Not long after Peter's deliverance from prison, Herod 150 went to Caesarea. While there he made a great festival designed to excite the admiration and gain the applause of the people. This festival was attended by pleasure lovers from all quarters, and there was much feasting and wine drinking. With great pomp and ceremony Herod appeared before the people and addressed them in an eloquent oration. Clad in a robe sparkling with silver and gold, which caught the rays of the sun in its glittering folds and dazzled the eyes of the beholders, he was a gorgeous figure. The majesty of his appearance and the force of his well-chosen language swayed the assembly with a mighty power. Their senses already perverted by feasting and wine drinking, they were dazzled by Herod's decorations and charmed by his deportment and oratory; and wild with enthusiasm they showered adulation upon him, declaring that no mortal could present such an appearance or command such startling eloquence. They further declared that while they had ever respected him as a ruler, henceforth they should worship him as a god.

Ikke længe efter Peters udfrielse fra fængslet drog Herodes til Kæsarea. Mens han var der, holdt han en stor fest, der var beregnet på at vække folkets beundring og begejstring. Denne fest blev overværet af forlystelsessyge mennesker alle vegne fra, og der var støjende lystighed og meget drikkeri. Herodes viste sig i pomp og pragt for folket og holdt en tale til dem med udfoldelse af stor veltalenhed. Han så pragtfuld ud klædt i sin kongedragt, der glimrede af sølv og guld. Den fangede solstrålerne i sine glimtende folder og blændede tilskuernes øjne. Hans majestætiske fremtræden og virkningen af hans velvalgte ord betog forsamlingen med mægtig kraft. Deres sanser var allerede omtågede af sviren og drikken, og de lod sig blænde af Herodes pragt og bedåre af hans optræden og veltalenhed; vilde af begejstring overøste de ham med smiger og erklærede, at ingen dødelig kunne fremtræde på den måde eller være i besiddelse af en sådan veltalenhed. Endvidere erklærede de, at mens de altid havde højagtet ham som hersker, så ville de fra nu af dyrke ham som gud.