Acts 24 - Introduction

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 execution. Unable to bring against the accused a solitary criminal allegation, they clamorously denounce and villify him as a “ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.” The Greek word for sect is heresy, which means “separation,” very appropriately applied, because in following Jesus they necessarily separated themselves from the fallen Jewish Church. Though it was heresy from the standpoint of apostate Judaism, it was simple loyalty to God and His truth. How history repeats itself! The holiness movements in all ages have been calumniated as heretical by the dead churches, out of which they came, multiplied thousands burnt at the stake as heretics. As Satan is the god of this world, ruling state and worldly church, the followers of God are forced to assume a heretical attitude toward him and his people.