Acts 12:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: He killed James the brother of John with the sword,

NIV: He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.

NASB: And he had James the brother of John executed with a sword.

CSB: and he executed James, John's brother, with the sword.

NLT: He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword.

KJV: And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

NKJV: Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

Herod Agrippa I gained rulership of Judea and Samaria in AD 41 and died in AD 44, which gives us the timeframe of the first death of an apostle. At the most, this is fourteen years after Jesus' ascension, and at the least, it's eight years after.

There are two significant New Testament characters named James. One is the half-brother of Jesus, the author of the book of James and the leader of the church in Jerusalem (Matthew 13:55; James 1:1; Galatians 2:9). The second, mentioned here, is the brother of John and son of Zebedee (Mark 1:19). He is one of Jesus' three closest disciples and, with John and Peter, witnessed more than the others (Mark 5:37; 9:2). He also joined John in asking for places of particular honor when Jesus came to His kingdom (Mark 10:35–40). Jesus responded that His kingdom would only be won through His own martyrdom and obliquely warned the disciples that they would follow Him.

To be killed "with the sword" is to be beheaded. Although it is gruesome, tradition says the other disciples suffered worse fates. Peter was crucified upside-down. John survived being boiled in a vat of oil. Bartholomew was whipped to death. Andrew was beaten and then tied to an x-shaped cross to extend his agony. Matthias was stoned.

At the end of Hebrews 11, which is known as the "Old Testament Hall of Faith," the writer explains that God-followers who came before Jesus "were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth" (Hebrews 11:37–38). The passage finishes, "And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect" (Hebrews 11:39–40). The Old Testament believers died waiting for the restoration of Israel. The New Testament believers died waiting for Jesus' worldwide kingdom. All of them were willing to sacrifice themselves for a reward that is greater than life.

Acts 12:1–5 is the only Scripture which directly records the death of an apostle. Herod Agrippa I, who has commended himself to the Jewish leaders by protecting their religion, endears himself further by arresting and beheading James, the brother of John. The Sanhedrin is so pleased, Agrippa arrests Peter, as well. His plan is to kill Peter after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, but while Peter is chained and guarded by four squads of soldiers, the church is praying.

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.