The tradition that they have in the Romish church, that this James had been before this in Spain, and had planted the gospel there, is altogether groundless; nor is there any certainty of it, or good authority for it. "In the opening chapters of the Acts of the Apostles, the Christian dispensation is seen in actual operation; for that with the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost that dispensation properly commences will probably be admitted by all parties. ACTS Prayers (Adoration, Confession, T In fact, I don't expect you to keep them all straight. Accordingly, among the train of those that received the gospel and were baptized, Simon is found. It may be that the Lord had not allowed the true character of Simon to be manifested to every eye at that moment. Acts 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. WebThe Lords prayer contains Gods heart and mind in it, what God really wills for us. Herod Agrippa I had Jewish blood in his veins and consistently sought to maintain favor with and the support of the Jews over whom he ruled, which he did effectively. Normally a prisoner was chained by his right hand to his guard's left hand; but Peter was chained by both hands to a guard on each side of him, while the two remaining soldiers of the quaternion kept watch at the door. The chapter itself proves that he had to be forced to go. In fact, it is thought by some that the upper room was actually in the house of Mary the mother of Mark. What a wonderful change for these poor Gentiles to know Christ for themselves, and to be called after Christ! Prayer is both the thermometer and the thermostat of the local church; for the spiritual temperature either goes up or down, depending on how Gods people pray.[1]. Chapter 15 he'll speak up and again tell how God had led him to the Gentiles, but Peter passes on from the picture. I have already touched upon the practical effects, and therefore will not enlarge on these now. and they took with them John who was surnamed Mark. It was, no doubt, a Gentile title. ( Acts 12:1) Herod harasses the church. Sokan ember a kt tans polgri hzassgkts mellett lagzit is szeretne, aholezt az rmteli esemnyt a bartaik s rokonaik trsasgban kzsen megnnepelhetik s egyttreznek velk. Scripture is clear and unequivocal as to the truth of the case. As the Jews watched the gates to kill him, the disciples took him by night and let him down the wall in a basket. Or Mariam of Hebrew origin; Maria or Mariam, the name of six Christian females. This, to me, is quite fascinating. Not on the other hand that there ought to be a spirit of suspicion or distrust in the church or any Christian. They did not know anything about Easter in the early church. "And he arose and went." Thus was the plot laid, and both Herod and the people long to have the feast over, that they may gratify themselves with this barbarous entertainment. A menyasszony ton a fodrszhoz s a sminkeshez, a vlegny pedig felkszl a nagy napra testben s fejben. They have power to shut up heaven, that it does not rain during this period of their prophecy. Now, Herod Agrippa I forever enshrines his name in infamy as the one guilty of the blood of the first apostle to be martyred. No notion is more at variance with the spirit of apostolic Christianity than that of societies of Christians existing in the same neighbourhood, but not in communion with each other, and not under 'common government'" (pp. In fact, it tells us much about prayer. Why so much haste and impatience? The Martyrdom of James; Peter's Imprisonment. Warren W. Wiersbe noted, This is certainly a good lesson for the church today. Thus it might seem incredible, if it were not the notorious fact, that the only two known manuscripts in favour of that which is here most certainly requisite are the Alexandrian and the Cambridge Graeco-Latin of Beza. [Note: Bock, Acts, p. In the remarks sometimes made upon this subject it seems to be assumed that there is no medium between our affirming of persons that they are not perfect Christians, and that they are not Christians at all; whereas in fact there is no Christian, however holy, who comes up to the ideal of Christian practice. He had been educated at Rome, but he sedulously cultivated the good graces of the Jewish people by meticulously keeping the Law and all Jewish observances. These gifts, at least such as were of an extraordinary sort, were the outward signs of that gift in early days; and it was of great importance that there should be a decisive palpable testimony to it. Such is the unfolding of the ways of God at this point. And, of course, he wrote his epistles. He made an appearance to his half brother and after that point his half brother James and His half brother Jude became pillars in the early church. Father, I declare that I walk in the wisdom of Christ today in Jesus name. Barnabas was quite justified in seeking Saul. To vex certain of the Church. Persecution & Prayer Acts 12:1-24 | Grace Bible Church I am, exist. He visits round about. Legtbb ismersm s jmagam is egy ltszlag teljesen idegen szakterletrl rkeztnk. ], The supernatural deliverance of Peter 12:1-19, "Peters rescue from prison is an unusually vivid episode in Acts even when simply taken as a story about Peter. A primary particle of connection or addition; both or also. And Jesus said, "Are you able to be baptized with the baptism whereof I will be baptized?" I cite from the Calvin Tr. The latter is, unquestionably, the ground which he takes" (pp. The King James translators just translated this word Easter because it does signify that same time of the year. Nevertheless, care was taken to hinder all appearance of independence or indifference to unity. (Ephesians 4:1-32) I merely make the remark in passing; though it will not be needed for most here, it may be for some. Prayer ( Acts 12:3 ). 