Acts Chapter 12
James Is Martyred, Peter Is Set Free
A. James the Apostle Dies as a Martyr
1. (Acts 12:1) Herod harasses the church.
“Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.”
Herod the king here is Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod the Great who sought to kill the infant Jesus (Matthew 2:1–16). He was also the nephew of Herod Antipas, the ruler who mocked Jesus during His trial (Luke 23:7–12). Agrippa’s reign was marked by a desire to win favor with the Jewish populace, and persecuting the church became a way to secure political popularity. The phrase “stretched out his hand to harass” indicates deliberate aggression against God’s people. Persecution often has less to do with justice and more with political convenience, and history has repeatedly shown that leaders are willing to sacrifice Christians to gain the approval of the crowd. This moment illustrates how Satan uses political power to strike at the church, yet every act of hostility only advances the sovereign purposes of God.
2. (Acts 12:2) The death of the apostle James.
“Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.”
The text records without embellishment that Herod executed James with the sword, most likely by beheading. This event marks a new chapter in the history of persecution, for James is the first of the twelve apostles to be martyred. Up until this point, the church experienced remarkable victories: the dramatic conversion of Saul of Tarsus, the salvation of the Gentile centurion Cornelius, and the thriving ministry in Antioch. Yet Acts 12 confronts the reader with the sobering reality that the apostles themselves were not exempt from death.
Stephen had already been stoned to death (Acts 7:58–60), but Stephen was a deacon, not one of the twelve. The martyrdom of James shattered any illusion that the apostles possessed a special shield of protection. Jesus had never promised His disciples immunity from suffering, but instead warned them: “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves… you will be hated by all for My name’s sake” (Matthew 10:16, 22). Even His closest companions were to expect persecution.
James was one of the inner circle of disciples, along with Peter and John (Matthew 17:1; 26:37; Mark 5:37; 9:2; 14:33). He had been with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration and in Gethsemane. Yet closeness to Christ did not spare him from martyrdom. Jesus Himself had foretold such suffering. When James and John asked for positions of honor beside Christ, Jesus responded: “You do not know what you ask. Can you drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?… You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized” (Mark 10:38–39). James fulfilled this prophecy in his death, while John fulfilled it through a long life of service and suffering, enduring exile and persecution.
Church history preserves a remarkable account of James’ final witness. Clement of Alexandria, quoted by Eusebius, recorded that the soldier guarding James was so moved by his testimony that he confessed Christ and was executed alongside him. Thus, even in death, James’ faith multiplied fruit, fulfilling the principle Jesus declared: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain” (John 12:24).
It is also significant that there was no effort to replace James as there had been with Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:20–26). Judas’ betrayal revealed apostasy, whereas James’ martyrdom demonstrated faithfulness. His office did not need replacing because his work was complete and his reward secured. His death reminds the church that the call to follow Christ is a call to lay down one’s life, whether through daily sacrifice or, for some, through the ultimate price of martyrdom.
B. The Release of Peter from Prison
1. (Acts 12:3–4) Herod imprisons Peter.
“And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.”
Herod, having already executed James, recognized that his actions won him the applause of the Jewish leaders and populace. Seeking to capitalize on this approval, he proceeded to seize Peter, the most prominent leader of the apostles at that time. This illustrates Herod’s purely political motives. In contrast to Saul of Tarsus, who persecuted Christians out of a misguided zeal for the law (Acts 8:1–3), Herod’s persecution was driven by self-preservation and popularity. Saul was wrong but acted out of conviction; Herod was wrong and acted out of ambition. Both are condemned before God, yet one reveals the corruption of religion without truth, while the other reveals the corruption of politics without principle.
Luke notes that this occurred “during the Days of Unleavened Bread.” This was the seven-day feast following Passover, when Jerusalem was swollen with pilgrims from every region. Herod avoided executing Peter immediately because such an act could have provoked unrest among the religious crowds. Instead, he intended to make Peter’s trial and death a public spectacle after the feast, when passions could be more carefully controlled. This shows how man’s political timing is contrasted with God’s perfect providential timing.
Herod also assigned four squads of soldiers (sixteen men in total) to guard Peter. The extraordinary precautions reveal Herod’s awareness of Peter’s miraculous escape in Acts 5:17–21. Normally a prisoner would be chained to a single guard, but Peter was bound by two soldiers, one on either side, while two more guarded outside. As John Stott observes, this was “an excessive precaution, reflecting Herod’s fear of the God who had already demonstrated His power.” This earthly king thought that chains and soldiers could restrain the purposes of the King of kings.
