Acts 24 Acts 24:1–9 Paul is accused before Felix by Tertullus in the name of the Jews. Acts 24:10–21 He answereth in defence of his life and doctrine. Acts 24:22–23 The hearing is deferred. Acts 24:24–25 Paul preaching freely before the governor and his wife; Felix trembleth.

After five days, from the time that Paul was come to Caesarea: the malice and fury of the persecutors was very great, they stick not at any travail and pains to do mischief; and surely we ought to be as earnest in doing good, or their zeal will condemn us.

When he was called forth; when Paul was sent for to appear, being under the custody of the soldiers who brought him to Caesarea. Seeing that by thee, &c.: it being one of the rules of art, which an orator seldom forgets, to endeavour to obtain the judge’s favour, Tertullus commends Felix, who…

We accept it; we commend and admire it. It is most certain, that inferiors enjoy many benefits by the means of their governors, who bear the burden for the people, watching and caring for them; and that a bad government is better than none; and therefore not only Tertullus, (who may well be thought…

Be not further tedious unto thee; hinder thee, or take thee away from other occasions: this is another artifice of an orator, to promise brevity, especially when he speaks to men of employment or business.

A pestilent fellow; a pest, or plague, the abstract being put for the concrete, as implying, that no word he could use could properly signify the mischievousness of that man, whom he falsely charges with sedition (not that the Jews would have disliked him for that, had it been true, but) to make…

Hath gone about to profane the temple; by bringing into the temple (as they falsely suggested) uncircumcised persons: but Tertullus does not mention this, or show in what Paul had profaned the temple; for Felix himself being uncircumcised, it would have reflected upon him too much, to be accounted,…

So they call the bringing of soldiers, to hinder them from acting violently; and as far as they dare, they accuse Lysias, whom they thought not to favour them.

By examining of whom; not that the Jews would have any witnesses produced, and fairly examined; but the pronoun being singular, it refers to Paul, whom Tertullus would have examined, and put to the question, or racked, that he might confess what they would have had him guilty of: or it is as if he…

The high priest, and the rest of the senate that came with him, acknowledged (as the manner was) that Tertullus had spoken their sense, and what they had to say; and some think that this their assent went further, and that they offered themselves as witnesses to the truth of what he had said.

Beckoned unto him, by some sign with his hand. Though St. Paul would not flatter Felix with notorious untruths, as Tertullus had done, yet he speaks very respectfully, and mentions his continuance in the government; the rather, because, if he had been so seditious a person as Tertullus would have…

That thou mayest understand, either by what thou hast heard already, or by what the witnesses, when examined, will declare. There are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem; there were but twelve days since Paul’s coming to Jerusalem; seven of them he had spent there, until the time of…

Disputing, or discoursing. Although it seems not to have been unlawful, after the sacrifices were offered, to discourse about the meaning of any place in the law or the prophets; for thus our Saviour is said to have heard and asked questions of the doctors in the temple, Luke 2:46; yet St.

They could not prove either of those crimes they charged him with, viz. 1. Raising of sedition; or, 2. Profaning of the temple, which they had accused him of.

But this I confess; he makes here a good confession, and is indeed a follower of Christ, who before Pontius Pilate is said to have witnessed a good confession, 1 Tim. 6:13.

Which they themselves also allow; the wiser sort amongst them, the Pharisees, (though bad was the best), and yet they were not for this opinion persecuted by the Sadducees.

And herein; or at this time, and in this business; or for this reason, to wit, because I believe the resurrection. I exercise myself; I am altogether taken up with it; this is my one thing necessary, Luke 10:42.

After many years; it is thought fourteen years, which we find mentioned, Gal. 2:1; and therefore the more unlike to have any seditious practices there, where he had so little acquaintance.

Whereupon; upon my bringing up those alms now mentioned; whilst I was employed for the good of my countrymen who now accuse me. Purified in the temple; performing all things which the law did require of Nazarites, or those who had made a vow, and in which their legal purification did consist.

Who ought to have been here; the Jews of Asia, who had caused all this stir, having seen Trophimus with Paul in the streets of Jerusalem, and maliciously presuming that he had brought him into the temple with him.

St. Paul is willing to allow the present Jews’ testimony about such things as they could know, having themselves heard and seen them; which was what passed in the council when Paul was brought before it, Acts 23:1, Acts 23:9.

As if he had said, Let them object, if they can, any other fault: but if this be a fault, to hold the resurrection of the dead, I do acknowledge it, and there need no other proof concerning it: not that he held any evil to be in this opinion; but he speaks ironically, knowing that they durst not…

Some understand by that way: 1. The custom or manner of the priests to calumniate Paul; or: 2. The religion of Moses, and how and in what it differed from the religion of Christ: either of which Felix might know, and by either of them conclude Paul to be innocent. But: 3.

To let him have liberty; not so confined as to be kept in a dungeon, or more inward prison; but to have the liberty of the prison, yet so as with a chain about him; as appears, Acts 26:29, Acts 28:20. Acquaintance; relations or disciples; for there was a church at Caesarea, Acts 10:48, Acts 21:8.

Felix came with his wife; having been out of town to meet and conduct his wife. Drusilla; who was daughter of Herod the Great, and sister of that Agrippa of whom mention is made in the two following chapters; a most libidinous woman, who had left her husband Aziz, and, whilst he yet lived, was…

These two, righteousness and temperance, the Christian religion do indispensably require; and all true worship without these, will not make up our most holy religion, or give to any the title of a religious or a holy man.

This speaks the charge to be true that the historians give of Felix concerning his covetousness; for taking hold of that part of Paul’s accusation, Acts 24:5, that he was the ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, he supposed that, there being so many thousands of them, they would give large sums…

After two years, either from Paul’s being in bonds, which history St. Luke is here setting down; or, as others, after Felix had been governor two years over Judea; for that St.