And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon [him], and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. Acts 12:7
“The story of Peter in prison, chained between two soldiers, seems to take on a feeling of intrigue and urgency when the record stated that the angel told Peter to “rise up quickly.” Without understanding the idiom used, the reader feels that Peter must move with haste or he will be caught by guards-either those beside him or those posted at the prison entrance.
Generally we think that Peter was not to be slow in his rising up. The word quick is generally interpreted by westerners as dealing with time. However we should think of him going forward with life and power. Peter is told to rise because the power is with him. He is with an angel who has power to free him from chains and anything else that resisted them. Why should they have to hurry?” Pg. 89
Several scriptures tell of the quick (those who are alive) and the dead. One example:
Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. I Peter 4:5
So true. There is a reason Mercury is also called quicksilver--because it appears "alive" and dances about.
ReplyDeleteAlthough to be honest, I hadn't thought about the "alive" meaning of quick or quickly for this particular verse before. Interesting.
I now understand the verses that tell us the Lord comes "quickly." With power and might, not as our vernacular tells us to expect, soon. (Although for the unprepared it will always be too soon.)
ReplyDeleteThank you Donna!