The text reminds the reader of Psalm 2:1–4: “Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.’ He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision.” Herod set himself against Christ’s servant, but no earthly ruler can frustrate the plans of God.
2. (Acts 12:5) The church prays for Peter.
“Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.”
Here the contrast is striking: Herod had prisons, soldiers, and political power, but the church had prayer. Peter was bound in chains, but the throne of heaven was open, and God’s people lifted their voices in intercession. This verse reminds us that when every earthly gate is shut, the gate of heaven is always open.
The word “constant” translates the Greek term ektenos, which carries the picture of being stretched to the limit, like a muscle at full extension. Luke uses the same word of Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane: “And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44). Thus, the church’s prayers were not casual or mechanical but fervent and agonizing.
Such prayer is powerful, not because it manipulates God, but because it reflects alignment with His heart. Jesus promised: “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7). Earnest prayer springs from abiding in Christ, caring deeply about what He cares about. Too often believers pray halfheartedly about matters that God has placed upon their hearts, failing to match His passion with theirs. The early church demonstrates what it means to plead with God in unity and intensity.
It is also important to note the direction of their prayers: “to God.” While this seems obvious, many prayers today falter because they are more like wishful thinking, self-talk, or ritual than genuine communion with the living God. The early church prayed with a conscious awareness that they were entering the throne room of Almighty God, the Sovereign who raises up and casts down kings. Their intercession was not vague but directed to the One who alone could deliver Peter.
This verse illustrates the unshakable confidence of the church: though Herod held Peter in chains, the people of God laid hold of heaven. The stage was set for God to demonstrate His power, proving that prayer is not the last resort of the weak but the first weapon of the faithful.
3. (Acts 12:6–11) God Sends an Angel to Free Peter from Prison
“And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, ‘Arise quickly!’ And his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, ‘Gird yourself and tie on your sandals’; and so he did. And he said to him, ‘Put on your garment and follow me.’ So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. And when Peter had come to himself, he said, ‘Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.’”
Peter’s deliverance stands as one of the most remarkable demonstrations of God’s sovereignty in the face of human impossibility.
a. Peter’s Peace in the Face of Death
Luke tells us, “that night Peter was sleeping.” The night before what appeared to be his execution, Peter rested soundly between two soldiers, chained by both hands. This calm reveals his utter trust in God. Psalm 127:2 declares, “For so He gives His beloved sleep.” Peter’s ability to sleep on the eve of possible death illustrates the peace promised in Philippians 4:6–7: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” God’s servant knew that his life was in the hands of Christ, not Herod. Until the Lord’s appointed time, Peter was invincible.
b. The Futility of Chains and Guards
Peter was “bound with two chains between two soldiers, and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.” Humanly speaking, this was an inescapable situation. Yet the chains, guards, and locked gates posed no hindrance to God. At the angel’s command, the chains fell off his hands. As Psalm 34:7 affirms, “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.” No earthly power can restrain God’s purposes or bind His messengers when He wills deliverance.
c. Obedience in the Midst of Confusion
Peter was awakened by the angel, struck on the side, and told to “Arise quickly!” He dressed and followed, yet Luke records that he “did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.” Peter obeyed in faith, even without full understanding. Often believers are called to walk in obedience when they do not yet see clearly what God is doing. As Proverbs 3:5–6 reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
d. The Iron Gate and God’s Automatic Provision
When they reached the outer iron gate leading to the city, Luke says it “opened to them of its own accord.” The Greek word used here is automate, the root of our word “automatic.” What seemed to be the final and most insurmountable barrier opened effortlessly when God’s timing arrived. This reminds us that many believers worry about future “iron gates” long before reaching them, carrying anxieties about barriers not yet faced. Jesus warned against such worry in Matthew 6:34: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Just as Peter’s gate opened at the exact moment it was needed, so God provides deliverance at His appointed time.
The church has witnessed similar accounts throughout history. F. F. Bruce recounts the story of Sundar Singh, a Tibetan Christian preacher who was cast into a death well. After three days, a mysterious rescuer unlocked the cover, lowered a rope, and drew him out—yet no human explanation was found, as the key remained on the jailer’s belt. This illustrates that the God of Acts still acts with the same power in every generation.
e. God’s Deliverance According to His Sovereign Will
After the angel departed, Peter realized the reality of his rescue and declared, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.” He acknowledged that his release was not by luck, skill, or chance, but by the sovereign intervention of the Lord.
