Acts (Written)

Vermont State office building.

Thursday, 24 November 2022

Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” Acts 12:8

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

An angel of the Lord had just come to Peter, woke him up, and told him to arise. With that, the chains fell off his hands. Next, it says, “Then the angel said to him, ‘Gird yourself.’”

The clothes worn at that time consisted of an outer garment and an inner garment. When relaxing or sleeping, the outer garment would be taken off and the inner garment (the xitōn, or tunic) would be loosened by undoing the girdle that bound it. Hence, to “gird” oneself meant to tighten up this inner garment.

By doing this, it would make it possible to travel much more easily. To not be girded would mean the tunic could trip a person up when walking quickly or running. This is seen, for example, in these words from 1 Kings 18 –

“Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.” 1 Kings 18:46

Hence, the angel’s admonition to gird himself up implies that they would be leaving and heading out. He also said, “and tie on your sandals.”

The Greek word is sandalion. It was, like today, a shoe that protected the sole but with an open top. The sole could be made of wood or leather. Generally, it would be bound around the ankle and leg with string or straps to keep it secure. In compliance with the angel’s words, Luke notes, “and so he did.”

Remembering that Peter was just asleep, he would have been groggy. And so, noting the act of compliance tells us that nothing in the process was missed. Remembering also that Peter is between two guards, it can be assumed that the angel’s words were only heard by Peter or that the guards had been put into some sort of trance. In the Old Testament, such a state was noted a couple of times.

For example, in the account of Lot in Genesis 19, the people outside of his house were right there by the door, and yet they could not find it –

“But the men reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. ¹¹ And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door.” Genesis 19: 10, 11

The mental state of the people of Sodom was confused and their senses were blinded to keep them from properly perceiving what was happening and what they were seeing. With something like this quite possibly occurring with the guards, Luke next says, “And he said to him, ‘Put on your garment and follow me.’”

This is now what is called a himation. It is a cloak or robe that was often fabricated from wool. It had openings for the head and arms and fit loosely over the xitōn. In telling Peter to put this on, it could only mean they were leaving. He would be prepared to be outdoors when dressed in this manner.

Life application: There are times when we need to relax or sleep. But even at those times, we should be prepared to act. Peter was set to go even though he was in prison. His girdle was ready, his sandals were handy, and his outer garment was also nearby.

If we replace those things with the idea of the gospel, we can then equate our remembering it and having it handy for any situation that arises. The word should never be far from our lips, just in case there is a sudden need to share it. We should have it ready at the store, in class, while at work, or when on a picnic.

We never know when someone will suddenly enter into our life who needs to hear about Jesus. So always be ready. As Paul says –

“Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; ¹⁸ praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints” Ephesians 6:14-18

Be ready! People need Jesus and you just may be the person to share Him with someone today.

Lord God, help us to always carry with us the sense of urgency that comes with knowing all people are one heartbeat away from eternity. With this thought in mind, we will always be ready to share the good news about Jesus. Keep us focused on this most important news, the good news of the gospel. Yes, help us with this. Amen.

State house memorial plaque.

Wednesday, 23 November 2022

Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. Acts 12:7

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

The previous verse noted the condition of Peter’s incarceration, having been bound with two chains between two soldiers and with guards before the door who were keeping the prison. Next, it says, “Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him.”

The KJV and several other versions incorrectly say, “the angel of the Lord.” However, as in Acts 5:19, there is no definite article before “angel.” Hence, this is not a particular angel, nor is it the Lord. Rather, it is an unspecified angel sent by the Lord to accomplish a mission.

This angel came into Peter’s cell in a miraculous manner where he stood by Peter. It next says, “and a light shone in the prison.”

The word translated as “prison” is not the same as previously. Rather, it is a word found nowhere else in Scripture. However, according to Greek scholars, it was a common word in classical Greek, oikéma. It literally signifies a tenement, but it was used by those of Athens in a euphemistic manner for being in prison. Today, we say “pokey,” “stir,” “hoosegow,” “jail,” “clink,” “cooler,” “jug,” “lockup,” “pound,” “glasshouse,” “caboose,” “slammer,” “big house,” “cell,” and so on, in this manner. Choose your favorite!

