Acts 24:1–9

 ¹ Now after five days Ananias the high priest came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertullus. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul. ² And when he was called upon, Tertullus began his accusation, saying: “Seeing that through you we enjoy great peace, and prosperity is being brought to this nation by your foresight, ³ we accept it always and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. ⁴ Nevertheless, not to be tedious to you any further, I beg you to hear, by your courtesy, a few words from us. ⁵ For we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. ⁶ He even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him, and wanted to judge him according to our law. ⁷ But the commander Lysias came by and with great violence took him out of our hands, ⁸ commanding his accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.” ⁹ And the Jews also assented, maintaining that these things were so. 

Commentary 

Vs. 1 Now after five days Ananias the high priest came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertullus. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul. 

And so, it was after five days that the high priest along with select elders of the Jews came down to Caesarea to present their case against Paul. Now they brought with them a certain man, a Roman named Tertullus, a trained orator, who along with them stated their case (i.e., presented their evidence) to the governor against Paul. 

Vs. 2-3 ² And when he was called upon, Tertullus began his accusation, saying: “Seeing that through you we enjoy great peace, and prosperity is being brought to this nation by your foresight, ³ we accept it always and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. 

Now Tertullus when he was called upon to make his accusation against the Apostle Paul begins by praising Felix, saying that by his foresight and rule they enjoyed great peace and prosperity was being brought to their nation, and so they were most glad that he ruled them, (now upon hearing that flattering nonsense you would almost think that Felix was a righteous man and just ruler). Nonetheless, unless the serpent is charmed it may bite, and so Tertullus shows himself here most skilled at doing just that. 

Vs. 4-9 ⁴ Nevertheless, not to be tedious to you any further, I beg you to hear, by your courtesy, a few words from us. ⁵ For we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. ⁶ He even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him, and wanted to judge him according to our law. ⁷ But the commander Lysias came by and with great violence took him out of our hands, ⁸ commanding his accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.” ⁹ And the Jews also assented, maintaining that these things were so. 

Having then addressed Felix in all manner of endearment and flattery Tertullus now begins his case against the Apostle Paul by using the strongest of words to condemn Paul, calling him “a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.” (vs. 5). Thus, making Paul out to be someone who was a completely subversive towards the Jews, even calling Paul a ring leader of the sect of the Nazarenes, for simply taking in all reverence towards God and in respect of the Jews traditions, the vow of the Nazarene while in Jerusalem at the Temple, which he did at the request of the church leadership there, so as to show himself not hostile towards any of the Jews beliefs or practices there. And so just as those who are trained in these sorts of tactics always do, Tertullus thus turns what was intended as an act of peace and goodwill towards the Jews by the Apostle Paul into an act of insurgent sedition and war against them! 

Now he even goes on to say that the Apostle Paul tried to profane the temple (vs. 6), which never happened, rather some there assumed Paul had brought his Greek travel companions with him into the Temple’s inner court when he came to the Temple to take his vow, because they saw them with him in Jerusalem. However, Paul as a devout Jew and Pharisee according to the Jews strictest sect of their religion never did, nor would he have, especially when taking the vow of a Nazarite, which was to set oneself apart to God from all that defiles. Thus, having made such a false and utterly defaming charge against the Apostle Paul, Tertullus now says that the Jews wanted to judge Paul by their law, however the commander Lysias; in rescuing Paul from their trying to beat him to death; now charges him with coming with great violence and seizing Paul from their hands; as if they were doing justly by trying to do so (vs. 7). And so, when he rescued Paul from them, he commanded that they go to Felix the governor where he was sending Paul, and present their case against him there, because they had secretly laid a plot to execute Paul by having Paul brought back to them, which when the commander found out about it, he sent Paul to Felix, something which neither Tertullus nor the Jews make mention of here. No rather all they do is confirm Tertullus’ terribly disparaging words about Paul, and even the commander there, with Tertullus even trying to bias Felix by saying that when he examines Paul, he will ascertain all the things that they are accusing Paul of (vs. 8-9). Such then is way and words of the unjust, who skillfully miss-use and misrepresent peoples own words and actions against them.

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.