Acts 12 verse 6

Acts 12 verse 6

(6)    And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.  (KJV)

(6)    But when Herod was about to bring him out, in that night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, being bound with two chains, also guards keeping the prison before the door.  (Interlinear Bible)

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Retranslation (6):  But when Herod was about to kill him, in that night at midnight, the noon of night, Peter was dying [to the world, the flesh, and evil]. 

NOTE: This type of dying is active; it is not passive. It is not something that happens to you. Peter is actively trying to wake up. He prays. He petitions God, and, beseeching God to open the door to the kingdom of light, he binds himself to God understandingly, knowing he owes his life, and everything he is, to God. 

[Peter understands that] he is bound by two paralyzing chains, [the two false premises of materialism: matter, and its false creator, mortal mind, and that these falsities can never be broken by a consciousness participating in the their false world. And so, leaning on the strength of Truth for his identity, for his very life, and spiritually supported by] the two soldier-angels, [representing the Law and the Christ, Peter does away with his mortal consciousness and dies out of that false world;]

. . . .and the soldier-angels standing guard at the door, [the gate of the divine city or Consciousness of God,] watch their ward, and guard him [from loss or harm during this spiritual warfare with the flesh.]

Retranslation (6):  But when Herod was about to kill him, in that night at midnight, the noon of night, Peter was dying (to the world, the flesh, and evil). He prayed. He petitioned God, and, beseeching God to open the door to the kingdom of light, he bound himself to God understandingly, knowing he owed his life, and everything he was, to God. Peter understood that the two paralyzing chains of Herod’s ignorance, the false premises of the material world: matter, and its false creator and sustainer, mortal mind, could never be broken by a consciousness participating in the false world. So, leaning on the spiritual strength of Truth (represented by the two soldier-angels: the Law and Love) for his identity,  his very life, Peter did away with his mortal consciousness and died out of that false world;

. . . .and the soldier-angels standing guard at the door, the gate of the divine city or Consciousness of God, watch their ward, and guard him from loss or harm during this spiritual warfare with the flesh.

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NOTE on the “soldiers, chains, and being bound”:  In Greek, stratiotes, translated as soldier, comes from the word stratia, meaning camp-likeness. 

camp n. (1828 Dict. def.): [L. campus, an open level field or plain.]

1. The ground on which an army pitch their tents, whether for a night or a longer time.
2. The order or arrangement of tents, or disposition of an army, for rest; as, to pitch a camp. Also the troops encamped on the same field.
3. An army.

Who are these “soldiers” encamped on the same field with Peter? Are the soldiers, like the “certain vessel” (Acts 10:11), providing something useful to Peter’s experience as he journeys from sense to Soul?  Are these two soldiers echoes of Cornelius’ two servants? Do they represent the Law and the Gospel, Truth and Love, Science and the Christ, the Consciousness of Truth? They watch him and they keep him.

If Peter remains bound to mortal beliefs about himself, he will look out on his field and see four sets of four soldiers preventing his escape and leading him to his death. Is there any hope for Peter? Is he bound to die? Can he move into another self and another realm? Can a belief chain Peter. Can a belief confine, shackle, hinder or restrain Peter from praying?

What is prayer but the effort to bind oneself to God by dying out of the flesh?  Peter is furnished with all the help he needs. So are we. I AM ALL and there is none else is the Law, and Love bends to helps us in our fledgling effort to awaken and learn. It bent to help Peter. It assembles us all, adjusting us into Its All. 

If Peter decided to remain in the darkness with Herod, Peter would be self-deceived, creating monsters out of men, and creating soldiers which hide the open doorway into the light, the true Self, or God, Mind.

NOTE on “two chains”: The feet represent the foundation: where one stands. 

