Acts 24:14

But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: But this I confess unto thee - in which Felix, however, would see no crime, That after the way which they call heresy, [hairesin (G139)] - literally, and better, 'a sect.' So worship I the God of my fathers, [too (G3588) patroooo (G3971) Theoo (G2316)] - 'the ancestral' or 'father God.' There are two arguments in this statement. First, Our nation is divided into what they call 'sects'-the sect of the Pharisees and that of the Sadducees; and all the difference between them and me is, that I belong to neither of these, but to another sect, or religious section of the nation, which, from its Head, they call Nazarenes: for that reason, and that alo

− 14._But I confess. _Because they had laid to Paul’s charge impiety and the polluting of the temple, he purgeth himself of both now, that Felix may understand that his adversaries were moved with evil will. − (578) For though the religion, which is pretended, be false and preposterous, yet the study thereof did oftentimes find favor with men, who took no great heed. Wherefore it was to be feared lest Felix, if he had conceived any sinister suspicion of Paul, should not only have pardoned the zeal of the priests, but also have granted their requests. Wherefore Paul doth also refute this point of the accusation; and that so, that he doth not touch the faith of the gospel, because (as we have said) that was no fit place for making confession thereof. But what is this that he saith, that he worshippeth God according to the way which they call heresy? Some think that this is added like to a...

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 24:14. _THAT AFTER THE WAY WHICH THEY CALL HERESY_] See the explanation of this word in _Clarke's note on "_Acts 5:17_"_, and see before, Acts 24:5, where what is here translated _heresy_, is there rendered _sect_. At this time the word had no bad acceptation, in reference to religious opinions. The Pharisees themselves, the most _respectable_ body among the Jews, are called a _sect_; for Paul, defending himself before Agrippa, says that he _lived a Pharisee according to the strictest_ αιρεσιν, _sect_, or _heresy of their religion_. And Josephus, who was a Pharisee, speaks, της των Φαρισαιων αἱρεσεως, _of the heresy_ or _sect of the_ _Pharisees_. LIFE, chap. xxxvi...

BUT THIS I CONFESS ... - The next specification in the charge of Tertullus was Acts 24:5 that he was “a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.” To this, Paul replies in this and the two following verses. Of this reply we may observe: (1) That he does not stoop to notice the contempt implied in the use of the word “Nazarenes.” He was engaged in a more important business than to contend about the name which they chose to give to Christians. (2) He admits that he belonged to that sect or class of people. That he was a Christian he neither denied, nor was disposed to deny. (3) He maintains that in this way he was still worshipping the God of his fathers. Of this, the fact that he was engaged in worship in the temple was sufficient proof....

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...

BUT THIS I CONFESS UNTO THEE,.... What was truth he was not ashamed of, but ready to own, and bear his testimony for, whatever was the consequence of it: THAT AFTER THE WAY WHICH THEY CALL HERESY; referring to the charge of his being a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, Acts 24:5 and meaning by the way the Christian religion, or the doctrines of Christianity, which the Jews called heresy; and as early as this were the Christians, by them, called heretics: so we read r of ברכת המינים, "a prayer against the heretics", which Samuel (the little) composed before, or in the presence of R. Gamaliel the elder, he approving of it; which R. Gamaliel was Paul's master; and some have thought, that Samuel the little, the composer of this prayer, was Saul himself; so that he knew very well that the Christian doctrine was called heresy, and the Christians heretics, for he ha

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;...

PAUL'S SPEECH. Paul does not speak till the procurator invites him to do so, according to the necessary order of all judicial proceedings. His speech is not quite so fine as that of Tertullus, yet while strictly to the point, as was necessary in the circumstances, it is full of elegant turns which have to some extent confused the scribes, so that the text is at some points uncertain. Felix has been for many years procurator; no further compliment is paid him. The twelve days of Acts 24:11 are apparently the sum of the seven days of Acts 21:27, and the five of Acts 24:1. But a few more must be added (Acts 21:17;...

A FLATTERING SPEECH AND A FALSE CHARGE (Acts 24:1-9)...