When the angel appeared, the area lit up. Whether it was an external light or simply light radiating from the angel is not stated. All it says is “and light shone in the pokey.” However, the accompaniment of light with the appearance of angels is found elsewhere and signifies the divine presence regardless of how it is transmitted. With that, it next says, “and he struck Peter on the side.”

The word translated as struck can be anything from a gentle knock to a lethal blow. In this case, one can see him, like a friend, using the palm or the back of the hand and gently but firmly tapping on him to bring him from his obviously deep state of sleep. From there, it says, “and raised him up.”

This word can mean to rise or to awaken. Certainly, this means he woke him up because of the next words of Luke, “saying, ‘Arise quickly!’”

Once awake, the angel then asked Peter to get up in a hurry. There could be no delays in his actions due to the current situation. With that, it next says, “And his chains fell off his hands.”

This was obviously miraculous in at least a couple of ways. First, they came off at the very moment the angel instructed him to arise. Also, the sound and motion of the chains went undetected by the guards, as did the shining of the light and the stirring of Peter. With Peter free from the chains, the narrative will continue with miraculous events in the coming verses.

Life application: A natural explanation for the events that are occurring will only go so far. The guards fell asleep. That would be all four of them. If so, we would have to assume the angel must have used a type of gas to put them to sleep. The angel got the keys and went in and got Peter up. The gas was strong enough to make everyone sleep but not strong enough to keep Peter asleep. The angel took the keys from the jailors to get in and used them on the chains. Etc.

These are all possible explanations, but then it means that the actual words of the account were falsified. If so, the account is essentially true, but the details were not as it is written. Or is it a total fabrication? In other words, there is only so much of what is said that can be considered believable without accepting miraculous and divine intervention.

But this has already been the case in Scripture many times. God intervenes at various times and in various ways to bring about the outcome of things. Angels appear and disappear. The Lord appears and disappears as well. Such accounts require faith.

Quite often, naturalistic explanations for things are made, but in seeking such an explanation, it argues that at least the substance of the account is true. Otherwise, there would be no point in trying to explain it.

If the account is true, and if we have a reliable record of how it occurred (such as this account told by Peter and recorded by Luke), then we must either believe the words as they are written, or we need to suppose that Peter was either lying or not remembering correctly. But such an event would hardly be remembered incorrectly.

Let us consider these things and accept that what is written is true and accurate. Think about the arguments of naysayers. In the end, their position will always be untenable. Either the Bible is true, or it is not. If not, then why would we bother with it? But if it is, let us accept what it says and have faith that it is accurately portraying the events it describes.

O God, we are so thankful for Your word. There are things in it that are often hard to understand, but we can accept them by faith because we know that You can do all things. Help us in our doubts and give us a depth of faith that will withstand the many accusations that come against Your word. Help us in this, O God. Amen.

Montpelier Vermont.

Tuesday, 22 November 2022

And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Acts 12:6

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

The previous words noted Peter having been kept in prison while those of the church prayed constantly for him. With that, it now says, “And when Herod was about to bring him out.”

However long he was in prison, be it a day or more than a week, the time had arrived when the next day would see Peter’s trial, surely resulting in his execution at the hands of Herod. Despite this, it next says, “that night Peter.”

The Greek is more specific, “the night, that.” In other words, not only was Herod about to bring Peter forth, but this was on no other night than the one before the day he was to be brought forth. This highlights the importance of the events. Nobody had come to Peter’s rescue during his incarceration, and he had a few hours left before his time was set to expire. And yet, it says, he “was sleeping.”

One would think sleep would not come easily at such a time, but Peter was fast asleep. This can be deduced from the words of verse 12:11. The events that are set to come about are so incomprehensible that Peter thought he was still in a deep sleep. For now, Luke’s minutely detailed account notes that while he was sleeping, he was “bound with two chains.”

