Chapter IX.—PETER DELIVERED FROM PRISON.
Barnabas, finding that there was plenty of work to be done at Antioch, "departed to Tarsus, for to seek Saul," that he might come and help him. "And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church" (that is, joined in the assemblies of the believers), "and taught much people,"—converting, we may be sure, Gentiles as well as Jews. Scripture tells us here, "And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." Some people have thought that this name, in which we glory, was given to the disciples by their enemies, in scorn of them as followers of Christ; but it is far more likely that it was given them by Saul and Barnabas, under the direction of the Holy Spirit.
Up to this time, the Jewish converts were called amongst themselves "disciples," "believers," "saints"; and all together, "the Church." Their enemies called them "Nazarenes," "Galileans," or the "men of this way." Now that there were so many of them, it was quite necessary that they should be distinguished by some peculiar name; and what name could be more appropriate, than one which marked them as the followers and disciples of Jesus Christ—believers in the Messiah, the Anointed, through Whom alone they, and all mankind, could receive pardon of their sins? Let us, whilst we glory in the name of Christians, take care that we are not so in name only. All who are joined to Christ, or made part of His body the Church, by Baptism, are now called Christians. The cross is the sign, or symbol, of the Christian faith. In Baptism, the figure of the cross is made on the forehead of the person baptized, to signify that he, or she, is now entered as a faithful soldier and servant of Christ; and that this service is to be continued as long as life lasts.
This shows us what each one of us should be,—"a faithful soldier," fighting against all the enemies of our Lord, which are the Devil and his evil angels, our own bad passions and desires, and every kind of sin: and "a faithful servant," studying to know his Master's Will, that he may do it thoroughly, whatever suffering or trouble it may bring upon himself. Let us seriously consider whether we are such Christians, really and truly trying to serve and please God. If we are not, the name of Christian will be of no use to us. Jesus Himself says, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Let each one of us pray earnestly to God, that for the sake of His blessed Son, Jesus Christ, He will give us the help of the Holy Spirit, so that we may become true Christians in the sight of Him, by Whom all our thoughts, words, and actions are known.
In order to understand perfectly all that the Bible tells us, it is necessary to mention a few circumstances connected with the history of the Jews, which are not written in the Scriptures, but are told us by a man called Josephus, himself a Jew, who lived at this time, and has left us an account of all that he saw and heard amongst his countrymen. We have already heard that Herod the Great, who slew the infants of Bethlehem, had many descendants, who all bore the same name, and several of whom are spoken of in Scripture. Some account has already been given of them. Aristobulus, one of the unfortunate sons of Herod the Great and Mariamne, left two sons: one named Herod Agrippa, called also the Elder, to distinguish him from his own son, named also Herod Agrippa; and another son, also called Herod, who became King of Chalcis. Herod Agrippa the Elder lived for some years quietly at Rome, as a private person, and was in favour with Tiberius, who became Emperor of Rome a.d. 14. But some persons having accused Herod, whether truly or falsely we cannot say, of wishing for the Emperor's death, he was put into prison, where he remained until Tiberius died, about four years after the Crucifixion of Jesus. Caligula, who became Emperor at the death of Tiberius, a.d. 37, made Herod Agrippa king over Iturea and some neighbouring parts of the country.
Pontius Pilate had ceased before this to be Governor, or Procurator, of Judæa. A riot, or disturbance, had taken place amongst the people of Samaria. Pilate put a stop to it; but he afterwards treated the people with such extreme severity, that the Roman Emperor deprived him of his government, which he had held for about ten years. Pilate was banished to Vienne, a place in Gaul (as France was then called), and there he killed himself.
About the same time that Pilate was deprived of his office, Herod Antipas was also deprived of his. Herod Antipas, the second son of Herod the Great, was the tetrarch, or governor of Galilee, who put John the Baptist to death, and who, with his men of war, mocked and ill treated our blessed Lord, Who was sent to him by Pilate. A few years after the death of Jesus, Herod wished to make himself king of Judæa; and he was in consequence deprived of his government, and banished into Spain, also a Roman province, where he died miserably. So soon did punishment fall upon these two bad men, who had sinned against the Lord Jesus Christ.
Caligula, who made Herod Agrippa king over some parts of Syria and Palestine, was anxious to be looked upon and treated as a god; and of course his heathen subjects did not much care whether he were so considered or not. But although the Jews had refused to believe in the Messiah, they had, ever since the return from the Captivity, a horror of worshipping anything but the Lord God Almighty, the God of Abraham. When, therefore, Caligula ordered that a gilt statue of himself, as a god, should be set up in the temple, all Judæa was filled with horror; and for several weeks the people ceased from following their usual occupations, and the country towards Mount Carmel was crowded with people in mourning. The Roman governor of Syria, charged to set up this statue, seeing the distress of the people, kindly listened to their entreaties, that he would wait a little before he executed this dreadful order. The Jews then applied to Herod Agrippa the Elder, who happened to be in Rome; and he, with great difficulty, persuaded Caligula not to insist upon setting up this statue.
When Claudius became Emperor, a.d. 41, he added the provinces of Judæa and Samaria to Herod's dominions, so that he governed the whole land of Palestine, bearing the title of king.
The trouble that the Jews were in under Caligula, prevented their thinking so much of persecuting the Christians; and thus the Church of Christ had a little rest, and went on increasing. But now that Herod Agrippa had become King of Judæa, it was different; for he, seeing the number of Christians increasing in a most extraordinary manner, was fearful that they might rebel, and refuse to obey him as their king: therefore we read, "Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also." Herod was anxious to gain favour with his Jewish subjects; and there was no more certain way of doing so, than by persecuting the Christians. Having therefore killed one of the sons of Zebedee, he determined to take Peter, who was one of the chief amongst the Apostles. "Then were the days of unleavened bread"—that is, the Feast of the Passover was now drawing near; and the preparation for that Holy Sacrifice had already begun, by the putting away of leaven out of every Jewish house, according to the Law of Moses. "And when Herod had apprehended Peter, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people," with the intention, no doubt, of slaying him, as he had already slain James. Four soldiers formed a quaternion; four quaternions therefore were sixteen men, who were especially appointed to guard Peter. "Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him": and the prayers of the saints were more effectual than all the precautions taken by Herod.