298, 299). We know that Paul thanked God that so it was with himself at Corinth; and we see that Peter here did not baptize, but simply "commanded them to be baptized." The gospel of Luke also describes what is similar; that is to say, a faith not insincere but human, not wrought of the Spirit but founded on the mind yielding to reasons, proofs, evidences, which are to it overpowering; but there is nothing of God in it: there is no meeting between the soul and God. Without pronouncing upon the state of individuals in the sight of God, he assumed the whole body to be what they professed to be a body of real Christians. . At Samaria they had been baptized for some time, as we know. A zene vegyes felhozatal volt egy kivl Dj-vel. And as he came into the theater, the sun reflected off of this silver cloth. 12:20-25 Herod was furious with the people of Tyre and Sidon. 192, 193). "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him." A vltozatossg varzsolja szness a vilgunkat, s ettl olyan klnleges nlam egy fotzs. Festus did not have any charges to send with Paul, and so he had asked Herod Agrippa II, the son of this Herod Agrippa I, to hear Paul's case in order that they might develop charges against him to send to Nero when he was sent there. God did not clothe him with such overwhelming influence that doors were thrown open to him though the greatest of the apostles. 2. . Peter instructs them to go and tell the news to James. Philip had not the discernment to see through him: evangelists are apt to be sanguine. But the correction confirms the true reading. She was a direct descendant of the Maccabeans, which made her a Jewess, but she was married to Herod the Great and so Herod Agrippa I was sort of half Jewish in a sense. Thus they thought they had him fast. Morning Prayer: Thursday, 15 June Acts For he appealed to Caesar when he realized that he was getting the royal run-around by Festus, a political pawn, and he appealed to Caesar. See the notes on Matthew 2:19. Among the various spiritual gifts then common in the Church, the chief place was to be assigned to prophecy; 'for he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.' So he went out and followed him. I merely make this remark lest any should draw from this the inference that there is a necessity for men commissioned from God to lay on hands now in order to confer such a spiritual blessing. So he comes to the place where the prayer meeting is being held. 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. Religious persecution is invariably ruthless and blind even to the commonest feelings of humanity. Acts Chapter 12 Why is it so important to love God and place Him first in Evidently it was power in external display, then so richly manifested, which acted on the fleshly mind of Simon, himself having the reputation of a great one, and before this the vessel of some kind of demoniacal power the miserable power of Satan, with which he dazzled the eyes of men. This was precisely what God was now doing; and the remarkable fact appears, that God did not wait for the apostle of the Gentiles to bring the good news to Cornelius. [Note: Longenecker, p. In the meantime, the church waspraying, and in answer to theirprayers(v. 5) God supernaturally awakened Peter from a sound sleep (v. 6). He was murdered by his own father but he had a son called Herod Agrippa. It is prayer that expects no answer. stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church; Beza's ancient copy adds, "in Judea": it seems to be the church at Jerusalem; perhaps some of the principal members of them; and so the Ethiopic version renders it, the rulers of the house of God. The promise was not merely to them and to their children, but to all "afar off, as many as the Lord their God should call." All these things were pressed home by Stephen; indeed, I have simply touched on a very small part of his most telling address. And they said, "You're crazy!" Then they said, "Well, it must be his angel. Certain - Some of the church. But the Lord said unto him, "Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. On these I need only remark how grace used them for the spread of the testimony. Or it was to show that though the apostles were appointed to plant the gospel in the world, yet if they were taken off God could do his work without them, and would do it. Prayer points from the book of acts - CHURCHGISTS.COM From that we learn that this