The commentaries of M. John Calvin upon the Acts of the Apostles, faithfully translated…The commentaries of M. Iohn Caluin vpon the Actes of the Apostles, faithfully translated…

1 About that time, Herod the king, stretched out his hand to afflict certain of the Church. 2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword: 3 And when he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to take Peter also, Then were the days of sweet bread. 4 When he had taken him also, he put him in prison, delivering him to four quaternions of soldiers to be kept, intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. 5 Therefore Peter was kept in prison. But continual prayer was made for him of of the church of God.

1 ABout that time, Herod the king, stretched out his hande to afflict certaine of the Church. 2 And he killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sworde: 3 And when he saw that this pleased the Iewes, he proceeded to take Peter also, Then were the daies of sweete bread. 4 Whē he had taken him also, he put him in prison, deliuering him to four quaternions of souldiars to be kept, intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. 5 Therefore Peter was kept in prison. But continuall prayer was made for him of of the chu•ch of God.

1 Here followeth new persecution raised by Herod. We see that the church had some short truce, that it might as it were by a short breathing recover some courage against the time to come, and that it might then fight afresh. So at this day there is no cause why the faithful having borne the brunts of one or two conflicts should promise themselves rest, or should desire such a calling as old overworn soldiers use to have: let this suffice them if the Lord grant them some time wherein they may recover their strength. This Herod was Agrippa the greater, the son of Aristobulus, whom his father slue. Josephus doth no where call him Herod, it may be, because he had a brother who was king of Chalcis, whose name was Herod. This man was incensed to afflict the church not so much for any love he had to religion, as that by this means he might flatter the common people, which did otherwise not greatly favour him, or rather he was moved hereunto with tyrannical cruelty, because he was afraid of innovation, which tyrants do always fear, least it trouble the quiet estate of their dominion. Yet it is likely that he did shed innocent blood, that according to the common craft of kings he might gratify a furious people; because Saint Luke will shortly after declare, that Peter the Apostle was put into prison that he might be a pleasant spectacle.