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The New Testament THE NEW TESTAMENT ACTS (PART II) Colosseum at Rome Year 2 – Quarter 3 by F. L. Booth © 2006 F. L. Booth Zion, IL 60099 CONTENTS LESSON PAGE 14. The Persecution of Herod Agrippa I 14-1 15. Paul's First Journey (Part I) 15-1 16. Paul's First Journey (Part II) 16-1 17. Paul's Second Journey (Part I) 17-1 18. Paul's Second Journey (Part II) 18-1 19. Paul's Second Journey (Part III) 19-1 20. Paul's Third Journey (Part I) 20-1 21. Paul's Third Journey (Part II) 21-1 22. Paul's Arrest and Defense Before the Jews 22-1 23. Paul Before the Council - The Plot to Kill Paul 23-1 24. Paul Before Felix and Festus 24-1 25. Paul Before Agrippa II 25-1 26. Paul's Journey to Rome 26-1 The Herod Family Roman Emperors – 1st Century A. D. Maps of Paul’s Journeys 14 - 1 LESSON 14 THE PERSECUTION OF HEROD AGRIPPA I Acts 12 INTRODUCTION. Following the death of Stephen, the followers of Jesus were scat- tered because of persecution by the Jews. Wherever these disciples went, they preached the gospel, converting souls to Jesus Christ (Acts 8:1, 4). Philip first went to Samaria where Simon the sorcerer and others were baptized. Then Philip was directed by the Spirit to go to the road leading from Jerusalem to Gaza where he met the Ethiopian nobleman. Eventually, after the conversion of the Ethiopian, Philip arrived in Caesarea, preaching in "all the cities" along the way (Acts 8:5-40). Saul went to Damascus, and after his conversion to Jesus Christ he preached in that city. When his life was in danger, he went to Jerusalem, but being in danger there, too, the brethren sent him to Tarsus, his birthplace (Acts 9:1-31). Peter journeyed to Samaria (Acts 8:14), then went to Lydda, Joppa, and Caesarea (Acts 9:32-10:48). After baptizing Cornelius, the Roman centurion, Peter returned to Jerusalem to relate to the brethren there the events surrounding the conversion of that Gentile and his household (Acts 11:1-18). Other followers of Jesus went north to Phoenicia, the island of Cyprus, and Antioch in Syria. In Antioch the gospel was preached first to the Jews and then to the Gen- tiles also. Barnabas was sent by the disciples in Jerusalem to Antioch to assist them. When many people in Antioch were added to the Lord, Barnabas went to Tarsus to find Saul and bring him back to Antioch. For a year they taught many people, and the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch (Acts 11:19-26). HEROD AGRIPPA I. "About that time" Herod Agrippa I began to afflict the church (Acts 12:1). The time was A. D. 44, about twelve to seventeen years after the cruci- fixion of Jesus Christ. Herod Agrippa I was a grandson of Herod the Great, the ruler The Persecution of Herod Agrippa I, 14 - 2 who killed the male children in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:16). Herod Agrippa I was given the title of king by the Roman emperor in A. D. 37. He first ruled over the area north and east of the Sea of Galilee. Two years later Galilee and Perea were added to his territory. In A. D. 41 the Roman emperor gave him the provinces of Judea, Samaria, and Idumea. From that time to his death in A. D. 44, Agrippa I reigned over the whole of his grandfather's kingdom. Luke records that Agrippa's first act of persecution against Christians and the church was to kill the apostle James with the sword (Acts 12:1-2). James was thus the first apostle to lose his life for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Next Agrippa imprisoned Pe- ter, but Peter was miraculously released from the prison by an angel of the Lord (Acts 12:3-19). Luke concludes his narrative of Herod Agrippa I with the event of Agrippa's death (Acts 12:20-23). Upon a certain day Agrippa attended a festival in honor of the Roman emperor. Ac- cording to the Jewish historian Josephus, Agrippa was arrayed in a robe made of silver which shone brilliantly in the morning sun. As he sat upon his throne, Agrippa made a speech to the people at the festival. The excited crowd, dazzled by his glis- tening garments, shouted praise to him and called him a god. When Agrippa ac- cepted this flattery and honor, which belonged to God, an angel of the Lord smote him with an incurable disease. Josephus records that Herod Agrippa I died a horri- ble death five days later, his rotting flesh producing worms. A. HEROD AGRIPPA'S PERSECUTION (Acts 12:1-19) 1. At that time Herod