PAUL'S TRIAL BEFORE FELIX The high priest, Ananias, with his grave, elderly cohort, and Tertullus, a tricky lawyer, arrive at Caesarea at the expiration of five days, close on Paul's track, Satan's thirsty bloodhounds, feeling sure that they will precipitate the proconsul into a verdict of immediate... [ Continue Reading ]
Here we see the Jews reflect seriously on the administration of Lysias at Jerusalem, doubtless hoping to bring him into trouble with the governor.... [ Continue Reading ]
Felix, a shrewd lawyer and statesman, seeing the utter futility of all their charges, not so much as the semblance of criminality in Roman law, now beckons to Paul to speak, who very courteously addressing the Procurator, recognizing the prolixity of his administration [already seven years], and his... [ Continue Reading ]
_“I confess this unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy serve I the God of my fathers, believing all things which have been written according to the law and in the prophets,_... [ Continue Reading ]
_“Having hope toward God, which they themselves accept, that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and the unjust.”_ Here we see the word heresy again occurring, which means separation, and its legitimate application to all the followers of Jesus is here recognized by Paul. The Holy Ghost i... [ Continue Reading ]
Paul proceeds simply to tell Felix about his arrival at Jerusalem only twelve days ago on the philanthropic errand of bringing the benefactions of the Gentile churches to the poor saints at Jerusalem, and his participation in the simple ceremonies of temporary Nazaritish vows and sacrifices peculiar... [ Continue Reading ]
As their prosecution proves an utter failure for two reasons (A) They have actually charged him with nothing criminal in Roman law but simply leadership in the Nazarene sect [when the Roman Empire was notorious for tolerating all religions], and (B) for stirring up sedition, which they had signa... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL PREACHES TO FELIX AND DRUSILLA 24-27. During Paul's trial, he managed to get in so much straight gospel truth as to at least arouse the governor's curiosity _“concerning the faith which is toward Christ”_; consequently, in a few days he avails himself of the opportunity to hear his prisoner pr... [ Continue Reading ]
_“And while he reasoned concerning righteousness_ [_i. e_., justification], _temperance_ [_i. e_., _egkrateia_, from _ego_, I, and _kratos_, government; hence that beautiful self-government in perfect harmony with the Divine law, which is but another name for entire sanctification, showing up the pr... [ Continue Reading ]