Acts 12 - Peter is Freed Miraculously From Prison When the Church Earnestly Prays! Saul and Barnabas Return Home!

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Peter’s Miraculous Escape From Prison

The persecution increased under King Herod. He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. 

This was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod the Great, who ruled in the days of Jesus’ birth (Matthew 2:1-16). Herod Agrippa I was also the nephew of Herod Antipas, who had a role in the trial of Jesus (Luke 23:7-12). - Guzik

James was the first of the apostles to be martyred. He was also part of the inner circle of Jesus' closest friends (Peter, James, and John). Jesus has predicted that some of his apostles would die by the sword and this was the case with James. 

Meanwhile, one of Jesus' other closest associates, Peter, was put in prison. As Peter awaited his fate, the church was gathered and praying "earnestly" for him. As we see the miracle that is about to happen, we need to remember that before anything happened, the church prayed earnestly. 

Peter was being guarded very closely. He was sleeping two soldiers next to him, and two sentries guarded his doors. Obviously they feared something might happen to him. An angel appeared, struck Peter's wrists, and his chains fell off. The angel literally let him out of the doors and walked him down the street, even urging him to put on his clothes and angels. 

The soldiers, the chains, the guard posts, the iron gate – were all nothing when God was with Peter and prayer was behind him. - Guzik

When he came to himself, he went to house of Mary, John's Mark's mother. Rhoda, a servant came to answer and when she recognized Peter's voice, she was overjoyed, but she left Peter at the door. She ran back to tell the others, but they didn't believe and even insisted it was angel.  

We are comforted (and amused) by the little faith of these Christians. Even while they prayed for Peter, they found it hard to believe God actually answered their prayer. Their prayer was earnest (Acts 12:5), but their faith was not overwhelming. Little faith can accomplish great things if it is placed in the great God. - Guzik

We see just how ruthless this King Herod is, as when he found out Peter had escaped, he had the guards executed. Like the guards that guarded Jesus' tomb, the fact that Peter escaped and these men paid for it with their lives, makes the account all the more authentic. The nature of many of the details in these stories show that they were not just made up. For example, 

Rhoda was so excited to hear from Peter that she left him out at the gate! The natural, true-to-life feel of these accounts show the reliable historical character of the Book of Acts. - Guzik

Herod’s Death

Herod eventually paid the consequences of his reprehensible and ruthless behavior. Herod gave a public address in his royal robes, and the people treated him as if he were a god. Because he did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down and he was eaten by worms and died. 

Note the activity of the angels in this chapter. One angel frees Peter from prison, and another is God's agent of wrath with evil King Herod. The manner of Herod’s death was appropriate to his spiritual state; he was corrupted from the inside out.  - Guzik

Note through all of this the Word of God continued to spread and was multiplied. Despite the persecution and the trials the church underwent, God's Word flourished. 

But the word of God grew and multiplied. The number of those who were converted by it, and embraced and professed it, increased; otherwise the word is the same, whether the professors of it be more or fewer; and this it did, notwithstanding the persecution raised against it by Herod whilst he was living; and after his death, it still gained more ground, met with less opposition, and was more freely professed. - Gill

The "word" is "logos" in the Greek, which we know is Jesus Christ. I.e. John 1:14 "And the Word (logos) became flesh and dwelt among us. So when it says the "word multiplied" specifically it means the expression of the gospel, or the Good News about Jesus. 

Barnabas and Saul Sent Off

We end this chapter with Luke stating that Barnabas and Saul returned to Antioch, after their mission of giving food the needy in Jerusalem. From this point forward, Luke the historian will primarily focus on the missions of Saul, who will now be called Paul. 

Hopefully as you are reading through the New Testament you are becoming more familiar with God's Word. The Word is specifically Jesus, but also everything about how the word about him grows much like a seed that is planted. This why Jesus in the Parable of the Sower, says the good seed is the Word of God! As we stay rooted in the Word of God, we are like the good seed that will reproduce and bear much fruit!