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with which God provides us, is to tempt and dishonour him, and induce him in judgment, to use those means against us, which, in his mercy, he had designed for our comfort and salvation. Prudence is well associated even with an apostolical spirit. Every being that God has formed, he designs should accomplish those functions for which he has endowed it with the requisite powers.

6. Claudius Lysias sent Paul to Felix. "In the generality of human events," says one, "we do not often distinguish the designs of God from those of men. The design of Lysias, in preserving Paul from the rage of the Jews, was to render his own conduct free from exception: the design of God was, that he might bring Paul safely to Rome, that he might attack idolatry in its strongest fort, and there establish

Tertullus to Cæsarea, to accuse Paul.

the Christian faith." God governs the world, and works by proper means; and counter-works evil or sinister devices, so as ultimately to accomplish the purposes of his will; and cause all things to work together for good to them that love Him.

7. Felix acted prudently when he would not even hear St. Paul till he had his accusers face to face. How many false judgments, evil surmises, and uncharitable censures would be avoided, did men always adopt this reasonable plan. Hear either side of a complaint separately, and the evil seems very great; hear both together, and the evil is generally lessened by one half. Audi et alteram partem—hear the other side, says a heathen remember, if you have an ear for the first complainant, you have one also for the second.

CHAPTER XXIV.

After five days, Ananias the high priest, the elders, and one Tertullus an orator, come to Cæsarea to accuse Paul, 1. The oration of Tertullus, 2-9. Paul's defence, 10-21. Felix, having heard his defence, proposes to leave the final determination of it till Claudius Lysias should come down; and in the mean time orders Paul to be treated with humanity and respect, 22, 23. Felix, and Drusilla his wife, hear Paul concerning the faith of Christ; and Felix is greatly affected, 24, 25. On the expectation of obtaining money for his liberation, Felix keeps Paul in prison, 26. and being superseded in the government of Judea by Porcius Festus, in order to please the Jews, he leaves Paul bound, 27.

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ND after five days, Ananias|| 2 And when he was called forth, Terthe high priest descended with tullus began to accuse him, saying, cir. CCIX. the elders, and with a certain orator Seeing that by thee we enjoy great named Tertullus, who informed the governor quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done against Paul. unto this nation by thy providence,

a Ch. 21. 27.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXIV.

Verse 1. After five days] These days are to be reckoned from the time in which Paul was apprehended at Jerusalem, and twelve days after he had arrived in that city; see ver. 11. Calmet reckons the days thus :-St. Luke says, that Paul was apprehended at Jerusalem when the seven days of his Vow were nearly ended, chap. xxi. 27. that is at the end of the fifth day after his arrival. The next day, which was the sixth, he was presented before the Sanhedrin. The night following, he was taken to Antipatris. The next day, the seventh, he arrived at Cæsarea. Five days afterwards, that is the twelfth day after his arrival at Jerusalem, the high priest and the elders, with Tertullus, came down to accuse him before Felix.-But see the note on chap. xxiii. 32.

A certain orator named Tertullus] This was probably a Roman proselyte to Judaism; yet he speaks every where as a Jew. Roman orators, advocates, &c. were found in different

b Ch. 23. 2, 30, 35. & 25. 2.

provinces of the Roman empire; and they, in general, spoke both the Greek and Latin languages; and being well ac quainted with the Roman laws and customs, were no doubt very useful. Luitprandus supposed that this Tertullus was the same with him who was colleague with Pliny the younger, in the consulate, in the year of Rome, 852; who is mentioned by Pliny, Epist. v. 15. Of this there is no satisfactory proof.

Verse 2. Tertullus began to accuse him] There are three parts in this oration of Tertullus :—1. The exordium. 2. The proposition. 3. The conclusion. The exordium con tains the praise of Felix and his administration, merely for the purpose of conciliating his esteem, 2-4. The proposi tion is contained in ver. 5. The narration and conclusion, in ver. 6-8.

By thee we enjoy great quietness] As bad a governor as Felix most certainly was, he rendered some services to Ju

The oration of

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A. M.cir.4064. 3 We accept it always, and in all || 5 For we have found this man a An. Olymp. places, most noble Felix, with all pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout

eir. CCIX. 4.

thankfulness.

4 Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words.

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the world, and a ring-leader of the sect of the Nazarenes :

6 Who also hath gone about to profane the

Luke 23. 2. ch. 6. 13. & 16. 20. & 17. 6. & 21. 28. 1 Pet. 2. 12, 15.

