Acts 12:21 - Printer Friendly

ESV: On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them.

NIV: On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people.

NASB: On an appointed day, after putting on his royal apparel, Herod took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them.

CSB: On an appointed day, dressed in royal robes and seated on the throne, Herod delivered a speech to them.

NLT: and an appointment with Herod was granted. When the day arrived, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and made a speech to them.

KJV: And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.

NKJV: So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them.

Not even Josephus seems to record the connection between Agrippa's speech and his argument with Tyre and Sidon. Antiquities 19.8.2 343–361 does give more information regarding the setting, however.

Agrippa is in Caesarea Maritima, the Roman capital of the region on the coast of Samaria. It is the second morning of the games he has inaugurated in honor of Caesar. He is wearing garments made of silver, and when the morning sun falls on him, he glows. Some think he intends to emulate the Phoenician sun god, while others think he just likes how it looks. When the people see him, they say, "The voice of a god, and not of a man!" (Acts 12:22).

Normally, Agrippa has a measure of respect for the Jewish God. On this day, he delays rebuking the people's blasphemy and God responds. Perhaps because he is a public leader who claims to follow God, an angel strikes him (Acts 12:23), and he gets a terrible pain in his gut. Josephus says he also sees an owl—a harbinger of death. Agrippa, according to Josephus, spent the next five days in agony before he dies, his bowels eaten by worms.

"Throne" is taken from the Greek root word bema. It's a throne in that it's the seat of a king, but specifically it's the raised platform where a king sits when he makes a judgment. It is also translated tribunal (Acts 18:17; 25:6, 10, 17). When Jesus-followers are judged, it will be before the Bema Seat of Christ where He will reward us for our obedience to God (Romans 14:10–12; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

Acts 12:20–23 describes some of the details of the death of Herod Agrippa I. He was the first true king since his grandfather, Herod the Great, and ruled over nearly as much territory. He had an abnormally good relationship with the Jewish leadership and was one of the few Roman rulers of the area to persecute the church. But his favor with the Jews evidently contributed to his pride. He accepted the glory due only to God and died while his bowels were eaten by worms. Josephus, an ancient historian, provides some details Scripture does not.

Acts 12 starts with the first death of an apostle and ends with the death of a king. Herod Agrippa I beheads James and imprisons Peter. An angel rescues Peter and he quickly lets the church in Jerusalem know before he goes into hiding. Agrippa, grandson of Herod the Great and friend to the Pharisees, accepts glory due only to God and dies, likely a few days later, of internal worms. Meanwhile, the church continues to grow, and Barnabas and Saul return to Syrian Antioch. The scene is set for Paul's extensive ministry to the Gentiles.

When Acts 12 opens, at least some of the apostles are in Jerusalem, and Barnabas and Saul are in Syrian Antioch, collecting support so the church in Jerusalem can survive the coming famine (Acts 11:27–30). The church is established in Jerusalem and growing in the regions on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea. When the chapter closes, Barnabas and Saul are poised for their missionary trip in modern-day Asia Minor. Saul will take on the Greek version of his name, Paul, and the story of Jesus will spread to Rome and beyond.

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.