“Fetters excerpted from Science and Health:

material medicine and hygiene, fetter faith 226:19

a so-called mind fettered to matter. 77:21

Fettered by sin yourself, it is difficult to 448:32

Free from one belief only to be fettered by another 584:13

yea, to reach the range of fetterless Mind. 84:17

the fetters of man’s finite capacity are forged by  223:4

potent to break despotic fetters 225:19

Science rends asunder these fetters 226:20

to guide me into the land of CS, where fetters fall 227:1

It throws off some material fetters 249:29

to free another from the fetters of disease 449:1

NOTE on “marriage”:

Herod isolates (5442 phylasso) Peter, hoping to keep him in an unmarried (5083 tereo)state. But Herod’s beliefs cannot affect Peter, unless Peter chooses to accept them. Will Peter fall down and worship----bind himself to---Herod’s beliefs: You are alone! You are at my mercy! I can kill you!  Or will Peter worship----bind himself to-----God, omnipresent Love?

What is this “binding” but a marriage, a union, a love affair, an allegiance? When the eye is on the beloved, it is married to it; it does not stray or wander into the arms of the world.

NOTE on “midnight”:  The following is excerpted from an article entitled “Loyal Christian Scientists” found on pages 275-279 in Miscellaneous Writings by Mary Baker Eddy (Emphasis added.):

“[My students are] . . . an assemblage found waiting and watching for the full coming of our Lord and Christ.

In Christian Science the midnight hour will always be the bridal hour, until “no night is there.” The wise will have their lamps aglow, and light will illumine the darkness.

Out of the gloom comes the glory of our Lord, and His divine Love is found in affliction. When a false sense suffers, the true sense comes out, and the bridegroom appears. We are then wedded to a purer, higher affection and ideal.

I pray that all my students shall have their lamps trimmed and burning at the noon of night, that not one of them be found borrowing oil, and seeking light from matter instead of Spirit, or at work erroneously, thus shutting out spiritual light. Such an error and loss will be quickly learned when the door is shut. Error giveth no light, and it closes the door on itself.

In the dark hours, wise Christian Scientists stand firmer than ever in their allegiance to God. Wisdom is wedded to their love, and their hearts are not troubled.

It is the love of God, and not the fear of evil, that is the incentive in Science.”

incentive n.(1828 Dict def.): [L. incentivum, from incendo, to burn.]

1. That which kindles or inflames; used now in a figurative sense only.
2. That which moves the mind or operates on the passions; that which incites or has a tendency to incite to determination or action; that which prompts to good or ill; motive; spur. The love of money, and the desire of promotion, are two most powerful incentives to action.

NOTE on the “door”:  The state of self-deception places soldiers, obstructions, before the door to hide it. God never closes the door. We hide it from ourselves through blinding beliefs, creating monster out of men. Peter will walk over the sleeping men. (Could these soldiers, like Peter, instead of sleeping, have been dying out of the flesh during this spiritual experience out of time and space?)

Compare these soldier/army “strat-” words:  The following Greek words appear in the Greek dictionary alongside the word stratiotes 4757, soldier or angel in English. As you can see below, military service and warfare words are used to describe military generals and their duties as well as religious chiefs and religious duties. Mary Baker Eddy often uses the word warfare, war, battle, etc. in her writings about the warfare with the flesh.

4752 strateia, from 4754; military service, i.e. (figuratively) the apostolic career (as one of hardship and danger):-----warfare.

4754 strateuomai, middle from the base of 4756; to serve in a military campaign; figuratively to execute the apostolate (with its arduous duties and functions), to contend with carnal inclinations:-----soldier, (go to) war, warfare.

4755 strategos, from the base of 4756 and 71 or 2233; a general, i.e. (by implication or analogy) a (military) governor (praetor), the chief (prefect) of the (levitical) temple-wardens:----captain, magistrate.

Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy (bold added):

“The suppositional warfare between truth and error is only the mental conflict between the evidence of the spiritual senses and the testimony of the material senses, and this warfare between the Spirit and the flesh will settle all questions through faith in and the understanding of divine Love.”   288:3.

“The twelfth chapter of the Apocalypse typifies the divine method of warfare in Science, and the glorious results of this warfare.

