Peter in Prison
Gospel Prompt
Do you think we can learn about Jesus from the story of how the apostle Peter escapes from a dungeon of death?
Read the Passage
Acts 12:1-17
1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. 2 Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. 4 So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.
5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. 8 Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” 9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.” 12 So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. 13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. 15 But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.”
16 Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place.
Find the Gospel in the Passage
LISTEN TO THE STORY OF PETER
The festival of the Passover had arrived in Israel. Although Peter was innocent and had done no wrong, Herod the King sought to have him arrested in order to please the Jews. When Herod succeeded, he made plans to hold a public trial to determine whether Peter should be put to death. In the meantime, Herod delivered the righteous apostle of Christ over to four squads of soldiers, who put him in prison.
While in prison, “that same night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains” (Acts 12:6). So it was the dead of night. Peter was standing in an upright position against a wall with each of his arms stretched out to either side of him in chains. His head was bowed in sleep, and he was naked (Acts 12:8). He was also located between two men who were destined for death, one on his right and one on his left (Acts 12:6,19).
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared and struck Peter in the side! The angel told the sleeping Peter to “arise!” (Acts 12:7). Peter quickly clothed himself, and the angel led him through three sets of barriers that had to be traversed in order for him to exit the prison. The first two barriers were guard posts. The third and final barrier was a gate made of impregnable iron. When Peter arrived before it, the impenetrable door opened automatically (Greek: automaton) before him to allow his release.
After his deliverance, Peter proceeded to the house of Mary, the mother of John, where the grieving disciples were gathered in prayer. When the servant-girl Rhoda heard Peter’s voice at the door, she was so overwhelmed with joy that she left Peter outside and ran to tell the disciples. At first, the disciples thought she had gone mad and didn’t believe her. They thought that she had seen a spirit (Acts 12:15). But eventually, they realized that Peter truly had been delivered from prison! Peter told them to report these things to James and the brethren, and then he departed to another place (Acts 12:17).
DID YOU HEAR THE STORY OF JESUS?
The festival of the Passover had arrived in Israel. Although Jesus was innocent and had done no wrong, the Jewish leaders in the temple sought to have him arrested. After they succeeded, Jesus was sent to Herod the King for a public trial to determine whether he should be put to death. Herod delivered Jesus over to his soldiers, who mocked and scorned him, and very soon afterwards, Jesus was condemned to death.
On Calvary, Jesus was crucified between two men who were also destined for death, one on his right and one on his left. He hanged on the cross of death with each of his arms stretched out to either side of him. His head was bowed in the sleep of death, and he was shamefully naked.
After his death, Jesus was struck in the side by the Roman spear. Jesus then passed three days in the grave, three metaphorical barriers between him and his escape from death. After the three days had passed, God sent an angel to deliver Christ from death and to proclaim, “He has arisen” (Luke 24:6)!
That same morning, several women came to the tomb, including Mary the mother of James. When the women heard the voice of the angel, they were so overwhelmed with joy that they ran to tell the disciples. At first, the disciples thought the women were mad and did not believe them (Luke 24:11). Even when the disciples saw Christ with their own eyes, they assumed he was a spirit (Luke 24:37). But eventually, they realized that Christ truly had been delivered from death. Jesus told them to report what they had seen to his brethren (John 20:17), and he withdrew from them to another place (Luke 24:51).