was the headquarters of the Christian Church. (v) Herod the Great had another son called Aristobulus (see Aristoboulos G711) ; his mother was Mariamne, a princess who was descended from the great Maccabaean heroes. Simon can only answer, "Pray ye to the Lord for me." As the Christian Jews became increasingly offensive to their racial brethren (cf. Two soldiers were chained to him and two watched the doors. PRAYER POINTS The profound moral work of God proceeded in that converted heart. The previous gift of the Spirit without the intervention of any human hand was the most effectual stopper on the mouths of the brethren of the circumcision who were ever prone to object, and would surely have forbidden water, if God had not undeniably given them the unspeakable gift of the Spirit. Then we learn another important lesson. But this detects the man. This particular Herod was Herod Agrippa I. He is mentioned in Matthew 2:22. Prayer for Acts 1 - Knowing Jesus Accordingly the rejection of the very witness of Christ, speaking by the Holy Ghost the rejection of Him to heaven becomes the turning-point; and then by the Lord from heaven is now called forth the witness of grace as well as of the glory of Christ. Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. But it is still more strange as evidence of the slipshod criticism of the Reformers that Beza, who was more of a scholar than his predecessors, uniformly edits , and writes a blundering note to the effect that it is here used in the sense of . And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him ( Acts 12:4 ); Now a quaternion was actually four soldiers. 515-517). Peter was on the housetop praying when God told him how to be the answer to Cornelius prayers (Acts 10:9), 10. Philip, besides being one of the seven, was an "evangelist," as we are told expressly in another part of this very book (Acts 21:8). What a joy to be warranted to proclaim Him to others without stint, even to a soul as dark as the Ethiopian, who was then and there baptized! WebPrayers To Get A Permanent Job This Month 12. Certainly the Ethiopian received the truth; but verse 37 had better be passed by in your minds, at least in this connection. On believing they were baptized, as we are told in Acts 8:1-40; but they received the Holy Ghost after an interval, through the action of the apostles. . . Surely He is always wise and consistent with Himself. When King Herod mistreated the believers in Jerusalem and had James put to death, he saw that it pleased the Jews, many of whom hated the Christians and considered them a cult. Peter therefore was kept in prison, but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. The Passover Feast was on 14th Nisan; for that day and the seven following no leaven must be used and the week was called the days of unleavened bread. Reading: Acts 5:12-16 (NLT) The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. The exercise of discipline is the true and legitimate expression of the sanctity of a visible Church considered as a society. arise and bring an end to the plaques on the land as a result of these evil acts in Jesus name. ". The finger of God is clearly seen in this chapter. Help me torecognise the different audiences that are being addressed in different Bible passages. The persecutor died but the church continued to grow (24-25). His pedigree contains several infamous characters who opposed the purposes of God. Three days and nights he neither eats nor drinks. Theirs was not the joy that saw into the presence of God. He was led of God. Philip, who had been appointed by the apostles at the choice of the multitude of the disciples to care for the distribution to the poor, goes down to the cities of Samaria preaching Christ. 2 And he had James the brother of John put to The great tragedy of this particular wave of persecution was that it was not due to any man's principles, however misguided; it was due simply to Herod's bid to gain popular favour with the people. And very ambitious surely he was to please the people who was willing thus to please them! TovbbEskvi fotzs Eskv szervezs, Volt szerencsm Tibi es Szandra fergeteges eskvjn rszt venni. And so we have the story of Ananias, and the ways of the Lord, not of some great apostle, nor even of Philip, but a disciple at Damascus named Ananias, to whom the Lord spoke in a vision. He said to him, "Wrap your cloak round about you and follow me." 286, 287). Furthermore, forasmuch as he had said that the word was preached at the beginning only by the Jews, and he meant those who, being banished out of their own country, did live in Cyprus and Phenice, correcting this exception, he saith that some of them did teach the Grecians. Of Hebrew origin; Joannes, the name of four Israelites. He would have Saul to return good for what I may venture to call a measure of evil towards him. To Philip was left Iturea and Trachonitis. By and by the power of the gospel and the action of the Holy Ghost fill their souls with desires as to the need of others. On the day of Pentecost they were baptized first, and then they received the gift of the Holy Ghost. When Caligula was slain, he was at Rome, and having ingratiated himself into the favor of Claudius, he conferred on him also Judea and Samaria, so that his dominions were equal in extent to those of his grandfather, Herod the Great. (iii) Archelaus ( G745) . Copyright 2023 ec Estudio Integral. Pray about the needs others Alas! "To him give all the prophets witness." So says the Spirit to Philip, "Go near and join thyself to this chariot." So James is now following his Lord in martyrdom, the brother of John. See Josephus, Antiq., book 19, chapter 5, section 1. Surprised by Prayer: Reading Acts 12 Realistically BJU Seminary At the same time there is the pity that belongs to one who knew the grace of God, and saw the end of all in His judgment. 