Acts 24
Acts 24:1-27
1 Now after five days Ananias the high priest came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertullus. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul.
2 And when he was called upon, Tertullus began his accusation, saying: “Seeing that through you we enjoy great peace, and prosperity is being brought to this nation by your foresight,
3 we accept it always and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.
4 Nevertheless, not to be tedious to you any further, I beg you to hear, by your courtesy, a few words from us.
5 For we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.
6 He even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him, and wanted to judge him according to our law.
7 But the commander Lysias came by and with great violence took him out of our hands,
8 commanding his accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.”
9 And the Jews also assented, maintaining that these things were so.
10 Then Paul, after the governor had nodded to him to speak, answered: “Inasmuch as I know that you have been for many years a judge of this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself,
11 because you may ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship.
12 And they neither found me in the temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city.
13 Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me.
14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.
15 I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.
16 This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.
17 “Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation,
18 in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult.
19 They ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me.
20 Or else let those who are here themselves say if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council,
21 unless it is for this one statement which I cried out, standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.’ “
22 But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.”
23 So he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him.
24 And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.
25 Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.”
26 Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him.
27 But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound.
So, the misuse of the justice system to imprison and restrict the opposition is a long-running scheme of those threatened by their own unrighteousness. Somehow this hiding behind the gavel with lies and false accusations, though, is also a common means of further bolstering and establishing their accused in greater recognition and influence. This little indictment that should have been resolved in a few days languished on for over two years, maintaining Paul’s position before these rulers with a gospel platform that could not have otherwise been constructed.
As political atmospheres rage on, creating what seems to be a more and more volatile stage for the anti-Christ, instead of becoming fearful and set upon somehow righting this wayward ship, there is confidence to be found in the understanding that God is using what they mean for evil to further establish His plan and purpose. There are steps being taken for the Way to triumph and for there to be an acquiring of a triumph that uses their lies against them. Like Paul, there is an opportunity to remain fixed on our true purpose and mission of carrying our cross in the sharing of Christ. The only real strategy for overcoming their evil dominance is the message of the cross anyway, and its acceptance in the hearts of the masses enabling the march of wickedness and its peril for the church. Trust in our Commander is imperative for maintaining our position no matter how precarious.
Wow. How familiar. The ACTIVISTS (accusers) used the MEDIA (orator) to popularize their platform against the MAGA (the Way) leader they wanted to silence. Took him before the ATTORNEY GENERAL ( Felix) where finding no fault, let the unsubstantiated charges against him stand and kept the investigation going for years to sideline him. And solicited bribes to end the siege. Handing the political football off to the next administration (Festus) to make political hay out of. The accusers must have been very satisfied with their efforts to delegitimize the Way.
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