Acts 12:2

2 He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword.

Acts 12:2 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 12:2

And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
] This was James, the son of Zebedee, whom our Lord told, that he should be baptized with the baptism he was baptized with, ( Matthew 20:22 ) meaning the baptism of martyrdom; and he was the first martyr among the apostles: the death he was put to was one of the four capital punishments among the Jews, and was reckoned by them the most disgraceful of them all, and was inflicted upon deceivers of the people; and such an one James was thought to be ^F5.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 7. sect. 1, 3. & 11. 4.

Acts 12:2 In-Context

1 About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church.

2 He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword.

3 When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. (This took place during the Passover celebration. )

4 Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover.

5 But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.