Acts 24

Acts 24:1

24:1 Five days after Paul had left Jerusalem for Caesarea, Ananias the high priest arrived with certain members of the Sanhedrin. They hired a Roman named Tertullus to be their prosecuting attorney. His duty was to stand before Felix and press the charges against Paul. 24:2-4 Tertullus opened the case for the prosecution by showering the governor with flattery. Of course, there was a measure of truth to what he said. Felix had maintained rule and order by suppressing riots and insurrections. But Tertullus’ words went beyond a mere acknowledgment of that fact, in an obvious effort to ingratiate his cause with the governor. 24:5-8 He then proceeded to specify four distinct charges against the Apostle Paul:

1. He was a plague, that is, a pest or a nuisance.
2. He was a creator of revolt among all the Jews.
3. He was a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.
4. He tried to profane the temple.24:9 After Tertullus had expressed confidence in Felix’s ability to determine the accuracy of the charges against Paul, the Jews who were present added their voice in support of Tertullus’ charges. 24:10 Paul, in response to a nod from the governor, rose to his own defense. First he expressed satisfaction at being permitted to appear before a man who, because of many years of experience, had familiarity with the customs and manners of the Jewish people. This might sound like flattery, but actually it was merely a courteous statement of the truth. The apostle then answered the charges that were made against him, one by one. 24:11 As to his being a public nuisance, he replied that only twelve days had passed since he went up to Jerusalem, and that his purpose in going was to worship, not to cause a disturbance. 24:12, 13 Next he denied the charge that he incited the Jews to rebel. At no time, either in the temple, … the synagogues or in the city, had he disputed with the people or attempted to stir them up. These were the facts, and no one could disprove them. 24:14-17 Paul did not deny the third charge, namely, that he was a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. But what he did say was that in this capacity he served the God of the Jews, believing all things which are written in the OT. He shared the expectation of all orthodox Jews, especially the Pharisees, that there would be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. In the light of that coming resurrection, he sought to preserve an unclouded relationship with the Lord and with his fellow men at all times. Far from stirring the Jews up to insurrection, Paul had come to Jerusalem to bring alms to the Jewish people. He was referring, of course, to the collection from the churches of Macedonia and Achaia, earmarked for the needy Hebrew Christian saints in Jerusalem. 24:18, 19 With regard to the fourth charge, namely, that he had profaned the temple, Paul made this reply: While he was in the act of bringing offerings to the temple, in the performance of a Jewish vow, certain Jews from Asia found him and accused him of taking unclean Gentiles into the temple. This, of course, was not true. The apostle was alone at the time, and had been purified from ceremonial defilement. These accusing Jews from Asia who caused the riot against him in Jerusalem ought to have come to Caesarea to accuse him, if they had anything against him. 24:20, 21 Paul then challenged those Jews who were present to state clearly what crimes he had been proved guilty of when he stood before the council in Jerusalem. They could not do it. All they would be able to say was that Paul cried out, Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day. In other words, those things in the accusation that were criminal were not true, and those things that were true were not criminal. 24:22 When Felix heard the case, he was faced with a dilemma. He knew enough about the Christian faith to realize who was right. The prisoner before him was obviously innocent of any crime against Roman law. Yet if he were to acquit Paul, he would incur the wrath of the Jewish people. From a political standpoint, it was important that he should curry their favor. So he adopted the expedient of continuing the case. He announced he would wait until Lysias the commander could come to Caesarea. Actually this was just a delaying tactic. We have no record that the commander ever did arrive. 24:23 In concluding the case, Felix commanded that although Paul should be retained in custody, he should be permitted reasonable liberty, and that his friends should be allowed to visit him and provide him food and clothing. This certainly indicates that the governor did not consider Paul a desperate criminal. 24:24, 25a Some days after the public trial, Felix and his wife Drusilla arranged a private interview with the apostle in order that they might hear more concerning the Christian faith. With consummate fearlessness, Paul reasoned with this profligate governor and his adulterous wife about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come. They knew little of personal righteousness, either in their public or personal life. They were strangers to self-control, as was witnessed by their present evil marriage. They needed to be warned concerning the judgment to come, because unless their sins were pardoned through the blood of Christ, they would perish in the lake of fire. 24:25b, 26 Felix seemed to be more moved than Drusilla. Although he was afraid, he did not trust the Savior. He deferred making a decision for Christ with the words, Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you. Sadly enough, this convenient time never came, as far as the Bible record is concerned. Yet this was not Paul’s last testimony to Felix. The governor called him repeatedly during the next two years, while the apostle was a prisoner in Caesarea. Actually, Felix hoped that some of Paul’s friends would pay him a handsome bribe in order to have him released. 24:27 After two years, in a.d. 60, Porcius Festus succeeded Felix. Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul as a manacled prisoner in Caesarea.