30 Effective Prayer Points | PRAYER POINTS - prayerguide He valued the ancient people of God; nor is he indeed the only centurion that loved their nation. (Acts 12:5, AV) One With this view He Himself instituted certain external badges of Christian profession, to come into use when they should be needed, and took measures to qualify a small and select company of believers, by attaching them constantly to His person while His earthly ministry lasted, and giving them a formal commission with extraordinary powers, when He left the world, to preside over the affairs and direct the organisation of Christian societies. "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest." He had gone up to the great city of solemnities, but the blessing was no longer to be found there. DIVINE PRESERVATION - PRAYER POINTS After his death, the word of God prospers. For according to the Roman law, if you were guarding a prisoner and he escaped from you, then you received the sentence that would have been given to the prisoner. We must not limit, as ignorant people do, the operation of the Holy Spirit to the new birth. Hogy egy prat emltsek: termk-reklm, glamour, portr, csald, prfot. In fact, it tells us much aboutprayer. Prayer for Acts 13 - Knowing Jesus If he deflected the trade of Palestine from their ports their revenues would be seriously impaired. Nor is it that the other disciples had not the same faith. It may be all right and in perfect keeping that one preaching the gospel should baptize; but occasion might well arise where he who preached would avoid it himself. Among the Gentiles we know that they were installed, as we shall see a little later, by apostolic choice. [Note: See Longenecker, pp. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, NT Apostles: Acts 12:12 Thinking about that he came to (Acts of the Apostles Ac). The Syriac so renders it expressly, and the chronology requires us so to understand it. The Church neither preaches nor teaches, but Christ sends those who evangelize the world and teach the Church. We are now arrived at a turning-point in the history, not merely of the church, but of the unfolding of the truth of God, and the manifestation of His ways. Pray we hate evil and cling to what is good (12:9). Undoubtedly the cruelty of this mad man was restrained and bridled by the secret power of God. Here it is not this, but simply the indiscriminate. And he was eaten with worms and died. As far as God was concerned, it was James' time to come home; it wasn't Peter's time yet. 'Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ;' 'that I may be comforted by the mutual faith both of you and me;' did St. Paul, when he thus wrote, regard himself as but nominally interested in the blessings of redemption? Peter prayed before he raised Dorcas from the dead (Acts 9:3643), 8. When redemption was accomplished, it was the seal of the faith and the life which they already had. Confidence in man, in self, was overthrown to its foundations all that his life had been zealously building up. He was the founder of Caesarea Philippi which was called after him. How blessed it is to see the free activity of the Holy Ghost without any kind of communication of man! If Israel would have received, the Lord would have given. Going back to verse Acts 12:5 . 302, 303). 2. he cried, and hears, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest." It may well be that what the life of Jesus could not do his death did, and that when James saw his brother die he discovered who he really was and dedicated all his life to serve him. But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace [Don't make too bit of a stir, fellows. (c) Drusilla (see Drousilla G1409) , who was the wife of Felix, the governor before whom Paul was tried ( Acts 24:24). Herod the Great left three sons, between whom his kingdom was divided - Archelaus, Philip, and Antipas. There was the freest action of the Holy Ghost, sovereignly free, and it is impossible to maintain this too stringently; and there was the utmost care that all should be left open for the Holy Ghost to act according to His own will, not only within the church, but also by evangelizing outside. Luke calleth this games which was slain the brother of John, that he may distinguish him from the son of Alpheus. With their friend on the throne, the Jewish hierarchy decided to exterminate Christianity; and there was no