made for the carrying of the gospel "unto the uttermost part of the earth."

The church at Antioch, however, was not separate from the Church in Jerusalem; both formed one body in Christ. This abiding unity of the Church ever needs to be emphasized. It was recognized when Barnabas was sent to Antioch; it was further indicated on his return to Jerusalem. Anticipating a predicted famine the Christians of Antioch "determined to send relief unto the brethren that dwelt in Judæa: which also they did, sending it... by the hand of Barnabas and Saul." This gift, like the community of goods practiced at Pentecost, was a spontaneous act of Christian generosity, but it showed to the believers in Jerusalem that the work of grace at Antioch was genuine and it united Jewish and Gentile believers in the bonds of a common spiritual life. A new group of Christians had come into being, but it formed a part of the one universal Church.

6. The Persecution of Herod. Ch. 12

1 Now about that time Herod the king put forth his hands to afflict certain of the church. 2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. And those were the days of unleavened bread. 4 And when he had taken him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him; intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people. 5 Peter therefore was kept in the prison: but prayer was made earnestly of the church unto God for him. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and guards before the door kept the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shined in the cell: and he smote Peter on the side, and awoke him, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. 8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And he did so. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. 9 And he went out, and followed; and he knew not that it was true which was done by the angel, but thought he saw a vision. 10 And when they were past the first and the second guard, they came unto

the iron gate that leadeth into the city; which opened to them of its own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and straightway the angel departed from him. 11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a truth, that the Lord hath sent forth his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. 12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a maid came to answer, named Rhoda. 14 And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for joy, but ran in, and told that Peter stood before the gate. 15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she confidently affirmed that it was even so. And they said, It is his angel. 16 But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened, they saw him, and were amazed. 17 But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him forth out of the prison. And he said, Tell these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went to another place. 18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter. 19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the guards, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judæa to Cæsarea, and tarried there.

20 Now he was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: and they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was fed from the king's country. 21 And upon a set day Herod arrayed himself in royal apparel, and sat on the throne, and made an oration unto them. 22 And the people shouted, saying, The voice of a god, and not of a man. 23 And immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.

25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministration, taking with them John whose surname was Mark.

The position, as well as the should be carefully observed. It closes that section of The Acts which tells how the

contents of this chapter,

Church was prepared to

undertake the task of evangelizing the Gentile world; it shows the mad hatred felt by the Jews against the Christians, and their utter rejection of the gospel, so that if the gospel is to be preached it must be preached to the Gentiles; it also shows the protection which the Lord will give his witnesses as they go into all the world with his message. The hatred appears in the persecution which Herod undertook merely to please the Jews; the divine protection appears in the deliverance of Peter and in the death of Herod.

This Herod Agrippa had acquired the realm of his grandfather, "Herod the Great," and like him was cruel, bloodthirsty, vain, and fond of magnificent display. He was always eager to win favor with the Jews, and so, learning of their hatred against the Church, he beheaded James and arrested Peter, intending shortly to execute him also. This James was the apostle who had been so closely associated with Jesus, and with Peter and John. For him his mother had asked a chief place in the Kingdom. This our Lord did not definitely refuse; but he declared it must be deserved, and he warned James that he must expect to share his cup of suffering. Of that cup James tasted the bitter dregs and was the first among the the apostles of Christ to win the martyr's crown.

The deliverance of Peter is related with graphic vividness and with minute detail. Once before he had escaped from prison in Jerusalem; now he is guarded with peculiar care; sixteen soldiers are detailed, four for each watch. However, by supernatural power and under the guidance of an angel, he finds himself free to leave the dungeon and to join the group of Christians who have met for prayer in the home of Mary, the mother of Mark.

The very fact of such divine intervention indicates how serious was the crisis for the Church, and how great its peril; but the deliverance was a clear declaration that while a civil power might persecute, and while Christians might be compelled to suffer, no government can ever destroy the Church of Christ.

It has often been observed as true to nature that when Peter appeared in safety, in response to the prayers of the

disciples, they did not believe that it could be Peter, but thought that it must be his disembodied spirit. The servant maid, Rhoda, alone seems to have had real faith. While the story rebukes our too uncommon unbelief, it may encourage us to know that God often grants gracious answers to prayers of quite imperfect faith.

The execution of the guards is a proof of the reality of the miraculous deliverance of the apostle, for it shows that Peter had escaped, and it is an additional intimation of the cruelty of the king, for a fair investigation might have relieved these guards from blame.

The divine judgment visited upon Herod is declared to have been, not for his persecution of the Church, but because “he gave not God the glory." As a civil ruler he owed his position to God and was accountable to him; his abuse of power, both in condemning innocent men and in gratification of his personal vanity, was treason to the supreme Ruler. It is a tragic picture: the king, clothed in a robe of silver sheen, seated upon a throne and accepting divine honors, is suddenly smitten with a loathsome disease and is "eaten of worms." It is all pitiful enough; but what Christian in Jerusalem would not regard Herod's fate as a divine retribution for his attempt to destroy the Church of the living God? Surely two great leaders who had been in the Holy City during these fateful days returned to Antioch with a new confidence that the living Christ would protect his witnesses; these men were Barnabas and Saul, who were about to be sent out by the Church to begin the work of evangelizing the vast provinces of the Roman world.

III

THE EXTENSION OF THE CHURCH

THE WITNESS UNTO THE UTTERMOST PART OF THE EARTH. Chs. 13 to 28

1. Paul's First Missionary Journey. Chs. 13, 14

a. Paul in Cyprus. Ch. 13: 1-12

1 Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers, Barnabas, and Symeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene and Manaen the fosterbrother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 And as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto ĺ have called them. 3 Then, when they had fasted and 'prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. 5 And when they were at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John as their attendant. 6 And when they had gone through the whole island unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Jesus; 7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. The same called unto him Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith. 9 But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him, 10 and said, O full of all guile and all villany, thou son of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? 11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.