This is a continuation of the previous post, Vindication & Humor. Acts 12 brought to close God’s vindication concerning King Herod (Agrippa I) and the beginning of the expansion of the new movement outside of Judea. It’s an interesting story…
Previously we saw Peter, the leader of the new movement often referred to as The Way, arrested by Herod and imprisoned for trial. It appeared that Herod intended to execute Peter as he did James. I’m guessing Peter and the early believers assumed as much.
Peter was rescued by an angel of the Lord, boldly releasing him from prison in the middle of the night. Peter and the Church were vindicated. In a (likely) fit of rage, Herod ordered the execution of the 16 soldiers responsible for guarding Peter while in custody. Herod then left Jerusalem for his palace in Caesarea on the Mediterranean coast. Built to appease Caesar Augustus, the city and palace were one of the major construction projects of Herod the Great (Agrippa I’s grandfather). Agrippa never returned to Jerusalem. The rest of his story…
We don’t know why Agrippa left Jerusalem for Caesarea. We do know that while there, representatives of the cities of Tyre and Sidon requested an audience with him. Located up the coast from Caesarea and not part of Herod’s domain, these cities and their people relied on Judea for their food supply. Herod had apparently been at odds with the people of Tyre and Sidon. It was to be an economic summit.
Herod, probably to remind the people he was in charge, wore his royal robes, and sat on his throne to address the people. Royal robes were an important part of a king’s wardrobe. Though Scripture gives us little information about Herod’s royal robes, some assumptions commensurate with the period can be made. It would have been made of luxurious, high-quality silk, linen, or finely woven wool adorned with intricate embroidery. It would have included regal accessories – crown, jeweled belts, sashes, etc. And maybe some Roman-influenced bling. Always an embellisher, the Roman historian Josephus described the design of Herod’s robe as glittering to catch the sun, adding to his royal radiance:
He put on a garment made wholly of silver, and of a contexture truly wonderful, and came into the theater early in the morning; at which time the silver of his garment being illuminated by the fresh reflection of the sun’s rays upon it, shone out after a surprising manner, and was so resplendent as to spread a horror over those that looked intently upon him…1
Scripture doesn’t reveal details of Agrippa’s address but the people were either impressed or responded in collective flattery shouting, “This is the voice of a god, not of a mere mortal.” They were mistaken. Agrippa apparently ate it up…
Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. (Acts 12:23)
It appears that Luke felt Herod Agrippa’s sickness and demise warranted just a single sentence. Josephus was not so succinct…
His flatterers cried out, one from one place, and another from another, that he was a god; and they added, “Be thou merciful to us; for although we have hitherto reverenced thee only as a man, yet shall we henceforth own thee as superior to mortal nature.” Upon this the king did neither rebuke them, nor reject their impious flattery. But as he presently afterward looked up, he saw an owl sitting on a certain rope over his head, and immediately understood that this bird was the messenger of ill tidings, as it had once been the messenger of good tidings to him; and fell into the deepest sorrow. A severe pain also arose in his belly, and began in a most violent manner. He therefore looked upon his friends, and said, “I, whom you call a god, am commanded presently to depart this life; while Providence thus reproves the lying words you just now said to me; and I, who was by you called immortal, am immediately to be hurried away by death.1
Caesar had commissioned Josephus’ writing of the Jewish people’s history. At times his embellishment of historical accounts was accompanied by political flattery. He depicted Agrippa’s death as honorable, noting a dignified acceptance of God’s providence (while blaming the crowd, by the way). I lean toward embellishment and flattery.
No matter the details, Herod Agrippa I was dead and would no longer be able to persecute the believers. God is not mocked. Peter and the early Christian movement were vindicated.,,
And the word of God continued to spread and flourish (v. 24)
Here’s a bit of fun: The Greek word for flourish is πληθύνω (plēthunō) from which the English word plethora is derived. I had NO idea when I wrote the previous post. Full circle! Mic drop!
1Josephus, Flavius. The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged (pp. 3996-4000). http://www.DelmarvaPublications.com. Kindle Edition.
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