afflicted certain ones in the church and killed __________ the brother of John with the sword. (Acts 12:1-2) 2. Since this pleased the Jews, Herod also took _________________ during the days of unleavened bread. (Acts 12:3) 3. Herod put Peter in prison and delivered him to four quaternions (squads) of ____________________. (Acts 12:4) Note. A quaternion was a band of four soldiers on guard at one time. Two guards were in the prison cell with Peter, one on each side of him, each bound with chains to an arm of Peter. Another soldier was posted at the door of the The Persecution of Herod Agrippa I, 14 - 3 prison, and the fourth guarded the passage leading to the outside gate. Every three hours the guard changed and four new soldiers came on duty. Thus during the night, sixteen soldiers (four quaternions) were responsible for Peter. 4. _________________ was made without ceasing by the church unto God for Peter. (Acts 12:5) 5. That night Peter slept between two guards, bound with two ______________; and the keepers (guards) before the door kept the prison. (Acts 12:6) 6. The _________________________ came and smote Peter on the side, telling him to arise, and his chains fell off from his hands. (Acts 12:7) 7. The angel told Peter to: (Acts 12:8) a. _____________ thyself b. bind (tie) on thy ____________ c. cast (put) on thy ___________________ d. __________________ me. 8. Peter did not know if this was true or a ____________________. (Acts 12:9) 9. The angel and Peter passed the first and second ward (guard), then came to the ____________________ that led to the city; this opened of its own ac- cord, then Peter and the angel went out, passed through one street, and the angel departed. (Acts 12:10) 10. When Peter came to himself, he knew that the Lord had sent his angel and delivered him out of the hand of _______________. (Acts 12:11) 11. Peter went to the house of Mary, the mother of ______________________, where many were gathered together praying. (Acts 12:12) 12. When Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda answered but did not open the gate because of __________________. (Acts 12:13-14) 13. She ran inside and told the others who at first thought the girl was mad; then they said it is his angel; when they finally opened the door and saw Peter, they were ____________________. (Acts 12:14-16) The Persecution of Herod Agrippa I, 14 - 4 14. Peter told them that the Lord had brought him out of the _______________; then he departed. (Acts 12:17) 15. When day came and Herod could not find Peter, he examined the _________ and commanded that they be put to death. Herod then left Judea and went to Caesarea. (Acts 12:18-19) B. HEROD AGRIPPA'S DEATH (Acts 12:20-24) 1. _____Upon a set day Herod was arrayed in a. god 2. _____Herod sat upon his b. glory 3. _____Herod made an c. royal apparel 4. _____The people shouted, It is the voice of a d. grew, multiplied 5. _____Immediately Herod was smitten by the e. throne 6. _____Herod did not give God the f. worms 7. _____Herod was eaten by g. oration 8. _____The word of God h. angel of the Lord CONCLUSION. Although James was one of Jesus’ twelve apostles, Luke mentions only briefly his martyrdom. James and his brother John, sons of Zebedee, were fishermen and the first disciples to be called by Jesus together with Peter and An- drew (Matt. 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20). James and John were named the “Sons of Thunder” by Jesus perhaps due to their zeal (Mark 3:17; Luke 9:51-56). Peter, James and John accompanied Jesus when he raised Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:35- 43; Luke 8:49-56); they witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36); and the three were with Jesus in his sorrow in the Garden of Geth- semane (Matt. 26:36-38; Mark 14:32-34). Herod’s imprisonment of Peter is the third recorded confinement of the apostle (Acts 4:1-22; Acts 5:17-40). He was released miraculously by the angel of the Lord in both the second and this incident. His own martyrdom was not to occur at this time (John 21:15-19). John Mark went with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch in Syria and then accompanied them on their first journey, leaving them at Perga (Acts 12:25; 13:2-13). He was a cousin of Barnabas and went with him to Cyprus when Paul chose Silas for his sec- ond journey (Acts 15:36-40; Col.
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