Acts 24 Paul Appears before Felix
24 Five days later Ananias, the high priest, arrived with some of the Jewish elders and the lawyer Tertullus, to present their case against Paul to the governor. 2 When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented the charges against Paul in the following address to the governor:
“You have provided a long period of peace for us Jews and with foresight have enacted reforms for us. 3 For all of this, Your Excellency, we are very grateful to you. 4 But I don’t want to bore you, so please give me your attention for only a moment. 5 We have found this man to be a troublemaker who is constantly stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the cult known as the Nazarenes. 6 Furthermore, he was trying to desecrate the Temple when we arrested him. 8 You can find out the truth of our accusations by examining him yourself.” 9 Then the other Jews chimed in, declaring that everything Tertullus said was true.
Hmph! Notice the Jewish religious leaders have carefully employed a Roman lawyer named Tertullus. This is an age when flowery rhetoric has become as important as truth, and the high priest and his elders are seizing every opportunity to blacken Paul’s reputation. Tertullus describes Paul as a troublemaker constantly stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. Paul has never instigated a single riot, his aim being to testify peacefully to God’s truth. And the wide-sweeping generalization that Paul has caused trouble among the Jews throughout the world totally ignores the thousands of Jews who have raptly listened to Paul’s teachings. In fact, it is jealous Jews and businessmen fearing for their sources of wealth who have stirred up problems. These charges are totally false. The charge of temple desecration is equally false, for the men Paul accompanied into the inner temple were all practicing Jews completing religious vows. The other Jews chiming in to support these claims are about to get humiliated.
10 The governor then motioned for Paul to speak. Paul said, “I know, sir, that you have been a judge of Jewish affairs for many years, so I gladly present my defense before you. 11 You can quickly discover that I arrived in Jerusalem no more than twelve days ago to worship at the Temple. 12 My accusers never found me arguing with anyone in the Temple, nor stirring up a riot in any synagogue or on the streets of the city. 13 These men cannot prove the things they accuse me of doing.
14 “But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a cult. I worship the God of our ancestors, and I firmly believe the Jewish law and everything written in the prophets. 15 I have the same hope in God that these men have, that he will raise both the righteous and the unrighteous. 16 Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people.
17 “After several years away, I returned to Jerusalem with money to aid my people and to offer sacrifices to God. 18 My accusers saw me in the Temple as I was completing a purification ceremony. There was no crowd around me and no rioting. 19 But some Jews from the province of Asia were there—and they ought to be here to bring charges if they have anything against me! 20 Ask these men here what crime the Jewish high council found me guilty of, 21 except for the one time I shouted out, ‘I am on trial before you today because I believe in the resurrection of the dead!’”
Paul’s accusers have conveniently forgotten that he too is a highly skilled orator accustomed to swaying crowds with his teachings. And they have made a cardinal error: they have failed to get their facts straight before accusing Paul. Poor Tertullus! As Paul testifies, it becomes obvious that his clients have failed to supply him with facts that would strengthen his accusations but have depended on guesses and hear-say. As Felix listens, he realizes that once more, the high priest is trying to get the Romans to do his dirty work for him. Felix is frankly tired of being forced to act as the high priest’s hatchet man, for this isn’t the first time the high priest has manipulated a controversial situation.
The crucifixion of Jesus is still fresh in the minds of Roman governors, for the Romans have also heard of the rapidly growing Christian movement. There may well be uncertainty in the minds of the Romans about the legitimacy of Jesus’ crucifixion. Pontius Pilate might have shared his misgivings about that unfortunate situation. And there may be Roman governors who are also spiritually hungry for a higher and better reality than the pantheon of Roman deities.
22 At that point Felix, who was quite familiar with the Way, adjourned the hearing and said, “Wait until Lysias, the garrison commander, arrives. Then I will decide the case.” 23 He ordered an officer to keep Paul in custody but to give him some freedom and allow his friends to visit him and take care of his needs.
Ha! When Claudius Lysias sent Paul to Caesarea with that enormous military escort, he thought he was washing his hands of Paul’s matter. But Felix has no desire to be manipulated. Now Felix is sending for Lysias on the pretense of requiring solid evidence as to what took place in Jerusalem.
24 A few days later Felix came back with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. Sending for Paul, they listened as he told them about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 As he reasoned with them about righteousness and self-control and the coming day of judgment, Felix became frightened. “Go away for now,” he replied. “When it is more convenient, I’ll call for you again.” 26 He also hoped that Paul would bribe him, so he sent for him quite often and talked with him.
27 After two years went by in this way, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And because Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jewish people, he left Paul in prison.
Despite the pleadings of his Jewish wife to worship Yahweh, Felix has always considered himself to be sufficient for any problem life might throw at him. Now as Paul speaks, Felix can feel that self-assurance crumbling inside him. This feeling is intolerable and Felix copes by sending Paul back to the prison. Surely, if Felix is just a bit patient, Paul’s friends will scrape up sufficient money to post bail and Felix can quietly release Paul. But these pestilential Christians appear to have no interest in bribing Felix, and Felix doesn’t want trouble with the Jews. Evidently, Felix has already gained a reputation for cruelty and corruption, which has led to increased crime in Judea. His desire to appease the Jewish leaders and maintain political stability influences his decision to keep Paul imprisoned. All Felix wants is to survive his term in Caesarea and move elsewhere where people are less bothersome. Paul’s truth has outrun the high priest’s lies; however, that doesn’t guarantee Paul’s release. Sadly, Felix KNOWS that Paul is speaking the truth, but Felix is more concerned about maintaining his position than he is about ascertaining the truth.
We read this story and wonder why, if God wants Paul to go to Rome, He doesn’t simply teleport Paul to Rome as He teleported Philip after Philip witnessed to the Ethiopian eunuch. But God wants Paul to meet as many people as possible-Roman governors, soldiers, sailors, slaves, Jewish religious leaders, and all the others he will see on the way to Rome. God intends for contact with Paul to be so memorable that those memories will burn in people’s hearts long afterwards.
Paul remains aware that each person God brings to us needs to hear about Jesus, but are we equally dedicated? It’s likely that each time Paul meets someone new, he looks heavenward, asking God for guidance in how to reach this person. What do we do? And what will we say in heaven when Jesus asks us what we have done with the people whom He has sent to us?
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to remember that Your Truth always outlasts Satan’s lies. Help us also to remember that every person You send to us needs You. Help us to be good witnesses to Your Grace and Salvation. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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