Sunday, July 16, 2023  

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Today’s Scripture Reading 
Acts 12:18–25

When morning came, there was no small commotion among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. When Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.

Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him in a body; and after winning over Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for a reconciliation, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat on the platform, and delivered a public address to them. The people kept shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a mortal!” And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of God continued to advance and gain adherents. Then after completing their mission Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem and brought with them John, whose other name was Mark. (NRSV)

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Reflection
This passage has been very tricky for me. I’d like to write that King Herod’s speech honoring Claudius Caesar was praised by saying he spoke like God. And that when Herod didn’t give credit to God, he was immediately punished by death — motivating the reader to give credit to God.

Yet I really struggled with this one. I have trouble getting to the “This is why God did this” theories. Then I thought I’d write about the good guy, Blastus. The king’s chamberlain (chief officer in the household), who was befriended by the people of Tyre and Sidon and who helped them get the audience of the king. I found out that the term befriending most likely implies that a bribe transpired between the visitors and Blastus, because they needed allyship from Herod, who was about to cut off food from the grainfields of Galilee. None of these angles say “good story with a clear message” to me.

I think what I can say is that Herod (Agrippa — a different Herod than the one who tried to kill young Jesus) publicly accepted the praise of the people as they shouted in response to Herod’s speech, “The voice of a god, and not of man!” Herod did not correct this sentiment, thus furthering the people’s affirmation that Herod was a god.

This account in Acts claims that because of this, God struck Herod immediately with a horrible death. I believe that the point of this account is that no person stood in the way of the establishment of the church (through Peter’s witness) — not the guards, and not Herod Agrippa, tetrarch of Galilee.

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Prayer
God, guide me daily and through the course of my life to be a true witness of your Word in the world. Help me to live into my faith instead of taking credit for your blessings in my life. Amen.

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Written by Katy Sinclair, Associate Director of Music for Children and Youth

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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