[:en]Peter’s Miraculous Escape from Prison (vs. 1-19)
King Herod Agrippa persecuted the Christians in order to please the Jewish leaders who opposed him. He was the son of Aristobulus IV and grandson of Herod the Great. His sister was Herodias who was was responsible for the death of John the Baptist.
James and John were brothers and the original 12 disciples who followed Jesus and asked for special recognition in His kingdom (Mark 10:35-40). Jesus said that to be a part of His kingdom would mean drinking His cup (suffering). James and John did suffered. James was put to death with the sword by King Herod while John was exiled (Rev. 1:9)
Peter was arrested during the Feast of the Unleavened Bread and put into prison bound with chains and guarded by 4 squads of 4 soldiers each. Suddenly an angel of the Lord woke him up and led him out of prison. He then went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark. There, they were gathered together at the house praying for Peter. Peter knocked at the door and a servant name Rhoda went to see and recognized Peter’s voice. She ran back without opening it and exclaimed: “Peter is at the door”. But they did not believe. Peter keep on knocking and when they opened, they saw Peter. They were astonished. After telling them how the Lord had brought him out of prison, he left for another place. King Herod could not find Peter and had all the guards executed.
Herod’s Death (vs. 20-25)
The Lord struck down King Herod. He was eaten by worm and died (v. 23). But the word of God continued to increase and spread. When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John Mark. John Mark was Barnabas’s cousin (Col. 4:10) His mother Mary opened her house to the apostles (Col. 12:12). Later, John Mark joined Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey but for unknown reason, he left them in the middle of the trip, whom Paul criticized for abandoning the mission. John mark wrote the Gospel of Mark and was acclaimed by Peter as an initial help in the growth of the early church. (2 Tim. 4:11)[:]