Wednesday Acts 12:1-5

Persecution returns.

Click here for an online Bible. Acts 12:1-5

While Barnabas and Saul were in Antioch, another persecution arose in Jerusalem. King Herod attacked some of the believers. He probably was doing the bidding of the Sanhedrin in order to increase his popularity with the Jews.

The Herod in this passage was Herod Agrippa I. He was the grandson of Herod the Great who was king during the birth of Jesus. Herod the Great had his son Aristobulus executed in 7 BC. Agrippa was about four years old then. After the murder of his father, he was sent off to Rome to grow up as a member of the imperial court. He was close friends with Caligula who would later become the Roman Emperor. Caligula’s successor, Claudius, appointed Agrippa to be the king of Judea and Samaria. Agrippa liked to be popular so he often did what people liked. The Sanhedrin had always opposed the Christians so they must have convinced Agrippa to step up the pressure. He killed James, which the Jews applauded, so he also arrested Peter.

Peter was arrested during the Passover feast which included the weeklong feast of unleavened bread. Agrippa intended to keep Peter in jail for the week then bring him before the people for trial. Verse 6 tells us that Agrippa to execute Peter as he did with James.
The response of the Christians was to gather for prayer. This should always be our response. We gather to seek God’s direction and provision.