Rather, the Greek is a perfect participle, saying, “having been bound with two chains.” This is the state he was in all along and it continued right up to the present moment. The impossibility of his situation is highlighted by this. If Peter were able to free himself from one chain, there would still be a second to deal with. And more, though it does not say how he was bound to the chains, it does note that it was “between two soldiers.”

The Greek reads, “between to guards.” It is true that they are identified as soldiers elsewhere, but the soldiers are acting as guards at this time. Of this, Albert Barnes says, “Peter was bound to the two. 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. This was a common mode of securing prisoners among the Romans. See abundant authorities for this quoted in Lardner’s Credibility, part 1, chapter 10: section 9, London edition, 1829, vol. i. p. 242, 243, etc.”

Whether bound to the guards as noted by Barnes or bound to chains attached to the walls or floor, the situation is beyond any reasonable hope. If Peter were to free himself from the chains, the clinking sounds would be unmistakable as the guards were right there with him. But more, Luke continues, saying, “and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.”

Even if Peter were to free himself from his chains and then overcome two guards who were bound by their lives to not allow him to escape, there were still two more guards who would hear everything and be ready to overcome him in a moment. The utter impossibility of Peter gaining his freedom through natural means is perfectly evident by noting the description of his situation that has been so carefully detailed by Luke.

Life application: How could Peter be in a deep sleep while the prospect of his execution was only moments away? Many scholars look to the psalms as proof that Peter was satisfied with his position in the Lord and with his coming fate. Some cite the psalms, such as –

“I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the LORD sustained me.” Psalm 3:5

“I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;
For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8

“Remember His marvelous works which He has done,
His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth,” Psalm 105:5

“It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.” Psalm 127:2

It is true that we can derive comfort from the psalms in our times of distress, sadness, woe, anxiety, and so forth, but those words do not change the situation in which we find ourselves. They only give us comfort in and through them. However, Peter had something more, didn’t he? He states in his 2^nd epistle –

“And we have more firm the prophetic word, to which we do well giving heed, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, till day may dawn, and a morning star may arise — in your hearts.” 2 Peter 1:19 (YLT)

Peter had a prophetic word from the Lord Himself that was an absolute guarantee that his day had not yet come –

“‘Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.’ ¹⁹ This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’” John 21:18, 19

Though it is not known how old Peter was at this time, he was probably not yet an old man. Only about ten years had passed since Jesus’ ascension. But more, based on how James was executed, it can be inferred that Herod’s means of execution for Peter was not what he was set to receive. The stretching out of his hands implied that he would follow Christ in crucifixion. As such, he would have accepted Jesus’ words and realized that he had nothing to worry about, at least on this evening.

Whether this is a stretch of the situation or not, and it is probably not, it is a lesson for us to consider. The Bible has given us future prophecies that are fixed in their meaning. We may not have all the details concerning them, such as exact timing, and so on, but they are events that the Lord has promised through His word that they will come about. As they tell us of the surety of glorification and eternity in His presence, what do we really have to worry about?

The prophecies are promises from God, who cannot lie. They are fixed and they are set. In due time, they will be realized. So be of good cheer and hold fast to what the word says.

Glorious Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us a sure and reliable word that tells us what lies ahead. Because of this, everything that happens in this world, no matter how distressing or evil, will come to an end. We shall be brought into Your presence, and we shall see Jesus, the Hope of our hearts and the Savior of our souls. What more could we ever hope for! Thank You for our sure hope, O God. Amen.

Downtown Montpelier, Vermont

Monday, 21 November 2022

Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. Acts 12:5

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

The previous verse referred to the arrest and incarceration of Peter, noting that it was intended that he should be brought forth before the people after the Passover. With that noted, it now says, “Peter was therefore kept in prison.”

An important conjunction is missing from the translation. Also, there is a necessary article before prison. It more appropriately reads, “Peter, therefore, indeed, was kept in the prison” (YLT).

