How sincere was Paul in his speech in his own defense? Today, it may seem to us that the apostle leaves something unsaid when speaking about himself. He seems constantly to sidestep the central point of disagreement between himself and the orthodox Synagogue and its representatives...
How sincere was Paul in his speech in his own defense? Today, it may seem to us that the apostle leaves something unsaid when speaking about himself. He seems constantly to sidestep the central point of disagreement between himself and the orthodox Synagogue and its representatives. They accuse him of belonging to what they themselves call the “Nazarene party,” or “Nazarene heresy.”
Yet Paul was hardly being insincere in what he said. He genuinely continued to feel and regard himself as a thoroughly orthodox Jew. For him, his messianic faith, his faithfulness to the risen Christ, was an organic continuation of the tradition in which he had grown up. That tradition had become his own path to Christ.
He imposed his path on no one, but he himself was certain of it. He always showed this confidence, including when he had to defend himself before Roman justice. Of course, he did not conceal his differences with the orthodox Synagogue, but he considered them entirely permissible. The apostle was convinced that the Nazarene party had the same right to exist within the Yahwist community as any other party of the time. He does not emphasize the distinctive features of his own party, but draws attention to what unites him with the whole Jewish community.
Here Paul expresses the general view of the earliest Christian Church, which saw itself not as part of a particular synagogue, but as part of the Yahwist community, and therefore of the Synagogue with a capital S. Precisely with a capital S. Within the Synagogue, the Church was something entirely new and unprecedented, yet at the same time an organic continuation of the Yahwist community, and Christianity no less organically continued Yahwism. Yahwism, specifically, not Judaism or any of its schools.
The earliest Christian Church nevertheless took the best from the Jewish schools. Unlike the Church of a later period, even that of the second century, it regarded the whole Tradition as its own—not only preexilic Yahwism but also Second Temple Judaism. In the light of the new messianic revelation, however, the earlier Tradition shone with a new light and revealed new facets, not least thanks to Paul himself. In this way, God's plan of salvation was fulfilled on earth, including everything that could be saved and transfigured.
24
24:1 Ananias - Who would spare no trouble on the occasion, with several of the elders, members of the sanhedrim.
24:2 Tertullus began - A speech how different from St. Paul's; which is true, modest, solid, and without paint. Felix was a man of the most infamous character, and a plague to all the provinces over which he presided.
24:4 But that I may not trouble thee any farther - By trespassing either on thy patience or modesty. The eloquence of Tertullus was as bad as his cause: a lame introduction, a lame transition, and a lame conclusion. Did not God confound the orator's language?
24:10 Knowing - for several years thou hast been a judge over this nation - And so not unacquainted with our religious rites and customs, and consequently more capable of understanding and deciding a cause of this nature. There was no flattery in this. It was a plain fact. He governed Judea six or seven years. I answer for myself - As it may be observed, his answer exactly corresponds with the three articles of Tertullus's charge: sedition, heresy, and profanation of the temple. As to the first, he suggests,. that he had not been long enough at Jerusalem to form a party and attempt an insurrection: (for it was about twelve days since he came up thither; five of which he had been at Cesarea, Act 24:1; one or two were spent in his journey thither, and most of the rest he had been confined at Jerusalem.) And he challenges them, in fact, to produce any evidence of such practices, Act 24:11-13. As to the second, he confesses himself to be a Christian; but maintains this to be a religion perfectly agreeable to the law and the prophets, and therefore deserving a fair reception, Act 24:14, Act 24:16. And as for profaning the temple, he observes that he behaved there in a most peaceful and regular manner, so that his innocence had been manifest even before the sanhedrim, where the authors of the tumult did not dare to appear against him.
24:14 After the way which they call heresy - This appellation St.Paul corrects. Not that it was then an odious word; but it was not honourable enough. A party or sect (so that word signifies) is formed by men. This way was prescribed by God. The apostle had now said what was sufficient for his defence; but having a fair occasion, he makes an ingenuous confession of his faith in this verse, his hope in the next, his love in the 17th. Act 24:14-15, Act 24:17. So worship I the God of my fathers - This was a very proper plea before a Roman magistrate; as it proved that he was under the protection of the Roman laws, since the Jews were so: whereas had he introduced the worship of new gods he would have forfeited that protection. Believing all things which are written - Concerning the Messiah.
24:15 Both of the just and of the unjust - In a public court this was peculiarly proper to be observed.
24:16 For this cause - With a view to this, I also exercise myself - As well as they.
24:19 Who ought to have been present before thee - But the world never commit greater blunders, even against its own laws, than when it is persecuting the children of God.
24:21 Unless they think me blamable for this one word - Which nevertheless was the real truth. Act 23:6.
24:22 After I have been more accurately informed - Which he afterward was; and he doubtless (as well as Festus and Agrippa) transmitted a full account of these things to Rome.
24:23 He commanded the centurion to let him have liberty - To be only a prisoner at large. Hereby the Gospel was spread more and more; not to the satisfaction of the Jews. But they could not hinder it.
24:24 And after Paul had been kept some days in this gentle confinement at Cesarea, Felix, who had been absent for a short time, coming thither again, with Drusilla, his wife - The daughter of Herod Agrippa, one of the finest women of that age. Felix persuaded her to forsake her husband, Azizus, king of Emessa, and to be married to himself, though a heathen. She was afterward, with a son she had by Felix, consumed in an eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Concerning the faith in Christ - That is, the doctrine of Christ.
24:25 And as he reasoned of justice, temperance, and judgment to come - This was the only effectual way of preaching Christ to an unjust, lewd judge. Felix being terrified - How happily might this conviction have ended, had he been careful to pursue the views which were then opening upon his mind! But, like thousands, he deferred the consideration of these things to a more convenient season. A season which, alas! never came. For though he heard again, he was terrified no more. In the meantime we do not find Drusilla, though a Jewess, wasthus alarmed. She had been used to hear of a future judgment: perhaps too she trusted to the being a daughter of Abraham, or to the expiation of the law, and so was proof against the convictions which seized on her husband, though a heathen. Let this teach us to guard against all such false dependencies as tend to elude those convictions that might otherwise be produced in us by the faithful preaching of the word of God. Let us stop our ears against those messengers of Satan, who appear as angels of light; who would teach us to reconcile the hope of salvation with a corrupt heart or an unholy life. Go thy way for this time - O how will every damned soul one day lament his having neglectedsuch a time as this!
24:26 He hoped also - An evil hope: so when he heard his eye was not single. No marvel then that he profited nothing by all St.Paul's discourses: that money would be given - By the Christians for the liberty of so able a minister. And waiting for this, unhappy Felix fell short of the treasure of the Gospel.
24:27 But after two years - After St. Paul had been two years a prisoner, Felix desiring to gratify the Jews, left Paul bound - Thus men of the world, to gratify one another, stretch forththeir hands to the things of God! Yet the wisdom of Felix did not profit him, did not satisfy the Jews at all. Their accusations followed him to Rome, and had utterly ruined him, but for the interest which his brother Pallas had with Nero.