Ch. 21. 28.

chief of the sect of the Nazarenes, who are a very bad people, and should not be tolerated. 4. He has endeavoured to pollute and profane the temple; and we took him in the fact.

dea. The country had long been infested with robbers; and a very formidable banditti of this kind, under one Eliezar, he entirely suppressed.-Joseph. Antiq. lib. xx. cap. 6. Bell. lib. ii. cap. 22. He also supprest the sedition raised A pestilent fellow] The word ouos, pestis; the plague by an Egyptian impostor, who had seduced 30,000 men; see or pestilence, is used both by Greek and Roman authors, to on chap. xxi. 38. He had also quelled a very afflictive dis- || signify a very bad and profligate man; we have weakened turbance which took place between the Syrians and the Jews the force of the word by translating the substantive adjecof Cæsarea. On this ground Tertullus said, By thee we enjoy tively. Tertullus did not say that Paul was a pestilent felgreat quietness; and illustrious deeds are done to this nation|| low; but he said that he was the very pestilence itself. As by thy prudent administration: this was all true; but, not- in that of Martial, xi. 92. withstanding this, he is well known, from his own historiaus, and from Josephus, to have been not only a very bad man, but also a very bad governor. He was mercenary, oppressive, and cruel; and of all these the Jews brought proofs to Nero, before whom they accused him; and, had it not been for the interest and influence of his brother Pallas, he had been certainly ruined.

Verse 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.

Verse 4. That I be not further tedious unto thee] That I may neither trespass on thy time, by dwelling longer on this subject; nor on thy modesty, by thus enumerating thy beneficent deeds.

Hear us of thy clemency] Give us this farther proof of thy kindness, by hearkening to our present complaint. The whole of this exordium was artful enough, though it was lame. The orator had certainly a very bad cause, of which he endeavoured to make the best. Felix was a bad man and bad governor; and yet he must praise him to conciliate his esteem. Paul was a very good man, and nothing amiss could be proved against him; aud yet he must endeavour to blacken|| him as much as possible, in order to please his unprincipled and wicked employers. His oration has been blamed as weak, lame, and imperfect; and yet, perhaps few, with so bad a cause, could have made better of it.

Verse 5. For we have found this man, &c.] Here the proposition of the orator commences. He accuses Paul; and his accusation includes four particulars:-1. He is a pest, Apes; an exceedingly bad and wicked man. 2. He excites disturbances and seditions against the Jews. 3. He is the

Non vitiosus homo es, Zoïle, sed vitium. "Thou art not a vitious man, O Zoïlus, but thou art vice

itself."

The words Auss, and pestis, are thus frequently used.See Wetstein, Bp. Pearce, and Kypke.

A mover of sedition] Instead of saw, sedition; ABE. several others, with the Coptic, Vulgate, Chrysostom, Theophylact, and Ecumenius, read 5arsis, commotions; which is probably the true reading.

Among all the Jews] Bp. Pearce contends, that the words should be understood thus-one that stirreth up tumults AGAINST all the Jews: for, if they be understood otherwise, Tertullus may be considered as accusing his countrymen; as if they, at Paul's instigation, were forward to make insurrections every where. On the contrary, he wishes to represent them as a persecuted and distressed people, by means of Paul and his Nazarenes.

A ring-leader] Пwroσrary. This is a military phrase, and signifies the officer who stands on the right of the first rank; the captain of the front rank, of the sect of the Nazarenes; Tys Twv valwpaιwv aipɛrews, of the heresy of the Nazarenes. This word is used six times by St. Luke, viz. in this verse, and in ver. 14. and in chap. v. 17. xv. 5. xxvi. 5. and xxviii. 22. ; but in none of them does it appear necessarily to include that bad sense which we generally assign to the word heresy.-See the note on chap. v. 17. where the subject is largely considered; and see farther on ver. 14.

Verse 6. Hath gone about to profane the temple] This was a heavy charge, if it could have been substantiated; because the Jews were permitted by the Romans to put any person to death who profaned their temple. This charge was founded on the gross calumny mentioned, chap. xxi. 28, 29. for as they

Paul defends himself

THE ACTS.

against Tertullus.

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governor had beckoned unto him to An. Olymp. speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully an swer for myself:

11 Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship.

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12 And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up

John 18. 31.- -1 ch. 21. 33.—————¤ ch. 23. 30.———a A. D. 53. Felix made procurator over Judea. ver. 17. ch. 21. 26.

Le ch. 25. 8. & 28. 17.

No bad cause was

had seen Trophimus, an Ephesian, with Paul in the city, they confirmed and substantiated the charges. pretended that he had brought him into the temple. ever more judiciously and cunningly managed. Would have judged according to our law.] He pretended Verse 10. Then Paul-answered] The apostle's defence that they would have tried the case fairly, had not the chief consists of two parts :—1. The exordium, which has for obcaptain taken him violently out of their hands; whereas,ject the praise of his judge, whose qualifications, to discern had not Lysias interfered, they would have murdered him on the spot.

