Chú giải Kinh Thánh

Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

Now about that time — That the famine lay sore upon the Church. Afflictions seldom come single. The saints usually fall into various temptations at once, James 1:2 . Fluctus fluctum trudit. Job’s messengers tread one upon the heels of another.

Herod the king — Nephew to Herod the Great, brother to Herodias, and father to that Agrippa, Acts 25:13 .

return to '

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

And he killed James the brother — So styled to distinguish him from the other James, called James the Less, kinsman to Christ, and bishop of Jerusalem, as the ancients style him. (Chrysost. Hom. xxxiii, in Act.) It was wonder that Herod killed no more, seeing this took so well with the people, whose favour he coveted. When Stephen the protomartyr of the Church was stoned, Dorotheus testifieth that two thousand other believers were put to death the same day; but God hath set bounds to that sea of malice that is in persecutors’ hearts, which they cannot go beyond: Psalms 76:10 ; "The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain."

return to '

And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)

And because he saw, … — Seianus ferox scelerum, quia prima provenerunt, saith Tacitus. It is an old trick of tyrants to curry favour with the wicked, by shedding the blood of the godly.

return to '

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.

To bring him forth to the people — But God had otherwise determined. Sciat Cels. Vestra, saith Luther in a letter to the Elector of Saxony, et nihil dubitet longe aliter in caelo quam Norimbergae de hoc negotio conclusum esse, i.e. God in heaven hath decreed otherwise of this business than the emperor hath at Nuremberg; and the will of the Lord must be done, when all is done. "Yet have I set my King," …, Psalms 2:6 .

return to '

Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

Earnest prayer was made — Oratio sine malis, est ut avis sine alis. These good souls strained and stretched out themselves in prayer εκτενης , as men do that are running in a race, Puriores coelo afflictione facti, as Chrysostom saith of them.

return to '

And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

Peter was sleeping — As having cast himself into God’s everlasting arms. So did David, Psalms 3:5 . So did Mr Rogers, our protomartyr in Queen Mary’s days, when he was warned suddenly to prepare for the fire, he then being found asleep, scarcely with much shogging could be awakened; at length being raised and bidden to make haste, then (said he) if it be so, I need not to tie my points.

return to '

And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him , and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

And a light shined in the prison — Gr. εν τω οικηματι , in the habitacle or conclave. So Solon first called the prison at Athens. So Petronius told Csesar he had rather be with Cato εν οικηματι , in the prison house, than with him in the senate house.

And he smote Peter on the side, … — Cuthbert Simon, a martyr in Queen Mary’s days, about midnight, being in prison (whether in a slumber or awake, I cannot tell, saith Mr Fox), heard one coming in, first opening the outward door, then the second, afterward the third, and so looking in to the said Cuthbert, having no candle or torch that he could see, but giving a brightness or light most comfortable to his heart, saying Ha unto him, and departed again. Who it was he could not tell, nor I dare define. This that he saw he declared often to many; at the sight whereof he received such joyful comfort, that he also expressed no little solace in telling and declaring the same.

His chains fell from off his hands — Prisoners were bound with one or two chains to one or two soldiers, who (as keepers) were also bound with the same chains.

return to '

And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.

And follow me — See here how by degrees (and not all at once) God oftentimes sendeth forth his prisoners (his afflicted ones) out of the pit wherein is no water, Zechariah 9:11 . He is a "God of judgment," and waits a fit time to deal forth his favours, Isaiah 30:18 ; he crumbles his mercies, as the cloud dissolves drops rain upon the earth; we have his blessings by retail, to maintain commerce and communion between him and us. Have patience, therefore, and wait for full deliverance. We know not what we lose by making haste, and not holding up our hands, as Moses did, to the going down of the sun. If God have begun to enlarge us, he will in due time do it to the full. If we should not be in straits sometimes, God should have "no tribute from us;" as those malignants suggested against those returned captives, Ezra 4:13 .

return to '