Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 12]
on thinking, puzzled as he was. \Blepein\ is the infinitive in
indirect assertion without the pronoun (he) expressed which could
be either nominative in apposition with the subject as in Ro
1:22 or accusative of general reference as in Ac 5:36; 8:9
(Robertson, _Grammar_, pp. 1036-40). Peter had had a vision in
Joppa (10:10) which Luke describes as an "ecstasy," but here is
objective fact, at least Luke thought so and makes that
distinction. Peter will soon know whether he is still in the cell
or not as we find out that a dream is only a dream when we wake
up.
12:10 {When they were past} (\dielthontes\). Second aorist active
participle of \dierchomai\, transitive with \dia\ in composition.
{The first and the second ward} (\pr•t•n phulak•n kai deuteran\).
It is not clear to what this language refers. Some take it to
mean single soldiers, using \phulak•n\ in the sense of a guard
(one before the door, one at the iron gate). But it seems hardly
likely that the two soldiers with whom Peter had been stationed
are meant. Probably the "first ward" means the two soldiers of
the quaternion stationed by the door and the second ward some
other soldiers, not part of the sixteen, further on in the prison
by the iron gate. However understood, the difficulties of escape
are made plain. {Unto the iron gate that leadeth into the city}
(\epi t•n pul•n t•n sid•r•n t•n pherousan eis t•n polin\). Note
the triple use of the article (the gate the iron one the one
leading into the city). For this resumptive use of the article
see Robertson, _Grammar_, pp. 762, 764. This iron gate may have
opened from a court out into the street and effectually barred
escape. {Opened to them} (\•noig• autois\). Second aorist passive
indicative of \anoig•\, the usual later form though \•noichth•\
(first aorist passive) occurs also, was opened. {Of its own
accord} (\automat•\). Old compound adjective (\autos\, self,
obsolete \ma•\, to desire eagerly, feminine form though masculine
\automatos\ also used as feminine). In the N.T. only here and Mr
4:28. It was a strange experience for Peter. The Codex Bezae
adds here "went down the seven steps" (\kateb•san tous hepta
bathmous\), an interesting detail that adds to the picture. {One
street} (\rhum•n mian\). The angel saw Peter through one of the
narrow streets and then left him. We have no means of knowing
precisely the location of the prison in the city. On "departed"
(\apest•\) see on verse ¯7.
12:11 {Was come to himself} (\en heaut•i genomenos\). Second
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