Acts 12:12-17
12 And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John, who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.
13 When he knocked at the door of the gate, a slave woman named Rhoda came to answer.
14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate.
15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.”
16 But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed.
17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to James and the brothers.” Then he left and went to another place.
The Reaction of the Church
The church’s prayer
(1) Peter urgently needed to escape from Herod’s grasp, but before doing so, he needed to report his release to the brothers in the church. He went to “the house of Mary, the mother of John, who was also called Mark.” The church (the group of believers) had gathered there and was offering intercessory prayers. (2) Here, Luke introduces Mark, who would later join the first missionary journey. Mark’s Greek name is “Markos,” while his Hebrew name is “Yohanan” (John). (3) Mark’s mother, Mary, was a wealthy widow (having a servant indicates a wealthy household). This house was the location of the Last Supper and continued to be a primary gathering place for the early church. (4) Without hesitation, Peter went to this house. There, many believers were praying for him. It was likely an all-night prayer meeting.
Slave woman Rhoda
(1) When Peter knocked at the entrance gate, a slave woman named Rhoda came to answer. She recognized Peter’s voice but, instead of opening the gate, she ran back inside to announce the good news to everyone. (2) The people praying did not immediately believe Rhoda’s report. They said, “You are out of your mind” or “It is his angel.” At that time, Jews believed that each person had a guardian angel who resembled the person they protected. (3) They harbored a certain level of doubt. They were unbelieving, thinking that since James had been kiIIed, it is unlikely their prayers would be answered so quickly. (4) Meanwhile, Peter kept knocking at the door, likely increasing the volume as time passed. The neighborhood was populated by wealthy priests, a dangerous group for the church. Ironically, despite this, the believers inside the house were slow to take action. (5) Finally, they went to the entrance and opened the gate. They were astonished to find Peter standing there. Once inside, Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and then explained how the Lord had rescued him. Peter asked them to “Report these things to James and the brothers.” This James is the brother of Jesus, who had already become a leader in the Jerusalem church. (6) Peter then “went to another place.” His destination could have been (a) Asia Minor (1 Peter 1:1), (b) Antioch in Syria (Gal. 2:11), or (c) on a missionary journey. Are we also those who pray with doubt in our hearts? Yet, even in our weakness, the Lord hears our prayers. Prayer is our privilege
Today's prayer
Heavenly Father, I confess that I sometimes pray with doubt in my heart. Please forgive me. Fill me with Your Spirit so that I may pray with confidence. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.