And, it says, he killed James the brother of John with the sword; simply that, as if it happened by chance. If someone should ask why God permitted this, we would answer that it was for the sake of the Jews themselves. First of all, [God] thereby persuades them that even when being put to death, the apostles triumph, which also happened in the case of Stephen. Second, [God] gives them an opportunity, after satiating their anger, to return from their madness. Third, he shows that it was with his consent that this happened.

James, under pressure to cut off Christ, his true head, was [physically] decapitated, yet the [true] head of every person is Christ according to the apostle^[1] and at the same time the head of the entire church.

How was it that he did not kill Peter immediately? It mentions the reason, it was the day of unleavened bread. The more likely reason is that he wanted to make a spectacle of the slaughter. For their part, the Jews, following the advice of Gamaliel, now abstained from bloodshedding (besides, they did not even try to invent accusations), but by the hands of others they achieved the same results. . . . This, in particular, was their condemnation; for the preaching was shown to be no longer a thing of humankind.

The stricter the watch, the more wonderful the demonstration. This was done on behalf of Peter, who became more esteemed as a result, and to demonstrate his innate virtue. Prayer was earnestly made, it says. It was the prayer of heartfelt love. They all sought a father, a gentle father. Earnest prayer, it says. Listen as to how they were disposed toward their teachers. They did not divide into factions or make an uproar but turned to prayer, that true alliance which is invincible. In this they sought refuge. They did not say, Am I, a lowly good-for-nothing, to pray for him? For since they acted out of love, they did not give these things any thought.

This we urge you, by both supplications and tears, to contribute to us—insignificant ones. For the shared sufferings of the church call for shared prayers, just as when Peter, the head of the apostles, was bound in prison by two chains and watched over by guards . . . there was made constant prayer by the church to God for him. When this is the case for an apostle, who needs help, and prayers are offered up by the church, how would we, the uninitiated and brood of sin,^[1] not all the more beg these prayers to be offered for us by the faithful, those noble limbs of the church and educated to groan^[2] with godly and spiritual perception?

See how Peter slept and was not in anguish or fear. In the very night when he was about to be brought before the court he slept, leaving everything to God. Indeed the multitude becomes powerful when virtue is present. And it had such a power that even though the doors were closed, chains bound the apostle and the jailers slept at both his sides, virtue delivered him and saved him from all those difficulties. So if virtue is present the multitude has great strength, but if vice is present it makes no benefit.

[Peter] thought he was seeing a vision. Well might he think that, considering the excessive greatness of the things taking place. Do you see what it means for a miracle to be excessive? How it strikes the onlooker dumb, how it does not permit him to disbelieve? If Peter thought he was seeing a vision throughout such a long period of time, even though he had put on his belt and shoes, what would have happened to another person? And passing, it says, the first guard and the second, they came to the iron gate. And they went out and passed on through one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. What happened within was more marvelous; from here on it is more human. When there was no hindrance, the angel departed. For Peter would not have gotten away otherwise, with so many hindrances in place. It was truly mind-boggling.

Why was this not done through themselves? In this way God honors them, rescuing them through his angels. Why did it not happen like this in the case of Paul? With good reason, because there the prison guard was to be converted,^[1] while here only the apostle was to be released. In different ways God disposes different things. There, it is well for Paul to sing hymns; here, for Peter to sleep.

Therefore, let us not conceal the wonders of God, but to our own advantage, let us parade them with zeal, for the edification of others. He is to be admired for choosing to be imprisoned but even more for not withdrawing before he had reported everything to his friends. And he said, Tell this to James and to the brothers,^[1] so that they might rejoice and not worry about him. And it is through these that those find out, not those through this. Thus did he take thought for the humbler part!

Look how much they achieved by praying at night. How great a good is affliction. How much it awakened them. Did you notice the gain from Stephen’s death? Or how great a benefit this prison conferred? For it is not by taking vengeance on those who wronged them that God shows the greatness of the gospel. Rather, it is in the wrongdoers themselves, without their suffering anything terrible, that he shows the greatness of afflictions in themselves by themselves, so that we would in no way seek deliverance from them, not even vengeance for the wrongs done us.

Consider how even their servant girls had an equal share of honor as they did. For joy, it says, she did not open the gate. This too happens for a good reason, that they might not be dumbfounded, seeing him at once and so disbelieve, but that their thoughts might be prepared. She does what we would all do: she runs in so that she might be the one bringing the good news. For truly it was good news.

And they said to her: ‘You are mad!’ But she confidently affirmed that it was so. And they said, ‘It is his angel.’ This is true because everyone has an angel. And what does the angel want? From the time of the night this is what they expected. But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened, they saw him and were amazed. But he motioned them with his hand and produced a great silence, so that they might hear what had happened to him. He was now much more sought after by the disciples, not only because he was saved but also on account of his arrival and immediate departure. His friends heard about everything clearly, and strangers would have too, if indeed they had wished to, but they did not. This also happened in the case of Christ. Tell these things, he said, to James and to the brothers. Is he not free from vainglory? He did not even say, Make these things known to people everywhere but to the brothers. . . . It was to prevent them from saying, It was his angel, after his departure, that they say this first and then see the man himself, who controverts that idea. Had it been the angel, he would not have knocked at the door or withdrawn to another place. They were assured of this by what happened the next day.

Immediately, free from the enemy, he sings the praises of God’s work. The first girl demonstrates that he has come back from the darkness because the grace of Christ allowed a similar thing to be, inasmuch as the Lord himself, rising [from the dead], approached the sight of women; the glory of his returning flesh spoke to the sex that his mother has. It is clear from this also that the church, which must carry unrestrained gladness to every flock, recognized its prophet [Peter].

And [Peter] withdrew to another place. He did not tempt God or even throw himself into temptation. When they were commanded to do something, they did it. Go, the angel said, and speak in the temple to the people.^[1] The angel did not say this here, but, by silently removing him and bringing him out by night, he gave him the power to withdraw. And this is done to teach us that matters are often providentially arranged in human terms, in this case, to prevent him from falling into danger again.

Some people may be at a loss to explain how God allowed his champions to be put to death. And why did the soldiers die on account of Peter, although it was possible for God, after he had saved Peter, to rescue them as well? But it was not yet the time of judgment, to render to each according to his deserts. Besides, it was not Peter who put them into his hands. For what most annoyed Herod was being mocked. Just as when his grandfather was deceived by the wise men,^[1] it cut him to the heart being made a laughingstock. He examined the sentries, it says, and ordered that they should be put to death. And yet he had heard from them (for he examined them) that the chains had been discarded, that Peter had taken his sandals and that until that night he was with them. But what did the sentries conceal? Why didn’t they also flee? Surely, Herod ought to have been amazed and astonished at this. This becomes clear to everyone through these men’s death. The wickedness of Herod is discovered, and that the wonder is of God.