As this was noted to be “during the Days of Unleavened Bread” (Acts 12:3), it could be that he was actually seized before the Passover, and the inserted word “during” would mean that it is that general timeframe, or it could be that it was on some day during the feast. As such, it could be from a couple of days to more than a week that Peter was held. Luke does not provide the specifics on this. Regardless of the duration, Luke next notes the attention of those in the church concerning his situation, saying, “but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.”

The words are very poorly translated. The word translated as “constant prayer” is an adverb that means “fervently.” The idea of continuance comes from an imperfect verb and a present participle. Thus, the entire thought should read, “and fervent prayer was being made by the assembly unto God for him” (YLT).

The sense is that the church was literally pouring out its heart in a continuous fashion for Peter. There were probably shifts of people that came together and wholeheartedly sought the face of the Lord for his deliverance. It is a beautiful note of the unity of the assembly and of the love they possessed for Peter. It also reveals that the church had no design to go in and bust Peter out of the pokey.

Rather, they prayed for the Lord’s hand to intercede in whatever fashion He determined, be it a miraculous release as had occurred in the past or to soften the heart of Herod and bring about a change in his designs. This fits well with Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 1:9-11 –

“Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, ¹⁰ who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, ¹¹ you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many.”

Life application: The Bible always exalts the power of prayer, even if not all prayers are answered in the manner of the one who is praying. It is certain that God already knows exactly what is going to happen regarding whatever matter is lifted up to Him, but it still asks us to pray. Further, Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 1 (above) clearly indicate that he believed that prayers change the outcome of events.

How can this be if God already knows the outcome? The answer is that He factors in the prayers of His people. Even if He already knows who will pray and who will not. This is not contradictory at all. He knows, we do not. An unspoken prayer is a prayer that will not be responded to. A spoken prayer will be responded to according to His will. And the outcome will be as God designed by taking the entire process according to His eternal counsel.

And this is the same thing as the salvation of an individual. Despite the Calvinist doctrine that God must regenerate a person in order to believe (which is nonsense) a person who does not have faith in God’s provision will not be saved. A person who does will be. Just as there is nothing contradictory in praying in order to affect God’s will, there is nothing contradictory in believing and being saved.

And yet, the same people who deny free will in salvation will pray for the lost, they will pray for healing, they will pray for blessing and favor, and they will pray for the other desires of their hearts. That… that is contradictory thinking.

We must act, both in believing God unto salvation and in praying to God for what we desire. And so, act!

O God, we are grateful to You for hearing our prayers and for responding according to Your infinite wisdom. How unimaginable it is that You would hear our prayers and respond to the faith we possess! You have all power and all knowledge. You are infinitely glorious. And yet You would look upon us and care for what we desire and attend to our faith. How truly great You are, O God. Amen.

Big church close to Vermont capitol.

Sunday, 20 November 2022 

So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. Acts 12:4

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

So far in the ongoing narrative, Peter has been seized by Herod during the Days of Unleavened Bread. With that noted, it now says, “So when he had arrested him.” The words here more appropriately should be translated, “So having arrested him.” There is motion in the words of Luke, one thought building upon the next. Herod had arrested Peter. With that action complete, it next says that “he put him in prison.”

The reason for this is coming in the next clause. All it said of James is that he was killed with the sword. Regardless of the events surrounding the killing of James, only his death by the sword is recorded. However, the fate of Peter is explained in greater detail. Luke masterfully builds up a sense of excitement with his words to lead the reader to each subsequent thought. Peter is now put in prison, and then it next says that Herod “delivered him to four squads of soldiers.”

