Peter’S Miraculous Deliverance From Prison
PETER’S MIRACULOUS DELIVERANCE FROM PRISON
ACTS 12:1-11
The church put everything they’d got into praying. God never ignores that kind of prayer!
The next incident of the onward sweep of the gospel which the reader expects is the kind of episode which chapter 13 narrates—namely, the first missionary journey of St. Paul. But one indication that the events of 11:22-30 occupied a longer time than the text at first suggests may be that Luke places next a full account of Peter’s adventures. At all events, our attention is switched from Paul to Peter.
“Herod the king” (12:1) is Herod Agrippa I, who found a friend in the Roman emperor Caligula who gave him the control of territory which belonged to the former’s uncle Philip (Luke 3:1), adding to it the district of Abilene governed by Lysanias. In AD 37 Herod received the kingdom, and thereafter acquired the domain of Herod Antipas, the territories of Galilee and Perea. In AD 41 he received the control of Judea; and this is the period indicated by the chronological note of verse 1: “about that time.”
Two Christian leaders fell foul of Herod’s violent pogroms: James was killed (fulfilling Mark 10:39), Peter was arrested with a view to a later execution after the seven-day period of the Passover festival (12:3). Herod’s malevolent design is darkly hinted in verses 4 and 6, where “to bring him out” implies an intended execution.
Peter’s case seemed to be hopeless (notice the emphasis on “prison,” “soldiers,” “chains,” “sentries” guarding the door in verses 4-6). But the Christians’ secret weapon was being silently and secretly forged. What was it (12:5)?
Deliverance came in the form of a supernaturally timed visitor’s arrival (12:7). No barred doors prevented his entry; no guard impeded him and the bewildered Peter as they threaded their way through the gaol (12:10); no key was needed to open the last gate to freedom (12:10b).
Notes 12:3: Passover lasted from Nisan 14 to Nisan 21 (Exodus 12:18). Luke uses the term Passover (12:4) for the entire festival season, as in his Gospel (22:1,7). 12:5: “earnest prayer”—this description is found in Luke 22:44, lit. “in a stretched-out manner.” Prayer meant hard work for these devoted believers (Colossians 4:12). 12:7: “angel” and “messenger” are the same Greek term. Whichever translation is preferred, the deliverance was miraculous at every point.