Acts 12

Acts 12:1

HErod,] surnamed Agrippa, who was grandchilde to Herod the great, and had received the title of King, from the Emperours Cains and Claudius, together with the governement of the temple, in which hee did according to his pleasure, whereupon he also undertooke these executions, as by a generall commission, though capitall judgments were taken away from the Iewes.

Acts 12:2

Hee killed,] secretly in prison, for after this triall, hee purposed to make a publike spectacle of Peter.

Acts 12:3

Then were,] this seemes to be added, to signifie the cause why the punishment was delayed, namely, in reverence of the Passeover, which lasted eight dayes.

Acts 12:12

Marke,] it is uncertaine whither it bee the same as writ the Gospell, and that seemes to bee named Colossians 4:10. 2 Timothy 4:11. 1 Peter 5:13.

Acts 12:15

It is bis,] amongst the Iewes, as it appeared by their histories, there were very frequent apparitions of dead persons, and these phantasmaes (which lesse were diabolicall) were thought to be the spirits of the persons whom they represented, and they thought there were some good and some bad, according to the diversity of the persons, and their fore-passed life. Now it should seeme that these people amazed as it were at an unlooked for chance, followed the popular opinion: and would thereby inser that Peters death was inviolable, seeing his spirit did already begin to appeare.

Acts 12:17

James,] antiquity affirmed, that this is hee, who was called the brother of the Lord, Matthew 13 55. who was also made the first Bishop of Jerusalem. Act. 15. 13. and 21. 18 Gal. 1. 19. and 2. 9. 12 and was surnamed Juslus, and Oblia. and was held in great esteeme, even amongst the Iewes. Others take it to be Iames of Alpheusthe Apostle Matthew 10:3.

Acts 12:23

He gave not,] not rejecting nor suspecting, but rather swallowing up and accepting of those impious flatteries.

Acts 12:25

Their ministery,] Namely, their carrying and delivering the reliefe which was sent by the Church of Antioch.