29. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief, &c.--This was the pure prompting of Christian love, which shone so bright in those earliest days of the Gospel.
30. sent it to the elders--an office well known to be borrowed from the synagogue; after the model of which, and not at all of the temple, the Christian Churches were constituted by the apostles.
by the hands of Barnabas and Saul--This was Saul's Second Visit to Jerusalem after his conversion.
Chapter 12
Ac 12:1-19. Persecution of the Church by Herod Agrippa I--Martyrdom of James and Miraculous Deliverance of Peter
1-3. Herod the king--grandson of Herod the Great, and son of Aristobulus. He at this time ruled over all his father's dominions. Paley has remarked the accuracy of the historian here. For thirty years before this there was no king at Jerusalem exercising supreme authority over Judea, nor was there ever afterwards, save during the three last years of Herod's life, within which the transactions occurred.
4. delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers--that is, to four parties of four each, corresponding to the four Roman watches; two watching in prison and two at the gates, and each party being on duty for the space of one watch.
intending after Easter--rather, "after the Passover"; that is, after the whole festival was over. (The word in our King James Version is an ecclesiastical term of later date, and ought not to have been employed here).
to bring him forth to the people--for execution; for during "the days of unleavened bread," or the currency of any religious festival, the Jews had a prejudice against trying or putting anyone to death.
5-6. prayer was made without ceasing--rather, "instant," "earnest," "urgent" (Margin); as in [Lu 22:44]; [Ac 26:7]; and [1Pe 4:8] (see Greek).
of the church unto God for him--not in public assembly, for it was evidently not safe to meet thus; but in little groups in private houses, one of which was Mary's ([Ac 12:12]). And this was kept up during all the days of unleavened bread.
7-11. the angel of the Lord--rather, "an angel."
came upon him--so in [Lu 2:9], expressive of the unexpected nature of the visit.
smote Peter on the side ... Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off ... Gird thyself ... And so he did ... Cast thy garment--tunic, which he had thrown off for the night.
12-17. he came to the house of Mary, &c.--who "must have had a house of some pretensions to receive a large number; and, accordingly, we read that her brother Barnabas ([Col 4:10]) was a person of substance ([Ac 4:37]). She must also have been distinguished for faith and courage to allow such a meeting in the face of persecution" [Webster and Wilkinson]. To such a house it was natural that Peter should come.
mother of John ... Mark--so called to distinguish him from the apostle of that name, and to distinguish her from the other Marys.
where many were gathered together praying--doubtless for Peter's deliverance, and continuing, no doubt, on this the last of the days of unleavened bread, which was their last hope, all night in prayer to God.
18-19. as soon as it was day, &c.--His deliverance must have been during the fourth watch (three to six A.M.); else he must have been missed by the keepers at the change of the watch [Wies].
Ac 12:20-25. Herod's Miserable End--Growing Success of the Gospel--Barnabas and Saul Return to Antioch
20. Herod was ... displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon--for some reason unknown; but the effect on their commercial relations made the latter glad to sue for peace.
their country was nourished by the king's country--See [1Ki 5:11]; [Ezr 3:7]; [Eze 27:17]. Perhaps the famine ([Ac 11:28]) made them the more urgent for reconciliation.
21. And upon a set day Herod ... made an oration unto them--to the Tyrians and Sidonians especially.
22-23. the people gave a shout, &c.--Josephus' account of his death is remarkably similar to this [Antiquities, 19.8.2]. Several cases of such deaths occur in history. Thus was this wretched man nearer his end than he of whom he had thought to make a public spectacle.
24. But the word grew, &c.--that is, Not only was the royal representative ignominiously swept from the stage, while his intended victim was spared to the Church, but the cause which he and his Jewish instigators sought to crush was only furthered and glorified. How full of encouragement and consolation is all this to the Christian Church in every age!
25. Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem--where, it thus appears, they had remained during all this persecution.
when they had fulfilled their ministry--or service; that mentioned on [Ac 11:29], .
took with them John ... Mark--(See on [Ac 12:12]), not to be confounded with the second Evangelist, as is often done. As his uncle was Barnabas, so his spiritual father was Peter ([1Pe 5:13]).
Chapter 13
PAUL'S FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY: In Company with Barnabas. [Ac 13:1-14:28].
Ac 13:1-3. Barnabas and Saul, Divinely Called to Labor among the Gentiles, Are Set Apart and Sent Forth by the Church at Antioch
The first seven chapters of this book might be entitled, The Church among the Jews; the next five (chapters eight through twelve), The Church in Transition from Jews to Gentiles; and the last sixteen (chapters thirteen through twenty-eight), The Church among the Gentiles [Baumgarten]. "Though Christianity had already spread beyond the limits of Palestine, still the Church continued a stranger to formal missionary effort. Casual occurrences, particularly the persecution at Jerusalem ([Ac 8:2]), had hitherto brought about the diffusion of the Gospel. It was from Antioch that teachers were first sent forth with the definite purpose of spreading Christianity, and organizing churches, with regular institutions ([Ac 14:23])" [Olshausen].
1. there were ... certain prophets--(See on [Ac 11:27]).
and teachers; as Barnabas, &c.--implying that there were others there, besides; but, according to what appears the true reading, the meaning is simply that those here mentioned were in the Church at Antioch as prophets and teachers.
Simeon ... Niger--of whom nothing is known.
Lucius of Cyrene--([Ac 2:20]). He is mentioned, in [Ro 16:21], as one of Paul's kinsmen.
Manaen--or Menahem, the name of one of the kings of Israel ([2Ki 15:14]).
which had been brought up with--or, the foster brother of.
Herod the tetrarch--that is, Antipas, who was himself "brought up with a certain private person at Rome" [Josephus, Antiquities, 17.1,3]. How differently did these two foster brothers turn out--the one, abandoned to a licentious life and stained with the blood of the most distinguished of God's prophets, though not without his fits of reformation and seasons of remorse; the other, a devoted disciple of the Lord Jesus and prophet of the Church at Antioch! But this is only what may be seen in every age: "Even so, Father, for so it seemeth good in Thy sight.' If the courtier, whose son, at the point of death, was healed by our Lord ([Joh 4:46]) was of Herod's establishment, while Susanna's husband was his steward ([Lu 8:3]), his foster brother's becoming a Christian and a prophet is something remarkable.
and Saul--last of all, but soon to become first. Henceforward this book is almost exclusively occupied with him; and his impress on the New Testament, on Christendom, and on the world is paramount.
2. As they ministered to the Lord--The word denotes the performance of official duties of any kind, and was used to express the priestly functions under the Old Testament. Here it signifies the corresponding ministrations of the Christian Church.
and fasted--As this was done in other cases on special occasions ([Ac 13:3], [14, 23]), it is not improbable that they had been led to expect some such prophetic announcement at this time.
the Holy Ghost said--through some of the prophets mentioned in [Ac 13:1].
Separate me--So [Ro 1:1].
for the work whereunto I have called them--by some communication, perhaps, to themselves: in the case of Saul at least, such a designation was indicated from the first ([Ac 22:21]). Note.--While the personality of the Holy Ghost is manifest from this language, His supreme divinity will appear equally so by comparing it with [He 5:4].
3. laid their hands on them--(See on [Ac 6:6])--"recommending them to the grace of God for the work which they had to fulfil" ([Ac 14:26]).