s had any authority in Jerusalem until AD 37 when Agrippa I became a king cooperating with his Roman Prefect.

Antipas, ruler of Galilee who had beheaded John the Baptist (and questioned Jesus at his trial even though he was NOT a king of the Jews or had any authority in Judea) was now dead, as was Herod Philip. King Agrippa prevails.

Source for a great read about the Herod's - Who was Herod? by Jayson Bradley - Overview Bible .com
Herod the Great (whose father Antipater was a son of Esau, not a son of Jacob {Israel}) chose his successor son with the same cunning and ruthlessness by which he ruled as king.

In AD 44, Herod Agrippa is the ONLY King of the Jews remaining in the line of his grandfather, Herod the Great.

BUT, Jerusalem is still all abuzz with the boldness of these Apostles of Jesus.

For a king whose power is waning..

.. every month is an election year.

The killing of James:

And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also…

Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
Acts of the Apostles 12:5 King James Version

Next? The Apostle Peter

And when Herod [Agrippa I] would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
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Do you recall the much earlier embarrassment of the Temple's religious officials questioning Peter and John?
Acts 4:3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day.. 

.. So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done. - Acts of the Apostles 4:21
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Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church…

Agrippa makes certain that this leading Apostle of Jesus will not elude his Roman authority to execute any who cause them trouble. There will be no turning Peter loose to his crowds of disciples while Herod sits on the throne of Jerusalem.

BUT, a messenger of One with more authority than a mere king comes to Christ’s Apostle.

Acts 12:7

And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly.

And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals.

And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.

And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord:

and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.
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Peter's Escape from Herod:  +To be continued
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August 17, 2022
James – a Greater Thunder and a lesser king
We know this about Jesus’ Apostles: twelve followed the Lord Jesus for three years .. everywhere. One of the twelve betrayed Him, but three Apostles were closer to Jesus than any man or woman born of this world

Peter, James the Greater, and John

– an inner circle of the Twelve.

You probably already know this about James and John:

and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, “Sons of Thunder”)
Gospel of Mark 3:17 Legacy Standard Bible

Thunder, Wild Horses & Swords

We know little about James the Greater, the older son of Zebedee, but as one of three leaders appointed by the Lord Christ Jesus, Herod will soon set his sights on all three of these Apostles.
- Peter led the Apostles and the Church after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension.
- John was the youngest Apostle and the younger brother of James; perhaps by a year, five years or maybe more; but John outlived them all until about A.D. 100.
- James and John had also both been disciples of John the Baptist before Christ took them in as part of His inner circle.
Now about that time Herod the king [Agrippa I] laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to harm them.
Acts 12:1 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Today we look back at a context of Acts 12 with an old connection to John the Baptist and Herod.

The Gospels, of course, proclaim the Good News that is to come out of all this conflict.

Ἡρῴδης – Herod – ‘a hero’
- †Ἡρώδης Hērṓdēs, hay-ro’-dace; compound of ἥρως hḗrōs (a “hero”) and G1491; heroic; Herod, the name of four Jewish kings:—Herod. – source: Lexicon :: Strong’s G2264 – hērōdēs
Let’s bring to mind some recent history etched in the minds of the Jews and the Herod’s; an awareness of John the Baptist and his disciples James and John, a relevance of national significance I will contemporize from this first century context.

Ἀγρίππας – [Herod] Agrippas – “Hero like”
- Apparently from ἄγριος (G66)
  - of men and animals in a moral sense, wild savage, fierce
- and ἵππος (G2462); a horse
To the Jews, Herod Agrippa is a ‘hero-like wild horse’, wielding a Jewish king’s sword against Rome (but also his enemies) with a desperate hope of restoring the glory of David’s kingdom a thousand years before, as his grandfather (Herod the Great) had begun to rebuild.

a 21st c. look at James the Greater
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Never forget that ALL Twelve of Jesus' Apostles (a Greek word of the common language of the Roman Empire) were Jews. Even in Galilee and Samaria Jews looked for a Messiah and hoped for a return of their kingdom. 

Faithful worshipers of the LORD knew Scripture in an anticipatory sense. Jews chosen by the One God in every captive Roman outpost of the A.D. first century looked longingly for their Messiah (Christ, in Greek) who will finally establish the Kingdom of the Lord in all the heavens and earth.
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ANY man who might stand against ANY king Herod (who is NOT the Messiah) or Caesar (who faithful Jews would not call, Lord) is a threat to the Roman Peace attained by Judea’s first family.
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Once again we will look at events preceding ACTS 12 as if it is today's date, in the year of our Lord, A.D. 2022. 
[All first century dates are approximate from various sources.]- RH
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- 2022 – Beginning of Acts 12
  - AD 44
- 2018 – Peter shares the Gospel with gentiles in Caesarea (James & John presumably would have continued to lead the church in Jerusalem during Peter’s mission trip.)
  - AD 40
- 2017 – Herod Antipas of Galilee, who had John the Baptist beheaded about ten years earlier, died.
  - AD 39
- 2015 – Saul of Tarsus comes to the Apostles after his conversion.
  - AD 37
- 2010 – Stephen, a leading disciple of The Way, sentenced by the Sanhedrin to death by stoning, after which Herod and the Jews authorize relentless persecution of disciples of Jesus’ Apostles.
  - AD 33
14 Years ago + An Eventful Year.
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A.D. 30 would have been fourteen years ago and might linger in the collective memory of the church like these contemporary memories:
Actual Events of 2007: iPhone announced;  Mitt Romney, Rudi Giuliani, John McCain, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Joe Biden and many others are running for President of the U.S.; 
or Actual Events of 2008: President Bush signs the $700 billion bailout / Rescue package bill; Fidel Castro steps down as president of Cuba; Iraq war costs $3 trillion.
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- 2008 + Jesus Christ interrogated by the Sanhedrin and scourged by Romans, crucified on a Cross, raised from death, left a sealed tomb and appeared to the Apostles and hundreds of other disciples!
  - The risen Lord Jesus also sent the Holy Spirit to believers on Pentecost.
  - Peter and disciples of Jesus proclaimed the Gospel in the Temple and
  - Accompanying signs and miracles sent by the Lord confirmed their teaching.
  - Therefore many Jews follow the Apostles’ teachings and believe in Jesus as the Messiah of God.
  - ALL this in ~AD 30!
James the Greater, of course, was in town [Jerusalem] to witness all of this recent history along with the other Apostles.

