Church History:http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif Date: A.D.57 – 59
One of the best of men is here accused as one of the worst of malefactors, only because he was the prisoner. After a flourish of flattery, in which you cannot see matter for words, he comes to his business at hand, and this is to inform his Excellency concerning the prisoner at the bar; and this part of his discourse is as nauseous for its raillery as the former part is for its flattery. I pity the man, and believe he has no malice against Paul, nor does he think as he speaks falsely, any more than he did in courting Felix.
Two things Tertullus here complains of to Felix, in the name of the high priest and the elders:
1. That the peace of the nation was disturbed by Paul: They could not have baited Christ's disciples if they had not first dressed them up in the skins of wild beasts, nor have given them as they did the vilest of treatment if they had not first represented them as the vilest of men, though the characters they gave of them were absolutely false and there was not the least color nor foundation for them. The old charge against God's prophets was that they were the troublemakers of the land, and against God's Jerusalem that it was a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces (Ezra 4:15,19), and against our Lord Jesus that he perverted the nation, and forbade to give tribute to Cæsar. It is the very same against Paul here; and, though utterly false, is averred with all the confidence imaginable. They do not say, "We suspect him to be a dangerous man, and have taken him up upon that suspicion;" but, as if the thing were past dispute, "We have found him to be so; we have often and long found him so;" as if he were a traitor and rebel already convicted. And yet, after all, there is not a word of truth in this representation;
2. That the course of justice against Paul was obstructed by the chief captain: They pleaded that they took him, and would have judged him according to their law. This was false; they did not go about to judge him according to their law, but, contrary to all law and equity, went about to beat him to death or to pull him to pieces, without hearing what he had to say for himself-went about, under pretense of having him into their court, to throw him into the hands of ruffians that lay in wait to destroy him. Was this judging him according to their law? It is easy for men, when they know what they should have done, to say, this they would have done, when they meant nothing less. They reflected upon the chief captain as having been unfair to them by rescuing Paul out of their hands and not allowing them to judge one of their own.
They referred the matter to Felix and his judgment, yet they seemed uneasy that it was necessary to do so. The chief captain had forced them into it: it was he that forced us to cause you this trouble, and ourselves too; for," First, "He commanded his accusers to come to you, that you should hear the charge, when it might as well have been ended in the inferior court." Secondly, "He has left it up to you to examine him, and try and see what you can get out of him, and whether you can by his confession, gain knowledge of those things which we are accusing him of."
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Paul Brought Before Felix; Acts 24:1 – 27 Part 3
Church History: Datehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif: A.D.57 – 59
Tertullus's, on the behalf of the prosecutors, outlines the accusations against him, and he is a man that will say anything for his fee; mercenary tongues will do so. There is no cause so unjust that you cannot find advocates to plead it; and yet we hope many advocates are so just as not knowingly to patronize an unrighteous cause, but Tertullus was none of these: his speech (or at least an abstract of it, for it appears, by Tully's orations, that the Roman lawyers, on such occasions, used to make long harangues) is here reported, and it is made up of flattery and falsehood; it calls evil good, and good evil.
One of the worst of men is here applauded as one of the best of benefactors, only because he was the judge. Felix is represented by the historians of his own nation, as well as by Josephus the Jew, as a very bad man, who, depending upon his interest in the court, allowed himself in all manner of wickedness, was a great oppressor, very cruel, and very covetous, patronizing and protecting assassins. (Josephus, Antiquities 20. 162-165). And yet Tertullus here, in the name of the high priest and elders, and probably by particular directions from them and according to the instructions of his breviate, compliments him, and extols him to the sky, as if he were so good a magistrate which he never was.
They Praise him: "By thee we, of the church, enjoy great quietness, and we look upon thee as our patron and protector, and very worthy deeds are done, from time to time, to the whole nation of the Jews, by thy providence--thy wisdom, and care, and vigilance." To give him his due, he had been instrumental to suppress the insurrection of that Egyptian of whom the chief captain spoke (Acts 21:38); but will the praise of that screen him from the just reproach of his tyranny and oppression afterwards?
They promise to remain grateful to him: "We accept it always, and in all places, everywhere and at all times we embrace it, we admire it, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. We will be ready, upon any occasion, to witness for thee, that thou art a wise and good governor, and very serviceable to the country."
They expect him to act in their favor and hear their case against Paul. They pretend to care, and promise not to take up too much of his time. Everybody knew that the high priest and the elders were enemies to the Roman government, and were uneasy under all the marks of that yoke, and therefore, in their hearts, hated Felix; and yet, to gain their ends against Paul, they, by their counsel, show him all this respect, as they did to Pilate and Cæsar when they were persecuting our Savior. Princes cannot always judge of the affections of their people by their applauses; flattery is one thing, and true loyalty is another.
