[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 : 22-27
[23] And he commanded a centurion to keep him, and that he should be easy, and that he should not prohibit any of his friends to minister unto him.
[24] And after some days, Felix, coming with Drusilla his wife, who was a Jew, sent for Paul, and heard of him the faith, that is in Christ Jesus.
[25] And as he treated of justice, and chastity, and of the judgment to come, Felix being terrified, answered: For this time, go thy way: but when I have a convenient time, I will send for thee.
[26] Hoping also withal, that money should be given him by Paul; for which cause also oftentimes sending for him, he spoke with him.
[27] But when two years were ended, Felix had for successor Portius Festus. And Felix being willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.
[22] Distulit autem illos Felix, certissime sciens de via hac, dicens : Cum tribunus Lysias descenderit, audiam vos. [23] Jussitque centurioni custodire eum, et habere requiem, nec quemquam de suis prohibere ministrare ei. [24] Post aliquot autem dies veniens Felix cum Drusilla uxore sua, quae erat Judaea, vocavit Paulum, et audivit ab eo fidem, quae est in Christum Jesum. [25] Disputante autem illo de justitia, et castitate, et de judicio futuro, tremefactus Felix, respondit : Quod nunc attinet, vade : tempore autem opportuno accersam te : [26] simul et sperans, quod pecunia ei daretur a Paulo, propter quod et frequenter accersens eum, loquebatur cum eo. [27] Biennio autem expleto, accepit successorem Felix Portium Festum. Volens autem gratiam praestare Judaeis Felix, reliquit Paulum vinctum.
Notes
22. put them off. St Luke employs the correct legal term for adjourning a case (ἀνεβαλετο).
having most certain knowledge. This knowledge may have been obtained from three sources : —
(a) From Drusilia his wife, who was a Jewess,
(b) From his experience as a governor in Samaria, and subsequently over all Judea.
(c) From intercourse with the disciples of Christ, many of whom lived in Cesarea, e.g. Philip the Evangelist, Cornelius, and his friends and kinsmen, etc.
When Lysias the tribune shall come. There is no reference in Lysias' letter of his intending to visit Cesarea, but it is probable that if he remained in office he was likely to visit this town during the two years that St Paul was imprisoned there. Felix merely gives a plausible motive for deferring the trial, and possibly had been bribed by the Jews to retain him in captivity.
23. a centurion. Either “the centurion ” who had brought St Paul from Jerusalem to Cesarea, or the one in whose charge Felix had placed him.
be easy. Lit. “ to have indulgence or relaxation (ἐχειν τε ανεσιν). The motive for this command is given in verse 26.
to minister. Undoubtedly St Luke was one of these ministering friends. As there was a Christian church in Cesarea, St Paul’s immediate wants were certainly supplied by the alms of the disciples.
24. Felix coming, etc. This was a private interview.
with Drusilla. The subjoined table gives her genealogy.
his wife. At this time she could not have been more than twenty years of age, as she was only six years old when her father died.
a Jew. Used generally for “ Jewess. ” The Bezan text adds here, “ who asked to see Paul and hear the word, and being willing, therefore, to satisfy her, he sent for Paul,” etc.
25. justice and chastity. Two virtues against which Felix had sinned, since Tacitus says that Felix thought he could commit any crime with impunity (cuncta malefacta sibi impune ratus, Ann,, xii. 54), and acted accordingly. This governor, who had married three queens in turn, by his boundless cruelty and profligacy, wielded the power of a king with the temper of a slave” (per omnem sævitiam et libidinem, ius regium servili ingenio exercuit,”— v. 9).
Felix being terrified. This incident in St Paul’s life has a parallel in that of St John the Baptist, whose hold words terrified Herod Antipas. Cf. For Herod feared John, knowing him to he a just and holy man: and kept him, and when he heard him, did many things, and he heard him willingly (St Mark vi. 20).
when I have a convenient time. As far as we know, this convenient time never presented itself.
Two years later Felix was recalled on account of the complaints of the Jews, who accused him to the emperor, but, through the influence of Pallas his brother, he escaped unpunished.
26. that money should he given. Possibly the remembrance of “ alms ” and “offerings,” of which St Paul had spoken, led Felix to conclude that his prisoner was able to offer a substantial bribe as the price of his freedom.
27. when two years were ended. As Felix is supposed to have left Palestine circa 60 A.D., we have here another chronological link in St Paul’s career.
Portius Festus. Festus was appointed by Nero circa 60 A.D., and he held office but a short time, as he died in 62 A.D. Josephus gives him a better character than his predecessor Felix.
to shew the Jews a pleasure. Lit. “to deposit a favour” (χάριτα καταθέσθαι). Felix obliged the Jews that he might later reap some advantage for himself. His servility, however, did not prevent their accusing him of cruelty and injustice.
The Bezan text assigns another reason for St Paul’s detention, and one which may have had some weight. We read there, “ but Paul he left in ward for the sake of Drusilla.” Undoubtedly St Paul’s words on chastity had displeased her.
left Paul bound. He was still in military custody, and probably the relaxations permitted, while there was hope of a bribe, were now withdrawn.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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