Like the first clause, these words are from an aorist participle and more rightly should be translated, “having delivered him to four squads of soldiers.” Luke continues to carefully align his words to bring the reader right into the narrative. As for the large number of soldiers, this certainly seems like total overkill, but Luke is undoubtedly recording it for a particular purpose. To understand it, one must go back to Acts 5 –

“Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, ¹⁸ and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. ¹⁹ But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, ²⁰ ‘Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.’
²¹ And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest and those with him came and called the council together, with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
²² But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, ²³ saying, ‘Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!’ ²⁴ Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. ²⁵ So one came and told them, saying, ‘Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!’” Acts 5:17-25

This certainly supports the theory that the leaders of Israel personally asked Herod to seize Peter and do away with him as he had done with James. Peter had been arrested and yet was freed from his incarceration. They may have accepted it was an angel who released the men, or they may have reasoned that they were somehow broken out at night.

Regardless of how they had escaped, they did. Because of that, when Herod seized Peter, the Jews probably said, “Be careful to guard this guy well. He is a slippery fellow and has escaped from our own dungeon.” This is all conjecture, but Luke’s careful attention to this detail supports the theory. Hence, Herod had a large contingent set aside “to keep him.”

Four squads, or four quaternions, of soldiers would be sixteen men. Hence, if the shifts were divided into four, there would always be four soldiers monitoring him. It is readily apparent that Peter was considered a particularly important prisoner to be watched because he was known to have escaped in the past.

Were this not so, Luke would have simply overlooked any mention of it at all. A prison is a place of incarceration that generally holds lots of people. It is also normally well-guarded. To assign four quaternions of soldiers to guard him, and for Luke to especially note this, is certainly exceptional. As for the reason for not dispatching Peter off to the next world immediately, it next says that Herod was “intending to bring him before the people.”

The words “to bring him before” are more precisely rendered, “to lead him up.” The idea is that he would be brought out of prison and “up” to the elevated place where a tribunal would be held and where the death sentence would occur in the presence of the people. And this was to occur “after Passover.”

These words also give a very good indication that the Jews were involved in the seizing of Peter. They had seized Jesus and they delivered Him up to Pilate for sentencing, probably thinking that he would wait and have a trial at some later point. This is based on the words of Matthew 26 –

“Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, ⁴ and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. ⁵ But they said, ‘Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.’” Matthew 26:3-5

Pilate set about to have an immediate trial, even as the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread was getting started. And exactly what they said might occur came about. These leaders had to actively call out for Jesus’ crucifixion to stir the crowds against Him. This led to ten years of one problem after another as His followers kept claiming He was the fulfillment of all the symbolism of the feasts and thus the Messiah.

With this thought in mind, one can see that the leaders were almost certainly in cahoots with Herod, giving their recommendations on what to do with Peter. They did not want another problem to arise like that which had occurred with the killing of Jesus.

Life application: Luke is a careful chronicler of all that is taking place. But it must be remembered that God is the One who inspired the narrative to be recorded as it is. The careful attention to detail, all the way through Acts, is a testament to Israel’s rejection of Jesus as their Messiah. His rejection then explains the destruction of the nation along with their two thousand years of justly deserved exile.

However, the fact that they have been under the curses and punishment of the law, instead of God just destroying them and being done with them forever, gives clear and reasonable proof that He is not done with them as a people. The regathering of them into the land from which they were exiled is an openly visible proof that the Lord is set to do all that His prophetic words concerning Israel are said to be coming.

The idea of “replacement theology” is so utterly ridiculous when looked at from how things are in the world. God spoke, His word promises, and He will fulfill. There is absolutely no reason to think that the church has replaced Israel. Rather, there is every reason to be certain that it has not. And more, as this is so, and because Israel is once again restored as a people and a nation, it is a sure sign that the other prophecies concerning the coming of the end times must also be ready to find their fulfillment.

Let us live out our lives with this in mind. Let us not hold too tightly to this world. Some wonderful day, and it may be soon, the call will be made, and the church will be removed from the hour of trial that is set to come upon the whole world. Let us anticipate that moment more and more with each moment that passes!

Heavenly Father, we look to the coming of our Lord Jesus and our being gathered to Him. May that day be soon. And Lord, until that day, may we be about the business that You have set before Your people. May we be willing to share the good news with all that come into our lives. Help us in this, O God. Amen.