James, the elder brother of John, was the first Christian
martyr after Stephen – about 10 years after - 44 AD! I have read
that this James, whose mother was Salome (this is not the James of the Epistle,
who was said to be the brother of Jesus) was the leader of the
Christians. Perhaps that is why Herod “killed [him] with the sword”
chopping off the head of this troublesome sect. No doubt Herod didn’t do
the deed himself.
That happening seems to have been over very quickly. Herod was
so pleased with himself that he had pleased the Jews by this act that he
decided to take Peter also. He put him in prison. We are told of
the wonderful experience Peter had when an angel came and released him.
Actually Peter’s prayers, and no doubt those of his brethren, caused his chains
to fall off from his hands.
Soon we have the delightful story of Rhoda, a young girl
who came at Peter’s knock at the door of the gate at the house of Mary the
mother of John Mark. She was in so much of a dither that she left him
there at the gate, while she rushed in with the news that Peter was
there. “It is his angel,” the folk said. Peter had to keep up the
knocking before he was let into the house.
With Herod’s demise we have an example of what can happen
when God is not given the glory. He had accepted the people’s idolatry of
him as a god.
Joyce Voysey
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