A Devotion from D.A. Carson
Genesis 25; Matthew 24; Esther 1; Acts 24
IN THE TRIAL OF PAUL BEFORE FELIX (Acts 24), the governor comes across as a man in authority who has
no moral vision authorizing him to take decisive action. He is, in short, a moral wimp. He also
represents the many powerful people who are disturbed by the Gospel, and at some deep level
know that it is true, yet who never become Christians. Note:
(1) Judging by his approach and oratory, Tertullus is an orator trained in the Greek tradition
and thus well able to represent the Jewish leaders in this quintessentially Hellenistic setting.
The charge against Paul of temple desecration (24:6) is serious, punishable by death. When
Tertullus encourages Felix to “examine” Paul (24:8), he means more than that Felix should ask a
few probing questions. Roman “examination” of a prisoner was open-ended beating until the
prisoner “confessed.” Roman officers did not have the right to “examine” a Roman citizen like
Paul, but a governor like Felix could doubtless manage to waive the rules now and then.
(2) Paul’s response, no less courteous than that of Tertullus, denies the charge of temple
desecration (24:12–13, 17–18) and provides a plausible explanation of the uproar by describing
the actions of “some Jews from the province of Asia” (24:19). Paul also seizes the opportunity
to acknowledge that he is a follower of “the Way”—a delightful expression referring to first-
century Christianity, bearing, perhaps, multiple allusions. Christianity is more than a belief
system; it is a way of living. Moreover, it provides a way to God, a way to be forgiven and
accepted by the living God—and that Way is Jesus himself (as John 14:6 explicitly avers).
(3) Paul insists that he believes “everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in
the Prophets” (24:14). This expression does not make the Law the final arbiter, yet nevertheless
insists that the “everything” Paul believes agrees with the Law. The Law is thus a critical test
that points to the “everything” Paul believes, but it is not the substance of everything he
believes. Compare Matthew 5:17–20; Romans 3:21 (see meditation for January 31).
(4) And Felix? Owing to his Jewish wife Drusilla (24:24), he has some acquaintance with “the
Way” (24:22). Yet here he ducks a decision between justice and his desire to placate Paul’s
opponents, appealing to the need to hear from Lysias the commander. It is all pretense. He
enjoys talking with Paul, and even trembles before his message, but always dismisses the
apostle at the critical moment. For two years he is torn between a desire to repent and a desire
for a bribe. In eternity, how will Felix assess those two years?