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Acts 24:10-23  PAULS DEFENSE BEFORE FELIX

Introduction:

	In our previous texts the Jewish high priest and a number of other members 
of the Sanhedrin Council brought a lawyer to Caesarea and made charges against 
the Apostle Paul before Governor Felix.  They charged Paul with no specific 
crime, but rather, they charged him with being a trouble maker.  They brought no 
witnesses to substantiate their charges.  
	In our text today Governor Felix allowed the Apostle Paul to speak in his 
own behalf.  

I.  Paul’s opening remarks to Governor Felix

	V. 10, “Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, 
answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto 
this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself.”  Unlike some of the 
court cases which you might see on TV today, Paul respectfully remained silent 
all the while that Tertullus and the members of the Sanhedrin presented their 
charges against him.  He respectfully remained silent until Governor Felix, the 
judge, called for him to speak.  
	Then when he did speak he continued to show respect for Governor Felix.  
Like Tertullus and the Sanhedrin members he complemented Felix.  But unlike 
them, he did not resort to lying.  Tertullus and the members of the Sanhedrin 
had lied when they p[raised Felix for bringing peaceful conditions to their 
land.  They were bitter and resentful toward Felix because he had dealt cruelly 
with them.  They had not kept their dislike of him a secret, but now that they 
wanted him to rule in their favor in this case, they had lied and expressed 
great fondness for him.  It was a lie and Felix knew it. 
	However, the Apostle Paul simply expressed that he was pleased to be 
brought before a Roman governor who had been in office sufficiently long to be 
familiar with the temperament of the Jewish leaders and with the customs of the 
people, especially their religious customs.  Paul expressed confidence that he 
would get a fair and honest hearing before Governor Felix.  
	V. 11, “Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve 
days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship.”  Another thing that Paul was 
happy about was that he was being brought to trial for and incident that had 
taken place just twelve days ago.  It was not about something that happened so 
long ago that the Governor would not be able to find out what really happened.  
If the governor should want to do so he could find plenty of eyewitnesses to the 
events to verify that what he was about to tell is the truth.  Even the Roman 
chief captain, who had been on duty could verify much of what he had to say.  
	If am sure that these opening remarks of Paul must have had a ring of 
truth in the ears of Felix whereas the flattering remarks of the Tertullus and 
the other Jewish leaders must have had the hollow ring of falsehood.  So Paul 
did not hurt himself with his own opening statements.  He might not have gained 
a lot, but at least, he did not defeat himself by saying the wrong thing.  

II.  Paul’s testimony before Felix

 	V. 12, “And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, 
neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city.”  
Paul pled “Not guilty” to the charges made against him.  He was said to be a 
trouble maker, a rabble rouser.  He had been accused of causing trouble at the 
temple in Jerusalem by trying to pollute the temple.  Paul acknowledges that he 
had been in the temple, but declares positively that he had done nothing to 
cause any trouble.  He states that he was not disputing with any man.  Neither 
was he making speeches in the temple which were designed to stir up trouble 
among the people.  He had been quietly going about his business of worshipping 
God.  Neither had he gone into any of the synagogues of Jerusalem nor into any 
place in the whole city of Jerusalem and stirred up trouble.  
	Paul said that they did not find me disputing nor making trouble nor 
arousing the people to be disorderly in any way.  This would surely explain to 
Governor Felix why Paul’s accusers had not brought any witnesses to testify of 
the truthfulness of the things whereof they accused him.  It surely must have 
entered the mind of Felix, “Why did not these people bring some witnesses to 
testify of the truthfulness of their charges?”  The answer should become clear 
in Paul’s testimony.  They did not bring witnesses to testify that he had 
stirred up trouble because they had no such witnesses.  
	V. 13, “Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.”  
Paul said it plainly.  “They have no such witnesses.  Neither do they have any 
other proof that I am guilty.  They have offered charges against me, but they 
have offered no evidence.  They have no evidence to offer.  They have no proof.”
	Now let me make this observation.  If Felix is going to be the fair and 
honest judge that Paul seemed confident that he would be, then Felix will set 
Paul free.  No judge can fairly sentence or even continue to hold a man when 
there is no evidence against him.  