It is important to note that while James was executed earlier in the chapter (Acts 12:1–2), Peter was spared. This reminds us that God’s ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8–9). James was not abandoned by God, nor was Peter rescued because of greater faith or merit. James was called to glorify Christ through martyrdom, while Peter was preserved for continued ministry. Both outcomes fulfilled God’s purposes. As Paul wrote in Philippians 1:20–21, “So now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
4. (Acts 12:12–17) Peter Presents Himself to the Believers Who Prayed for Him
“So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. But they said to her, ‘You are beside yourself!’ Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, ‘It is his angel.’ Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, ‘Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.’ And he departed and went to another place.”
After Peter realized that his deliverance was real and not merely a vision, he deliberately made his way to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where believers were gathered in prayer. This demonstrates Peter’s natural instinct to be among the people of God. He knew they were interceding for him and wanted them to see firsthand how the Lord had answered.
At the door, a servant girl named Rhoda recognized Peter’s voice. In her excitement, she ran back to announce the news without opening the gate. This detail is humorous and vivid, underscoring the authenticity of Luke’s account. Such human touches reveal the historical reliability of Acts, written not as a legend but as a faithful record of events.
The response of the believers is both comforting and convicting. They told Rhoda, “You are beside yourself!” Though they had been praying fervently, they found it hard to believe God had truly answered in such a miraculous way. Their prayers were earnest (Acts 12:5), but their faith was weak. This illustrates a vital truth: it is not the size of our faith that determines results, but the greatness of the God to whom we pray. Jesus said in Matthew 17:20, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” Even weak faith, when directed toward the omnipotent God, is used mightily.
When the believers suggested, “It is his angel,” they reflected a common Jewish belief in guardian angels. Some thought that these angelic beings could even resemble the individuals they guarded. Though the theology here was imprecise, it shows that even in confusion, the early church expected supernatural realities to intersect with their lives.
Once Peter was finally admitted, the believers were astonished. He calmed them and recounted how the Lord had delivered him from prison. His testimony served as a powerful encouragement that God hears the cries of His people and intervenes according to His will. Peter instructed them to report this to “James and the brethren.” This James was not the apostle who had been martyred earlier in the chapter, but James the brother of Jesus, who by this time had become a key leader in the Jerusalem church (Galatians 1:19; Acts 15:13). This moment marks James’ increasing prominence as the recognized head of the church in Jerusalem.
Peter then departed “to another place.” Luke does not specify where he went, but his silence suggests intentional secrecy, likely to protect Peter and the church from further persecution. After this point, Peter largely fades from Luke’s narrative, apart from a brief mention in Acts 15 at the Jerusalem Council. Later Scripture confirms Peter continued in ministry, meeting Paul in Antioch (Galatians 2:11–14) and authoring the letters of 1 and 2 Peter.
5. (Acts 12:18–19) The Execution of the Soldiers Who Guarded Peter
“Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.”
The escape of Peter caused “no small stir” among the soldiers, an understatement that highlights the sheer chaos of the situation. Roman discipline was strict: a guard who lost a prisoner faced the same punishment that was intended for the captive. Because Peter was to be executed, the guards now faced death themselves. Herod, furious at being humiliated and deprived of his prize, ordered their execution.
This action reveals not only the severity of Roman law but also the hardness of Herod’s heart. Instead of acknowledging God’s power or considering the miraculous nature of Peter’s escape, Herod chose to preserve his pride by destroying his own soldiers. It is a reminder of the futility of opposing God: those who resist Him often destroy themselves and others in the process. Psalm 2:4 again echoes here: “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision.”
Herod then left Jerusalem for Caesarea, his Roman administrative capital. This shift sets the stage for the judgment that God would soon bring upon him (Acts 12:20–23), reminding us that no earthly ruler, however powerful, can escape divine justice.
C. God Judges a Blaspheming Herod and Blesses an Obedient Church
1. (Acts 12:20–21) Herod gives a speech to the people of Tyre and Sidon.
“Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king’s country. So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them.”
The people of Tyre and Sidon were dependent on Herod’s territory for food, since their region, though wealthy and coastal, lacked sufficient agricultural land. Their political and economic survival hinged on making peace with Herod Agrippa I. Having previously offended him, they sought reconciliation through his aide Blastus. This shows how politics often blends pragmatism, flattery, and dependence. Their eagerness to please Herod was not genuine admiration, but desperation rooted in their need for food.
Herod, seizing the opportunity, staged a public demonstration of his power and glory. Luke records that he was “arrayed in royal apparel” and delivered an oration from his throne. Josephus, the Jewish historian, describes this apparel as woven entirely of silver thread, which glistened in the morning sunlight, dazzling the crowd. Herod intentionally clothed himself in splendor to magnify his appearance and invite worship. His action is a vivid picture of human pride, seeking to rob God of the glory that belongs to Him alone. Scripture warns against this: “The Lord will not give His glory to another” (Isaiah 42:8).
