Acts 12 21

Acts 12:21 kjv

And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.

Acts 12:21 nkjv

So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them.

Acts 12:21 niv

On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people.

Acts 12:21 esv

On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them.

Acts 12:21 nlt

and an appointment with Herod was granted. When the day arrived, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and made a speech to them.

Acts 12 verses

Acts 12 21 Meaning

Acts 12:21 describes a pivotal public display by Herod Agrippa I, where he, adorned in regal splendor, assumed his official judicial seat and addressed a crowd. This verse details Herod's show of worldly power and authority, setting the scene for a confrontation between human arrogance and divine sovereignty. It emphasizes his self-exaltation before a large audience, underscoring the vanity of earthly glory soon to be overshadowed by God's judgment.

Acts 12 21 Context

Acts 12:21 occurs after a dramatic sequence of events. King Herod Agrippa I had initiated severe persecution against the nascent Christian church in Jerusalem. He had executed James, the brother of John, with the sword (Acts 12:2), and then imprisoned Peter, intending to execute him after Passover (Acts 12:3-4). However, Peter was miraculously released from prison by an angel, in answer to fervent church prayer (Acts 12:5-19). Following Peter's disappearance, Herod, furious and embarrassed, interrogated the guards and ordered their execution (Acts 12:18-19). This specific verse, then, moves the scene to Caesarea, a major Roman city and Herod's preferred residence. It sets up the final act of Herod's narrative, revealing his worldly grandeur just before his divine judgment. Herod was attempting to resolve a conflict with the people of Tyre and Sidon, who depended on his kingdom for food supplies (Acts 12:20). His public address, characterized by pomp and display, aimed to assert his authority and negotiate peace, leading to the self-glorification that precipitates his ultimate downfall.

Acts 12 21 Word analysis

• On an appointed day (Greek: Taktē hēmera)
  • Taktē (τακτῇ): Derived from tassō, meaning "to arrange," "to set in order," "to appoint." This emphasizes that the day was not random but specifically fixed, planned, and perhaps a recurring festival or public occasion. It highlights premeditation in Herod's display, suggesting he intentionally orchestrated this grand event.
  • hēmera (ἡμέρᾳ): Day.
  • Significance: The intentional timing underscores the deliberate nature of Herod's show of power and, by extension, God's equally deliberate timing of His subsequent judgment. Some scholars associate this with a festival for Claudius Caesar.
• Herod (Ἡρῴδης - Hērōdēs):
  • Identity: Refers specifically to Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great, who had been granted the kingdom of Judea by Claudius.
  • Role: He was a cunning and politically astute ruler who sought to appease both Rome and the Jewish populace. His persecution of Christians aimed to gain favor with Jewish religious leaders.
  • Significance: Represents the pinnacle of earthly, political power, demonstrating human ambition and resistance against God's growing kingdom.
• put on his royal robes (ἐνδυσάμενος ἐσθῆτα βασιλικὴν - endysamenos esthēta basilikēn):
  • Endysamenos (ἐνδυσάμενος): From enduo, "to put on," "to clothe oneself." It suggests a deliberate act of dressing, a self-conscious assumption of his royal persona.
  • Esthēta (ἐσθῆτα): Clothing, garment.
  • Basilikēn (βασιλικὴν): Royal, kingly.
  • Significance: The description highlights the extravagance and pomp. Historical sources, particularly Josephus (Antiquities XIX.8.2), mention Herod wearing a garment made entirely of silver, which shimmered and dazzled in the sun, making him appear glorious to the crowd. This attire symbolized his worldly authority, wealth, and grandeur, designed to impress and invoke awe, contributing to his inflated self-importance.
• took his seat (καθίσας - kathisas):
  • Meaning: "Having sat down." It denotes a formal and deliberate action of taking one's position, signaling the commencement of an official proceeding or address.
• on the tribunal (ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος - epi tou bēmatos):
  • Bēmatos (βήματος): From bēma, literally a "step," or a "raised platform" for public speaking, an official rostrum or judgment seat. It was a common feature in Roman cities.
  • Significance: The bēma was the seat of authority for judges and officials. It signified judicial and administrative power, the place from which laws were proclaimed, judgments rendered, and official decrees made. Herod sitting on it asserts his supreme earthly power and control over the people and legal processes. This is contrasted with the ultimate divine judgment seat (Rom 14:10, 2 Cor 5:10).
• and delivered a public address to them (ἐφωνεῖ αὐτούς - ephōnei autous):
  • Ephōnei (ἐφωνεῖ): Imperfect tense of phoneō, "to speak," "to call out." The imperfect tense suggests an ongoing action, that he "was addressing" or "continued to speak."
  • Autous (αὐτούς): Them. Refers to the delegation from Tyre and Sidon (Acts 12:20) and the large public gathering present.
  • Significance: Herod was not merely present; he was actively engaging and influencing the crowd, asserting his rhetorical and political power. His speech was a key part of his public display, designed to magnify his status.

Acts 12 21 Bonus section

• Herod's motives: Beyond addressing the Tyrian/Sidonian conflict, Herod's grand display was also aimed at boosting his popularity and cementing his standing among his subjects, following the controversies and anxieties stirred by Peter's mysterious disappearance from prison.
• Echoes of Imperial Cult: This event in Caesarea, a Roman city, with Herod's impressive robes and the crowd's exaggerated adulation (v.22), reflects aspects of the imperial cult where rulers were often deified or venerated to an extent that bordered on worship. This provided a fertile ground for the blasphemous pronouncement by the crowd that immediately follows in the next verse.
• The contrast with Christ's Kingship: While Herod adorned himself in earthly splendor on a man-made tribunal, Jesus, the true King, wore a crown of thorns and was judged on Pilate's bēma (John 19:13). This sets up a profound contrast between human kingship built on pomp and power, and divine kingship revealed through humility and suffering, yet culminating in ultimate victory and a truly eternal throne.

Acts 12 21 Commentary

Acts 12:21 meticulously details Herod Agrippa I's calculated theatrical performance, a scene designed to project an image of absolute power and grandeur. By specifying an "appointed day" and the "royal robes" shimmering on his "tribunal," Luke paints a vivid picture of a ruler engaged in self-aggrandizement. The carefully chosen setting of the bēma in Caesarea, a symbol of Roman imperial justice and administration, further underscores Herod's claim to ultimate authority. This public address was not merely a diplomatic meeting but a meticulously choreographed event to consolidate his political standing and exert influence over his audience, the people of Tyre and Sidon. Yet, the biblical narrative immediately juxtaposes this magnificent, human-centric display with the stark reality of God's unseen power. The contrast between Herod's impressive earthly show and the quiet, miraculous liberation of Peter (Acts 12:6-10) vividly illustrates the profound difference between the temporal, fleeting authority of man and the eternal, omnipotent sovereignty of God. This verse sets the stage for a critical theological lesson: any earthly power that arrogates divine prerogatives, particularly by receiving undue glory and resisting God's people, stands on precarious ground and invites swift divine judgment.