Acts 24:1

The third of five defenses which marked the early part of Paul's period of imprisonment is given in this chapter, the same being a formal arraignment and trial before the Procurator Felix at Caesarea, about 58 A.D., in which the high priest Ananias and his company from Jerusalem were legally represented by a lawyer named Tertullus, and in which Paul convincingly spoke on his own behalf. Events of this chapter (except the last paragraph) occurred only twelve days from the time Paul entered Jerusalem from Caesarea (Acts 21:17). For discussion of Felix, see under Acts 23:24, and for notes on Ananias under Acts 23:2.

C. PAUL'S THIRD DEFENSE: THE SPEECH BEFORE GOVERNOR FELIX

And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with certain elders, and with an orator, one Tertullus; and they informed the governor against Paul. And when he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying. (Acts 24:1-2a)

And after five days ... Boles very properly says that this may mean "either five days from Paul's departure from Jerusalem, or five days after his arrival in Caesarea."[1] However, Ramsay deduced that it means "five days from Paul's leaving Jerusalem."[2] See more on this under Acts 24:11.

An orator, one Tertullus ... Having been foiled as a mob, and their forty conspirators having been left holding the bag, the high priest and company now tried another approach. "Cunning, assassination and conspiracy having failed, they tried the tinsel of oratory, attempting to gain their desire by flattery."[3]

Informed the governor against Paul ... The word Luke employed here is a technical one, having "the nature of a formal indictment."[4]

[1] H. Leo Boles, Commentary on Acts (Nashville: Gospel Advocate, 1953), p. 377.

[2] Sir William M. Ramsay, Pictures of the Apostolic Church (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1959), p. 288.

[3] John Peter Lange, Commentary on Acts (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House), p. 422.

[4] E. H. Plumptre, Ellicott's Commentary on the Holy Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), p. 159.