22 But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.” 23 So he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him. 24 And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 25 Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.” 26 Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him. 27 But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound.
Commentary
Vs. 22-23 22 But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.” 23 So he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him.
The Apostle Paul having then given his defense before Felix, that he had been brought before him not for crimes or inciting an insurrection as they falsely charged him with before Felix, but only for declaring his belief in the resurrection of dead during his trial by their Sanhedrin council in Jerusalem. And so, Felix now having a more accurate understanding of the Way, that is the Christian faith, that we hold to this belief, and all things written in the Law and Prophets, and thus are no enemies to the Jews, he adjourned the proceedings, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.” Vs. 22 Having then deferred making a judgment, but seeing that Paul was no threat to anyone, Felix commanded the centurion who was to guard Paul to let him have liberty and not to forbid any of Paul’s friends from providing for his needs or to visit him (vs. 23), which was a most unusual gracious act on his part to show Paul favor like that, which seems to me his heart had been moved by the Apostle Paul.
Vs. 24 “And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.”
Now after some days Felix once again commanded the Apostle Paul to be brought before him, but this time in private with his wife Drusilla who was Jewish present with him. According to the King James Bible Commentary: “This girl was the youngest daughter of Herod Agrippa I (the murderer of James, ch. 12) and the sister of Agrippa II and Bernice (25:13). She was not yet twenty years old and had already left an Assyrian king to marry Felix. She was a Jewess and died twenty-one years later in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius!” [1]
Vs. 25 25 Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.”
The Apostle Paul then found himself in the presence of a man whose heart (or conscience) clearly had been stirred by Paul’s assertion of the resurrection of the dead, but whose personal life was being lived fully hostile to the Word of the Lord. And yet when Paul was brought before Felix for a private interview, he did not shun him, or condemn him, and thus impute his or his wife’s sins against them, he simply reasoned with them about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come. Thus, trying ever so tactfully to get them to repent and believe while they still could. However, when Felix heard of these things, clearly he was convicted by the Holy Spirit of his own sins, but rather then repenting and turning to the Lord for forgiveness and salvation he only told Paul to, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.” Vs. 25 Which is not a unique response by him, for when people hear the Word of the Lord Jesus Christ through us, they will either repent and believe, or they too will also want nothing more to do with us, for the fear of coming judgment that has been awakened inside of them (2 Cor. 2:14-15).
Vs. 26-27 26 Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him. 27 But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound.
Felix then having heard the Word and sent Paul away, still kept Paul bound in the hope that Paul might enrich him, but not with the Gospel, but only now with money, and so he sent for Paul more often to hear him, but not with no intent of repenting and believing, but only that a bribe might be given him by Paul (vs. 26). Unfortunately, during these private meetings the Apostle Paul would’ve been ignorant of Felix’s true desires, just as the Scriptures says, “that the heart of kings is unsearchable” (see Prov. 25:3). And so, one must always be cautious when one is “befriended” by those who hold power, for their true motives (or their heart) you will never discover. And so, for two years this went on until Felix was succeeded by Porcius Felix whom Caesar Nero had appointed to replace Felix as governor of Judea. Now when Felix was recalled to Rome, he kept Paul bound so as to have the Jews favor who had complained bitterly about him to Rome (vs. 27).
Scripture Quotations
New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.
Additional Resources Consulted
[1]
Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible
Commentary (p. 2192). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
No comments:
Post a Comment