The true northerner., 1897-04-21
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
In Lesson for April x5,
1S07-Peter Delivered from Prison
Acts 12s6-1z.

| ARRANGED from Peioubet's Notes.l
| GOLDEN TExT.-The angel OF the Lord
| encampeth around about them that fear
| Him. and delivercth them.-Psa. 34l.
| The section. Acts 12:l-A Herod's perse-
| cution. death OF James. Imprisonment and
| release of Peter. and death OF Herod.
TIME.-A. ID. A. In the spring The
Passover that year was April Is The
fore. and the release of Peter just after.
LESSON COMMENT.
i. The Hour OF Need. Persecution.
James and Peter.-Vs. IA. More peace
full times having come TO the Jews, they
could now attend TO the rapidly in
creasing Christian church. doubtless,
spnrred on by the rulers OF the Jews,
Herod the king, under the Roman EN-
peror Claudius, murdered James, one
of the leading apostles. This pleased
the people as well as the rulers; and he
next aimed at higher game, even Peter,
the chiefest of the apostles, whose treat
ment of the Gentiles had doubtless
made him especially obnoxious to the
stricter Jews. But before his execution
was carried out the seven days of the
Passover intervened, and it would be
contrary to their strongest religious
traditions to have him executed during
the festival. Hence there was a respite
OF few days.
2. The Great Prayermeeting for
Peter.-Vs. 5, 6. 5. Peter therefore
was kept in PRISON." Guarded by four
quaternions of soldiers, a quaternion,
or band of four soldiers being on guard
at time, two at the door of the cell.
and two within, one on each side of
Peter, bound one to each of his arms
with chains.
But prayer was made without ceas-
ing:" Better, earnestly, fervently,"
which would also naturally be without
ceasing. 1t is the same word used by
Luke in describing the prayer of Christ
in Gethsemane, being in an agony, He
prayed the more earnestly" "Of the
church," The members of the church
were so numerous that they must have
met in different companies. The cen
trail point Of meeting was the we'll
known "house of Mary, the mother of
John, which is called Mark" ". 12).
The position of this verse plainly indi-
Gates that the release which followed
was in answer TO this united prayer.
III. TheStrange Deiiverance to Peter.
VS.. I'll. The deliverance did not
come till the last moment, just before
the morning set for his execution.
z. And, behold" Peter was not
missed by the guards till sunrise-about
six o'clock (see V. 1S). 1t was then in
the fourth watch, some time between
three and six o'clock, that the angel
presence entered the prison chambers,
for the loss would have been discovered
at the change of guards at three o'clock.
had Peter then been missing. The
(an) angel of the Lord came upon him."
II believe that angels wait on us as
truly as ever they waited on Abrsham,
or Jacob, or Moses, or Elijah, or Mary,
or Jesus himself. The medieval paint
ers were fond of filling in the back
ground of the Infancy with countless
angels; the representation, though lit
orally false, was morally true. l be-
lieve that angels are encamping around
them that fear the Lord. ."-George Dana
Boardman, ID. d. And light shined:"
The natural effluence of angelic pres
ence. "In the prison" Or. ", in the cel),
where Peter was, different word in the
original from prison in the last verses.
And he smote Peter on the side, and
raised him up:" Rather reused him
up. The verb indicates that he awoke
him from his sleep, but not that he
helped him to arise. His chains fell
off," That bound him to the sleeping
soldiers. one hand to each.
10. First and second ward:" Guard,
sentinels, or guardrooms, where a
guard would be. The guards were prob.
ably sleeping. "The iron gate" heavy,
locked, and barred. Peter could not
have opened it. ''Leadeth unto the
city" This may have formed the term
ination of 4 court or avenue which con-
nected the prison with the town. "The
angel departed" Having done his
work Peter could now find his own
way.
". Peter Suddenly Appears at the
Prayermeeting.--Vs. 1917. 1t must
have been, as we have seen, near morn
ing, and the people had been praying all
night.
13. "KnoclIed at the door of the gate"
The small, low door at the entrance TO
the courtyard, which was always kept
fastened. "a damsel n Rhoda:"
Rose. She seems TO have been the serv-
ant of Mary. Come to hearken:" AS
was the custom before opening the gate.
Il. when she knew Peters voice:"
An indication that Peter had before
been a frequent visitor at the house.
She opened not the gate for gladness:
She was so eager to make the others as
sembled there that night partake of the
great Joy she felt in knowing that Peter
was alive and free, that she ran back
and forgot to open the door when she
heard his well-known, loved voice.
II. "Beckoming to hold their
peace:" Their JOY was SO loud in its
expression that Peter beckoned instead
of speaking. Besides, the unusual noise
was dangerous, as calling attention to
his place of escape. Time was precious
now. "Go shew these things unto
James," the brother of our Lord, and
practically the pastor of the church at
Jerusalem. "IIe departed:" To escape
from Herod. He could not count on de-
liverance if he refused TO use the means.
D,,t ha I;,-o1 N, n q, x-oorc oftar Harod yag