_And after five days Ananias the high priest descended … with a certain orator named Tertullus._ PAUL BEFORE FELIX--A PICTURE OF BARRISTERIAL DEPRAVITY 1. From his Roman name we judge that Tertullus was a Roman barrister of signal abilities, and perhaps of great reputation. The Jews, probably, for... [ Continue Reading ]
_Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness._ BE THANKFUL AND DO NOT REST These words were addressed by a professional flatterer to one of the worst of Roman governors. Both speaker and listener knew that he was lying; but both knew that the words described what a governor ought to be. They sugg... [ Continue Reading ]
_We have found this man … a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes._ THE NAZARENE AND THE SECT OF THE NAZARENES (text, and Matthew 2:23):-- 1. Our Saviour, though born at Bethlehem, was commonly known as Jesus of Nazareth, because Nazareth was the place where He was brought up. This was a place v... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered._ PAUL’S DEFENCE BEFORE FELIX Note-- I. The Christianity of old Judaism. The apostle-- 1. Worshipped the Jews’ God. “So worship I the God of my fathers.” He propounded no new Divinity. 2. Believed in the Jews’ Scriptur... [ Continue Reading ]
_But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers._ WHAT IS HERESY I. Here is the case of men holding high office in the Church of God, yet mistaking truth for error, and branding as heresy that which is Divine. These men have had many succ... [ Continue Reading ]
_Herein do I exercise myself to have a conscience void of offence._ A CONSCIENCE VOID OF OFFENCE I. There are certain states of mind which may be mistaken for a conscience void of offence. It has been wisely said that the office of conscience is to testify to every man the quality of his actions, a... [ Continue Reading ]
_And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla … he sent for Paul and heard him._ FELIX AND DRUSILLA When Herod Agrippa I died at Caesarea (Acts 12:23), he left behind him a son and three daughters as heirs of the ancestral name and virtues. The son was the Agrippa of chaps, 25, 26... [ Continue Reading ]
_And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and Judgment to come, Felix trembled._ PAUL’S REASONING BEFORE FELIX Consider-- I. The manner of Paul’s preaching. He did not utter dogmatic assertions nor deal in vague declamation, in airy speculation which might please but not profit, in the ar... [ Continue Reading ]
_He hoped also that money should have been given him._ FELIX REDIVIVUS It is a wonderful characteristic of the Bible that all its characters are still with us. The men of the Bible were types. I. Felix was sated with flattery; no man dare say one critical word to Felix. Are there not men whose mi... [ Continue Reading ]