Acts 24 continues the story of Paul’s trial before the Roman government.
In order to defame Paul, the Jews hired an attorney named Tertullus to present their accusations to Felix, a Roman governor. Tertullus began his case with flattery, trying to win Felix over with his words. He then proceeded to present three accusations against Paul:
- Personal. He accused Paul of being “a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension” (Acts 24:5 NASB).
- Political. Tertullus claimed that Paul was “a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5 NASB).
- Religious. The real reason for the Jews’ accusation—they claimed he had desecrated the temple (Acts 24:6).
After Tertullus finished his case, Paul had a chance to defend himself. His response is markedly different from Tertullus’s approach.
First, Paul began with facts instead of flattery. He refuted Tertullus’s claims by revealing the exact circumstances under which he had been arrested, clearing himself of the charge of creating a riot.
Second, Paul went to the heart of the matter: the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. He knew that this was the key point of disagreement and the reason the Jews wanted to kill him. He did not hesitate to speak freely before Felix of his faith.
He was living in light of the truth of the resurrection, the foundation of the gospel.
Watch part 103 of the 365 Key Chapters of the Bible series, based on Ken’s Handbook to Scripture.
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