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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.