Acts 24:3

We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. In this flattery there was a measure of truth, for Felix did act with some vigour and success in suppressing lawless violence; as is attested both by Josephus (Ant. 20: 8, 4), and by Tacitus (Annals 12: 54)....

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 24:3. _WE ACCEPT_ IT _ALWAYS, AND IN ALL PLACES_] We have at _all_ _times_ a grateful sense of thy beneficent administration, and we talk of it _in all places_, not only before thy face, but behind thy back....

WE ACCEPT IT ALWAYS - We admit that it is owing to your vigilance, and we accept your interposition to promote peace with gratitude. ALWAYS, AND IN ALL PLACES - Not merely in your presence, but we always acknowledge that it is owing to your vigilance that the land is secure. “What we now do in your presence, we do also in your absence; we do not commend you merely when you are present” (Wetstein). MOST NOBLE FELIX - This was the title of office. WITH ALL THANKFULNESS - In this there was probably sincerity, for there was no doubt that the peace of Judea was owing to Felix. But at the same time that he was an energetic and vigilant governor, it was also true that he was proud, avaricious, and cruel. Josephus charges him with injustice and cruelty in the case of Jonathan, the high priest (_Antiq._, book 20, chapter

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...

WE ACCEPT IT ALWAYS, AND IN ALL PLACES,.... The sense is, that the Jews observed with pleasure the provident care the governor took of their nation, and at all times spoke well of him; and wherever they came commended his conduct, and owned the favours they received from him, and the blessings they enjoyed under his government: and then giving him his title of honour, MOST NOBLE FELIX; Tertullus adds, that this the Jews did WITH ALL THANKFULNESS; as sensible of the obligations they were under to him; but this was all a farce, mere artifice, and wretched flattery....

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...

ACCEPT. receive. Greek. _apodechomai._ See note on Acts 2:41. ALWAYS. in every case. Greek. _pante_. Only here. IN ALL PLACES. everywhere. Greek. _pantachou._ MOST NOBLE. Same as "most excellent", in Acts 23:26. THANKFULNESS. Greek. _eucharistia._ In the other fourteen occurances rendered "thanksgiving", "thanks", or "giving of thanks"....