Acts 24:22

AND WHEN FELIX HEARD THESE THINGS, HAVING MORE PERFECT KNOWLEDGE OF THAT WAY, HE DEFERRED THEM, AND SAID, WHEN LYSIAS THE CHIEF CAPTAIN SHALL COME DOWN, I WILL KNOW THE UTTERMOST OF YOUR MATTER. AND WHEN FELIX HEARD THESE THINGS, HAVING MORE PERFECT KNOWLEDGE OF THAT WAY - `THE WAY' (SEE THE NOTE AT _ ), _ He deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain ('the chiliarch' or 'tribune') shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter. Felix might have dismissed the case as a tissue of unsupported charges. But if, from his interest in the matter, he really wished to have the presence of Lysias and of others concerned, a brief delay was not unworthy of him as a judge. Certainly, so far as recorded, neither Lysias nor any other parties appeared again in the case. It would seem, however, from...

22-27 The apostle reasoned concerning the nature and obligations of righteousness, temperance, and of a judgment to come; thus showing the oppressive judge and his profligate mistress, their need of repentance, forgiveness, and of the grace of the gospel. Justice respects our conduct in life, particularly in reference to others; temperance, the state and government of our souls, in reference to God. He who does not exercise himself in these, has neither the form nor the power of godliness, and must be overwhelmed with the Divine wrath in the day of God's appearing. A prospect of the judgment to come, is enough to make the stoutest heart to tremble. Felix trembled, but that was all. Many are startled by the word of God, who are not changed by it. Many fear the consequences of sin, yet continue in the love and practice of sin. In the affairs of our souls, delays are dangerous. Felix put o...

Verse Acts 24:22. _AND WHEN FELIX HEARD THESE THINGS_] There is considerable difficulty in this verse. Translators greatly vary concerning the sense; and the MSS. themselves read variously. Mr. Wakefield's translation appears to be as proper as most: _Now_ _Felix, upon hearing these things, put them off by saying, When_ _Lysias the captain is come down, after I have gained a more exact_ _knowledge of this doctrine, I will inquire fully into your_ _business_. Calmet's translation is nearly to the same sense:- _Felix, having heard_ these things, _put them off to another time,_ _saying, When I shall have acquired a more accurate knowledge of_ _this sect, and when the tribune Lysias shall have come from_ Jerusalem, _I will judge of your business_. And this mode of interpretation is rendered the

HAVING MORE PERFECT KNOWLEDGE OF THAT WAY - Our translation of this verse is very obscure, and critics are divided about the proper interpretation of the original. Many (Erasmus, Luther, Michaelis, Morus, etc.) render it, “Although he had a more perfect knowledge of the Christian doctrine than Paul’s accusers had, yet he deferred the hearing of the cause until Lysias had come down.” They observe that he might have obtained this knowledge not only from the letter of Lysias, but from public rumour, as there were doubtless Christians at Caesarea. They suppose that he deferred the cause either with the hope of receiving a bribe from Paul (compare Acts 24:26), or to gratify the Jews with his being longer detained as a prisoner. Others, among whom are Beza, Grotius, Rosenmuller, and Doddridge, suppose that it should be rendered, “He deferred them, and said, after I have b

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 FELIX HEARD THESE THINGS,.... Which were said on both sides, both by plaintiff and defendant, the charges brought against Paul, and his answer to them, as a judge ought to do: HAVING MORE PERFECT KNOWLEDGE OF THAT WAY; the Christian religion, which the Jews called heresy, and Paul had embraced; the sense is, either that he had a more perfect knowledge of it than he had before; and by what Paul had said, he saw that it was not contrary to the law, nor had any tendency to promote sedition and tumult; or rather, when he should have more perfect knowledge of this new way, called the sect of the Nazarenes, he would determine this cause, and not before: wherefore HE DEFERRED them; put them off to longer time, and would make no decision in favour of one side or the other: AND SAID, WHEN LYSIAS THE CHIEF CAPTAIN SHALL COME from Jerusalem to Caesarea, I WILL KNOW THE UTTERMOST OF YOU...

OF THAT WAY Concerning the Way. See (John 14:6)....

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;...

ACTS 24:22 F. FELIX ADJOURNS THE CASE. The clause having more exact knowledge concerning the Way may be due to the editor, who tends to exhibit Roman officials as favourable to the cause (Preuschen). It was necessary, of course, that the tribune should be heard on the matter....

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