the acts of the apostles-第58章

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God　to　bear　the　gospel　to　the　Gentiles；　the　Lord　would　have　spared　him　to
them。　God　had　not　ordained　that　Paul's　labors　should　so　soon　end；　but　He　did
not　work　a　miracle　to　counteract　the　train　of　circumstances　to　which　the
course　of　the　leaders　in　the　church　at　Jerusalem　had　given　rise。

The　same　spirit　is　still　leading　to　the　same　results。　A　neglect　to
appreciate　and　improve　the　provisions　of　divine　grace　has　deprived　the
church　of　many　a　blessing。　How　often　would　the　Lord　have　prolonged　the　work
of　some　faithful　minister；　had　his　labors　been　appreciated！　But　if　the
church　permits　the　enemy　of　souls　to　pervert　the　understanding；　so　that　they
misrepresent　and　misinterpret　the　words　and　acts　of　the　servant　of　Christ；
if　they　allow　themselves　to　stand　in　his　way　and　hinder　his　usefulness；　the
Lord

418

sometimes　removes　from　them　the　blessing　which　He　gave。

Satan　is　constantly　working　through　his　agents　to　dishearten　and　destroy
those　whom　God　has　chosen　to　accomplish　a　great　and　good　work。　They　may　be
ready　to　sacrifice　even　life　itself　for　the　advancement　of　the　cause　of
Christ；　yet　the　great　deceiver　will　suggest　to　their　brethren　doubts
concerning　them　which；　if　entertained；　would　undermine　confidence　in　their
integrity　of　character；　and　thus　cripple　their　usefulness。　Too　often　he
succeeds　in　bringing　upon　them；　through　their　own　brethren；　such　sorrow　of
heart　that　God　graciously　interposes　to　give　His　persecuted　servants　rest。
After　the　hands　are　folded　upon　the　pulseless　breast；　when　the　voice　of
warning　and　encouragement　is　silent；　then　the　obdurate　may　be　aroused　to　see
and　prize　the　blessings　they　have　cast　from　them。　Their　death　may　accomplish
that　which　their　life　has　failed　to　do。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（419）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　39

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Trial　at　Caesarea


Five　days　after　Paul's　arrival　at　Caesarea　his　accusers　came　from　Jerusalem；
accompanied　by　Tertullus；　an　orator　whom　they　had　engaged　as　their　counsel。
The　case　was　granted　a　speedy　hearing。　Paul　was　brought　before　the　assembly；
and　Tertullus　〃began　to　accuse　him。〃　Judging　that　flattery　would　have　more
influence　upon　the　Roman　governor　than　the　simple　statements　of　truth　and
justice；　the　wily　orator　began　his　speech　by　praising　Felix：　〃Seeing　that　by
thee　we　enjoy　great　quietness；　and　that　very　worthy　deeds　are　done　unto　his
nation　by　thy　providence；　we　accept　it　always；　and　in　all　places；　most　noble
Felix；　with　all　thankfulness。〃

Tertullus　here　descended　to　barefaced　falsehood；　for　the　character　of　Felix
was　base　and　contemptible。　It　was　said　of　him；that　〃in　the　practice　of　all
kinds　of　lust　and　cruelty；　he　exercised　the　power　of　a　king　with　the　temper
of　a　slave。〃

420

Tacitus；　History；　ch。　5；　par。　9。　Those　who　heard　Tertullus　knew　that　his
flattering　words　were　untrue；　but　their　desire　to　secure　the　condemnation　of
Paul　was　stronger　than　their　love　of　truth。

In　his　speech；　Tertullus　charged　Paul　with　crimes　which；　if　proved；　would
have　resulted　in　his　conviction　for　high　treason　against　the　government。　〃We
have　found　this　man　a　pestilent　fellow；〃　declared　the　orator；　〃and　a　mover
of　sedition　among　all　the　Jews　throughout　the　world；　and　a　ringleader　of　the
sect　of　the　Nazarenes：　who　also　hath　gone　about　to　profane　the　temple。〃
Tertullus　then　stated　that　Lysias；　the　commandant　of　the　garrison　at
Jerusalem；　had　violently　taken　Paul　from　the　Jews　when　they　were　about　to
judge　him　by　their　ecclesiastical　law；　and　had　thus　forced　them　to　bring　the
matter　before　Felix。　These　statements　were　made　with　the　design　of　inducing
the　procurator　to　deliver　Paul　over　to　the　Jewish　court。　All　the　charges
were　vehemently　supported　by　the　Jews　present；　who　made　no　effort　to　conceal
their　hatred　of　the　prisoner。

