Verse 1 And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.
Ananias was the high priest of the Jews from approximately 47-59 A.D. and he hated the Apostle Paul so much that he accompanied the elders to Caesarea bringing along a professional orator or speaker to lie against Paul. As far as is known, Tertullus was a Roman orator and his name means “triple-hardened”. Having this orator would be the equivalent of having a speech writer today for political professionals. So the Apostle Paul would be defending himself against charges brought up to the governor by a professional speaker who would be eloquent and who would know how to appeal to the vanity of an elected or assigned Roman official. In today’s terminology this would be called “stacking the deck” against the Apostle Paul. Ananias had Tertullus and the bulk of the Sanhedrin behind him, but the Apostle Paul had the LORD Jesus Christ going before him as well as being behind him.
Verses 2-3 And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence, 3 We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.
Tertullus begins his oration with flattery for governor Felix, telling lies from the get go. The Jews hated the presence of the Romans in their land, in their city of Jerusalem and in their lives, and there was always trouble and discontent. The Jews were never thankful to Felix or to Caesar.
Verses 4-9 Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words. 5 For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: 6 Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law. 7 But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands, 8 Commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him. 9 And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so.
The Greek word translated as “pestilent” is “loimos” and it means pestilence, pest, or plague. So Tertullus was calling the Apostle Paul a pest or a plague which infers that what he was doing and/or saying was spreading like a disease that had been, was, and would be a cause of trouble not just for the Jewish leadership, but by inference trouble for Rome also. Tertullus accused the Apostle Paul of causing insurrection or strife which again was a lie as it was always the Jews who started any riots or insurrection in their attempts to silence the Gospel message. Then he tried to present the Apostle Paul as the ringleader of an anti-government group of religious nuts who desecrated the Temple and therefore the Jews were justified in apprehending him to be judged by Jewish law. He then lied about the events around the chief captain, Lysias, having to rescue the Apostle Paul out of the violence of the Jewish mob by reversing the truth of the events to convince Felix that the violence of that moment was because of the Roman soldiers attacking the defenseless Jews. Tertullus was presenting the Jewish persecution or victim status story that has been a hallmark of Jewish deception down through the centuries of time.
Application: All the elders, including Ananias, agreed to this false version of the facts and therefore were all complicit in breaking God’s commandment, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor” which means don’t lie. The Apostle John wrote under the inspiration of the LORD Jesus Christ in the book of Revelation referring to the Heavenly Jerusalem, “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Revelation 21:27 These Jewish elites sealed their future in the fires of Hell as they defiled their Levitical office, their position of leadership over the Jews, and they worked against Paul, a servant of the Most High God, and therefore were an abomination to the LORD. And to accomplish the goals of their father, the Devil, they broke God’s commandments by lying and perverting the truth with the clear intent to cause harm to another.
Verses 10-13 Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself: 11 Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship. 12 And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city: 13 Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.
The Apostle Paul politely recognized Felix and his position as governor but he did not shower him with false praise. He then simply laid out the fact that he had done none of the things Tertullus had accused him of and that the Jews could not produce any evidence to support their charges of wrongdoing.
Verses 14-16 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: 15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. 16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
The Apostle Paul then simply stated that the real issue was that his faith and belief system was not theirs. So the entire debacle was due to religious differences. Notice that what the Jews were calling heresy was in reality the Word of God, the law and the prophets. So as stated before, the Jewish religion during the time of Jesus’ ministry and the early Church down through time to today was not and is not based on the teachings of Moses but on the Babylonian Talmud and so the Jews view the Gospel of the LORD Jesus Christ as heretical.
Application: Converted Christian believers today, for the most part, think the Jews study and believe the Old Testament Scripture but disbelieve the New Testament Scripture. Jewish rabbis will lead the Gentiles to believe this is true. But the Jews do not believe or follow the Word of God, period. If they use the Bible, it is misinterpreted to support their Talmudic beliefs. If the average Christian really understood what the Jews today believe, and if they understood who the Jewish god really is, they would be shocked. Just like everything else in this fallen world, what has been stated about the Jewish belief system is a lie. This world is Satan’s domain and he was the original liar and is the father of lies, so most everything people have been told is nothing but lies. The only truth is through the LORD Jesus Christ who is the way, the Truth and the life. All truth is either in the Bible or it is revealed to the people of God by the Holy Ghost/Spirit.
Verses 17-21 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. 19 Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had ought against me. 20 Or else let these same here say, if they have found any 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.
The Apostle Paul challenged the Jews in attendance to produce evidence and he pointed out that other Jews who had originated the charges against him were conspicuously absent from these judicial proceedings.
Verses 22-23 And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of 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.
Apparently Felix had some knowledge about the Christian doctrine that the Apostle Paul adhered to and taught to others, and he decided to put the hearing on hold until the chief captain, Lysias, could be called to testify. The Apostle Paul was kept in house arrest but able to see his friends and fellow believers.
Verses 24-25 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. 25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
Application: Felix, after hearing the Apostle Paul explain the New Covenant and the Christian faith trembled because he was under conviction. The LORD was speaking to him through the witness/testimony of the Apostle Paul. Unfortunately, instead of yielding to the call of God, Felix decided to wait and put off any commitment to follow Jesus until a later time. His wife was Jewish which would present a problem, he was in a position of leadership and under scrutiny from both the public sector and the chain of command going up to Caesar, and so any change of heart towards living for Jesus Christ would have presented difficulty for him in his present career and in his personal life. Like so many people called by God, repentance and commitment to follow Jesus is put out to a future date or time, and something happens such as multiple worldly distractions or even physical death and the opportunity to inherit eternal life in Heaven is lost, and eternal life in Hell is gained.
Verses 26-27 He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him. 27 But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound. (Acts 24)
Politics was the same back in first century A.D. as it is today: corrupt. Felix kept an innocent man in custody rather than render a verdict of not guilty because he was looking for financial gain and because he wanted to please the Jews who were capable of causing him trouble and negatively affecting his career in the Roman government. However, God’s plan for the Apostle Paul was being carried out by Felix’s failure to take action as the Apostle Paul was free to evangelize all those he came in contact with while under house arrest, he was protected from assassination by the Jews, and he was still going to get free passage to Rome.