Acts 24:27

But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix' room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound. But after two years. What a trial to this burning missionary of Christ to suffer such a tedious period of inaction! How mysterious it would seem! But this repose would be medicine to his spirit: he would not and could not be entirely inactive, so long as he was able by pen and message to communicate with the churches; and he would doubtless learn the salutary truth that even he was not essential to his Master's cause. That Luke wrote his Gospel during this period, under the apostle's superintendence, is the not unlikely conjecture of able critics. Percius Festus - of whom little is known. He died, as we learn from Josephus (Ant. 20: 8. 9, to 9. 1), a few years after this. Came into Felix' room. Poor Felix was recalled on accusations against him by the Jews of Caesa...

− 27._And when two years were expired. _Seeing Paul knew that the judge who did gape for gain would be favorable to him so soon as he should offer him money, and seeing he had sufficient time to gather the same; it is likely that he did not only bear with the brethren, − (597) but also detest such bribery, wherewith the holiness of civil order is shamefully polluted. Now, whereas governors use to let loose such prisoners as they know are not guilty when they go from the province, Felix took the contrary way to win favor. The Jews had often complained of his filthy gain, of his extortion, cruelty, and unruly government. Claudius Caesar being wearied with so many complaints, did call him out of Judea; to the end the Jews may not spite him so sore, he leaveth Paul bound; so that he maketh the guiltless servant of God, as it were, an offering for his evil deeds, that he may therewithal appea...

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 24:27. _AFTER TWO YEARS_] That is, from the time that Paul came prisoner to Caesarea. _PORCIUS FESTUS_] This man was put into the government of Judea about A.D. 60, the _sixth_ or _seventh_ year of Nero. In the succeeding chapter we shall see the part that _he_ took in the affairs of St. Paul. _WILLING TO SHOW THE JEWS A PLEASURE_] As he had not got the money which he expected, he hoped to be able to prevent the _complaints_ of the Jews against his government, by leaving Paul, in some measure, in their hands. For it was customary for governors, c., when they left, or were removed from a particular district or province, to do some _public, beneficent act_, in order to make themselves _popular_. But Felix gained nothing by this: the Jews pursued him with their complaints against his administrat

BUT AFTER TWO YEARS - Paul was unjustly detained during all this time. The hope of Felix seems to have been to weary his patience, and induce him to purchase his freedom. CAME INTO FELIX’ ROOM - As governor. AND FELIX, WILLING TO SHOW THE JEWS A PLEASURE - Desirous of pleasing them, even at the expense of justice, This shows the principle on which he acted. LEFT PAUL BOUND - Left him in custody to the charge of his successor. His object in this was to conciliate the Jews; that is, to secure their favor, and to prevent them, if possible, from accusing him for the evils of his administration before the emperor. The account which Luke gives here coincides remarkably with what Josephus has given. He says that Porcius Festus was sent as successor to Felix by Nero. He does not, indeed, mention Paul, or say that Felix sough

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 AFTER TWO YEARS,.... Not of Felix's government, for he had been judge many years in that nation, but of the apostle's confinement at Caesarea: PORCIUS FESTUS CAME IN FELIX'S ROOM; was made governor of Judea by Nero in his stead; who having had many and loud complaints against him for malpractice, moved him: and so Josephus f says, that Festus succeeded Felix in the government of Judea, and calls him as here, Porcius Festus; in the Arabic version he is called Porcinius Festus, and in the Vulgate Latin version Portius Festus, but his name was not Portius, from "porta", a gate, but "Porcius", a porcis, from hogs; it was common with the Romans to take names from the brute creatures; so Suillius from swine, Caprarius and Caprilius from goats, Bubulcus from oxen, and Ovinius from sheep. The famous Cato was of the family of the Porcii; his name was M. Porcius Cato, and came from Tusculum,...

BUT AFTER But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and desiring to gain favour with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds....

ACTS 24:27 qe,lwn … dedeme,non {A} Corresponding to the paraphrase in ver. Acts 24:24, after Fh/ston the Western text (614 2147 syrhmg) substitutes for Acts 24:27 qe,lwn … dedeme,non the statement to.n de. Pau/lon ei;asen evn thrh,sei dia. Drou,sillan (“but Paul he kept in prison on account of Drusilla”)....

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;...