Acts 24:1-27
ST. PAUL BEFORE FELIX 1-27. St Paul and Felix. 1. Tertullus] in spite of his Roman name may have been a Greek or even a Jew (cp.'our Law,' AV Acts 24:6).... [ Continue Reading ]
ST. PAUL BEFORE FELIX 1-27. St Paul and Felix. 1. Tertullus] in spite of his Roman name may have been a Greek or even a Jew (cp.'our Law,' AV Acts 24:6).... [ Continue Reading ]
GREAT QUIETNESS] Felix really deserved some credit for his vigorous action against the brigands and zealots, when he first entered office, and for his suppression of the Egyptian false prophet. AND WOULD HAVE JUDGED.. HIS ACCUSERS TO COME UNTO THEE] These words, though absent from many ancient autho... [ Continue Reading ]
FAVOUR] They desired from the judge partiality, not justice; and probably offered him money.... [ Continue Reading ]
ABLE] rather, 'influential.'... [ Continue Reading ]
MORE THAN, etc.] RV 'not more than eight or ten days.'... [ Continue Reading ]
OF WHOM] i.e. of Paul, if the above words are omitted; but of Lysias, if they are retained.... [ Continue Reading ]
ASSENTED] RV 'joined in the charge.' Provincial governors were generally anxious to be on good terms with their subjects, because, when their term of office was over, the provincials had the right to complain of them to the Emperor. BEFORE ME] The proposal was that Paul should be tried by the Sanhe... [ Continue Reading ]
I STAND] RV (correctly) 'I am (now) standing before Cæsar's judgmentseat' (i.e. thy judgment-seat, O Festus); 'where I ought to be judged' (and not before a Jewish court, like the Sanhedrin).... [ Continue Reading ]
ST PAUL'S DEFENCE. St. Paul answered the charges as follows. (1) He had no seditious intentions, for he was found purified in the Temple 'neither with multitude, nor with tumult' (Acts 24:18). (2) The sect of the Nazarenes, to which he belonged, was a perfectly orthodox and lawful combination of Jew... [ Continue Reading ]
THE COUNCIL] i.e. the governo's legal advisers.... [ Continue Reading ]
KING AGRIPPA AND BERNICE] Agrippa II (Marcus Julius Agrippa) was the son of Agrippa I and Cypros. See art. 'Dynasty of the Herods.' His sister Bernice, with whom at this time he was living on terms of criminal intimacy, was an attractive but dissolute woman. At thirteen she was married to her uncle,... [ Continue Reading ]
HERESY] RV 'a sect.' Tertullus had applied the word to the Christians in a bad sense.... [ Continue Reading ]
ALLOW] rather, 'look for.'... [ Continue Reading ]
HEREIN] i.e. reiving on this hope. But others understand it to mean 'during this earthly life.' 1] RV 'I also,'i.e. 'las well as they.'... [ Continue Reading ]
MANY YEARS] or, 'some years.'... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREUPON] RV 'Amidst which.'... [ Continue Reading ]
SUPERSTITION] RV 'religion.'... [ Continue Reading ]
DOUBTED] RV '(was) perplexed how to inquire concerning these things.'... [ Continue Reading ]
AUGUSTUS] lit. 'the Augustus.' 'Augustus,' originally a family name, had now become an official title of the Emperor. BY YOU] RV 'before you.'... [ Continue Reading ]
_That_ (the) WAY] i.e. Christianity. I WILL KNOW THE UTTERMOST OF] rather, 'I will determine.'... [ Continue Reading ]
CHIEF CAPTAINS] i.e. tribunes. LIBERTY] rather, 'indulgence.'... [ Continue Reading ]
DRUSILLA] The youngest of the three daughters of Agrippa I (the Herod of Acts 12:1). She deserted her husband, Azizus, king of Emesa, to marry Felix.... [ Continue Reading ]
FELIX TREMBLED] Instead of simply stating what the Christian faith was, St. Paul, after the manner of the Baptist and the ancient prophets, boldly called his august hearers to repentance. He reasoned of righteousness (condemning Felix's receipt of bribes and evil government: cp. Acts 24:26); of temp... [ Continue Reading ]
As Agrippa was expert in all matters of the Jewish law, Festus hoped that he would help him to compose a letter to the Emperor, which would make it clear what the charges against Paul really were.... [ Continue Reading ]
PORCIUS FESTUS] succeeded Felix as procurator of Judasa about 58 a.d. He died after a short tenure of office, having governed, upon the whole, well. He is credited with having (for a time) suppressed the Sicarii or Assassins. AND FELIX.. PAUL BOUND] For these words the Bezan text substitutes, 'but... [ Continue Reading ]