2. (Acts 12:22–23) Herod receives blasphemous praise and immediate judgment.
“And the people kept shouting, ‘The voice of a god and not of a man!’ Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.”
The crowd, eager to secure Herod’s favor, shouted, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” Their words reveal the sinful tendency of mankind to idolize political leaders and view them as saviors. For his part, Herod received their praise without protest. He should have responded as Paul and Barnabas later did in Lystra, when the people mistook them for gods. Paul cried out: “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God” (Acts 14:15). Herod, however, relished the idolatry and allowed himself to be exalted above measure.
Because Herod refused to give glory to God, judgment fell swiftly. Luke records that “an angel of the Lord struck him” and that “he was eaten by worms and died.” The suddenness of the strike and the gruesome nature of his death reflect divine retribution. Pride was the root of Satan’s fall (Isaiah 14:12–15), and here it brought Herod to ruin. James 4:6 warns: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Herod’s fate illustrates that no earthly ruler can exalt himself against God and survive.
Josephus corroborates Luke’s account, writing that Herod, arrayed in silver, shone so brightly in the sunlight that the crowd’s flattery erupted. Suddenly, he was seized with violent abdominal pain and lingered in agony for five days before dying (Antiquities XIX.8.2). Luke, inspired by the Holy Spirit, adds the divine cause: an angel of the Lord struck him. Josephus supplies the natural manifestation of that strike: a disease of the bowels, described here as being eaten from within by worms. This detail is symbolic of Herod’s condition. He was already spiritually corrupted from the inside out; his physical death mirrored the rot within his soul.
This moment is a sobering reminder of Galatians 6:7: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” Herod sowed pride, cruelty, and blasphemy, and reaped sudden destruction. His end illustrates the principle voiced in Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
3. (Acts 12:24–25) The Work of God Continues Without Hindrance
“But the word of God grew and multiplied. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark.”
The narrative of Acts 12 concludes with a striking contrast. Herod, clothed in silver, exalted himself, received the worship of men, and died in shame, eaten from within by worms (Acts 12:23). Yet the Word of God, which Herod sought to suppress, “grew and multiplied.” The kingdom of men crumbles, but the kingdom of God advances. This is the great theme of Acts: opposition cannot silence the gospel. Jesus declared in Matthew 16:18, “I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
Luke makes it clear that persecution, martyrdom, imprisonment, and even the death of kings cannot stop the work of God. Herod killed James, but the gospel continued. He imprisoned Peter, but prayer unlocked heaven’s power and God delivered His servant. Herod received the praises of men, but God struck him down. Meanwhile, the church only expanded, showing who truly rules history. Psalm 115:3 says, “But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.”
History is filled with examples of men who arrogantly fought against God, only to meet destruction. Friedrich Nietzsche, the philosopher who declared “God is dead,” spent his final years insane, broken by the weight of his rebellion. Sinclair Lewis, the Nobel Prize-winning author who mocked Christianity through his novel Elmer Gantry, died a hopeless alcoholic. Ernest Hemingway, who lived a life of prideful indulgence in sin, ended his life in despair, taking it with a shotgun. Each illustrates Proverbs 21:30: “There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the Lord.” To fight God is always to lose.
In contrast, those who trust the Lord see His blessing. Luke reports that the Word “grew and multiplied.” This phrase indicates both depth and breadth: it grew deeper in the lives of believers and multiplied outward in new conversions. The picture is one of unstoppable momentum, just as Isaiah 55:11 promises: “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
Luke also records that “Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark.” This ties the narrative back to Acts 11:27–30, when Barnabas and Saul delivered financial relief to the church in Judea during the famine. Having completed that mission, they returned to Antioch, now joined by John Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10). John Mark would later travel with them on the first missionary journey (Acts 13:5), though his early departure from that mission caused tension with Paul (Acts 13:13; 15:37–39). Despite this failure, God later restored him, and Paul would write near the end of his life: “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11). This shows that even when believers stumble, God can restore and use them for His glory.
The close of Acts 12 highlights two unshakable truths. First, God judges the proud who exalt themselves against Him, as He did with Herod. Second, God blesses His church and advances His Word regardless of opposition. Kings die, but the gospel lives. Persecutors fall, but the Word multiplies. The scene shifts from Jerusalem back to Antioch, preparing for the great missionary journeys that will spread the gospel to the Gentile world.
