NEW TESTAMENT 59
BELIEF BEHIND BARS
RESCUED
BY FAITH
WhentheapostlePeteris
arrested,ittakesamessenger of
God to free himS
ince his days as a disciple of Jesus, Peter has
been a dedicated leader of the early Chris-
tians, preaching Jesus’ gospel in Galilee and
Judea and overseeing the organization of the
first church. But the Jewish religious leaders
dislike the new Christian faith. And Herod, the tyrannical,
Roman-appointed ruler of Judea, is on their side for po-
litical reasons. A few days after ordering the murder of Pe-
ter’s fellow apostle James, brother of John, Herod arrests
Peter. He plans to make an example of one of Jesus’ chief
followers by punishing him publicly on the last night of
Passover, as a deterrent to any others attracted to the new
movement. Peter finds himself in prison, while church
members gather in secret to pray for his protection and
deliverance.
As the Book of Acts tells it, on the night Herod plans to
punish him, Peter is sound asleep, chained to a soldier on
each side, his cell guarded by four squads of armed men.
An angel suddenly appears in his cell.
“Get up quickly!” says the angel, as his chains fall away.
“Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” Sleepy, con-
fused, and terrified for his life, Peter fears the figure is a
product of his imagination. But his faith proves greater
than his fear. He follows the angel through the lines of sol-
diers and all the way to the city gates, which open by them-