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The book of Acts

Paul’s trial by Felix

Chapter 24

The accusers of Paul arrived in Caesarea five days after him, and comprised of the high priest, Ananias, in person and some elders: not all the sanhedrim came, nor apparently any of the conspirators or Asian Jews.

As the sanhedrim had been divided, the chairperson Ananias must have handpicked some Sadducee elders to take with him, as well as the Roman lawyer Tertullus (Tertius). This was necessary because Jews were not familiar with the Roman legal procedure and it was the custom in the Roman provinces to use lawyers. The Latin language was probably used in this audience.

Tertullus began with flattery, to try to get in the good graces of the governor. Felix had suppressed a revolt, but the historian Tacitus states that Felix secretly encouraged bandits and shared the plunder, causing the Jews finally to complain to Emperor Nero who then discharged and called him back to Rome. However, it seemed good to praise Felix for keeping peace in his province, especially because Tertullus would accuse Paul of being a disturber of the peace.

The lawyer asked Felix to listen by his courtesy for a moment, not wanting to be tedious to him. In fact, we see from the accusation they made that there was nothing concrete in their charge, and as there were no definite and verifiable facts, the lawyer prepared to present what they had to say as if it were just a summary of the charges against Paul.

He began the accusation by saying that they had found that Paul was a plague (the greatest preacher of all time was regarded in this way by a shady lawyer hired by the Jews!), and a creator of dissention among the Jews all over the world (he really was a great man, at that time and even today, but for the noblest of reasons, and the seditions he was involved in were promoted by the Jews, with him as the target of their attacks). To promote an insurrection was a crime against Roman law when it could be proven. The Jews were those who conspired against Paul in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and cast him out of Pisidian Antioch, stoned him at Lystra, caused him to be beaten in Philippi, accused him of treason in Thessalonica, unjustly accused him before the proconsul in Corinth, caused the riot in Ephesus, and now caused the disturbance in Jerusalem. They might have presented plausible evidence, but did not.

Tertullus went on bringing other charges which were of no interest in a Roman court, that is, his position as a leader in a sect which they thought was Jewish, and the desecration of the Jewish temple, both entirely false: the Christians had no leader, but the head of the church is Christ, and this was what Paul taught; there never was any desecration of the temple or attempt to do it, just a baseless accusation by the Jews of Asia.

He concluded by saying that when they (including Tertullus?) arrested Paul to be tried by their laws, the commander Lysias took him from their hands with great violence, commanding his accusers to come up to Felix. It was all a lie, because it was the people who had grabbed Paul and, dragging him out of the temple, sought to kill him (chapter 21:28-31). He said nothing about the attempts Lysias had made to discover the cause of the tumult, calling the council twice and taking Paul with him to find out if there was any legal basis, but finding none.

He finally suggested that Felix himself might interrogate Paul because he could then ascertain himself of all they accused him of. He said the Jews also agreed with the charge, guaranteeing that the statements were true and thus breaking the ninth commandment in the law of Moses, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour" (Exodus 20:16).

Felix then allowed Paul to speak, and he started his defence without flattering Felix as Tertullus had done, but limited himself only to the good thing he could say about him: that he was encouraged to defend himself in his presence because of the many years of experience Felix had as a judge of the Jews (seven years).

He then provided concrete facts that Felix could easily verify if he wanted:

• It was no more than twelve days since he went up to Jerusalem to worship.

• They neither found him in the temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city.

• His accusers could not prove anything of which they now accused him.

Therefore, Paul denied two serious charges, only one of which was governed by Roman law (insurrection). He demonstrated that the accusations uttered by Tertullus were simple statements because he did not and could not present any concrete evidence. Without hiring a lawyer, Paul defended his right to freedom with expertise.

Turning now to their allegation that he was the "ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes", Paul took the opportunity to briefly give an explanation of his position before the Scriptures of the Jews, his clear conscience before God and men (Ananias had become violent when Paul first made this statement - Chapter 23:2), the charitable and pious motive that brought him to Jerusalem and the correctness of his conduct in the temple.

From this argument it is to be concluded that the "way" which they called a "sect" was nothing more than the true Judaism, not a deviation or "sect" originated by him, but its fulfilment (as he proves in Galatians 3 and Romans 9).

Paul did not contort reality, but confirmed what he had said before the Sanhedrin, that he was a spiritual Pharisee in the purest sense (chapter 23:6). He asserted that he believed in all the law and the prophets, holding fast to their hope of the Messiah, and perhaps as a gesture of courtesy to his accusers, he did not treat them as Sadducees, but as if they shared his hope of the resurrection of the just and unjust. The Jews from Asia had found him already purified in the temple (he offered sacrifices - Chapter 21:27) and they could prove nothing of which they accused him.

He further challenged his accusers to state what crime they had found in him when he had appeared before the Sanhedrin, save because he had exclaimed, "Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day".

At this point Felix adjourned the session. He knew much more about the "Way" than those Jews thought. The original Greek translates best as "knowing more accurately." We do not know how he acquired this knowledge, but Philip the Evangelist also lived in Caesarea, and there was a church. Drusilla, wife of Felix, was Jewish and could have given him some information. Moreover, it is quite possible that Felix was aware of the decision of Gallio in Corinth, that Christianity was a lawful religion as a form of Judaism (Chapter 18:12-17).

Being a Roman governor, Felix knew very well that the council, with the help of Tertulius, had not provided any legal basis for their accusation, so Paul could have been declared not guilty and released immediately.

However, he did not see any benefit for himself in freeing Paul, and he even risked the displeasure of the Jews if he did that - a situation similar to Pilate, who knew that Jesus was innocent, but was afraid of the Jews.

He decided to postpone the decision under the plausible pretext that he needed the personal presence of Lysias, which was not the case. Lysias had already written he believed Paul was innocent and he would hardly be summoned to Caesarea for something like that.

Felix eased the conditions of Paul's imprisonment, and a few days later called Paul for an interview with him and Drusilla (daughter of the infamous Herod Agrippa I who had murdered the apostle James). Paul preached the Gospel to them, Felix was terrified and ended the interview when Paul spoke of righteousness (they did not practice), self-control (which they had not) and of coming judgment (where they would be the accused).

Felix sent for Paul more often and conversed with him, hoping Paul might give him money to release him.  After two years he was replaced by Porcius Festus, leaving Paul bound to please the Jews.

 

R David Jones  

 

 

1 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.

 

 

2 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,
3 we accept it always and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.
4 Nevertheless, not to be tedious to you any further, I beg you to hear, by your courtesy, a few words from us.

 

5 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.

 

 

 

 

6 He even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him, and wanted to judge him according to our law.

 

 

7 But the commander Lysias came by and with great violence took him out of our hands,
8 commanding his accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him."

9 And the Jews also assented, maintaining that these things were so.

 

10 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,
11 because you may ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship.
12 And they neither found me in the temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city.
13 Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me.

 

 

14 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.
15 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.
16 This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.
17 "Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation,
18 in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult.
19 They ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me.
20 Or else let those who are here themselves say if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council,
21 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.' "
22 But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, "When Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case."
23 So he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him.

24 And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.
25 Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, "Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you."
26 Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him.
27 But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound.

Acts chapter 24