Jerusalem must have been all abuzz with the questions of yet another unfolding mystery involving the Apostles. What happened to this Apostle of Jesus?
What happened to Simon Peter?
How did this leading Disciple of Jesus escape? Peter could not possibly have come to our gate since Herod has him under the guard of sixteen men?
As we witnessed previously in a scene from Acts of the Apostles 12:13-14 in His Angel at the Gate:
A servant-girl named Rhoda.. ran in and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate.
Impossible, would be their first thought.
“You are out of your mind!”
But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the door, they saw him and were astounded.
Acts of the Apostles 12:16 LSB
What happened to Jesus’ mission?
It is the year of our Lord [A.D.] 44.
It has been fourteen years since the Holy Spirit first anointed the saints in Jerusalem to Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel.
Peter is not going to remain in Jerusalem.
Peter commands a continued mission
.. they saw him and were astounded.
ἐξίστημι – amazed – out of their wits (in the wonder of seeing Peter)
Luke once again on this day uses this same description as Pentecost when the Church sees Peter alive and in person, even though they had fully expected Herod to execute the Apostle as he had James.
So they were astounded and marveling, saying, “Behold, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? .. And they all continued in astonishment and great perplexity, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”
Acts of the Apostles 2:7,12 – Pentecost [~A.D.30] when Peter proclaimed Christ crucified and risen from death.
Astonishing that a girl is raised from the dead by Peter in Joppa! Amazing that the Holy Spirit had also filled Samaritans and Roman soldiers in Caesarea as Peter and other disciples of Jesus had reported to the Church in Jerusalem.
And all the circumcised believers who came with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
Acts of the Apostles 10:45 LSB
Today amazingly, Peter has a command for the Church as the Apostle will address them once more in Jerusalem:
But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he recounted to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison.
Meanwhile, back at Herod’s palace..
Herod Agrippa I had seized Peter during the time of the Passover when great crowds always gathered in Jerusalem as they had years before when the Jews crucified Jesus on a Roman cross.
The king’s recent execution of James had so pleased the Jews that now Herod would kill Peter. (It would be great political theatre for this friend of Rome now gaining some cooperation from the religious parties of Jerusalem.) Herod had a high-security guard of sixteen men watch over Peter during every watch of the night. BUT..
Acts 12:18
Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.
A report of amazement from these sixteen elite guards, two who were chained to Peter while two others were on guard at the Herod’s prison door.
And when Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards..
Remember back fourteen years ago, before Herod manipulated his way back into power?
Luke 23:
8 Now when Herod saw Jesus, he rejoiced greatly; for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some sign performed by Him. And he questioned Jesus in many words, but He answered him nothing..
11 And Herod with his soldiers, after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, dressed Him in a bright robe and sent Him back to Pilate. Now Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day; for before they had been enemies with each other.
Leaving Jerusalem
King Herod Agrippa I
.. he examined the guards and ordered that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and was spending time there.
Caesarea Palaestinae has been the capitol of Roman Judaea since AD 6 & is the residence of Herod Agrippa (and soon Agrippa II),
not Hierosolyma (as the Roman’s call Jerusalem).
And on an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel and sitting on the judgment seat, began delivering an address to them [an audience of representatives from Tyre and Sidon]. And the assembly kept crying out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!”
And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.
Marcus Julius Agrippa I - b. 10 B.C. d. A.D. 44
P.S. Soon, Manaen, who had grown up with Marcus Agrippa in the court of Tiberius Caesar Augustus, will join the Apostle Paul and many disciples of the Way in Antioch, from where they will lead the Church on missions into the all the world, proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Simon Peter
.. he recounted to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said,
“Report these things to James and the brothers.”
Then he left and went to another place.
Of course the James to whom Peter refers is NOT the first martyred Apostle James, but the biological half-brother of Jesus who is now a disciple of the Way after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension.
Even though Saul no longer persecutes the Church, King Herod and the Jews of Jerusalem still pursue the Apostles.
We will not see Peter for some time until after A.D. 44
Peter certainly could have returned to Capernaum to be with his wife and family. But the Apostle will return to Jerusalem at times as we will see later in Acts of the Apostles.
And when Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be led away to execution.
But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.
Acts of the Apostles 12:24, after Peter escaped from Jerusalem
in ~AD 44 after proclaiming the Gospel of the risen Christ Jesus for fourteen years.
25 And Barnabas and Saul [Paul] returned to Jerusalem, fulfilling their ministry, taking along with them John, who was also called Mark.
Then what happened to Peter?
For Your Information (Peter’s witness and leadership continues after this astounding event in Jerusalem):
All dates approximate. Source for most is Rose Guide to the Book of Acts.
- AD 44-48 – The predicted famine [Acts 11] during the reign of Claudius takes place; Barnabas and Saul of Tarsus will bring a collection from the churches to Jerusalem for distribution.
- AD 49 – A council of Church leaders, including Peter, meet in Jerusalem [Acts 15].
- This, of course, is five years after Peter has left Jerusalem after being freed by an angel.
- AD 49 – Luke, who has recorded Peter’s Gospel and the acts of the Apostles (so far) departs Jerusalem with Paul on his second missionary journey.
- AD 50 – John Mark, who had accompanied Paul for part of his first missionary journey, writes his Gospel.
- AD 64-65 [twenty years after Peter escapes Herod]- Peter writes two letters to the Church
- Sometime after a Jewish revolt in AD 66, Nero will execute Peter and many others in Rome.
ACTS of the Apostles will continue on mission, God-willing, for your comments and witness of the 21st c. Church. - RH
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