Revelation xii. 10-12. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, . . .for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, . . .  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb,  . . .

Self-abnegation, by which we lay down all for Truth, or Christ, in our warfare against error, is a rule in Christian Science.

Every mortal at some period, here or hereafter, must grapple with and overcome the mortal belief in a power opposed to God.”   568-569.

“[Christians] must grapple with sin in themselves and in others, and continue this warfare until they have finished their course.

Christian experience teaches faith in the right and disbelief in the wrong. It bids us work the more earnestly in times of persecution, because then our labor is more needed. Great is the reward of self-sacrifice, though we may never receive it in this world.”  29:2.

“. . . the Apostle Paul explains this warfare between the idea of divine power, which Jesus represented, and mythological material intelligence called energy and opposed to Spirit.”   534:13.

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when 3753 hote, from 3739 and 5037; at which (thing) too, i.e. when:-----after (that), as soon as, that, when, while.

Herod 2264

was 2258

about 3195 mello, a strengthened form of 3199 (through the idea of expectation); to intend, i.e. be about to be, do, or suffering something (of persons or things, especially events; in the sense of purpose, duty, necessity, probability, possibility, or hesitation):----about, after that, be (almost), (that which is, things, which was for) to come, intend, was to (be), mean, mind, beat the point, (be) ready, return, shall (begin), (which, that) should (after, afterwards, hereafter), tarry, which was for, will, would, be yet.

3199 melo, a primary verb; to be of interest to, i.e. to concern (only a third person singular present indicative used impersonally it matters):----(take) care.

lead forth 4254 proago, from 4253 and 71; to lead forward (magisterially); intransitive to precede (in place or time [participle previous]):---bring (forth, out), go before.

him 846

night 3571 nyx, a primary word; “night” (literal or figurative):----night, midnight.

that 1565 ekeinos, from 1563; that one (or [neuter] thing); often intensified by the article prefixed:--- he, it, the other (same), selfsame, that (same, very), their, them, they, this, those, See also 3778.

Peter 4074

was 2258

sleeping 2837 koimao, from 2749; to put to sleep, i.e. (passive or reflexive) to slumber; figuratively to decease:-----sleep, be asleep, fall asleep, fall on sleep, be dead.

between 3342 metaxy, from 3326 and a form of 4862; betwixt (of place or person); (of time) as adjective intervening, or (by implication) adjoining:----between, meanwhile, next.

3326 meta, a primary preposition (often used adverbially); properly denoting accompaniment; “amid” (locally or causally); modified variously according to the case (genitive, association, or accusative succession) with which it is joined; occupying an intermediate position between 575 or 1537 and 1519 or 4314; less intimate than 1722, and less close than 4862. Often used in compounds, in substantially the same relations of participation or proximity, and transfer or sequence:------after, afterward, that be again, against, among, and follow, hence, hereafter, in, of, on, upon, our, and setting, since, to unto, together, when, with, without.

4862 syn, a primary preposition denoting union; with or together (but much closer than 3326 or 3844), i.e. by association, companionship, process, resemblance, possession, instrumentality, addition, etc. In compounds it has similar applications, including completeness:----beside, with.

two 1417 dyo, a primary numeral; “two”:----both, twain, two.

soldiers 4757 stratiotes, from a presumed derivative of the same as 4756; a camper out, i.e. a (common) warrior (literal or figurative):-----soldier.

4756 stratia, feminine of a derivative of stratos (an army; from the base of 4766; as encamped); camp-likeness, i.e. an army, i.e. (figuratively) the angels, the celestial luminaries:----host.

4766 stronnymi, or simpler stronnyo, prolonged from a still simpler stroo (used only as an alternate in certain tenses; probably akin to 4731 through the idea of positing); to “strew”, i.e. spread (as a carpet or couch):-----make bed, furnish, spread, strew.

bound 1210 deo, a primary verb; to bind (in various applications, literally or figuratively):----bind, be in bonds, knit, tie, wind. See also 1163, 1189.

