Acts 24:1-9 Accused of Sedition
“Now after five days Ananias the high priest came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertullus. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul.
And when he was called upon, Tertullus began his accusation, saying: “Seeing that through you we enjoy great peace, and prosperity is being brought to this nation by your foresight, we accept it always and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. Nevertheless, not to be tedious to you any further, I beg you to hear, by your courtesy, a few words from us. For we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him, and wanted to judge him according to our law. But the commander Lysias came by and with great violence took him out of our hands, commanding his accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.” And the Jews also assented, maintaining that these things were so.”
Hmph! The first thing to note is the delay of five days between the time Paul is taken to Caesarea and the arrival of the high priest and his minions. Note that they have engaged the services of a lawyer or orator Tertullus to speak on their behalf. Tertullus may be a Hellenistic Jew who makes a good living from defending those lacking either Latin or Greek. The Jewish religious leaders are crafty enough to realize that they need help from someone accustomed to making formal speeches in Latin.
Doctor Luke has punctiliously recorded Tertullus’ speech, and it follows the approved form used in such occasions. First, Tertullus flatters Felix as an author of peace and prosperity; in fact, nobody knowing Felix would honestly describe him in this fashion! Felix was quite corrupt and had no scruples about arranging for the murder of anyone opposing him. Wikipedia tells us this about Felix:
“Felix was the younger brother of Greek freedman Marcus Antonius Pallas who served as a secretary of the treasury during the reign of Emperor Claudius. According to Tacitus, Pallas and Felix descended from the Greek Kings of Arcadia.[
Felix became the procurator by the petition of his brother. Felix’s cruelty and his accessibility to bribes (see Book of Acts 24:26) led to a great increase of crime in Judaea. The period of his rule was marked by internal feuds and disturbances, which he put down with severity.[4]
In 58, Felix hired assassins to murder Jonathan the High Priest, shortly after Jonathan took office.[5] Jonathan had often criticized Felix about governing Jewish affairs, and he threatened to report to Caesar if Felix did not do well. Felix persuaded Doras, one of Jonathan’s most trusted friends and a citizen of Jerusalem, to hire robbers to kill Jonathan by promising to give him a large sum of money. Doras arranged for some hired men to mingle with the worshippers in the Temple in Jerusalem with daggers hidden under their garments. These assassins killed Jonathan during a Jewish festival and were never caught.[5]
The Apostle Paul was arrested in Jerusalem and rescued from a plot against his life, and Claudius Lysias transferred him to Caesarea, where he stood trial before Felix. Felix and his wife Drusilla heard Paul’s discourse and sent for him to talk with him. However, Felix’s actual desire was to receive a bribe from Paul, which Paul refused to do (Acts 24:24–26). Felix was succeeded as procurator after detaining Paul for two years, but he left him imprisoned as a favor to the Jews (Acts 24:27).
Upon returning to Rome, Felix was accused of using a dispute between the Jews and the Syrians of Caesarea as a pretext to slay and plunder the inhabitants, but he escaped unpunished through the intercession of his brother Pallas, who had great influence with Emperor Nero.[4] Porcius Festus succeeded him as procurator of Judea.
After flattering Felix, Tertullus pushes the claims of the high priest that the Jewish leaders “simply” wanted to judge Paul according to their laws but that the nasty Roman commander, Lysias, has interfered by “violently” removing Paul from the hands of the Jews and referring him to Felix for judgement. While Tertullus is likely expressing the true feelings of the Jewish leaders, he would be better off had he not criticized the Roman commander. Protection of Roman citizens is a priority throughout the Empire, and Felix is well aware of the actual circumstances surrounding Paul’s imprisonment and transfer to Caesarea. There remains the fact that previously, the Jewish leaders have behaved in a very high-handed manner to the Romans. Felix is from an ancient Greek royal family and knows this gives him high status.
Acts 24:10-21 The Defense Before Felix
“Then Paul, after the governor had nodded to him to speak, answered: “Inasmuch as I know that you have been for many years a judge of this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself, because you may ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship. And they neither found me in the temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city. Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me. But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.”
“Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation, in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult. They ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me. Or else let those who are here themselves say if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council, unless it is for this one statement which I cried out, standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.’”
As a highly educated man, Paul is conversant with many of the Greek and Roman myths regarding death and resurrection. Even in ancient times, some people believed that there was no such thing as an afterlife; dying ended everything. Others believed that there was an afterlife while still others believed that virtuous people would live on after death while others would go to some netherworld.
Paul makes swift work of the ridiculous accusations against him, knowing full well that these men cannot possibly prove anything. Even the Jews from Asia who raised the first complaint jumped to a wrong conclusion by assuming that Paul had brought an uncircumcised man into the temple. Paul focuses on the actual problem: the reality of resurrection from the dead.
Many times, we might find ourselves falsely accused and forced to testify before leaders whom we know to be untrustworthy or corrupt. But Jesus has promised his followers, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.” (Matthew 10:16-20)
Today, you might be facing false accusations from those wishing to destroy your reputation. Do not fear or worry. God is the One who promotes and God is the One who can give you the right words. Trust in the One who inspired Paul to inspire you also.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to trust You when we are faced with interrogation, so that we will say only what You want us to, nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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