Acts 24:1

CHAPTER XXIV.

After five days, Ananias the high priest, the elders, and one

Tertullus, an orator, come to Caesarea to accuse Paul, 1.

The oration of Tertullus, 2-9.

Paul's defence, 10-21.

Felix, having heard his defence, proposes to leave the final

determination of it till Claudius Lysias should come down;

and, in the mean time, orders Paul to be treated with humanity

and respect, 22, 23.

Felix, and Drusilla his wife, hear Paul concerning the faith of

Christ; and Felix it greatly affected, 24, 25.

On the expectation of obtaining money for his liberation, Felix

keeps Paul in prison, 26,

and being superseded in the government of Judea by Porcius

Festus, in order to please the Jews, he leaves Paul bound, 27.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXIV.

Verse Acts 24:1. After five days] These days are to be reckoned from the time in which Paul was apprehended at Jerusalem, and twelve days after he had arrived in that city; see Acts 24:11. Calmet reckons the days thus:-St. Luke says that Paul was apprehended at Jerusalem when the seven days of his vow were nearly ended, Acts 21:27; that is, at the end of the fifth day after his arrival. The next day, which was the sixth, he was presented before the Sanhedrin. The night following, he was taken to Antipatris. The next day, the seventh, he arrived at Caesarea. Five days afterwards, that is, the twelfth day after his arrival at Jerusalem, the high priest and the elders, with Tertullus, came down to accuse him before Felix.-But Acts 23:32, Acts 23:32.

A certain orator named Tertullus] This was probably a Roman proselyte to Judaism; yet he speaks every where as a Jew. Roman orators, advocates; c., were found in different provinces of the Roman empire and they, in general, spoke both the Greek and Latin languages; and, being well acquainted with the Roman laws and customs, were no doubt very useful. Luitprandus supposed that this Tertullus was the same with him who was colleague with Pliny the younger, in the consulate, in the year of Rome, 852; who is mentioned by Pliny, Epist. v. Acts 24:15. Of this there is no satisfactory proof.