THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES - Chapter 12 - Verse 1

CHAPTER 12

Verse 1. Now about that time. That is, during the time that the famine existed; or the time when Barnabas and Saul went up to Jerusalem. This was probably about the fifth or sixth year of the reign of Claudius, not far from A.D. 47.

Herod the king. This was Herod Agrippa. The Syriac so renders it expressly, and the chronology requires us so to understand it. He was a grandson of Herod the Great, and one of the sons of Aristobulus, whom Herod put to death. Josephus, Ant., b. xviii, chap. 5. Herod the Great left three sons, between whom his kingdom was divided—Archelaus, Philip, and Antipas. See Barnes "Mt 2:19".

To Philip was left Iturea and Trachonitis, see Lu 3:1; to Antipas, Galilee and Perea; and to Archelaus, Judea, Idumea, and Samaria. Archelaus, being accused of cruelty, was banished by Augustus to Vienna in Gaul, and Judea was reduced to a province, and united with Syria. When Philip died, this region was granted by the emperor Caligula to Herod Agrippa. Herod Antipas was driven as an exile also into Gaul, and then into Spain, and Herod Agrippa received also his tetrarchy. In the reign of Claudius also, the dominions of Herod Agrippa were still farther enlarged. When Caligula was slain, he was at Rome; and having ingratiated himself into the favour of Claudius, he conferred on him also Judea and Samaria, so that his dominions were equal in extent to those of his grandfather, Herod the Great. See Josephus, Ant., b. xix., chap. 5, § 1.

Stretched forth his hands. A figurative expression, denoting that he laid his hands on them, or that he endeavoured violently to oppress the church.

To vex. To injure, to do evil to. kakwsai 

Certain. Some of the church. Who they were the writer immediately specifies.

{1} "stretched forth his hands" "began" {*} "vex certain" "afflict some"