Verse 7. With great violence] Mera TOYS Bias, I rather think means with an armed force. Tertullus intimates that Lysias interfered contrary to law, and brought soldiers to support him in his infringement on their constitution. This is what he seems to say and complain of; for the Jews were vexed with Lysias for rescuing the apostle from their hands. Verse 8. Commanding his accusers to come, &c.] Here Tertullus closes his opening and statement of the case; and now he proceeds to call and examine his witnesses: and, they were no doubt examined one by one, though St. Luke sums the whole up in one word-The Jews also assented, saying, that these things were so. Whoever considers the plan of Tertullus's speech, will perceive that it was both judicious and artful. Let us take a view of the whole :-1. He praises Felix, to conciliate his favour. 2. He generally states the great blessings of his administration. 3. He states, that the Jews, throughout the whole land, felt themselves under the greatest obligations to him; and extolled his prudent and beneficent management of the public affairs every where. 4. That the prisoner before him was a very bad man; a disturber of the public peace; a demagogue of a dangerous party; and so lost to all sense of religion, as to attempt to profane the temple! 5. That, though || he should have been punished on the spot; yet, as they were ordered by the chief captain to appear before him, and shew the reasons why they had seized on Paul at Jerusalem, they were accordingly come; and having now exhibited their charges, he would 6. proceed to examine witnesses, who would prove all these things to the satisfaction of the governor. 7. He then called his witnesses, and their testimony

and decide on a question of this nature, he fully allows; and expects, from this circumstance, to have a favourable hearing. 2. The tractation, which consists of two parts, I. REFUTATION; 1. of the charge of polluting the temple ; 2. of stirring up sedition; 3. of being a leader of any sect who had a different worship from the God of their fathers. II. AFFIRMATION, 1. that he had lived so as to preserve a good conscience towards God, and towards men; 2. that so far from polluting the temple, he had been purified in it ; and was found thus, worshipping according to the law of God; 3. that what Tertullus and his companions had witnessed, was perfectly false, and he defied them to produce a single proof; and appeals to those who had been witnesses of his conduct in Jerusalem, who should have been there could they have proved any thing against him.

Thou hast been of many years a judge] Cumanus and Felix were, for a time, joint governors of Judea; but, after the condemnation of Cumunus, the government fell entirely into the hands of Felix and from Josephus we learn, that this was now the sixth or seventh year of his administration; which might be called many years, when the very frequent removals of the governors of the provinces are considered.― See Jos. Antiq. lib. xx. 7. and see the Margin.

A judge-Kars, the same here in signification, as the Hebrew a shophet, which means a ruler or governor. This was the title of the ancient governors of Israel.

The more cheerfully] Eutuμorepoy, with a better heart, or courage; because as thy long residence among us, has brought thee to a thorough acquaintance with our customs, I may expect a proper decision in my favour, my cause being perfectly sound.

Verse 11. There are yet but twelve days] This is his

Paul deferrds himself

CHAP. XXIV.

against Tertullus.

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nor in the city:

13 Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.

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the just and unjust.

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16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

17 Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings.

18 Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.

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reply to their charge of sedition; the improbability of which is shewn, from the short time he had spent in Jerusalem, quite insufficient to organize a sedition of any kind; nor could a single proof be furnished that he had attempted to seduce any man; nor unhinge any person from his allegiance by subtle disputations, either in the temple, the synagogues, or the city. So that this charge necessarily fell to the ground, self-confuted; unless they could bring substantial proof against him, which he challenges them to do.

Verse 14. That after the way which they call heresy] See the explanation of this word in the note on chap. v. 17. and see before, ver. 5. where what is here translated heresy, is there rendered sect. At this time, the word had no bad acceptation, in reference to religious opinions. The Pharisees themselves, the most respectable body among the Jews, are called a sect; for Paul, defending himself before Agrippa, says, that he lived a Pharisee according to the strictest aiper sect, or heresy, of their religion. And Josephus, who was • Pharisee, speaks της των Φαρισαίων αίρεσεως of the heresy, or sect, of the Pharisees. LIFE, chap. xxxviii. Therefore it is evident that the word heresy had no bad meaning among the Jews; it meant simply a religious sect. Why then did they use it by way of degradation to St. Paul? This seems to have been the cause. They had already two accredited sects in the land; the Pharisees and Sadducees: the interests of each of these were pretty well balanced, and each had a part in the government, for the council or sanhedrin was composed both of Sadducees and Pharisees: see chap. xxiii. 6. They were afraid that the Christians, whom they called Nazarenes, should form a new sect, and divide the interests of both the preceding; and what they feared, that they charged them with and on this account, the Christians had both the Pharisees and the Sadducees for their enemies. They had charged Jesus Christ with plotting against the state, and endeavouring to raise seditions; and they charged his followers with the same. This they deemed a proper engine to bring a jealous government into action.