III.  What Paul did acknowledge
 
	V. 14, “But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call 
heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are 
written in the law and in the prophets.”  Paul confessed that he had a 
difference of opinion with the chief priests and some of the Jewish elders in 
religious matters.  It was not that he held to some farfetched religious 
opinions.  He stated that all of his religious beliefs were based upon the 
writings of the Old Testament writers.  He said that he believed all of the 
things which were written in the Old Testament law books and the Old Testament 
prophetic books.  
	V.  15, “And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that 
there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.”  Paul 
said that he believed in a resurrection of the dead.  He said that both the just 
and the unjust would be raised from the dead.  Paul pointed out to Felix that 
this should not be a bone of contention between the members of the Sanhedrin 
Council and himself.  He said that even some of the Council members, themselves, 
allow this to be true.  Paul said that even some of the his accusers who were 
present in this hearing believe that there will be a resurrection of the dead.      

IV.  Paul further defending himself

		V. 16, “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience 
void of offence toward God, and [toward] men.”  Paul declared that he had always 
tried to live with a clear conscience toward God.  That is, he had always tried 
to do what he believed to be the right thing to do.  He could not have been the 
kind of trouble maker that his enemies accused him of being and had a clear 
conscience toward God.  Therefor, he could not and would not have lived that 
kind of life.  
	Now we might ask:  What about the time in his life when he was persecuting 
Christians?  The answer is that at the time Paul was doing those things, he did 
them with a clear conscience.  He did them believing he was doing that which was 
pleasing to God.  After he became a Christian he regretted doing those things, 
but at the time he was doing them he did them with a clear conscience.  If Felix 
believed Paul, then he ought to believe that the charges against him were false 
and Paul should be released.  
	V. 17, “Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and 
offerings...”  Paul here states that the purpose of his trip back to Jerusalem 
was to bring aid to the people of Israel.  He had not come to Jerusalem to stir 
up trouble as he was accused of doing.  He had come on a peaceful mission.  He 
had brought a large offering which had been contributed by Christians who lived 
in foreign lands.  These offerings had been brought because of the great drought 
that had taken place in Judea.  The people of Jerusalem and surrounding areas 
were in dire circumstances.  Paul had come to help.  He had not come to stir up 
trouble.  His mission was the very opposite of what he was accused of doing. But 
there was nobody there to testify against him.  Not one of his original accusers 
were present to testify against him.   
	Whereas, Paul’s business in Jerusalem was to help the people, his business 
in the temple had been to worship God.  He had gone there to present offerings 
to God in keeping with the Law of Moses.  He affirms that he was very peacefully 
going about his business of worship and presenting offerings of purification 
when he was falsely accused and attacked.  V. 18, “Whereupon certain Jews from 
Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.”  
Paul said that he was engaged in carrying out the laws of purification when some 
Jews from Asia discovered that he was there.  He was engaged in any kind of 
trouble making.  He was not making speeches to a crowd of people trying to stir 
them up to become an unruly mob.  He was not involved in any kind of disorderly 
conduct.  
	V. 19, “Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had 
ought against me.”   Paul said that if those people knew of any kind of 
troublemaking conduct on his part then they ought to be present to testify 
against him.  
	V. 20, “Or else let these same [here] say, if they have found any evil 
doing in me, while I stood before the council.”  Paul said, “Since the people 
who originally make accusations against me back at Jerusalem are not here, if 
the members of the Council who are present here can testify as eyewitnesses of 
any kind of trouble that I caused, them let them testify against me.  They have 
made charges against me.  Now if these people have witnessed any trouble that I 
caused, then let them testify of what they have seen me do and heard me say.  
	V. 21, “Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, 
Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.”  
Paul said in effect, there is only one thing that I said in their presence that 
caused an uproar among the Council members themselves.  Let them tell you about 
that if they will.  I stood before them and cried out saying that the only 
reason I was called in question before them was that I believe in a resurrection 
of the dead.  And when I said that, the members of the Council themselves got 
into a great big uproar because some of them also believe in a resurrection of 
the dead and some of them do not believe in a resurrection of the dead.  
Governor Felix, that is the only thing I ever did in Jerusalem to cause any kind 
of an uproar.”

