Easter in the Bible

Michael Hopkins
6 days ago
2 min read

Acts 12:4

And when he had apprehended him (Peter), he (Herod the king) put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

Breakdown of the Verse

To understand this verse, you have to look at the terminology and the cultural setting:

"Four Quaternions of Soldiers": A quaternion is a squad of four soldiers. Herod assigned 16 soldiers in total to guard one man. They worked in shifts, with Peter likely chained to two guards inside the cell while two others stood watch at the door.
"Intending after Easter": In the original Greek, the word is pascha, which refers to the Passover. Herod, though ruthless, was careful to observe Jewish customs to stay in the public's good favor; he didn't want to perform an execution during a holy week.
"Bring him forth to the people": This wasn't just a trial; it was meant to be a public spectacle. Herod saw how much the execution of James pleased the critics of the early church, and he wanted to repeat that "success" with Peter.

📖 Supporting Scriptures

To get the full picture of what was happening spiritually and physically, consider these verses:

1. The Power of Prayer

While Herod was busy counting his soldiers, the church was using a different kind of "force."

Acts 12:5: "Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him."

2. God’s Deliverance from Rulers

Herod thought he had total control, but scripture reminds us who truly holds power over captives.

Psalm 34:7: "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them."
Isaiah 41:10: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God... yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

3. The Pattern of Persecution

Peter wasn't the first to face this; Jesus had already warned the disciples that the "world" would treat them this way.

John 15:20: "Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you..."

A Quick Note on "Easter"

In the King James Version, the use of "Easter" is a unique translation choice. Almost all other translations (ESV, NIV, NASB) use Passover, as the events took place during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It’s a helpful distinction if you’re studying the Jewish calendar!