And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.
On an appointed festival day at Caesarea not long after Peter's release, Herod Agrippa sat upon his throne in royal robes glittering with silver and gold in the sunlight and made an eloquent oration to the people gathered from many places. He was the ruler of Judea under the emperor Claudius and tetrarch of Galilee, a professed proselyte zealous for the law who persecuted the church to gain Jewish favor, killing James the brother of John with the sword and then imprisoning Peter also. Dazzled by his pomp and words with senses clouded by feasting and wine, the crowd praised him as a god to be worshiped, and though he knew he did not deserve it he accepted it in pride and self-exaltation without giving God the glory. Immediately the angel of the Lord smote him before the people, and he was struck with mortal disease, eaten of worms while still alive, and died a horrible agonizing death in swift and terrible vengeance. His judgment shows that absorbing the praise and glory of men is an offense to God and a snare of self-glorification, and as vengeance for his crimes against His servants contrasted with Peter's miraculous deliverance it had a powerful effect that brought many to believe in Christ.
Herod's Display at Caesarea
The Herod of this verse is Herod Agrippa, ruler of Judea under Claudius the Roman emperor and also tetrarch of Galilee, professedly a proselyte to the Jewish faith and apparently very zealous for the ceremonies of the law. Desiring the favor of the Jews to make secure his offices and honors, he carried out their desires by persecuting the church of Christ, spoiling the houses and goods of believers and imprisoning leading members. He cast James the brother of John into prison and had him killed with the sword, and then when he saw the Jews were pleased he imprisoned Peter also.
The set day was a grand festival at Caesarea, held not long after Peter's release from prison and attended by people from many places. On that appointed day he appeared before the people in royal splendor with pomp and great ceremony, taking his place seated on his throne. He was arrayed in royal apparel in a splendid robe glittering with silver and gold in the sunlight. From that throne he addressed the assembled multitude with an eloquent oration.
Dazzled by his glittering appearance and eloquent words, the crowd was swayed to extravagant praise. Their senses had already been clouded and dulled by feasting and wine. In that state they praised him as a god and said they would worship him as one.
Pride Judged and Remembered
Herod knew he did not deserve the worship of the crowd, yet in pride and idolatry and self-exaltation he accepted it as his due. It was a set day of self-glorification on which sinful, erring man was put where God should be, for he absorbed human praise and gave not God the glory. Immediately the mandate came from heaven to smite the idol king, and the angel of the Lord smote him before the people. He was struck with mortal disease, eaten of worms while still alive, and died a horrible, agonizing death as swift and terrible vengeance from God. Everything of this character, absorbing the praise and glory of men, is an offense to God, forbidden among His people, and a snare creating a lasting taste for human praise and self-glorification.
The vengeance was also evidence of God's displeasure for his crimes against His servants, including the martyrdom of James. His punishment, contrasted with Peter's miraculous deliverance from prison and death, had a powerful effect on the people, and news of it brought many to believe in Christ. The king so judged was Agrippa I, the father of the Agrippa before whom Paul stood and a monarch more powerful than his son. In that same city he had stood attired in glittering royal robes making his oration while the people shouted that he was a god. The pomp and display of his son's court recalled that day and should have warned him, but pride and self-importance drove the thought away.
On an appointed festival day at Caesarea not long after Peter's release, Herod Agrippa sat upon his throne in royal robes glittering with silver and gold in the sunlight and made an eloquent oration to the people gathered from many places. He was the ruler of Judea under the emperor Claudius and tetrarch of Galilee, a professed proselyte zealous for the law who persecuted the church to gain Jewish favor, killing James the brother of John with the sword and then imprisoning Peter also. Dazzled by his pomp and words with senses clouded by feasting and wine, the crowd praised him as a god to be worshiped, and though he knew he did not deserve it he accepted it in pride and self-exaltation without giving God the glory. Immediately the angel of the Lord smote him before the people, and he was struck with mortal disease, eaten of worms while still alive, and died a horrible agonizing death in swift and terrible vengeance. His judgment shows that absorbing the praise and glory of men is an offense to God and a snare of self-glorification, and as vengeance for his crimes against His servants contrasted with Peter's miraculous deliverance it had a powerful effect that brought many to believe in Christ.
Herod's Display at Caesarea
The Herod of this verse is Herod Agrippa, ruler of Judea under Claudius the Roman emperor and also tetrarch of Galilee, professedly a proselyte to the Jewish faith and apparently very zealous for the ceremonies of the law. Desiring the favor of the Jews to make secure his offices and honors, he carried out their desires by persecuting the church of Christ, spoiling the houses and goods of believers and imprisoning leading members. He cast James the brother of John into prison and had him killed with the sword, and then when he saw the Jews were pleased he imprisoned Peter also.
The set day was a grand festival at Caesarea, held not long after Peter's release from prison and attended by people from many places. On that appointed day he appeared before the people in royal splendor with pomp and great ceremony, taking his place seated on his throne. He was arrayed in royal apparel in a splendid robe glittering with silver and gold in the sunlight. From that throne he addressed the assembled multitude with an eloquent oration.
Dazzled by his glittering appearance and eloquent words, the crowd was swayed to extravagant praise. Their senses had already been clouded and dulled by feasting and wine. In that state they praised him as a god and said they would worship him as one.
Pride Judged and Remembered
Herod knew he did not deserve the worship of the crowd, yet in pride and idolatry and self-exaltation he accepted it as his due. It was a set day of self-glorification on which sinful, erring man was put where God should be, for he absorbed human praise and gave not God the glory. Immediately the mandate came from heaven to smite the idol king, and the angel of the Lord smote him before the people. He was struck with mortal disease, eaten of worms while still alive, and died a horrible, agonizing death as swift and terrible vengeance from God. Everything of this character, absorbing the praise and glory of men, is an offense to God, forbidden among His people, and a snare creating a lasting taste for human praise and self-glorification.
The vengeance was also evidence of God's displeasure for his crimes against His servants, including the martyrdom of James. His punishment, contrasted with Peter's miraculous deliverance from prison and death, had a powerful effect on the people, and news of it brought many to believe in Christ. The king so judged was Agrippa I, the father of the Agrippa before whom Paul stood and a monarch more powerful than his son. In that same city he had stood attired in glittering royal robes making his oration while the people shouted that he was a god. The pomp and display of his son's court recalled that day and should have warned him, but pride and self-importance drove the thought away.