370
THE KING’S BUSINESS
safely in Caesarea and in Herod’s palace, and days of great opportunity and useful ness are opening to him, thanks to the ha- ffced^nd plots and violence of his enemies. Saturday, April 21. Acts 24:1-9. Tertullus was a Roman orator employed by the Jewish enemies of Paul because of his knowledge of Roman law, Roman courts and Roman judges. Though their chief reason for hating Paul was his friend ship for the Gentiles, his enemies did not hesitate to employ Gentile cunning and ability if it served their infamous purposes. Tertullus’ only interest in the conviction of Paul was a pecuniary one. He belonged to that infamous class of lawyers who are willing to send their fellowmen to jail or the gibbet if there is only a little money or fame in it for themselves. The words of commendation for Felix with which Ters tullus opens are not words of unadulter ated flattery. Felix was a most iniquitous governor, but it was true that under his regime the country was in a more peaceful condition than it had been for a long time. Like the wily man he was, Tertullus dwelt upon this, almost the only point in the rule of Felix, upon which he could truthfully bestow praise. And this too, was right in line with the accusation that he was about to make against Paul, viz., that he was a disturber of the peace. It was a covert appeal to Felix to maintain his good repu tation in this line by suppressing Paul. He brought against Paul one charge, with three specifications. The charge was that Paul was a “pestilence” (pestilent fellow). The specifications were: (1) That Paul was “a mover of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world.” This charge was, of course, false, but it had a semblance of truth. It was true that wher ever Paul went there were disturbances among the Jews, but this was because of their violent opposition to the truth he taught. In a sense he stirred them up. It always is the way of the world to attribute the insurrections of men who hate the truth, to the faithful servants of God who
preach the truth. That is just what has been done again and again regarding mis sionaries in foreign lands when riots have occurred in connection with their work, the missionaries have been charged by some modern Tertullus with being to blame for the riots. There was no charge that so appealed to .a Roman judge as the charge of “insurrection.” That was the one thing above all others that Rome would not stand. (2) The second specification was that Paul was “a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.” This was true, but misleading. Tertullus probably hoped that Felix would fancy that Paul was like some of the false Messiahs he had put down with so stern a hand. (3) The third charge was that Paul had “essayed to' pro fane the temple.” This charge was not pressed for it would not appeal much to Felix. It is true it was the principal charge upon which the original onslaught upon Paul had been made, but Tertullus is speaking for immediate effect and is not now trying to incite a Jewish mob, but to move a Roman judge. Of course, the charge was absolutely false, but a true ser vant of Christ is bound to be utterly mis understood and grossly misrepresented by an unregenerate and Christ-hating world. The Jews also joined in the charges and said that these lies of Tertullus were true. But they were none the less false. Some foolish people to this day think that if sev eral respectable people affirm a thing to be true it must be so. Let them learn wisdom Here we have an illustration of the courtesy and tact of the Apostle Paul. Paul was in the best sense a gentleman and a diplomat. He would, by all proper means, win the favor of those whom he sought to gain for Christ. Felix, in reality was a very bad man in hi? personal con duct, and an utterly unjust man in his official position, yet Paul found something to praise even, in him. Paul never shrank from declaring the whole counsel of God from this incident. Sunday, April 22. Acts 24:10, 11.
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker