Acts 12:3

3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too, during the days of Unleavened Bread.

Acts 12:3 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 12:3

And because he saw it pleased the Jews
That is, as Beza's ancient copy adds, "his stretching out his hands upon the faithful"; this pleased the Jews, a bloodthirsty generation of men, who had killed the prophets, and the Lord Jesus, and who were now greedy after the death of the apostles: it may easily be seen from what principle and spirit Herod acted; it was not out of regard to the Jewish religion, rites, and ceremonies, but to ingratiate himself into the affections of the people:

he proceeded further to take Peter also;
a principal apostle, and who was well known, and against whom the Jews had doubtless a particular antipathy, and would have been glad to have been rid of him; this Herod was, sensible of, and therefore to please them, ordered him to be taken up:

then were the days of unleavened bread;
or the feast of the passover.

Acts 12:3 In-Context

1 About that time King Herod cruelly attacked some who belonged to the church,

2 and he killed James, John's brother, with the sword.

3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too, during the days of Unleavened Bread.

4 After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.

5 So Peter was kept in prison, but prayer was being made earnestly to God for him by the church.