[The posts which follow make extensive use of The Acts of the Apostles, by Madame Cecilia, (Religious of St Andrew's Convent, Streatham), with an Imprimi potest dated 16 October 1907 (Westminster); Burns, Oates & Washbourne Ltd. (London). With grateful prayers for the author and her team:
REQUIEM æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen.ETERNAL rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.]
Acts XXIV : 10-21
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| St Paul before Felix. Hogarth (1752). Tate.org. |
[11] For thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days, since I went up to adore in Jerusalem:
[12] And neither in the temple did they find me disputing with any man, or causing any concourse of the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:
[13] Neither can they prove unto thee the things whereof they now accuse me.
[14] But this I confess to thee, that according to the way, which they call a heresy, so do I serve the Father and my God, believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets:
[15] Having hope in God, which these also themselves look for, that there shall be a resurrection of the just and unjust.
[16] And herein do I endeavour to have always a conscience without offence towards God, and towards men.
[17] Now after many years, I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings, and vows.
[18] In which I was found purified in the temple: neither with multitude, nor with tumult.
[19] But certain Jews of Asia, who ought to be present before thee, and to accuse, if they had any thing against me:
[20] Or let these men themselves say, if they found in me any iniquity, when standing before the council,
[21] Except it be for this one voice only that I cried, standing among them, Concerning the resurrection of the dead am I judged this day by you.
[10] Respondit autem Paulus ( annuente sibi praeside dicere) : Ex multis annis te esse judicem genti huic sciens, bono animo pro me satisfaciam.
[11] Potes enim cognoscere quia non plus sunt mihi dies quam duodecim, ex quo ascendi adorare in Jerusalem : [12] et neque in templo invenerunt me cum aliquo disputantem, aut concursum facientem turbae, neque in synagogis, neque in civitate : [13] neque probare possunt tibi de quibus nunc me accusant. [14] Confiteor autem hoc tibi, quod secundum sectam, quam dicunt haeresim, sic deservio Patri, et Deo meo, credens omnibus quae in lege et prophetis scripta sunt : [15] spem habens in Deum, quam et hi ipsi exspectant, resurrectionem futuram justorum et iniquorum.
[16] In hoc et ipse studeo sine offendiculo conscientiam habere ad Deum, et ad homines semper. [17] Post annos autem plures eleemosynas facturus in gentem meam, veni, et oblationes, et vota, [18] in quibus invenerunt me purificatum in templo : non cum turba, neque cum tumultu. [19] Quidam autem ex Asia Judaei, quos oportebat apud te praesto esse, et accusare si quid haberent adversum me : [20] aut hi ipsi dicant si quid invenerunt in me iniquitatis cum stem in concilio,
[21] nisi de una hac solummodo voce, qua clamavi inter eos stans : Quoniam de resurrectione mortuorum ego judicor hodie a vobis.
Notes
10. for many years. If we accept 58 or 59 A.D. as the date of St Paul’s defence before Felix, then the “many years” would be about six or seven, as Felix was made procurator circa 62 A.D. This was an unusually long term of office. Previous to his nomination as procurator he had held office jointly with Cumanus, his district being Samaria (see Tacitus, Annal., xii. 64).
with good courage. Felix' attitude was favourable, and he was conversant with both Roman law and Jewish customs, hence St Paul hoped for a favourable hearing and a just verdict. He seizes on the one point which he can utilize to conciliate the governor without having recourse to flattery like Tertullus.
answer for myself. Lit. “make my apology or defence for the matters concerning myself.” The same verb occurs in ch. xix. 33 and xxii. 1.
11. but twelve days. Most commentators take these twelve days as commencing with the Feast of Pentecost, which St Paul had kept in Jerusalem.
to adore. Thus he disproves the accusation of having attempted to profane the Temple.
12. neither in the temple, etc. He now refutes the charge of raising an insurrection.
disputing .... or causing any concourse. This passage proves that during this visit to Jerusalem St Paul had not evangelized.
13. neither can they prove, etc. They could accuse him tumultuously, but they could not prove their charge by any evidence such as the Law required,
unto thee. These words are not found in some of the best MSS., but they are given in A, B, E, and many cursives, and also in the Vulgate and Syriac Versions.
14. But this I confess, etc. St Paul admits that he is a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth, and then goes on to explain that Christianity is the completion of Judaism, not its abrogation. He gives Felix to understand that although he is a Nazarene, he has not renounced the Jewish faith.
heresy. St Paul takes up the words of Tertullus (verse 6). The Greek word here rendered “heresy” signifies “a choice.” It is applied by Greek and Jewish writers to schools of opinion. It has generally a bad sense in the epistles and in the writings of the Fathers of the Church. Cf. For there must he also heresies, that they also, who are approved, may he made manifest among you (1 Cor. xi, 19).
I serve the Father and my God. Better, “I serve the God of my fathers” (λατρεύω τῷ πατρῴῳ θεῷ), — i.e. by his mode of life and by his faith he worshipped the God of his ancestors.
the law and the prophets. The law and the prophets included the whole Jewish Scriptures (see St Matt. vii. 12, xi. 13, xxii. 40; St Luke xvi. 16 ; St John i. 45).
We occasionally find the threefold division of law, prophets, and psalms (see St Luke xxiv. 44).
15. these also themselves, etc. This is a proof that the Jews as a nation believed in the doctrine of the resurrection.
St Paul, of course, alludes to the Pharisees and their disciples: the latter were numerous, as “the Sadducees were able to persuade none but the rich ” : the Pharisees had the multitude on their side (Josephus, Antiq., xiii., x, 6).
a resurrection. A few MSS. add “ of the dead,” but those words are not found in א, A, D, C. This was precisely the question which had provoked the second tumult in the Temple when Lysias had rescued St Paul. The Pharisees restricted the resurrection to the righteous of their own nation, but the Old Testament clearly teaches that the just and unjust rise. Cf. And many of those that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some unto life everlasting, and others unto reproach, to see it always (Dan. xii. 2).
St Paul s argument is as follows ; “ How can I be guilty in believing a doctrine which the Pharisees themselves hold and teach ? ”
17. after many years. Since his visit to Jerusalem after his second journey (see ch. xviii. 22) he had made a third missionary journey. The “many” years covered a period of four or five years.
to bring alms. The money collected in Macedonia and Achaia by St Paul’s orders, and in conformity with St James’s injunction. These collections are referred to in the epistles (see Rom. xv. 25, 26, 31 ; 1 Cor. xvi. 1-4 ; 2 Cor. viii 1-4).
offerings and vows. The sacrifices offered for the four Nazarites that they might accomplish their vows, and thus be released from them (see ch. xxi. 24-26).
18. in which, — i.e. “under these circumstances ” (ἐν οἷς) according to Codices H, L, P, but there is a variant reading (ἐν αἷς) found in א, A, B, K, where the relative, being feminine, evidently applies to the acts performed in fulfilment of the Nazarite vow. According to the second reading, St Paul was attacked while performing those ceremonial duties.
purified. This word was used technically of a Nazarite, who by his vow was separated or cut off from various things which were lawful for others.
19. certain Jews of Asia. See supra, xxi. 27. These Jews were probably on their road home by this time.
20. Or let these men, etc. St Paul here breaks off bis discourse to address his accusers indirectly. Ananias and his adherents had not instigated the riot in the Temple, but they had seconded the Jews of Asia, and had formally charged St Paul before the Roman governor.
if they found in me any iniquity. Better, “ what evil thing they found in me.”
21. this one voice. A reference to his declaration before the Sanhedrin (see ch. xxiii. 6).
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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