Acts 24:2

And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence, And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence - or 'excellent results flow from thy care.' This very word "providence" was a common one, even on the coinage, to express the imperial care for the right administration of the country....

− 2._Seeing we live in great peace. _Tertullus useth a preface nothing appertinent to the matter; because he commendeth Felix wisdom and virtues that he may purchase favor. Therefore it is a filthy and flattering _exordium. _Not that I am of their mind who reprehend Tertullus for speaking the judge fair, and for seeking to win his favor. For it is not always disagreeing with the right and lawful form of pleading to commend the judge; and there may reasons be brought on both sides (as they say) touching this matter. But I mislike nothing but this which is altogether corrupt. For the rhetorician doth insinuate himself under false praises, that he may darken the matter which is called in question. For to what end doth he speak of peace and a well ordered state, save only that Felix may think that the safety of Judea consisteth in condemning Paul, and that he may examine the matter no furthe...

1-9 See here the unhappiness of great men, and a great unhappiness it is, to have their services praised beyond measure, and never to be faithfully told of their faults; hereby they are hardened and encouraged in evil, like Felix. God's prophets were charged with being troublers of the land, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that he perverted the nation; the very same charges were brought against Paul. The selfish and evil passions of men urge them forward, and the graces and power of speech, too often have been used to mislead and prejudice men against the truth. How different will the characters of Paul and Felix appear at the day of judgement, from what they are represented in the speech of Tertullus! Let not Christians value the applause, or be troubled at the revilings of ungodly men, who represent the vilest of the human race almost as gods, and the excellent of the earth as pestilences a...

Verse Acts 24:2. _TERTULLUS BEGAN TO ACCUSE HIM_] There are three parts in this oration of Tertullus:- 1. The _exordium_. 2. The _proposition_. 3. The _conclusion_. The _exordium_ contains the praise of Felix and his administration, merely for the purpose of conciliating his esteem, Acts 24:2; The _proposition_ is contained in Acts 24:5. The _narration_ and _conclusion_, in Acts 24:6. _BY THEE WE ENJOY GREAT QUIETNESS_] As bad a governor as Felix most certainly was, he rendered some services to Judea. The country had long been infested with robbers; and a very

AND WHEN HE WAS CALLED FORTH - When Paul was called forth from prison. See Acts 23:35. WE ENJOY GREAT QUIETNESS - This was said in the customary style of flatterers and orators, to conciliate the favor of the judge, and is strikingly in contrast with the more honest and straight forward introduction in reply of Paul, Acts 24:10. Though it was said for flattery, and though Felix was in many respects an unprincipled man, yet it was true that his administration had been the means of producing much peace and order in Judea, and that he had done many things that tended to promote the welfare of the nation. In particular, he had arrested a band of robbers, with Eleazar at their head, whom he had sent to Rome to be punished (Josephus, _Antiq._,

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...

AND WHEN HE WAS CALLED FORTH,.... Not Tertullus the orator; for this is not to be understood of him, and of his being admitted to speak, as is thought by some, but the Apostle Paul; which is put out of doubt by the Vulgate Latin version, which reads, "and Paul being cited"; he was ordered to be brought out of custody into the court, to hear his indictment, and answer for himself: TERTULLUS BEGAN TO ACCUSE HIM; to set forth his crimes, which he introduced with a flattering preface to Felix: SAYING, SEEING THAT BY THEE WE ENJOY GREAT QUIETNESS, AND THAT VERY WORTHY DEEDS ARE DONE UNTO THIS NATION BY THY PROVIDENCE; very likely he might refer to his purging the country of robbers; he took Eleazar, the chief of them, who had infested the country for twenty years, and many others with him, whom he sent bound to Rome, and others of them he crucified; and whereas there arose up another set of...

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;...

HEARING BEFORE FELIX: SPEECH FOR THE PROSECUTION. It would take five days (1) for the summons of Lysias (Acts 23:30) to be acted on, and the prosecutors to travel down. The High Priest and some elders appear, to sustain a judgment they have not yet passed (_cf._ Acts 24:6 _mg.,_ which may well be the true text) with an orator acquainted with the practice of Roman courts. Information is laid against Paul; Paul is called before the court, or the case is called in court (Acts 24:2), and counsel appears for the prosecution. His speech is given in short; his compliments to the procurator (who had in truth done much to suppress piracy; what other evils we do not know), his desire to be brief, then the charge and the suggestion that th

Five days afterwards Ananias the high priest came down with some of the elders and with a pleader called Tertullus. They laid information against Paul before the governor. When Paul was called, Tertullus began to accuse him in these terms, "Since through you we enjoy much tranquillity and since through your foresight many reforms have been brought about for this nation in every place and in every way, Felix, your excellency, we welcome it all with gratitude. But not to trouble you any longer, I ask you in your kindness briefly to hear us. When we had found this fellow a pest, a man who fomented disturbances among all the Jews throughout the civilized world, a man who is the ring-leader of the sect of the Nazarenes--and he tried to defile the Temple, too--we arrested him. By examining him yourself, you can learn from him the charges of which we accuse him"; and the Jews agreed with him, a...