Acts 24:10

_ 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 cheerfully answer for myself: _ 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. HE HAD BEEN IN THIS PROVINCE FOR 6 OR 7 YEARS, AND IN GALILEE FOR A LONGER PERIOD. I do [the more] cheerfully answer for myself - [ euthumoos ( G2115a) is far better attested than - euthumoteron ( G2115a) of the Received Text.] Paul uses no flattery, but simply expresses his satisfaction at having to plead before one whose long official experience of Jewish matters would enable him the better to understand and appreciate what he had to say....

− 10._And Paul. _The state of Paul’s defense is not conversant in the quality; but he denieth the crime that was laid to his charge; not that he was ashamed of the gospel, or afraid of the cross, but because that was no place to make any full confession of faith in. Therefore, omitting the cause of the gospel, which his accuser had not touched, he answereth simply unto the crimes whereof he was accused. But before he come thither, he saith that he doth the more willingly answer for himself before Felix, because he had long time been governor of Judea; because, peradventure, some new governor − (573) would have been sore moved hearing such things laid to his charge. He doth not commend the virtues of the governor, but he saith that he is glad, because he is of great experience, that he may judge more justly. − (574) This is surely a sincere and free manner of defending,

10-21 Paul gives a just account of himself, which clears him from crime, and likewise shows the true reason of the violence against him. Let us never be driven from any good way by its having an ill name. It is very comfortable, in worshipping God, to look to him as the God of our fathers, and to set up no other rule of faith or practice but the Scriptures. This shows there will be a resurrection to a final judgment. Prophets and their doctrines were to be tried by their fruits. Paul's aim was to have a conscience void of offence. His care and endeavour was to abstain from many things, and to abound in the exercises of religion at all times; both towards God. and towards man. If blamed for being more earnest in the things of God than our neighbours, what is our reply? Do we shrink from the accusation? How many in the world would rather be accused of any weakness, nay, even of wickedness...

Verse Acts 24:10. _THEN PAUL - ANSWERED_] The apostle's _defence_ consists of _two parts_: - 1. The _exordium_, which has for its object the praise of his judge, whose qualifications to discern and decide on a question of this nature he fully allows; and expects, from this circumstance, to have a favourable hearing. 2. The _tractation_, which consists of two parts: I. REFUTATION: 1. of the charge of polluting the temple; 2. of stirring up sedition; 3. of being a leader of any sect who had a different worship from the God of their fathers. II. AFFIRMATION: 1. that he had lived so as to preserve a good conscience towards God, and towards men; 2. that so far from _polluting_ the temple, he had been _purified_ in it, and was found thus worshipping according to the law of God; 3. that

HAD BECKONED UNTO HIM TO SPEAK - Either by a nod or by the hand, HAST BEEN OF MANY YEARS - Felix and Cumanus had been joint governors of Judea; but after Cumanus had been condemned for his bad administration of affairs, the government fell entirely into the hands of Felix. This was about seven years before Paul was arraigned, and might be called many years, as he had been long enough there to become acquainted with the customs and habits of the Jews; and it might also be called long in comparison with the short time which his immediate predecessors had held the office. See Josephus, _Antiq._, book 20, chapters 7 and 7. A JUDGE - This word is evidently used here in the sense of magistrate, or one appointed to administer the affairs of government. To determine litigated matters was, however, one part of his office. It is remarkable that Paul did not begin h

EXPOSITION ACTS 24:1 _The high priest Ananias came down _for _Ananias the high priest descended, _A.V.; _certain elders _for _the elders, _A.V. and T.R.; _an orator, one Tertullus _for _a certain orator named Tertullus, _A.V.; _and they _for _who, _A.V. AFTER FIVE DAYS. Of which the first was the day on which St. Paul left Jerusalem, and the fifth that on which Ananias and his companions appeared before Felix (see Acts 24:11, note). TERTULLUS. A Latin name, formed from _Tertius, _as Lucullus from _Lucius_, Catullus from _Catius, _etc. INFORMED; ἐμφανίζω_, _in the sense of "laying an information" before a magistrate, only occurs elsewhere in...

THEN PAUL, AFTER THE GOVERNOR HAD BECKONED UNTO HIM TO SPEAK,.... Tertullus having finished his account, Paul was silent to his charge and calumnies, until the governor beckoned with his hand or head, or made some sign to him to speak for himself; which he might not do, until leave was given him; and then he ANSWERED as follows: FORASMUCH AS I KNOW THAT THOU HAST BEEN OF MANY YEARS A JUDGE UNTO THIS NATION; some say he was in the thirteenth, others in the tenth year of his government; some copies read a "just judge"; but this does not so well agree with the character of Felix; Acts 24:27. I DO THE MORE CHEERFULLY ANSWER FOR MYSELF; since if he had been such a mover of sedition everywhere, he must in this course of years have known or heard something of it; and seeing also he could be no stranger to the temper of the Jews, t

THE GOVERNOR Felix made procurator over Judaea, A.D. 53....

ACTS 24:10 VApekri,qh … le,gein On the basis of a curious Western expansion in the margin of the Harclean Syriac, A. C. Clark reconstructed the following Greek text: avpekri,qh de. o` Pau/loj neu,santoj auvtw|/ tou/ h`gemo,noj avpologi,an e;cein u`pe.r e`autou/\ o` de. sch/ma e;nqeon avnalabw.n e;fh 373…(“And when the governor had motioned for him _to make a defense for himself,_ Paul answered; and _having assumed a godlike bearing,_ he said …”). ------------------------- 373 The Syriac reads . For a similar gloss in the margin of the Harclean Syriac, cf. Acts...

CHAPTER 23 _ 1. Paul before the Sanhedrin (Acts 23:1)._ 2. The vision of the Lord (Acts 23:11). 3. The Conspiracy against Paul (Acts 23:12). 4. Paul taken to Caesarea (Acts 23:23). And now we find him addressing the Sanhedrin. For the last time the Jewish council is mentioned in this book. Three times before the Sanhedrin had been called together in connection with those who believed in the Lord Jesus (Acts 4:5; Acts 5:21;...