Felix　had　sufficient　penetration　to　read　the　disposition　and　character　of
Paul's　accusers。　He　knew　from　what　motive　they　had　flattered　him；　and　he　saw
also　that　they　had　failed　to　substantiate　their　charges　against　Paul。
Turning　to　the　accused；　he　beckoned　to　him　to　answer　for　himself。　Paul
wasted　no　words　in　compliments；　but　simply　stated　that　he　could　the　more
cheerfully　defend　himself　before　Felix；　since　the　latter　had　been　so　long　a
procurator；　and　therefore　had　so　good　an　understanding　of　the　laws　and
customs　of　the　Jews。　Referring　to　the　charges　brought

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　421

against　him；　he　plainly　showed　that　not　one　of　them　was　true。　He　declared
that　he　had　caused　no　disturbance　in　any　part　of　Jerusalem；　nor　had　he
profaned　the　sanctuary。　〃They　neither　found　me　in　the　temple　disputing　with
any　man；〃　he　said；　〃neither　raising　up　the　people；　neither　in　the
synagogues；　nor　in　the　city：　neither　can　they　prove　the　things　whereof　they
now　accuse　me。〃

While　confessing　that　〃after　the　way　which　they　call　heresy〃　he　had
worshiped　the　God　of　his　fathers；　he　asserted　that　he　had　always　believed
〃all　things　which　are　written　in　the　law　and　in　the　prophets；〃　and　that　in
harmony　with　the　plain　teaching　of　the　Scriptures；　he　held　the　faith　of　the
resurrection　of　the　dead。　And　he　further　declared　that　the　ruling　purpose　of
his　life　was　to　〃have　always　a　conscience　void　of　offense　toward　God；　and
toward　men。〃

In　a　candid；　straightforward　manner　he　stated　the　object　of　his　visit　to
Jerusalem；　and　the　circumstances　of　his　arrest　and　trial：　〃Now　after　many
years　I　came　to　bring　alms　to　my　nation；　and　offerings。　Whereupon　certain
Jews　from　Asia　found　me　purified　in　the　temple；　neither　with　multitude；　nor
with　tumult。　Who　ought　to　have　been　here　before　thee；　and　object；　if　they
had　aught　against　me。　Or　else　let　these　same　here　say；　if　they　have　found
any　evil　doing　in　me；　while　I　stood　before　the　council；　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。〃

The　apostle　spoke　with　earnestness　and　evident　sincerity；　and　his　words
carried　with　them　a　weight　of　conviction。　Claudius　Lysias；　in　his　letter　to
Felix；　had　borne　a　similar

422

testimony　in　regard　to　Paul's　conduct。　Moreover；　Felix　himself　had　a　better
knowledge　of　the　Jewish　religion　than　many　supposed。　Paul's　plain　statement
of　the　facts　in　the　case　enabled　Felix　to　understand　still　more　clearly　the
motives　by　which　the　Jews　were　governed　in　attempting　to　convict　the　apostle
of　sedition　and　treasonable　conduct。　The　governor　would　not　gratify　them　by
unjustly　condemning　a　Roman　citizen；　neither　would　he　give　him　up　to　them　to
be　put　to　death　without　a　fair　trial。　Yet　Felix　knew　no　higher　motive　than
self…interest；　and　he　was　controlled　by　love　of　praise　and　a　desire　for
promotion。　Fear　of　offending　the　Jews　held　him　back　from　doing　full　justice
to　a　man　whom　he　knew　to　be　innocent。　He　therefore　decided　to　suspend　the
trial　until　Lysias　should　be　present；　saying；　〃When　Lysias　the　chief　captain
shall　come　down；　I　will　know　the　uttermost　of　your　matter。〃

