But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.
The knocking took place under the persecution of Herod Agrippa I, ruler of Judea and tetrarch of Galilee under the Roman emperor Claudius. He was distinct from Herod Antipas who had taken part in the trial of Christ, though Agrippa occupied Antipas's throne through intrigue and manifested the same Herodian character and spirit in another person. He was a professed proselyte outwardly zealous for the ceremonies of the Jewish law, whose heart had grown still harder, and he persecuted the church to obtain the favor of the Jews and secure his offices and honors, spoiling the houses and goods of believers and imprisoning leading members.
The imprisonment behind the knocking followed his casting James the brother of John into prison and killing him with the sword to please the Jews, repeating the earlier Herod's beheading of the prophet John. Seeing that killing James pleased the Jews, he seized Peter also intending to put him to death. The believers expected Peter would suffer death like James.
God sent His angel and delivered Peter from prison, snatching the prey from the enemy who had determined to destroy him. At the presence of the mighty angel amid light the prison doors flew open and Peter's bands were loosed. He was awakened by the angel's touch and being amazed thought he saw a vision and forgot his garments until told to gird himself and put on his sandals, and God opened the gates and set His servant free.
This rescue shows that God employs angels to communicate with human beings and sends them as powerful helpers, guides, and teachers of His chosen messengers through instruction given by immortal messengers to men. It demonstrates God's constant care for the true and faithful and His power to send heavenly messengers to free His servant. God still had work for Peter to do so he could continue his work.
At the house where his fellow believers were gathered in earnest prayer for him, Peter kept knocking at the gate. Rhoda left him outside to tell them he was there and they refused to believe her report. Those inside hesitated and struggled to believe he was at the gate until they opened the door and saw him for themselves.
When they opened and saw him they were astonished and amazed to find him alive and free and actually there. Their astonishment came despite having prayed for his release and heard Rhoda's report and his voice. They had doubted and expected him to die in prison like James.
Peter then motioned for quiet, told them how the Lord had brought him out of prison and freed him, and left for another place. His arrival showed that God had heard and answered their prayers and rescued Peter from Herod. Their amazement turned to joy and praise.
Read slowly and solemnly to children and youth, this narrative of deliverance makes an impression on the young mind that influences character in far greater degree than older persons imagine and keeps the story vivid for a lifetime. It shows the need to educate and train the youth to read and understand the Scriptures, leading their minds from truth to truth up higher and higher. It shows how Scripture interprets Scripture, one passage being the key to other passages, so that Scripture itself is the educating power holding the thoughts in captivity to Christ.
The knocking took place under the persecution of Herod Agrippa I, ruler of Judea and tetrarch of Galilee under the Roman emperor Claudius. He was distinct from Herod Antipas who had taken part in the trial of Christ, though Agrippa occupied Antipas's throne through intrigue and manifested the same Herodian character and spirit in another person. He was a professed proselyte outwardly zealous for the ceremonies of the Jewish law, whose heart had grown still harder, and he persecuted the church to obtain the favor of the Jews and secure his offices and honors, spoiling the houses and goods of believers and imprisoning leading members.
The imprisonment behind the knocking followed his casting James the brother of John into prison and killing him with the sword to please the Jews, repeating the earlier Herod's beheading of the prophet John. Seeing that killing James pleased the Jews, he seized Peter also intending to put him to death. The believers expected Peter would suffer death like James.
God sent His angel and delivered Peter from prison, snatching the prey from the enemy who had determined to destroy him. At the presence of the mighty angel amid light the prison doors flew open and Peter's bands were loosed. He was awakened by the angel's touch and being amazed thought he saw a vision and forgot his garments until told to gird himself and put on his sandals, and God opened the gates and set His servant free.
This rescue shows that God employs angels to communicate with human beings and sends them as powerful helpers, guides, and teachers of His chosen messengers through instruction given by immortal messengers to men. It demonstrates God's constant care for the true and faithful and His power to send heavenly messengers to free His servant. God still had work for Peter to do so he could continue his work.
At the house where his fellow believers were gathered in earnest prayer for him, Peter kept knocking at the gate. Rhoda left him outside to tell them he was there and they refused to believe her report. Those inside hesitated and struggled to believe he was at the gate until they opened the door and saw him for themselves.
When they opened and saw him they were astonished and amazed to find him alive and free and actually there. Their astonishment came despite having prayed for his release and heard Rhoda's report and his voice. They had doubted and expected him to die in prison like James.
Peter then motioned for quiet, told them how the Lord had brought him out of prison and freed him, and left for another place. His arrival showed that God had heard and answered their prayers and rescued Peter from Herod. Their amazement turned to joy and praise.
Read slowly and solemnly to children and youth, this narrative of deliverance makes an impression on the young mind that influences character in far greater degree than older persons imagine and keeps the story vivid for a lifetime. It shows the need to educate and train the youth to read and understand the Scriptures, leading their minds from truth to truth up higher and higher. It shows how Scripture interprets Scripture, one passage being the key to other passages, so that Scripture itself is the educating power holding the thoughts in captivity to Christ.