Acts 24:22

But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the way, deferred them, saying, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will determine your matter.

The charges had been proved false, Paul's innocence established, and the governor was fully convinced on both points; but he did not act in a manner consistent with the facts and his own responsibility, proving, as Walker said, "that the best methods of court procedure are of less consequence than the right kind of judges."[25]

When Lysias the chief captain shall come down ... This was only a delaying tactic. "He was a long time coming; for Paul stayed two years in Caesarea."[26] However, it may be that Felix never invited him to come. The governor's fertile brain was already working on that bribe which he anticipated might be extorted from Christians to procure an innocent man's release.

Having more exact knowledge of that way ... It should be remembered that Caesarea was the place where a prominent centurion, Cornelius, had been converted, where Philip the evangelist and his four daughters lived, and where there were doubtless many influential Christians. Felix doubtless knew many of these, hence it is not unreasonable at all that he should have had a great deal of information about the Christians.

[25] W. R. Walker, op. cit., p. 79.

[26] Don DeWelt, op. cit., p. 306.