1163 dei, third person singular active present of 1210; also deon, neuter active participle of 1210; both used impersonally; it is (was, etc.) necessary (as binding):----behooved, be meet, must (needs), need, be, needful, ought, should.

1189 deomai, middle of 1210; to beg (as binding oneself), i.e. petition:-----beseech, pray (to), make a request. Compare 4441.

NOTE: to beg (pray to or petition) = be in bonds

            to beg God = bound to God; you “owe” God

            to petition God = being bound (up) with God.  God gives, you receive.  “They cease to have who cease to give, such is the “law” of Love.”

4441 suggests 1210 involves the idea of an urgent need. You urgently need something from God. Urgent: pressing with importunity; earnest solicitation. The “need” is met by “Love”.  Love must, needs, ought to have, its perfect expression. Love’s work (man) and Love must “fit.” Assemblage. Love always meets . . . the need.

4441 pynthanomai, middle prolonged from a primary phtho (which occurs only as an alternate in certain tenses); to question, i.e. ascertain by inquiry (as a matter of information merely); and thus differing from 2065, which properly means a request as a favor; and from 154, which is strictly a demand of something due; as well as from 2212, which implies a search for something hidden; and from 1189, which involves the idea of urgent need); by implication to learn (by casual intelligence):-----ask, demand, inquire, understand.

two 1417

chains 254 halysis, of uncertain derivation; a fetter or manacle:----bond, chain.

fetter (Origins Dict.): See Foot. 

fetter n. (1828 Dict. def.): [Sax. fetor, from foot, feet. Chiefly used in the plural fetters.]

1. A chain for the feet; a chain by which an animal is confined by the foot, either made fast or fixed, as a prisoner, or impeded in motion and hindered from leaping, as a horse whose fore and hind feet are confined by a chain. “The Philistines bound Sampson with fetters of brass.” Judges xvi.
2. Any thing that confines or restrains from motion. “Passions to fierce to be in fetters bound.” Dryden.

fetter v.t.  (ibid.):

1.To put on fetters; to shackle or confine the feet with chain.

1. To bind; to enchain; to confine; to restrain motion; to impose restraints on.

fetterless a. (ibid.): Free from fetters or restraint.

and 5037

guards 5441 phylax, from 5442; a watcher or sentry:-----keeper.

before 4253 pro, a primary preposition; “fore”, i.e. in front of, prior (figuratively superior) to. In the compounds it retains the same meanings:-----above, ago, before, or ever.

door 2374 thyra, apparently a primary word [compare “door”]; a portal or entrance (the opening or the closure, literally or figuratively):---door, gate.

keeping 5083 tereo, from teros (a watch; perhaps akin to 2334); to guard (from loss or injury, properly by keeping the eye upon; and thus differing from 5442, which is properly to prevent escaping; and from 2892, which implies a fortress or full military lines of apparatus), i.e. to note (a prophecy; figuratively to fulfill a command); by implication to detain (in custody; figuratively to maintain): by extension to withhold (for personal ends; figuratively to keep unmarried):----hold fast, keep, keeper, serve, preserve, reserve, watch.

prison 5438 phylake, from 5442; a guarding (or concretely guard), the act, the person; figuratively the place, the condition, or (specifically) the time (as a division of day or night), literally or figuratively:----cage, hold, prison, imprisonment, ward, watch.

5442 phylasso, probably from 5443 through the idea of isolation; to watch, i.e. be on guard (literally or figuratively); by implication to preserve, obey, avoid:----beware, keep (self), observe, save. Compare 5083.

5443 phyle, from 5453 (compare 5444); an offshoot, i.e. race or clan:----kindred, tribe.

5453 phyo, a primary verb; probably originally to “puff” or blow, i.e. to swell up; but only used in the implied sense to germinate or grow (sprout, produce), literally or figuratively:----spring up.

5444 phyllon, from the same as 5443; a sprout, i.e. leaf:---leaf.