Commentaries:
Barnes' Notes
But he, beckoning ... - To prevent the noise, and tumult, and transport which was likely to be produced. His wish was, not that there should be clamorous joy, but that they should listen in silence to what God had done. It was sufficient to awe the soul, and produce deep, grateful feeling. A noise might excite the neighboring Jews, and produce danger. Religion is calm and peaceful; and its great scenes and surprising deliverances are rather suited to awe the soul to produce calm, sober, and grateful contemplation, than the noise of rejoicing, and the shoutings of exultation. The consciousness of the presence of God, and of his mighty power, does not produce rapturous disorder and tumult, but holy, solemn, calm, grateful emotion.
Go, show these things ... - Acquaint them that their prayer is heard, and that they may rejoice also at the mercy of God.
Unto James - James, the son of Alpheus, commonly called the Less. See Acts 12:2 note; Acts 1:13 note; Matthew 10:2 note.
And to the brethren - Particularly to the other apostles.
And went into another place - Probably a place of greater safety. Where he went is not known. The papists pretend that he went to Rome. But of this there is no evidence. He is mentioned as in Jerusalem again in Acts 15. The meaning is evidently that he went into some place of retirement until the danger was past.
Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Acts 12:17:
Acts 15:13
Acts 21:40
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