Acts 12:8, commentary and pictures

On the last night before his appointed execution, Peter is awakened in his cell by a shining angel who tells him step by step to get up, dress fully with sandals and outer garment, and follow him out into the street. He lay asleep between two soldiers, stripped of sandals and cloak with wrists swollen from irons, in a prison of chains, barred doors and guards that left no hope of human rescue. He obeys mechanically and dazed, fixing his gaze on the glorious visitor and believing himself to be dreaming or seeing a vision, forgetting his clothing in astonishment until he is fully dressed and loosed. The angel leads him past motionless guards and through gates that open of themselves and close again, bringing him free into the street, proving the deliverance no delusion but blessed reality. God thus sends His messenger from heaven in answer to prayer to thwart Herod's plan, showing that human power cannot prevent Him from freeing His servant who still has work to do.

Prison Setting and Background

The command to get dressed and follow came while Judea was governed by Herod Agrippa under Claudius the Roman emperor, who also ruled as tetrarch of Galilee. He professed to be a proselyte to the Jewish faith and was zealous for the ceremonies of the Jewish law. Seeking the favor of the Jews to secure his offices and honors, he persecuted the church of Christ, spoiling the houses and goods of believers and imprisoning its leading members.

James the brother of John had been cast into prison and killed with the sword because it pleased the Jews, and Peter was then imprisoned also to please them. His death was expected. He had been imprisoned for proclaiming Jesus when such preaching was proscribed and contrary to law and forbidden, yet he had not desisted but had obeyed God rather than man.

The orders to gird, bind on sandals, put on the garment and follow were given on the last night before his appointed execution, when on the morrow he was to have been led forth to die. He was no longer held merely for custody but for execution. He lay asleep bound between two soldiers with his sandals and outer garments removed, his wrists swollen from cruel irons and manacles. The prison was secured by chains, barred doors, and guards that left no possibility of human rescue, and human power and precautions could not prevent God from delivering His servant. While he lay thus bound, prayers were being made in his behalf.

Angel's Commands and Guidance

The angel leads Peter out by a succession of distinct practical orders, telling him to gird himself, to dress, to bind on his sandals, to cast his outer garment about him, and then to follow him out of the cell into the street. The commands come one after another in the prison cell on the last night before the planned execution, directing each step of dressing and then of following. Peter obeys while still dazed and bewildered by the heavenly light and appearance, and the angel brings him past motionless armed guards and through gates and doors that open of themselves into the street.

These directions are teaching from God given through an immortal messenger, for God employs the angel to communicate with Peter as one of His chosen messengers on earth. By guiding, instructing, and powerfully helping him in this way, the angel proves that angels are guides to God's messengers and that men are taught of God through immortal messengers.

The order to take sandals and cloak before following shows tender, practical care in the midst of miraculous deliverance. Peter is so absorbed in the heavenly vision that he obeys mechanically and does not think to take his cloak until reminded, having to be told to put on his sandals and then his garment before going out into the cold night. The attention to clothing teaches that Heaven notices and cares for even commonplace human needs, and this detail gives comfort to people in difficult circumstances.

The bidding to put on his clothes and follow belongs to a mission of mercy by which God delivers His servant from Herod's dungeon and power through angelic help. The angel carries out that rescue when Peter is facing death, guiding him out of prison and thereby thwarting Herod's plan to execute him.

Peter's Obedience and Escape

Peter obeys the order to gird himself, bind on his sandals, cast his garment about him and follow, but he does so mechanically and dazed, made dumb with amazement. He keeps his wondering gaze fixed on the glorious visitor, still bewildered by the heavenly vision and the light filling the cell. He believes himself to be dreaming or in a vision rather than awake to a real deliverance.

He had been asleep without his sandals and garment, and in his astonishment he had forgotten his outer clothing. In obeying he becomes fully dressed and girded, with his bands loosed and his wrists freed from the cruel irons and manacles that had left them swollen.

The cell is filled with light as the angel wakes sleeping Peter with a touch. The angel then leads him past motionless armed guards and through barred doors and gates that open of themselves and close again behind them. In this way he is brought out of the cell into the street to safety and freedom.

Finding himself so clothed and free in the street proves his freedom is no delusion, dream, or vision but a blessed reality. It is a deliverance by an angel from prison and from death.

God's Deliverance Through Angels

God sent His angel and delivered Peter from Herod's custody because he still had work to do for Him, and because He cares for the true and faithful. Despite chains, barred doors, and guards that left no possibility of human rescue, human power and precautions could not prevent God from delivering His servant on the night before his appointed execution. God thereby thwarted Herod's plan to kill the apostle and carry out his intended execution, delivering Peter from Herod's power.

God sent His mighty messenger from heaven to open the gates and set His servant free in answer to the prayers made in Peter's behalf when death was expected after James had been beheaded to please the Jews. Peter's being led out of prison to safety demonstrates the close connection between heaven and earth. It is an example of holy angels ministering to, guarding, watching over, and delivering God's people, including by opening prison doors, with heaven coming right into the prison house to take its prey out of the hands of the enemy.

The guidance gives strength and courage through the assurance that heavenly messengers guide, direct, and protect God's workers. The account offers comfort to people in difficult circumstances. It proves God is constantly working in behalf of His people by angels commissioned from heaven to guard the children of men, though they are not discerned with human vision. Christ manifests Himself to Peter by delivering him by the hand of an angel, fulfilling His promise to manifest Himself to those who love Him. This proves He stands with the faithful in warfare and persecution and will manifest Himself to believers now if they are faithful, so that nothing can separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Application and Wider Connections

Angels commissioned from heaven guard the children of men and watch over them though they are not discerned with human vision, coming in and going out of their houses, and coming right into the prison house to Peter to take its prey out of the hands of the enemy and set him free. This working in his behalf proves God is constantly working in behalf of His people. Fathers and mothers are therefore to teach their children in their own families about this deliverance, so that they give God credit for it as He comes in and goes out with them.

Peter had been imprisoned by Herod for proclaiming Jesus when it was proscribed and contrary to law and forbidden to preach, yet he did not desist but obeyed God rather than man. Those who carry the aggressive truth of God and stem the current of prevailing iniquity will meet opposition and be brought into reproach, persecution and strait places, especially when the message goes with a loud cry. Even in prison they must bear the message and let their light shine. As God opened prison doors and freed His servant, so He can also release the truths of Scripture from concealment and free people from error and superstition. The same delivering of servants from danger through angelic help, with the angel directing Peter to get dressed and follow until he escapes from prison, is seen again in John Wesley's miraculous escape from an enraged mob, when an angel in human form enabled him to pass safely through the danger.

The rescue by the angel striking Peter to wake him and lead him out of danger was a rescue from his persecutor and from Herod's power. It stands in contrast with Herod, Peter's persecutor, who was struck down by God's judgment. Herod himself later remembered that Peter had been delivered when he had intended to put the apostle to death. News of these events led many people to believe in Christ.