reason why they could not have succeeded, except for the intervention of the Father in heaven. When Peter had recovered his faculties he said, "Now I know for sure that the Lord sent his angel and delivered me from the hand of Herod and rescued me from the fate that the people of the Jews looked forward to for me.". Male facta male factis tegere ne perpluant--One evil deed is covered with another, so that there is no passage through them. Now according to their law, during the times of the Feast of Passover, they could not have any trial, and so he determined to bring him forth at the end of the Feast of Passover. WebFirst, there was unity in prayer many were gathered together praying (12:12), any differences that might have separated people from one another were now completely lost "Were the question put to a person of plain understanding, unacquainted with the controversies which have arisen on the subject, What, according to the Apostolic Epistles, is a Christian Church, or, how is it to be defined? See how he advances gradually. Ennek a hobbinak a digitlis vilg elg nagy lehetsget nyjtott. "About that time was A.D. 44, as Herods death occurred in this year" (Boles 187). He was a thoroughly bad ruler and was deposed and banished. Josephus, the Jewish historian, describes how, on the second day of the festival, he entered the theatre clad in a robe of silver cloth. Thus all the first-rate Uncials, the Sinai, Vatican, Alexandrian, and Palimpsest of Paris, supported by some of the best cursives and all the best ancient versions, oppose the vulgar reading. As little could there be a question as to the grace exercised toward him, though the manner was not after that of man. She recognized Peter's voice and, in her joy, she did not open the door but ran and told them that Peter stood before the entrance. Acts 12 It was enough. But what a rebuke is this to those that would make the church to be merely a creature of government, or in any wise to be of man's will, which is still worse, How blessed to see that it is a real organic whole, not only a living thing, but that He who is the spring of its life is the Holy Ghost Himself a divine person, who cannot but answer to the grace of the Lord Jesus whom He is come down to glorify. . After this comes no slight discipline for Saul. That monarch had succeeded in putting together the whole domain of his grandfather Herod the Great, and had also been given the title of king by Claudius. So he came in like a shining god, making this speech to the people and, of course, the people began to cry, "It's the voice of a god, not of a man!" TUESDAY Pray we Demonstrate genuine love These essential conditions of the existence of any regular society we find from the very first in being in the Church: the Apostles were the officers, and, collectively, the organ of the community; members were admitted into it by baptism; and they testified their continuance therein by participating in the sacrament of Christ's body and blood. All who are informed in these matters are aware that the best authorities reject the entire verse. He was a staunch friend of the Jews and was no doubt influenced by them to make the move to destroy Christianity. Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word and the truths that it contains. When the matter is rehearsed, the great argument is this, "Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?" But now finding himself eclipsed, like a wily man, his object was to avail himself of this superior energy if it were possible. The people cried out, "It is the voice of a God and not of a man." He handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard, for he wished to bring him before the people after the Passover Feast. Those to whom they addressed themselves were really Gentiles. Perhaps you have heard it said, Never underestimate the power of prayer .. And now Paul and Barnabas are returning back to Antioch, and John Mark, who is a nephew to Barnabas, is returning with them. It gives teaching on how to face trials and temptations, on the character of true faith, and on many practical matters such as the control of the tongue, the use of wealth and the exercise of patience (James 1:3,James 1:12; James 2:14-17; James 3:2,James 3:13; James 4:1-2; James 5:8). But Peter just kept knocking: and so when they opened the door, they saw him, and they were astonished. And he commanded us to preach unto the people." . In the portion which follows we shall see the manner of the Spirit of God's working by the great apostle of the Gentiles. This is the brother of our Lord. It is needless now to dwell on the scene, more than just to point out that which is familiar, no doubt, to many that are here the manner in which the Lord judged the apostate; for Herod owned shortly after by the people whom he had sought to please, disappointed in one place, but exalted in another was hailed as a god; and at that moment the angel of the Lord deals with his pride, and he is devoured of worms a sad image of the awful judgment of God that will fall upon one who will sit "in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.".