Acts 12:4 - Printer Friendly

What does Acts 12:4 mean?

ESV: And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.

NIV: After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.

NASB: When he had arrested him, he put him in prison, turning him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending only after the Passover to bring him before the people.

CSB: After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.

NLT: Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover.

KJV: And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

NKJV: 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.

Verse Commentary:

There are a lot of pronouns here. Herod Agrippa I was the grandson of Herod the Great and king over much of the earlier king's territory. He arrested and beheaded James, one of the first disciples of Jesus. When Herod realizes this act has increased his already significant support from the Sanhedrin, he arrests Peter, as well (Acts 12:1–3). Some translations, such as the NIV, extend Agrippa's intent specifically to bringing Peter to public trial.

It's unclear why Agrippa delays Peter's trial and execution. Three possible reasons come to mind.

First, the trial might fall on a Sabbath. In the list of the Jewish holidays, Passover was meant to be celebrated the fourteenth day of the first month with the Feast of Unleavened Bread celebrated a full week starting the next day. The first and last days of the Feast are holiday Sabbaths, wherein no work is to be done (Leviticus 23:4–8). In time, the terms "Passover" and "Feast of Unleavened Bread" began to be synonymous, representing all eight days. But in all those eight days, only the second and eighth would be holy Sabbaths, along with whichever weekly Sabbath fell in the range. Agrippa would have had plenty of other days to kill Peter.

A second possibility is Passover clemency. On the day of Passover, Pilate offered to release one prisoner, as seen in his ill-fated attempt to save Jesus by comparing Him to the insurrectionist Barabbas (Mark 15:6–15). It's not clear if other rulers continued Pilate's act of clemency. If the pleased "Jews" of Acts 12:3 are the Sanhedrin, it's possible Agrippa waits because he doesn't want the people to demand Peter's release.

The third possibility is unseemliness: avoiding a "bad image." It's more likely Agrippa waits because the entire eight-day period is a celebration of God delivering the Jews from slavery in Egypt; it would be inappropriate to host a significant execution in Jerusalem at this time. Pilate didn't care what the Jews were celebrating; he agreed to crucify Jesus because the Sanhedrin threatened trouble if he didn't (John 18:28—19:16).

"Squad" is from the Greek root word tetradion which just means a foursome; sixteen soldiers guard Peter, probably in shifts, one squad for each watch of the night. Jesus had warned the disciples they would be imprisoned and brought before kings (Luke 21:12), and before his denial Peter expressed his willingness for Jesus' sake (Luke 22:31–34). So far, Peter has been arrested and released twice (Acts 4:1–22; 5:17–40). But those arrests were by the guards of the Sanhedrin, not Roman soldiers. Considering Jesus told him he would die of crucifixion when he is old (John 21:18–19), Peter is probably a bit more concerned this time—How old is "old"? James has been killed; is he next?

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.

Chapter Summary:

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.

Chapter Context:

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.

Accessed 5/4/2024 4:05:09 PM