Atos 12
Matthew Henry · Citado em PreceptAustin
Atos 12
Henry - His stretching forth his hands intimates that his hands had been tied up by the restraints which perhaps his own conscience held him under in this matter; but now he broke through them, and stretched forth his hands deliberately, and of malice prepense. He began with vexing them only, or afflicting them, imprisoning them, fining them, spoiling their houses and goods, and other ways molesting them; but afterwards he proceeded to greater instances of cruelty. Christ's suffering servants are thus trained up by less troubles for greater, that tribulation may work patience, and patience experience.
Atos 12
Henry on James - This who was here crowned with martyrdom was one of the first three of Christ's disciples, one of those that were the witnesses of his transfiguration (Mt 17:1, cf Mk 13:3) and agony (in the Garden of Gethsemane - Mk 14:33-35), whereby he was prepared for martyrdom; he was one of those whom Christ called Boanerges-Sons of thunder; and perhaps by his powerful awakening preaching he had provoked Herod, or those about him, as John Baptist did the other Herod, and that was the occasion of his coming into this trouble. Bob
Atos 12
Henry notes that beheading with a sword "was looked upon by the Romans to be a more disgraceful way of being beheaded than with an axe.... It is strange that we have not a more full and particular account of the martyrdom of this great apostle, as we had of Stephen. But even this short mention of the thing is sufficient to let us know that the first preachers of the gospel were so well assured of the truth of it that they sealed it with their blood, and thereby have encouraged us, if at any time we are called to it, to resist unto blood too. The Old-Testament martyrs were slain with the sword (Heb. 11:37), and Christ came not to send peace, but a sword (Mt. 10:34), in preparation for which we must arm ourselves with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph 6:17), and then we need not fear what the sword of men can do unto us." David