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So worship I the God of my fathers] I bring in no new object of worship; no new religious creed. I believe all things as they profess to believe; and acknowledge the Law and the Prophets, as divinely inspired books; and have never in the smallest measure, detracted from the authority or authenticity of either.

Verse 15. And have hope toward God, &c.] I not only do not hold any thing by which the general creed of this people might be altered, in reference to the present state; but also, I hold nothing different from their belief, in reference to a future state; for if I maintain the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, it is what themselves allow.

Verse 16. And herein do I exercise myself] And this very tenet is a pledge for my good behaviour; for as I believe there will be a resurrection, both of the just and unjust, and that every man shall be judged for the deeds done in the body; so, I exercise myself day and night, that I may have a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man.

Toward God] In entertaining no opinion contrary to his truth; and in offering no worship contrary to his dignity, purity, and excellence.

Toward men.] In doing nothing to them that I would not, on a change of circumstances, they should do to me; and in withholding nothing, by which I might comfort and serve them.

Verse 17. Now after many years, &c.] And as a full proof that I act according to the dictates of this divine and beneficent creed, though I have been many years absent from my own country, and my political relation to it is almost necessarily dissolved; yet, far from coming to disturb the peace of society, or to injure any person, I have brought ALMS to my nation, the fruits of my own earning and influence among a foreign people, and OFFERINGS to my God and his temple, proving hereby my attachment to my country, and my reverence for the worship of my country's God.

Verse 18. Found me purified in the temple] And the Jews of Asia, who stirred up the persecution against me in Jerusa lem, found me purified in the temple, regularly performing the

Felix puts off the farther

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19 Who ought to have been here || deferred them, and said, When A.M.cir.4064. An. Olymp. before thee, and object, if they had Lysias the chief captain shall come cir. CCIX. 4. ought against me.

20 Or else let these same here say, if they have found an evil doing in me, while I stood before the council,

21 Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, 'Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.

22 ¶ And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he

down, I will know the uttermost of cir. ccIX. 4. your matter.

23 And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.

24 ¶ And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.

a Ch. 23, 30. & 25. 16. ch. 23. 6. & 28. 20.

© Ver. 7.4 ch. 27. 3. & 28.16.

religious vow into which I had entered; giving no cause for suspicion; for I made no tumult, nor had I any number of || people with me, by whom I could have accomplished any seditious purpose.

Verse 20. An evil-doing in me, while I stood before the council] The Jews of Asia, the most competent witnesses, though my declared enemies, and they who stirred up the persecution against me, should have been here: why are they kept back? Because they could prove nothing against me. Let these therefore who are here, depose, if they have found any evil in me, or proved against me by my most virulent adversaries, when examined before them in their council at Jerusalem.

Verse 21. Except it be for this one voice] The Sadducees who belong to that council, and who deny the resurrection of the dead, may indeed blame me for professing my faith in this doctrine; but as this is a doctrine credited by the nation in general, and as there can be nothing criminal in such a belief; and they can bring no accusation against me relative to any thing else, this, of course, is the sum of all the charges, to which I am called to answer before you this day.

Verse 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 enquire 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.

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And this mode of interpretation is rendered the more likely from the circumstance, that, previously to the coming down of Lysias, Felix had sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith of Christ; and this he appears to have done, that he might be the better qualified to judge of the business when it should come again before him. See on

verse 20.

Verse 23. Ile commanded a centurion to keep Paul] He gave him into the custody of a captain, by whom he was most likely to be well used: and to let him have liberty; he freed him from the chains with which he was bound to the soldiers, his keepers. See on chap. xxi. 33. And that he should forbid none of his acquaintance Twy day of his own people, his fellow apostles, and the Christians in general, to minister or come unto him; to furnish him with any of the conveniences and comforts of life; and visit him as often as they pleased. This was an ample proof that Felix found no evil in him; and he would certainly have dismissed him, but for two reasons: 1. He wanted to please the Jews, whom he knew could depose grievous things against his administration. 2. He hoped to get money from the apostle or his friends, as the purchase of his liberty.

Verse 24. His wife Drusilla] We have already seen, that Felix was thrice married; two of his wives were named Drusilla; one was a Roman, the niece or grand-daughter of Anthony and Cleopatra, mentioned by Tacitus, lib. v. cap. 9. The other, the person in the text, was a Jewess, daughter to Herod Agrippa the Great. See chap. xii. 1, &c. When she was but six years of age, she was affianced to Epiphanes, son of Antiochus, king of Comagena, who had promised to embrace Judaism on her account; but as he did not keep his word, her brother Agrippa (mentioned chap. xxv. 13.) refused to ratify the marriage. About the year of our Lord 53, he married her to Azizus, king of the Emesenes, who received her on condition of being circumcised. Felix having

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