called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy 3 deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence, we accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with 4 all thankfulness. Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us 5 of thy clemency a few words. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect 6 of the Nazarenes: who also hath gone about to profane the temple whom we took, and would have judged 7 according to our law. But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our 8 hands, commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all 9 these things, whereof we accuse him. And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so. After a delay of a few days to enable the accusers to reach Cæsarea, Paul's trial before Felix commenced. The case for the prosecution was presented by an advocate or barrister, as we should term him, named Tertullus. The specific charges made against Paul were as follows: (1) he was a disturber of the peace, "a mover of insurrections among Jews throughout the world;" (2) he was a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes; (3) he had attempted to profane the Temple. 1. Ananias. See n. on xxiii. 2. a certain orator. R.V., "with an orator, one Tertullus." The word "orator is equivalent to our "advocate or "barrister." 2. Seeing that by thee. Tertullus attempts to obtain the favour of Felix by unscrupulous flattery. we enjoy great quietness. R.V., "much peace." This statement is in direct opposition to facts. The procuratorship of Felix was characterised by an unusual number of outbreaks of lawlessness. very worthy deeds are done unto this nation. R.V., "evils are corrected for this nation.” The change is due to an alteration in the Text. The R.V. makes the flattery of Tertullus still more conspicuous. If there was one man who was less worthy than most of his contemporaries to bear the title of Reformer, it was Felix. 5. a pestilent fellow. Literally, "a plague," "a pestilence." a mover of sedition. R.V.," a mover of insurrections." This charge was very skilfully entered on the indictment. The word “insurrection" was certain to frighten Felix, and would therefore lead him to condemn Paul at once. a ringleader. . . of the Nazarenes. Felix would probably be familiar with the action of his predecessor Pilate in allowing Jesus to be crucified. Tertullus hints that if he wished to follow precedent, he would take the same course with Paul. 6. hath gone about to profane. R.V., "who moreover assayed to profane the temple." Cf. xxi. 28, 29. 6-8. The words from the latter part of ver. 6, beginning with the phrase, "and would have judged," down to the end of the first clause in ver. 8, "commanding his accusers to come unto thee," are omitted in the best MSS. and the R.V. 8. by examining of whom. In the A.V. the antecedent to "whom" is "the accusers." It is clear, however, from the Greek that the pronoun refers to Paul. The mistake of the A.V. is due to the insertion of the omitted clauses in vers. 6-8. The R.V. makes the meaning of the verse clear by translating, "from whom thou wilt be able, by examining him thyself, to take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him." THE TRIAL OF PAUL BEFORE II. PAUL'S DEFENCE (Acts xxiv. 10-21). 10 Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more II cheerfully answer for myself: because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went 12 up to Jerusalem for to worship. And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city: 13 neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse 14 me. But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in 15 the prophets: and have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of 16 the dead, both of the just and unjust. And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of 17 offence toward God, and toward men. Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings. 18 Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in 19 the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult. Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they 20 had ought against me. Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before 21 the council, except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day. After Tertullus had set forth the case for the prosecution, Felix called upon Paul to defend himself. Paul in his speech rebutted the charges which had been made against him by (1) giving a brief history of the circumstances connected with his visit to Jerusalem; (2) commenting on the absence of any evidence in support of the accusations; (3) showing that his real accusers-the Jews from Asia-had not been summoned to Cæsarea to give evidence; (4) stating that his intentions in coming to Jerusalem had been absolutely peaceful, and that he himself was in no way responsible for the tumult. 10. Forasmuch as I know. The quiet dignity and truthfulness of Paul's opening words compare favourably with the fulsome and false flattery of Tertullus. of many years. Felix had probably been appointed in 52, and so had held office for four or five years. It is not unlikely, too, that before his own appointment he may have been associated with his predecessor Cumanus in the government of Judæa. 11. there are yet but twelve days. R.V., "it is not more than twelve days since I went up," etc. Paul is calling attention to the brevity of his visit to Jerusalem in order to show that the time was quite inadequate for the offences mentioned in the indictment. 14. after the way which they call heresy. R.V., "after the Way which they call a sect.' Observe the two important changes: (a) "way" is spelt with a capital W, to indicate that it was a title of the Christian religion (see n. on ix. 2); (b) the term "sect" is substituted for " heresy." The Greek word is the same as that employed in ver. 5 in the phrase "the sect of the Nazarenes." 15. a hope... a resurrection of the just and the unjust. Paul's words seem to imply that a belief in the resurrection and in future reward and punishment was unanimously accepted by the Jews. This was not the case exactly. The Sadducees denied the resurrection altogether. A large number of Jews, too, who believed in the resurrection of the righteous, denied altogether the possibility of a resurrection of the wicked. 16. herein do I exercise myself. "In this faith, of which I have spoken," says Paul, "I train myself that I may have," etc. Paul often in his Epistles insists on the discipline of the Christian life: cf. 1 Cor. ix. 24-27; Phil. ii. 12-13. a conscience. See n. on xxiii. 1. 17. after many years. The length of the interval implied by this phrase depends upon the interpretation of xviii. 22 (see note). If Paul paid a visit to Jerusalem before the commencement of the third missionary tour, the interval of absence was about four years; but if Paul's previous visit to Jerusalem is that recorded in chap. xv. the interval must have extended over seven years. I came to bring alms. A collection for the poor saints at Jerusalem is often alluded to in the Epistles (cf. Rom. xv. 26; 1 Cor. xvi. 1-4; 2 Cor. viii. 4), and it was probably this collection that Paul brought with him to Jerusalem. 18. certain Jews from Asia. Cf. xxi. 27. The R.V. arranges the clauses differently: “Amidst which they found me purified in the temple, with no crowd nor yet with tumult; but there were certain Jews from Asia," etc. purified in the temple. See n. on xxi. 23. 21. for this one voice, etc. See xxiii. 6. |