1 And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul. 2 And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence, 3 We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.
4 Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words. 5 For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: 6 Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.
7 But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands, 8 Commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him. 9 And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so. (Acts 24:1-9 KJV)
Accused of Sedition
We must suppose that Lysias, the chief captain, when he sent Paul to Caesarea, informed the chief priests and others who had accused Paul that they must follow him there to make their case before a judge, perhaps thinking they wouldn’t bother. But malice doesn’t give up easily.
The case against Paul is pursued vigorously. After only five days, his accusers are ready for a hearing. All other matters are set aside to prosecute Paul—evil men are quick to do evil. Some count the five days from Paul’s first arrest, which fits with his own statement that it had only been twelve days since he came to Jerusalem (Acts 24:11), seven of which he spent purifying himself in the temple.
Those who had acted as his judges now appear as his prosecutors. Ananias, the high priest, who had sat in judgment over Paul, now takes on the role of accuser. This is shocking: not only does he lower the dignity of his office, but he also openly displays his enmity against Paul. The elders join him to show their support and reinforce the case, since they couldn’t find others to press it with the level of violence they desired. The zeal and effort of wicked men in pursuing evil should shame us out of our lukewarmness in doing good.
The prosecutors brought with them Tertullus, a Roman orator skilled in Roman law and language, best suited for a case before a Roman governor and most likely to win favor. The high priest and elders, though full of spite, thought their own words not sharp enough, so they hired Tertullus—probably with temple funds, since the case was considered important to the church. Paul was called to the bar before Felix (Acts 24:2), and Tertullus began the case, willing to say anything for a fee. His speech—likely just an abstract—is full of flattery and lies, calling evil good and good evil.
Felix, known from Roman historians and Josephus to be wicked, oppressive, and corrupt, is praised by Tertullus as a great benefactor. Though Felix had recently had a chief priest murdered for criticizing his tyranny, Tertullus claims, “By you, we enjoy great peace, and very worthy deeds are done for this nation by your foresight” (Acts 24:2). Though he had once stopped an Egyptian insurrection (Acts 21:38), that didn’t excuse his later cruelty.
This reveals how flattery corrupts rulers, hardening them in evil, and how bad men manipulate those in power to serve their purposes. Even religious leaders like the high priest are willing to praise tyrants to get their way. They assure Felix of their constant gratitude: “We accept it always, and in all places… with all thankfulness” (Acts 24:3). If Felix had truly been a just ruler, such praise would be appropriate. But in this case, it’s deceitful and self-serving. The same leaders who hated Roman rule and Felix in their hearts now pretend to honor him, just as they flattered Pilate and Caesar while condemning Jesus.
Tertullus, after his flattery, presents his accusations against Paul. Though his tone is sarcastic and his charges false, he presses them confidently. He accuses Paul of disturbing the peace: “We have found this man a pestilent fellow” (Acts 24:5), as if Paul were a plague on the nation. In truth, Paul was a peaceful, helpful man—a blessing wherever he went. But they portray him as a dangerous agitator spreading unrest everywhere.
Paul, a preacher of the gospel of peace, is charged with stirring up sedition among all the Jews worldwide. The Jews themselves were often rebellious against Roman rule, which Felix knew, and now they attempt to blame Paul for their unrest, though they were the ones stirring up the crowds wherever Paul went. They created the chaos and then blamed him for it, just as Nero would later set fire to Rome and blame the Christians.
They accuse Paul of being a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes (Acts 24:5), implying he was the founder and chief promoter of a dangerous group. Though Paul was indeed a leading figure in Christianity, it was not a sect based on narrow opinions or private interests. Christianity is for all mankind, proclaiming God’s peace and reconciliation. It promotes unity, love, and selflessness, not division or worldly gain. True Christians, far from seeking power, often suffer loss for their faith.
They call it the “sect of the Nazarenes,” referring to Jesus of Nazareth, which was intended as an insult (John 1:46), though Jesus himself used the title (Acts 22:8), and Scripture honored it (Matt. 2:23). Though it was meant to mock, Christians had no reason to be ashamed of it.
They also accuse Paul of profaning the temple (Acts 24:6), though he had recently worshiped there with reverence. Their proof was false and based on a misunderstanding (Acts 21:29).
Tertullus then complains that justice was hindered by the chief captain. They claim they would have judged Paul according to their law, but this is untrue—they had tried to kill him without a hearing. They blame Lysias for stopping them: “The chief captain Lysias came with great violence and took him out of our hands” (Acts 24:7). But in truth, Lysias saved Paul and them—from committing murder.
They refer the matter to Felix, stating that Lysias forced them to bring the case before him (Acts 24:8). “He commanded his accusers to come to you, and left it to you to examine him,” they say. But the underlying frustration is clear: they were unhappy they couldn’t deal with Paul their own way.
The Jews agree with everything Tertullus says (Acts 24:9). This likely means not that they presented witnesses under oath, but that they expressed their full approval of Tertullus’s speech. Felix may have asked, “Is this your statement?” and they answered, “Yes.” In doing so, they shared responsibility for all the falsehoods he uttered. Those who endorse evil words or actions, even if they don’t speak or act themselves, become partakers in the sin. Many who lack the skill to argue against truth still have enough malice to vote against it.