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The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 24:1–27 The Accusations Against Paul 24:1 After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney named Tertullus, and they brought formal charges against Paul to the governor. It is generally accepted that it was five days after Paul arrived at Caesarea that Ananias and the elders came down from Jerusalem bringing with them an orator named Tertullus who acted as their lawyer. Through him they brought a formal charge against Paul. Tertullus was a Roman name and most probably a Jewish proselyte otherwise it would have been most odd for Jews to have employed a Gentile to represent them. Tertullus would have been well versed with the procedure of Roman court rooms and the law. 24:2–3 When Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, "We have experienced a lengthy time of peace through your rule, and reforms are being made in this nation through your foresight. Most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this everywhere and in every way with all gratitude. Paul was brought before the governor and Tertullas began to make the charge against him. Tertullas makes good use of his oratory abilities by using flattery in his opening remarks. John Wesley says of Felix that he “was a man of the most infamous character, and a plague to all the provinces over which he presided”. It was true however, that he had rid the province of which he was governor of notorious thieves, robbers and murderers and so had brought a measure of peace to the land. The Jews acknowledge everywhere that under him they enjoyed this peace and were very thankful for it. 24:4 But so that I may not delay you any further, I beg you to hear us briefly with your customary graciousness. Not wishing to take up too much of the governor’s time he intended to be as brief as he could in laying the charge against Paul. 24:5 For we have found this man to be a troublemaker, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. From the beginning Tertullus is out to present Paul before the governor as a very dangerous enemy of Rome. He falsely accuses him of causing trouble by stirring up riots among the Jews throughout the world and that he was one of the leaders of a sect called the Nazarenes. Paul in fact never claimed to be a leader of the church this he left to the original apostles; he was an apostle, evangelist and a teacher of Jesus Christ.
24:6 He even tried to desecrate the temple, so we arrested him. This again was untrue for they had assumed that he had brought Trophemas into the temple because they had seen him with Paul in the city. The main reason they had arrested him was because he had been preaching Christ (Acts 21:28). 24:7 (NKJV) But the commander Lysias came by and with great violence took him out of our hands, The lies continue for while it was true that Lysias the commander came with soldiers he did not take Paul from them with force but rescued him from being killed by the Jews (Acts 21:31–33). 24:8 (NKJV) commanding his accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him." Tertullus sums up by stating that Lysias had commanded the Jewish leaders who had accused Paul to come to Felix and that on examining Paul for himself he will find out the truth of the accusations made against him. 24:9 The Jews also joined in the verbal attack, claiming that these things were true. The Jews present also agreed with the claims that Tertullus had made against Paul were true
Paul's Defense Before Felix 24:10 When the governor gestured for him to speak, Paul replied, "Because I know that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I confidently make my defense. The governor motion to Paul to come forward and make his defense. Unlike Tertullus Paul makes no flattering remarks but states his confidence that Felix would hear his defense because of his experience and knowledge of Judea gained over the years he had been governor. (Gill says about thirteen years.) 24:11 As you can verify for yourself, not more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. Paul affirmed that he could call witnesses that would verify that it was no more than twelve days ago that he came up to Jerusalem to worship. He states this to show the improbability of his being unable to incite sedition in this short time as he was accused of doing. In fact he could proof where he was and what he was doing during his time in Jerusalem. The first he came to Jerusalem, the second he spent James and the apostles, six days were spent in fulfilling his vow, on the ninth day the uproar arose and Lysias rescued him, the tenth day he was before the Sanhedrin, on the eleventh day the plot to kill him was discovered and in the evening he was taken to Caesarea. 24:12–13 They did not find me arguing with anyone or stirring up a crowd in the temple courts or in the synagogues or throughout the city, nor can they prove to you the things they are accusing me of doing. His accusers never found him arguing or stirring up trouble in the Temple or in any of the synagogues throughout the city nor could they prove that he had done any of the things they accused him in doing. 24:14 But I confess this to you, that I worship the God of our ancestors according to the Way (which they call a sect), believing everything that is according to the law and that is written in the prophets. He does admit that he is a follower of the Way (of Christ) which they call a sect. This means that he still worships the God of the fathers and believes in everything according to the teachings of Moses and the Prophets.
24:15 I have a hope in God (a hope that these men themselves accept too) that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. He has the same hope in God that his accusers have and that there will be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust (Revelation 3:5; 20:11–13). 24:16 This is the reason I do my best to always have a clear conscience toward God and toward people. With this belief Paul always endeavors to have a clear conscience before God and before the people. 24:17 After several years I came to bring to my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings, It was about twenty-five years since Paul had been converted and most of this time had been spent among the Gentiles. The reason he had come to Jerusalem was to bring the gifts he had received from Gentile believers to the poor in Jerusalem (Acts 11:27–30, Romans 15:25–28) and was in the Temple to make an offering on account of his Nazarite vow (Acts 21:26). 24:18–19 which I was doing when they found me in the temple, ritually purified without a crowd or a disturbance. But there are some Jews from the province of Asia who should be here before you and bring charges, if they have anything against me. While he was in the Temple completing the purifying rites of his vow of a Nazarites there was no crowd or uproar but there were some Jews from the province of Asia who should be there in the court to bring any charges against him. 24:20–21 Or these men here should tell what crime they found me guilty of when I stood before the council, other than this one thing I shouted out while I stood before them: 'I am on trial before you today concerning the resurrection of the dead.' " As they are not present those who are should state that they didn’t find him guilty when he was tried before the council (Acts 23:9). The only thing they found him guilty of was believing in the resurrection of the dead for which he was on trial for. 24:22 Then Felix, who understood the facts concerning the Way more accurately, adjourned their hearing, saying, "When Lysias the commanding officer comes down, I will decide your case." At this point Felix, who knew the Way of Christ rather well adjourned the hearing until Lysias the commanding officer should come and then he would give his judgment. 24:23 He ordered the centurion to guard Paul, but to let him have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from meeting his needs. He ordered an officer to keep Paul in custody but to give him some freedom and to let his friends visit him.
Paul Speaks Repeatedly to Felix 24:24 Some days later, when Felix arrived with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. A few days later Felix came back with his wife Drusilla who was Jewish the daughter of Herod Agrippa and sister of King Agrippa (Acts 25:13). He sent for Paul and they listened to him as he told them about faith in Jesus Christ.
24:25 While Paul was discussing righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, "Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, I will send for you." As he was reasoning with them about righteousness, self-control and the coming judgment Felix became frightened and dismissed Paul saying that he will hear him again when he had an opportunity. 24:26 At the same time he was also hoping that Paul would give him money, and for this reason he sent for Paul as often as possible and talked with him. While he was saying this Felix also hoped that Paul would give him money to bribe him and so he sent for Paul as often as possible and talked with him. 24:27 After two years had passed, Porcius Festus succeeded Felix, and because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. Two years later Nero removed Felix because of many complaints about malpractice against him (Gill) and appointed Porcius Festus as governor of Judea. Because he wanted to do the Jews a favour he kept Paul in prison. © Derek Williams & Mathew Bartlett 2015 Bible Studies Online UK www.biblestudiesonline.org.uk You may copy, print or distribute our studies freely in any form, just so long as you make no charges. Sign up today for our FREE monthly Bible study magazine “Living Word” Scriptures taken from the NET Bible www.bible.org