Saturday 09 May 2015

Psalm: Psalm 5:1-8

Background

This passage begins with the news of the secondmartyrdom in the book of Acts and the first of one of the apostles.This is not the King Herod (Matthew 2:1) but his grandson Herod Agrippa Iwho was raised and educated in Rome. He was popular among theJewish people, and understood the need to stay on the good side ofthe ruling Sadducean party to stay in power. The arrest and killingof James, the brother of John was a good political move for him andso he decides to go after other key leaders.

Peter is to be his next victim and is arrestedduring the festival of unleavened bread which echoes Jesus' arrestand crucifixion (Luke 22:1). He is kept in prison to be triedand executed after the festival and so is put under heavy guard.There would have been sixteen soldiers altogether in the foursquads and they would have rotated every three or four hours tostay alert. At all times two would have been chained to each ofPeter's arms and two on guard outside the door.

On the very night Herod had sent for him, Peterreceived a visitor. He was woken suddenly and told to get dressedand follow him past the guards and out of the prison. Peterbelieves all of this to be just a dream and not in fact an actualescape. It is not until the visitor leaves him that he realises hehas escaped and he makes straight for a place he knows he will besafe.

We have been told that during his imprisonmentthat the church had been praying "fervently" (v. 5) for him. Petermakes for the place where the church would have been gathered andknocks on the door. What ensues is similar to the accounts ofJesus' resurrection with a young women bringing news of a miracleand those that hear it dismissing it straight away.

We may want to ask what were they praying for ifit was not Peter's escape. Many there seem to think there is nochance that he is free, and if he is there it must be his angel ashe is already dead. Is this a lack of faith despite their ferventprayer? Are they praying for his spirit convinced he will end uplike James before him? The reaction from the believers when finallyPeter is let in shows that this was the last thing they thoughtthey would see. Peter tells again of all that God has done andmakes his way to a safe place to continue God's mission in theworld.

To Ponder

• Peter's escape was not expected by the church who prayed forhim. Are there times when God surprises you with an answer toprayer you hadn't expected? What happened? And what was yourresponse?

• To what extent do we sometimes underestimate what God cando?