During JESUS’ earthly ministry:
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~AD 2006-2008 in our contemporized scenario:
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- 2006 – A great new prophet John baptizes Jesus in the Jordan River. Then Jesus calls Twelve Apostles to “follow Him.” James and John, already disciples of John the Baptist, follow Jesus.
  - AD 28 {3 years before Jesus was crucified}
Luke 9:

And calling the twelve together, He gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. And He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. .. And departing, they were going from village to village, proclaiming the gospel and healing everywhere.

Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead..

And Herod said, “I myself had John beheaded, but who is this man about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see Him.
Gospel of Luke 9:9 LSB – Herod inquiring about miracles of the Messiah Jesus and his Apostles

JESUS was confrontational in the mind of Herod, just as John had been before the king had the Baptist beheaded.

James the Great vs. an unbelieving Samaritan village

[Some disciples of Jesus] ..entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him. But they did not receive Him..

And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But He turned and rebuked them..
Gospel of Luke 9:54-55a LSB

Why would James the Greater believe that he could command such judgment on an entire village?

Because Peter, James and John had witnessed that Jesus IS God in flesh and blood!

James the Greater, like Peter or like King Herod for that matter, is the kind of imposing man who wants to take charge.

Gospel of the Apostle Matthew 20:

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Him with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him. And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left.”
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Mark records in his Gospel:
Then James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying to Him, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” - Mark 10:35
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But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to Him, “We are able.” He said to them, “My cup you shall drink; but to sit on My right and on My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.”
Matthew 20:22-23 LSB – Jesus’ answer to the sons of thunder..
Remember our Lord’s assurance to James the Greater and to John: “My cup you shall drink..”

James the Greater – a closeness to Jesus

Peter and James and John all held close their friendship of Jesus, their Lord and Master Teacher, during those three years of Christ’s earthly incarnation.

The Gospel of Luke 9:

Now it happened.. that taking along Peter and John and James, He went up on the mountain to pray.
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Mark adds some detail in his Gospel: *brought them up on a high mountain alone by themselves. 
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And it happened that while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and [flashing like lightning].
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James, John and Simon Peter were the only mortal men on that mountain with the Lord.
But then:
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And behold, two men were talking with Him, and they were Moses and Elijah, who, appearing in [splendor], were speaking of His [exodus] which He was about to fulfill at Jerusalem.
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Note here a similar failing of the flesh of Jesus' three closest friends, their inattention to the prayers of this Son of Man even as they would later fall asleep in Gethsemane. After the Lord's death and resurrection the three Apostles would confess their mortal limitations on both occasions.
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Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him.
Gospel of Luke 9:32 LSB
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Jesus, with a face like lightning! The Prophet Elijah and Moses the LORD's shepherd of the Hebrews during their forty year exodus from slavery in Egypt appear with Jesus! 
All witnessed by Peter, John and James.

As if that wasn't enough GOOD NEWS on the mountaintop, similar to the sign at Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist, the LORD speaks!
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.. a cloud [occurred] and began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.
Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!”
Gospel of Luke 9:34b-35 LSB
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James the Greater, along with his brother and Simon, kept silent about this in those days, Luke records later. 
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Fulfillment of Fourteen Years in Jerusalem

In the minds of the Jews (including Herod) James was a likely successor to Jesus.

Ἰάκωβος – James

Did you know that James is a common name in Israel? i.e. James the Great AND James the Less are both Apostles

It’s the same as Ἰακώβ, which even in Greek looks like the name of its Hebrew root:: יַעֲקֹב

Jacob, who the LORD renamed, Israel.

Along with Simon Peter (when he was not on a journey of his own) and his brother John, James the Greater proclaimed the Gospel of the risen Christ Jesus in Jerusalem.

James proclaimed the Gospel in the Temple courtyards and streets of Jerusalem and led the daily lives of so many new followers of The Way. He worked in the leadership of the Twelve, which now included Mathias in place of Judas Iscariot.

“Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”
Luke 9:54b – [likely the words of James the Greater]

And this Greater Apostle of the inner circle of the Messiah of Israel would have recalled the rebuke of the Lord in a newfound daily humility in serving his risen Lord, the Christ Jesus.

But He turned and rebuked them, and said,

“You do not know what kind of spirit you are of,

for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”

And they went on to another village.

.. whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me;
for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great.”
Gospel of Luke 9:48b – invitation of Jesus Christ & humility in following Him

Acts of the Apostles 12:

Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to harm them.

And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword.
Acts of the Apostles 12:2 LSB – Herod Agrippa I executes James the Greater

To be continued…
August 9, 2022