V.  The action taken by Governor Felix

	   
   	V. 22, “And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge 
of [that] way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall 
come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter.”  Luke tells us that Felix 
had considerable knowledge about the Christian way.  He knew about Jesus and the 
miracles that He had done.  He knew about the crucifixion.  He knew about the 
disciples of Jesus saying that Jesus had arisen from the grave.  He knew that at 
one time Paul, himself, had been a persecutor of Christians.  He knew that Paul 
had become a Christian.  He must have also known that the only reason the Jewish 
leaders wanted to silence Paul was because Paul was an outstanding spokesman 
testifying that Jesus had, indeed arisen from the grave and that Jesus is the 
Christ that God had promised.  
	Knowing all these things Felix should have dismissed the case before him 
and set Paul free.  But he didn’t.  Instead he “deferred them.”  That is, he put 
off making a final decision in the case until later.  
	What does all this mean?  It means that Felix knew that Paul was innocent 
of the charges made against him, but instead of dismissing the case as he should 
have done, he postpone the case saying that he would wait to hear what Lysias, 
the chief captain had to say about the case.  
	There was no excuse for this.  Lysias had already written to him stating 
that in his opinion Paul was an innocent victim of an angry mob and that he did 
not stand a chance of having a fair hearing before the Sanhedrin Council.  He 
stated that members of the Sanhedrin Council were involved with 40 men who had 
sworn to kill Paul.  He said that he thought that Paul should be set free.  
	Then why did Felix not dismiss the case?  Why did he postpone making a 
verdict until a later time?  Why did he not immediately send for Lysias to come 
without delay so that he could rule in the case?  We cannot know for certain 
what the thinking of Felix was, but there is reason for to think that he had two 
motives in delaying the case.  #1, Felix did not want to displease the Jewish 
leaders by dismissing the case.  He would please them, at least for a little, 
while by delaying the time of dismissal.  #2, Felix probably wanted to also 
allow time for Paul to make contact with his many Christian friends hoping that 
Paul would persuade one or more of his friends to offer a bribe to Felix if he 
would dismiss the case against Paul.  Of course, that never happened.  
	V. 23, “And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let [him] have 
liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come 
unto him.”  The motive of Felix was undoubtedly wrong in his dealings with Paul, 
but God worked it out to Paul’s advantage.  For one thing, Paul was protected 
from the Jews who wanted to kill Paul.  They could not get to him there to kill 
him.  In effect, he was in protective custody.  For another thing, he would have 
opportunity to witness to Felix and some others that he might not get to witness 
to otherwise.  Thirdly, he was still on his way to Rome where he wanted to go, 
although like his trial, his trip was put on hold for a while.  

VI.  Lessons for us

	Let us learn the lesson that The Good Shepherd is still watching after His 
sheep.  Even though some bad things happen to them, the Lord is still in charge 
of things and He always keeps loving watchful eye on His sheep.  
	Let us learn that God not only loves those who are saved, but He still 
loves those who are lost in sin and who still need to be saved.  God loves them.  
He wants them to hear the gospel message and somehow manages for the gospel 
message to be brought to them giving them opportunity to get saved.    
	Let us learn that even though God loves His saved people with a special 
love, there are still a lot of people in the world who do not love God nor His 
people.  In fact they are quiet anxious to persecute God’s people at every 
opportunity that they get.
	Let us learn to trust the Lord to take care of us and help us in our times 
of hardships and difficulties.  A lot of things happen to us that we have no way 
of controlling, but the Lord has a way of turning many of those hardships to our 
advantage.  
	Let us learn to be faithful to serve the Lord under all circumstances.  
Let us be faithful to the Lord in the good times and let us be faithful to the 
Lord in the hard times.