Acts 12:2

2 and James, John's brother, he beheaded.

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 Now, about that time, King Herod arrested certain members of the Church, in order to ill-treat them;

2 and James, John's brother, he beheaded.

3 Finding that this gratified the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also; these being the days of Unleavened Bread.

4 He had him arrested and lodged in jail, handing him over to the care of sixteen soldiers; and intended after the Passover to bring him out again to the people.

5 So Peter was kept in prison; but long and fervent prayer was offered to God by the Church on his behalf.