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11. King Agrippa´s Persecution of the Churches in Jerusalem (Acts 12:1-6)
ACTS 12:1-6
1 Now about that time, King Herod stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly. 2 He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. 3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This was during the days of unleavened bread. 4 When he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. 5 Peter therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him. 6 The same night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. Guards in front of the door kept the prison.
The situation greatly changed in Jerusalem and Palestine when, in A.D. 41, Claudius came to be Caesar in Rome. Agrippa, the grandson of Herod the Great, had mediated between him and the high Roman council to deliver the reins of government to Claudius, the commander of the army. As a reward for his service, the Caesar had granted his friend, Agrippa, the rule over all of Palestine. On this occasion the authority of the Roman ruler over the Jews ended, and the dominion of an eastern dictator began. Thus Roman order and right were replaced by disorder, violence, and the despotism of Agrippa, the tyrant.
This new king attempted first to gain the confidence of the High Jewish Council, with its seventy representatives. He accepted the advice of a number of them, arresting some of the Christian elders and apostles. He imprisoned them and hoped to gain, through his hypocrisy and lip-service, the public support of the Jewish people. When he observed that the multitudes did not object to his behavior, with some even applauding it, he put James, the son of Zebedee, to death. By having his head cut off with the sword he was imitating the Romans in their judgments. He did not give James a public hearing, but acted as he pleased, according to his own wishes.
James had been a follower of John the Baptist. He left him who, clothed in camel’s hair, was calling to repentance, and followed Jesus to the joy of the wedding in Cana. After he saw the miracles of his Lord he came to believe in the kingdom to come. Soon after that his mother asked Jesus to grant that her two sons, James and John, might sit, one on His right hand and the other on His left, as rulers in His kingdom. Jesus asked these two young men if they were able to drink the cup of the wrath of God that he was about to drink. When, in their ignorance, they said “yes”, he confirmed to them that they would indeed drink from that bitter cup. But to sit on His right hand and on His left was not His to give, but it was for those for whom His Father had prepared.
James died being oppressed, becoming a martyr for Jesus. He did not die because of who he was, but for being an apostle, and because of the indignation of the Jews against his evangelistic spirit. This second wave of persecution against the Christians began with the shedding of this innocent blood. This affliction was not provoked by a person filled with zeal for the law, as Saul had been, but by an indifferent king who flattered the people.
How the Lord directs His kingdom sometimes varies. At first there was spiritual revival and a love for the church by the people in Jerusalem, to the extent that the Jewish High Council could not kill the apostles. However, by the time of Steven the hatred had increased, for it began appearing that Christians were turning away from Jewish thought and abandoning the Old Testament. There were probably reports in Jerusalem, by way of rumor, that Christians were admitting Gentiles into covenant with God without circumcision. This was regarded by the Jews as an abominable blasphemy.
The people were happy about the blood shed at the hand of this wicked king. Consequently, the tyrant plucked up courage, intending to cut off the head of this Christian movement. He imprisoned Peter, the leader among the apostles. He was willing to begin his trial during the Festival of Unleavened Bread, so that he might condemn him before all the people, and then find occasion to kill him. He would then have the right and momentum to consume all Christians. The king gave orders that Peter should be intensely guarded by four squadrons, each made up of four soldiers, one for each three-hour watch of the night. The Jewish High Council reminded him of how an angel of God had earlier freed the twelve apostles from prison. This king, however, was going to overcome all angels and spirits with his craftiness and oppression. So he had Peter bound to two soldiers. His left hand was chained to the right hand of one of the soldiers, and his right hand to the left hand of the other, that he might not be left alone a single second of the day.
The church knew that Peter’s arrest was the decisive development for the continued existence or nonexistence of the Christian church in Palestine. They met for continuous prayers day and night. The armor of the Christian is not the sword, the bribe, or the trick, but prayer alone. The arm of the Lord is the believer´s protection, power, and victory. Insistent prayer is not an enthusiastic, rebellious faith, but a mean trust in God´s certain response to every word. There is no power on earth stronger than the joint prayers of Christians.
Though Peter knew that death was awaiting him, he slept peacefully. He lived in Christ, and knew that his life was hidden with Christ in God. He had been resurrected from the dead when he received the Holy Spirit. He lived faithfully, abiding in Christ. The love of his Lord granted him peace even at the time of death.
PRAYER: We thank You, our living Lord, for You have granted us everlasting life and cleansed our consciences, that we may be secure even at the hour of death. Keep us from all harm, guide us according to Your will, and bless our enemies, that they, too, may be changed and regenerated, repent and receive everlasting life.
QUESTION:
- Why did King Agrippa persecute the Christians? What was his purpose for this persecution?