Acts 24 Study Notes
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24:1 Luke’s reporting of the case against Paul reflects standard Roman legal procedure, including the prosecution brought by a rhetor (lawyer). Tertullus was a common Roman name, but he may have been a Jew (v. 6), although he refers to the Jews objectively in v. 5.
24:2-4 Tertullus began with a captatio benevolentiae, the standard opening of a Greco-Roman speech designed to curry the favor of the listener, Felix.
24:5-6 Paul was accused by Tertullus of far more than just bringing a Gentile into the temple (desecrate the temple). Although the charge of desecrating the temple would perhaps make Felix suspicious of Paul, the charges of being an agitator and ringleader would have genuinely alarmed him since it implied Paul was a threat to Roman rule.
24:8-9 Tertullus finished with another compliment toward Felix, this time expressing confidence in his abilities to rightly judge the case against Paul.
24:10 When Felix asked Paul to speak, Paul offered a less flattering captatio benevolentiae (see note at vv. 2-4). Instead of offering hyperbole, he recognized that Felix was an experienced governor of many years before whom he would gladly offer his defense. This is Paul’s second apologetic or defensive speech in Acts; see 22:1-2 and note for the first.
apologeomai
| Greek pronunciation | [ah pah lah GEH ah migh] |
| CSB translation | offer defense |
| Uses in Acts | 6 |
| Uses in the NT | 10 |
| Focus passage | Acts 24:10 |
The Greek verb apologeomai means to speak in defense, to defend oneself. The English word apology comes directly from the related Greek noun apologia. The term apologia in Greek means defense. Plato’s famous work, The Apology, is a defense of Socrates, not an attempt to apologize for him.
In the NT, apologia can refer to a defense given through conduct (2Co 7:11) or by speech (Php 1:7,16; 1Pt 3:15)—often in a legal setting (Ac 22:1; 25:16; 2Tm 4:16)—or in written form (1Co 9:3). Similarly, the verb apologeomai normally refers to a verbal defense (Ac 19:33)—often also in a legal setting (Lk 12:11; 21:14; Ac 24:10; 25:8; 26:1-2,24)—though Paul used it once of the conscience defending itself (Rm 2:15) and once of a written defense (2Co 12:19).
24:11-13 The twelve days that Paul referred to did not include the time he had spent in Caesarea, but only time spent in Jerusalem. This was a sufficient amount of time for Paul’s enemies to gather evidence that he was a troublemaker, and yet they were unable to prove the charges.
24:14 The phrase the Way is used throughout Acts as a self-designation by Christians (v. 22; 9:2; 19:9,23). At this early date, Christianity was considered a sect of Judaism. It became independent over time as it spread to Gentiles and as Jews continued to reject it in large numbers. Paul saw Christianity as continuous with, and the fulfillment of, ancient Judaism. Thus Paul and other believers worshiped the God of their ancestors.
24:15 Paul’s belief in the resurrection—of the righteous to their reward, the unrighteous to their punishment—aligned him with the Pharisees and against the Sadducees (23:6-9).
24:16 Paul testified to being a faithful Jew.
24:17 Paul came to Jerusalem to bring charitable gifts and offerings he had collected to aid the church there. This collection is mentioned in Paul’s letters (Rm 15:25-26; 1Co 16:3; 2Co 8:1-9:15; cp. Gl 2:10), but is not emphasized in Acts.
24:18-19 Paul emphasized his state (ritually purified) and the state of the crowd (without any uproar) when Jews from Asia came across him and stirred up trouble.
24:20-21 Paul justly demanded that the Sanhedrin representatives charge him with things they had personally witnessed or heard from him (including talk about resurrection of the dead).
24:22 Felix was familiar with the Way. Some have speculated that he learned of Christianity through his wife, Drusilla, the daughter of Herod Agrippa (v. 24). As procurator for more than five years, he would have had numerous chances to learn this new movement. Felix seemed to acknowledge that Tertullus had not been a faithful conveyor of the facts surrounding Paul’s arrest when he stated that he would wait for the arrival of Claudius Lysias before deciding the case.
24:23 The circumstances of Paul’s imprisonment in Caesarea allowed visits by friends and colleagues. This privilege was likely made possible by his Roman citizenship.
24:24 Felix was interested enough in Christianity that he brought his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish, to hear Paul.
24:25 Paul may have tailored his comments specifically for Felix, whose morals were publicly questioned. For instance, he took Drusilla from her first husband Azizus. Feeling the threat of divine judgment, Felix became afraid and sent Paul away.
24:26 Whatever hope Paul may have held for Felix’s conversion, Felix’s hidden motive for their ongoing discussions was base, illegal, and indicative of spiritual destitution.
24:27 Felix’s immorality is on further display in the fact that he kept Paul imprisoned for two years, even though he did not find that Paul had committed any punishable offense, and then left him in this state when Festus became the new proconsul (ca AD 59).