Bible Study: Acts 11-12
After
Peter’s retelling of his interaction with the centurion Cornelius, chapter 11
shifts to remind us how far and wide the apostles are now traveling to preach,
teach, and heal. Remember that after Stephen was executed, the infamous Saul
began a persecution that caused the apostles to scatter for their safety (8:1).
Now we have an update about where they traveled. They are beyond the boundaries
of Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, deep into foreign territory. While they begin
their ministry among other Jews (11:19), after spending a year in Antioch, a
community is established which is called “Christian”, probably indicating that
it is far enough removed from Jewish identity--perhaps because of distance,
maybe because of practice—that this group of believers needs its own name.[1]
Chapter 12 describes a miraculous rescue from prison. Note
that the Herod in this story is the grandson of the Herod who reigned when
Jesus was born. Herod the Great was a powerful ruler of the Roman Empire who
facilitated important and impressive architectural feats, including developing
the city of Caesarea on the Mediterranean coast (the location in his territory
nearest to Rome) into an important trade city. He even had a freshwater
swimming pool at his palace on the harbor, fed by water from Mt. Carmel, 8
miles away. Herod the Great ruled when Jesus was born. His son, Herod Antipas,
was involved with the deaths of John the Baptizer and Jesus.
This Herod, more commonly known as Agrippa I, ruled only a
short time. While he is remembered in Jewish history as a “fair, generous, and
religious observant Jewish ruler,”[2]
in this scene he beheads James, the brother of John (those fishermen sons of
Zebedee) and arrests Peter, presumably for the same fate. When Peter is not in
prison the following day, he puts to death the guards who failed to retain him.
The use of the name “Herod” here, the beheading of James, and the timing of the
arrest to be at Passover, are intended to make parallels with Jesus’ and John’s
stories. His willingness to kill people also aligns him with his family. Interestingly,
extra-biblical sources confirm this sudden death of Herod Agrippa, after having
been acclaimed as a god by crowds in Caesarea.[3]
The second James in this story (v. 17) is thought to be the
brother of Jesus; he will appear again later in Acts. While the repeating of
some names is confusing, it serves to tie these stories closely with the
stories of Jesus.
Guiding questions:
1.
What is God doing?
2.
What are the people doing?
3. What
do we learn about being church?
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