Page 62 - Acts Student Textbook

Study Section 13: Acts 12- James’ Death, Peter’s
Imprisonment and Deliverance

13.1 Connect.

Do you sometimes wonder why bad things happen to good people even when, the God we
serve is all powerful to rescue, all knowing to prevent, and all loving not to wish for anything
bad to happen to His people? Realize too that we are living in the world of evil, and the
experiences in such kind of life setting are mixed up! This chapter has a better depiction of
real life experiences. It has a mixture of sorrow, victory, and drama. But all in all, the
overreaching theme in this entire chapter is the sovereignty of God. God has demonstrated His
control in every event narrated. And finally, evil gets defeated! Let’s begin….

13.2 Objectives.

1. The student should be able to explain the sovereignty of God over all things.

2. Politically, we will identify which Herold is being discussed in this passage (12:1-23)

3. The student should be able to determine which James Herod beheaded, and analyze whether God
is in control in such circumstances.

4. The student should be able to describe Peter’s arrest, and determine God’s control (12:3-7).

13.3 Acts 12: James’ Death, Peter’s imprisonment and deliverance

Which Herod is being discussed in this passage (12:1-23)?

The Herod in this passage is “Agrippa I (11 B.C. - A.D. 44). He was the grandson of Herod the
Great (father Aristobulus); ruled Philip II’s territory A.D. 37-40), Antipas’ territory (Galilee 40-
on), all of Judea (A.D. 41-44). He persuaded Gaius (Caligula) not to follow through on his plans
to erect his statue in the Jerusalem temple. He courted the favor of the Pharisees.” He intended to
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end Christianity by eliminating the leading figures. But he could only be successful if God was not in
control.

Which James did Herod put to death, Is God in control?

Though many struggle to know which James was put to death by Herold, Scripture is clear that it was
the Apostle James the brother of John (12:2). He was a member of the inner circle of disciples (cf.
Matt. 17:1; 26:37; Mark 5:37; 9:2; 14:33; Luke 9:28). Why James should die and Peter be spared is a
mystery of God. Beheading with a sword was the normal method of capital punishment for Roman
citizens, but it apparently was odious to Jews. Definitely, God was in control! God is in control even
when wickedness seems to prosper!

It is interesting that at this time the early church did not sense the need to replace James as they had
Judas (cf. 1:15-20). The reasons are unclear, but possibly it was Judas' treachery, not death, that
caused the replacement (cf. 1:15-26).

35 Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 19.7.3; 19.8.2., (1999).
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