Study #9 Acts 12:1-24
Recap
In our last study, we saw how the Gospel continued to spread across the Roman Empire—moving beyond its Jewish roots and breaking through the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile. As people from different cultures and backgrounds were welcomed in, these believers could no longer be defined by ethnicity, social status, or heritage alone. A new name emerged. In Antioch, followers of the Way were first called Christians.
This expansion shows the ongoing fulfillment of Jesus’ promise: that His disciples would make disciples in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. While they haven’t yet reached the very ends of the world, they have crossed the boundaries of Judea and Samaria and are clearly moving outward.
Yet as the Gospel spreads beyond Israel, it doesn’t go unchallenged. Resistance grows. Persecution follows.
Introduction
In Acts chapter 12, we encounter another intense story of persecution in the early church. It’s a powerful and emotionally complex chapter—full of both joy and heartbreak. Some faithful followers lose their lives for their faith, while others experience miraculous prison escapes as God intervenes in extraordinary ways.
This passage can fill us with excitement as we witness God’s supernatural work in history. But it also leaves us unsettled. Right next to stories of miraculous rescue is a story where God does not intervene. This tension leads us to a difficult but important question: Why does God act powerfully in some moments and seem silent in others?
As we wrestle with these questions, we may be tempted to search for quick answers or tidy explanations. But Luke doesn’t rush us to a resolution. Instead, he invites us to see that even when events unfold differently than we expect—or hope—God is still at work, faithfully accomplishing His purposes. Whether through unmistakable miracles or in moments when His hand seems hidden, God remains sovereign and active.
Before we dive in, it’s important to make a few notes about a key character in this story:
King Herod. The opening of the chapter centers on his actions. This Herod is not the same Herod we encounter in the stories of Jesus (Herod the Great); rather, he is Herod the Great’s grandson.
King Herod ruled from approximately AD 41 to 44. This places the events of Acts 12 about a decade after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Like his grandfather, Herod governed Judea as a king under Roman authority, serving as a puppet ruler of the Roman Empire.
As the story unfolds, we see Herod actively persecuting the church. Luke draws special attention to Herod’s execution of James, the brother of John, who was killed “with the sword.” N. T. Wright notes that this detail is significant because it suggests Herod either viewed—or wanted others to view—the Christians as a political threat. By portraying them this way, Herod could make his persecution seem justified. Like his grandfather before him, he believed he was suppressing a movement centered around a “false king,” though we know this king is, in fact, the true King.
With this in mind lets jump into the passage.
Read Acts 12:1-24
(Remember - First read out loud, either one person reads the whole thing, or separate it by verses. After you read through the passage out loud, take a little bit of time to re-read it individually, noting and marking verses, words or phrases that stand out in the story.)
Three Quick Questions:
Is there anything that stands out to you as we read through the passage?
Did you learn anything new or surprising about Jesus or God’s character?
Are there any other stories or passages in the Bible that Luke may be subtly referencing? Why is Luke connecting this story to that passage?
Diving Deeper
This story in Acts once again tells a story of terrible persecution against the church, this time from a political figure, and not a rival religious faction.
What is significant about the church's response to the persecution?
In your opinion, does it feel like the church is doing enough?
In this story, we read two outcomes to the persecution: one is the death of James, the brother of John, and the other is the miraculous escape of Peter.
When we see moments when God chooses not to act as we would like him to, what should we do?
Reread verse 5 & verse 14-16.
What is the great irony at work in the story?
(Hint - the church is earnestly praying, but when Peter is there, they are astonished; they don’t believe Rhoda when she claims Peter is here)
What does this irony reveal to us about the church and prayer?
Verses 1 & 24 act as bookends to the story. Re-read these two verses.
What is the hope that Verse 24 reminds us of, despite or in the face of Verse 1?
How can we live with the hope that God will continue to be faithful and achieve his purposes even when it feels like things are falling apart?
Benediction
As we go, let us remember Jesus’ words at the Sermon on the Mount.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Go in peace, remember that no matter the challenge or resistance to our faith, the lord is with us.
Amen
