And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul. And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying: “Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude. But, to detain you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him. By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him.” The Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that all these things were so.
Ananias - "...headed the group that presented the complain against Paul." (Ryrie)
Tertullus - "(Roman name) was probably a lawyer hired by the Jews in Caesarea to present their case." (Ryrie)
"Many commentators believe that Tertullus, the counsel for the prosecution, was an Italian lawyer, engaged by the Jews because of his knowledge of Roman law and for the effect his procurement might have upon the Roman governor. If this is so—and it may well be—the Scripture does not make this plain nor make any point of it, for Tertullus stands here representing Israel and Israel's attitude toward Christ and His servant Paul." (Stam)
through you we enjoy much peace - "It is true that Felix had suppressed the brigands who infested Judaea, and that he had driven off the Egyptian impostor [see Acts 21:38 note here] and dispersed his followers. He also quelled riots as they arose from time to time. Tertullus alludes to this in flattering style, though Felix had, otherwise, given much cause for discontent. He had even caused the high priest Jonathan to be assassinated by the Sicarii." (Walker)
reforms are being made - "Literally 'Reforms are taking place'. This particular word for reform occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The reforms or corrections in question must be the suppression of the disorders already referred to, as we know of no other." (Walker)
in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude - "Long years before Moses had declared, by inspiration of God, that if Israel rebelled against Him: 'The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low ... he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail' (Deut. 28:43,44). This process was rapidly taking place as the chose people declined in power before the ascendancy of Rome. Even a few years previous, at their rejection of Christ, the Council had largely taken matters into their own hands and had driven Pilate to do what they wished, as 'the voices of them and of the chief priest prevailed, and Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required' (Luke 23:23,24). Now they come with abject flattery to a ruler they despise, careful not to be 'tedious,' to him and beseeching him out of his 'clemency' to hear them a 'few words' (Vers. 2-4)." (Stam)
we have found this man a plague - "The words Tertullus used against the great man of God are extremely vile and manifest the hiss of the serpent. He calls him 'a pestilent fellow,' a person of whom society may well be rid of. The indictment contains three counts. First stands a political accusation. This, in presence of the high Roman officer, was of the greatest importance. Any conspiracy against the Roman government was a capital offence. The charge of sedition or treason was thus at once laid at the door of the Apostle. The second offence Tertullus brought against Paul was of a religious nature. As ringleader of the Nazarenes, presented by him as a sect of the Jews, he had abetted that which was against the peace of Judaism and introduced not alone a disturbing element, but had transgressed another Roman law, which forbade the introduction of unrecognized religious sects. The third charge was the profanation of the temple. If this last charge could have been proven against Paul the sentence of death would have fallen against him." (Gaebelein)
one who stirs up riots - "Tertullus broadened the charge and made it more serious in Roman eyes by, for the first time, accusing Paul of being an insurrectionist (stirs up dissension) as well as being a leader of the Nazarenes and desecrating the Temple (v. 6)." (Ryrie)
the Nazarenes - "The term is used of Christ in Acts 2:22; 3:6; 4:10; 6:14; 22:8; 26:9. It is here, for the first, applied to His followers. In the lips of opponents, it was already a term of contempt, and was to come more and more into vogue among the Jews as their name for the despised and hated Christians." (Walker)
**vss 6-8 - Some manuscripts add "and we would have judged him according to our law. 7But the chief captain Lysias came and with great violence took him out of our hands, 8commanding his accusers to come before you." "Most mss. do not contain this portion of these verses." (Ryrie)
Ananias - "...headed the group that presented the complain against Paul." (Ryrie)
Tertullus - "(Roman name) was probably a lawyer hired by the Jews in Caesarea to present their case." (Ryrie)
"Many commentators believe that Tertullus, the counsel for the prosecution, was an Italian lawyer, engaged by the Jews because of his knowledge of Roman law and for the effect his procurement might have upon the Roman governor. If this is so—and it may well be—the Scripture does not make this plain nor make any point of it, for Tertullus stands here representing Israel and Israel's attitude toward Christ and His servant Paul." (Stam)
through you we enjoy much peace - "It is true that Felix had suppressed the brigands who infested Judaea, and that he had driven off the Egyptian impostor [see Acts 21:38 note here] and dispersed his followers. He also quelled riots as they arose from time to time. Tertullus alludes to this in flattering style, though Felix had, otherwise, given much cause for discontent. He had even caused the high priest Jonathan to be assassinated by the Sicarii." (Walker)
reforms are being made - "Literally 'Reforms are taking place'. This particular word for reform occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The reforms or corrections in question must be the suppression of the disorders already referred to, as we know of no other." (Walker)
in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude - "Long years before Moses had declared, by inspiration of God, that if Israel rebelled against Him: 'The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low ... he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail' (Deut. 28:43,44). This process was rapidly taking place as the chose people declined in power before the ascendancy of Rome. Even a few years previous, at their rejection of Christ, the Council had largely taken matters into their own hands and had driven Pilate to do what they wished, as 'the voices of them and of the chief priest prevailed, and Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required' (Luke 23:23,24). Now they come with abject flattery to a ruler they despise, careful not to be 'tedious,' to him and beseeching him out of his 'clemency' to hear them a 'few words' (Vers. 2-4)." (Stam)
we have found this man a plague - "The words Tertullus used against the great man of God are extremely vile and manifest the hiss of the serpent. He calls him 'a pestilent fellow,' a person of whom society may well be rid of. The indictment contains three counts. First stands a political accusation. This, in presence of the high Roman officer, was of the greatest importance. Any conspiracy against the Roman government was a capital offence. The charge of sedition or treason was thus at once laid at the door of the Apostle. The second offence Tertullus brought against Paul was of a religious nature. As ringleader of the Nazarenes, presented by him as a sect of the Jews, he had abetted that which was against the peace of Judaism and introduced not alone a disturbing element, but had transgressed another Roman law, which forbade the introduction of unrecognized religious sects. The third charge was the profanation of the temple. If this last charge could have been proven against Paul the sentence of death would have fallen against him." (Gaebelein)
one who stirs up riots - "Tertullus broadened the charge and made it more serious in Roman eyes by, for the first time, accusing Paul of being an insurrectionist (stirs up dissension) as well as being a leader of the Nazarenes and desecrating the Temple (v. 6)." (Ryrie)
the Nazarenes - "The term is used of Christ in Acts 2:22; 3:6; 4:10; 6:14; 22:8; 26:9. It is here, for the first, applied to His followers. In the lips of opponents, it was already a term of contempt, and was to come more and more into vogue among the Jews as their name for the despised and hated Christians." (Walker)
**vss 6-8 - Some manuscripts add "and we would have judged him according to our law. 7But the chief captain Lysias came and with great violence took him out of our hands, 8commanding his accusers to come before you." "Most mss. do not contain this portion of these verses." (Ryrie)
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