At the start of Acts 12 we are given a few details of the death of James, son of Zebedee. As the apostle John’s older brother he was one of only three to witness Jesus’ transfiguration on the mount. James was one of the first disciples called by Jesus and the first to be martyred (Stephen was a deacon, and while he was a follower of Jesus was not one of the 12). His mother and father were people with means and owned a few fishing vessels. This is likely one reason Jesus asked John to care for his mother shortly before his death.

Luke writes that James was killed by the sword, which likely means in the same manner as John the Baptist (beheaded). The reaction from the Jewish politic or possibly community incited Herod to continue in this vein. The text isn’t clear just who is meant by the phrase “the Jews” in verse three. Certainly Herod has reason to appease and befriend the Jewish leaders which would primarily be the High Priest and his cabinet. But the fact he intended to make Peter’s trial public may indicate it was popular among the citizens of Jerusalem. Either way, it is clear that popularity and not justice was behind Herod’s plans.

This helps explain the heavy security Peter was placed under. Most criminals were thrown in a cell with others and a guard was posted at the entrance. Peter however slept in a cell not with other criminals, but between two guards. Two more were placed at the entrance and he was secured by double chains. Herod wanted this trial to go off without a hitch and to catapult his popularity to make up for a mediocre reign. He was far from the great ruler his father was and needed to do something to gain the accolades of Rome.

With Peter’s life in eminent danger God sent an angel to perform a miraculous escape. The angel struck Peter in the side to wake him, perhaps because he was a heavy sleeper, told him to dress and gather all his things. He loosed the chains and somehow cloaked them both in order to slip past the two guards at the cells entrance.

The prison must have been outside the city walls, for they had to enter the city through a gate that would have been locked that time of night. The gate opened by itself, we are told, though there could have been an angel behind the action that Peter didn’t see just as he and his angel had slipped past the guards.

It’s an interesting aside that Peter thought he was experiencing a vision instead of a real escape. He has had visions before so if there were anything to indicate they were different from reality he should have been able to pick up on it. He didn’t, at least not until the Angel left him and he found himself alone in the city.

While it’s easy to get lost in the miraculous details of the story, the point is made in verse 11. Peter said to himself, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from everything the Jewish people were expecting to happen.” In every Biblical story the hero is always God. If you perceive anything else, you need to read the story again. As chapter 12 continues to unfold it will become even clearer that this is a conflict between Herod and God, not between the church and the Jews.