The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1902-05-09

GOLDEN TExT.-The angel Of the
Lord encn m peth round about them
that fear Him, aud deifvereth them
-Ps. III 2.
OUTLINE OF sCR1PTURALsE SECTION
Martyrdom OF James. .....Acts l2l, 2
Peter imprisoned. ..........-....Acts iZ:5-o.
Peter delivered ..................Acts l2:b-H.
Peter ard the disciples.........Acts l2;l2-lI.
The dlspleasec king. .....Acts l..ls-1A
Time.-A. ID. A.
Place.-Jerusalem and Caesarea.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
church had new foe in Herod Agrippa
l., grandson of Herod the Great. who
was appointed king of Trachonitis by
Emperor Caligula. This dominion
was subsequently enlarged until. in
A. d. Al. it included the whole of Pal.
estine. Herod was not welcome TO the
Jews because he had Edomite blood |
in his veins. He tried to make himself
popular with them by showing him
self to be a Pharisee of the Pharisees,
scrupulous offerer Of sacrifices and |
observer of the ceremonial law. His
highest bid for their good will was
made in his putting forth his hand
against the church.
Martyrdom of James.-The Herod
who appears in this account was Herod
Agrippa l. He is not mentioned else
where in the Bible. This James was
one Of the three disciples most inti'
mate with Jesus, but he is mentioned
in the Acts only here and in the list
of the apostles. Ii does not follow
from that, however, that his work was
less important or even less prominent
than Peters or Johns.
Peter Imprisoned.-Ja was killed
perhaps on the anniversary OF Jesus
crucifixion on the Passover day. Peter
was imprisoned almost at once. but the
execution was deferred till after the
feast. A quaternion is a squad OF four
soldiers, and these soldiers served in
watches, four at a time. to guard Pe-
ter. The prayer of the church is not
said TO have been for Peters deliver
ance. though no doubt that was sought
Peter would need strength TO endure
and the church would naturally pray
for that most
Peter Delivered.-Peter's rescue was
on the last night before he was to have
been put to death. The soldiers who
were bound to him were asleep, as
was permissible, but Others were on
guard at the door of his cell, besides
the usual guards of the prison. Peter
himself had TO he reused, freed
, clothed and led out without waking
the guards. but the difficult work was
safely accomplished. No wonder the
sleepy apostle thought he was seeing
a vision. The angel led him far enough
away from the prison so that he
, would not be in immediate danger OF
recapture, and then left him.
Peterand the Disciples.--Peterk knew
Mary's home, which was quite possibly
the house where Jesus had eaten the
last supper and where the Holy Spirit
had fallen on the disciples. That house
was common gathering place OF thu
Christians. The unbelief Of the com
pany when Peters arrival was an
nounced is not surprising. II wa'
nuite as likely that some enemy nigh
come in Peters name as that the apos
tie himself would arrive. Nor is th'
Q unbelief discreditable If. as Is likely
u their PRAYER was chiefly that Peter
y faith and courage might not fail. Tha
$ Mace was too well known as resor
q az Christians for Peter to stay there
: The James Of verse IL is the brot he
$ 81 the Lord and author Of the epistle
who was president or bishop Of TIL
! church in Jerusalem.
e The Displaced King. The killing Q
Q the guards was in accordance with mil
itary law. which recognizes no excuse
. for failure to guard prisoner. Her
DDS rem oval to Caesarea was proba bl
II partly due to disgust at Peters escape
II hut was intended only as an otficia
visit. The sickness Of which he die
Z was probably not miraculous. bu
something Of the nature Of append
n tits. or. possibly. trichiniasis. tn
latter would be more likely. save 70
"A me fact that Herod would hardly 5
= offend Jewish prejudices as TO ca
nork. Jews and Christians alike col
4 sidered II Divine judgment.
m PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS
n Since the beginning the church hi
a not been without its vexing and ha
Ia assing enemies.
How many have suffered that v
~ may worship God in peace and safety
- Do we appreciate our privileges?
Sometimes the best and most needle
servants of God are taken away. an
vet The work goes on.
II we prayed more believingls, "
" wou,d not he so astonished at the al
swers to some of our prayers.
no God will answer our prayers in IA
or own good time and way and IN s'a'
" ser far above our expectations.