Tertullus's, on the behalf of the prosecutors, outlines the accusations against him, and he is a man that will say anything for his fee; mercenary tongues will do so. There is no cause so unjust that you cannot find advocates to plead it; and yet we hope many advocates are so just as not knowingly to patronize an unrighteous cause, but Tertullus was none of these: his speech (or at least an abstract of it, for it appears, by Tully's orations, that the Roman lawyers, on such occasions, used to make long harangues) is here reported, and it is made up of flattery and falsehood; it calls evil good, and good evil.
One of the worst of men is here applauded as one of the best of benefactors, only because he was the judge. Felix is represented by the historians of his own nation, as well as by Josephus the Jew, as a very bad man, who, depending upon his interest in the court, allowed himself in all manner of wickedness, was a great oppressor, very cruel, and very covetous, patronizing and protecting assassins. (Josephus, Antiquities 20. 162-165). And yet Tertullus here, in the name of the high priest and elders, and probably by particular directions from them and according to the instructions of his breviate, compliments him, and extols him to the sky, as if he were so good a magistrate which he never was.
They Praise him: "By thee we, of the church, enjoy great quietness, and we look upon thee as our patron and protector, and very worthy deeds are done, from time to time, to the whole nation of the Jews, by thy providence--thy wisdom, and care, and vigilance." To give him his due, he had been instrumental to suppress the insurrection of that Egyptian of whom the chief captain spoke (Acts 21:38); but will the praise of that screen him from the just reproach of his tyranny and oppression afterwards?
They promise to remain grateful to him: "We accept it always, and in all places, everywhere and at all times we embrace it, we admire it, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. We will be ready, upon any occasion, to witness for thee, that thou art a wise and good governor, and very serviceable to the country."
They expect him to act in their favor and hear their case against Paul. They pretend to care, and promise not to take up too much of his time. Everybody knew that the high priest and the elders were enemies to the Roman government, and were uneasy under all the marks of that yoke, and therefore, in their hearts, hated Felix; and yet, to gain their ends against Paul, they, by their counsel, show him all this respect, as they did to Pilate and Cæsar when they were persecuting our Savior. Princes cannot always judge of the affections of their people by their applauses; flattery is one thing, and true loyalty is another.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Paul Brought Before Felix; Acts 24:1 – 27 Part 2
Church History: Date: A.D.57 – 59
It is assumed that Lysias, the chief captain, gave notice to the chief priests, and others that had appeared against Paul, that he had sent Paul to Cæsarea. If they wanted to continue their accusations against him, they must follow him to Cæsarea. There they would find him and a judge ready to hear them. His thinking was, perhaps, they would not trouble themselves to do so. However, five days later his accusers, having set aside all other business, have traveled to Caesarea, and are ready for a hearing. Those who had been his judges, appear here as his prosecutors. Ananias himself the high priest, who had sat to judge him, now stands to inform against him.
The prosecutors brought with them a certain orator named Tertullus, a Roman, skilled in the Roman law and language, and therefore a good fit to be employed in a cause before the Roman governor, and most likely to gain favor. The high priest, and elders, though they had plenty to say against Paul, did not think they were suited to make a big impression in their case, and therefore retained Tertullus, who probably was noted for a satirical wit, to be their counsel and speak for them; and, no doubt, they gave him a good fee, probably out of the treasury of the temple, which they were in charge of. This being a cause of great concern to the church justified it. Paul is brought to the bar before Felix the governor:
It is assumed that Lysias, the chief captain, gave notice to the chief priests, and others that had appeared against Paul, that he had sent Paul to Cæsarea. If they wanted to continue their accusations against him, they must follow him to Cæsarea. There they would find him and a judge ready to hear them. His thinking was, perhaps, they would not trouble themselves to do so. However, five days later his accusers, having set aside all other business, have traveled to Caesarea, and are ready for a hearing. Those who had been his judges, appear here as his prosecutors. Ananias himself the high priest, who had sat to judge him, now stands to inform against him.
The prosecutors brought with them a certain orator named Tertullus, a Roman, skilled in the Roman law and language, and therefore a good fit to be employed in a cause before the Roman governor, and most likely to gain favor. The high priest, and elders, though they had plenty to say against Paul, did not think they were suited to make a big impression in their case, and therefore retained Tertullus, who probably was noted for a satirical wit, to be their counsel and speak for them; and, no doubt, they gave him a good fee, probably out of the treasury of the temple, which they were in charge of. This being a cause of great concern to the church justified it. Paul is brought to the bar before Felix the governor:
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