The　apostle　remained　a　prisoner；　but　Felix　commanded　the　centurion　who　had
been　appointed　to　keep　Paul；　〃to　let　him　have　liberty；〃　and　to　〃forbid　none
of　his　acquaintance　to　minister　or　come　unto　him。〃

It　was　not　long　after　this　that　Felix　and　his　wife；　Drusilla；　sent　for　Paul
in　order　that　in　a　private　interview　they　might　hear　from　him　〃concerning
the　faith　in　Christ。〃　They　were　willing　and　even　eager　to　listen　to　these
new　truths　truths　which　they　might　never　hear　again　and　which；　if
rejected；　would　prove　a　swift　witness　against　them　in　the　day　of　God。

Paul　regarded　this　as　a　God…given　opportunity；　and　faithfully

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　423

he　improved　it。　He　knew　that　he　stood　in　the　presence　of　one　who　had　power
to　put　him　to　death　or　to　set　him　free；　yet　he　did　not　address　Felix　and
Drusilla　with　praise　or　flattery。　He　knew　that　his　words　would　be　to　them　a
savor　of　life　or　of　death；　and；　forgetting　all　selfish　considerations；　he
sought　to　arouse　them　to　a　sense　of　their　peril。

The　apostle　realized　that　the　gospel　had　a　claim　upon　whoever　might　listen
to　his　words；　that　one　day　they　would　stand　either　among　the　pure　and　holy
around　the　great　white　throne；　or　with　those　to　whom　Christ　would　say；
〃Depart　from　Me；　ye　that　work　iniquity。〃　Matthew　7：
23。　He　knew　that　he　must　meet　every　one　of　his　hearers
before　the　tribunal　of　heaven　and　must　there　render　an　account；　not　only　for
all　that　he　had　said　and　done；　but　for　the　motive　and　spirit　of　his　words
and　deeds。

So　violent　and　cruel　had　been　the　course　of　Felix　that　few　had　ever　before
dared　even　to　intimate　to　him　that　his　character　and　conduct　were　not
faultless。　But　Paul　had　no　fear　of　man。　He　plainly　declared　his　faith　in
Christ；　and　the　reasons　for　that　faith；　and　was　thus　led　to　speak
particularly　of　those　virtues　essential　to　Christian　character；　but　of　which
the　haughty　pair　before　him　were　so　strikingly　destitute。

He　held　up　before　Felix　and　Drusilla　the　character　of　GodHis
righteousness；　justice；　and　equity；　and　the　nature　of　His　law。　He　clearly
showed　that　it　is　man's　duty　to　live　a　life　of　sobriety　and　temperance；
keeping　the　passions　under　the　control　of　reason；　in　conformity　to　God's
law；　and　preserving　the　physical　and　mental　powers　in　a　healthy　condition。

424

He　declared　that　there　would　surely　come　a　day　of　judgment　when　all　would　be
rewarded　according　to　the　deeds　done　in　the　body；　and　when　it　would　be
plainly　revealed　that　wealth；　position；　or　titles　are　powerless　to　gain　for
man　the　favor　of　God　or　to　deliver　him　from　the　results　of　sin。　He　showed
that　this　life　is　man's　time　of　preparation　for　the　future　life。　Should　he
neglect　present　privileges　and　opportunities　he　would　suffer　an　eternal
loss；　no　new　probation　would　be　given　him。

Paul　dwelt　especially　upon　the　far…reaching　claims　of　God's　law。　He　showed
how　it　extends　to　the　deep　secrets　of　man's　moral　nature　and　throws　a　flood
of　light　upon　that　which　has　been　concealed　from　the　sight　and　knowledge　of
men。　What　the　hands　may　do　or　the　tongue　may　utter　what　the　outer　life
revealsbut　imperfectly　shows　man's　moral　character。　The　law　searches　his
thoughts；　motives；　and　purposes。　The　dark　passions　that　lie　hidden　from　the
sight　of　men；　the　jealousy；　hatred；　lust；　and　ambition；　the　evil　deeds
meditated　upon　in　the　dark　recesses　of　the　soul；　yet　never　executed　for　want
of　opportunityall　these　God's　law　condemns。

Paul　endeavored　to　direct　the　minds　of　his　hearers　to　the　one　great
Sacrifice　for　sin。　He　pointed　to　the　sacrifices　that　were　shadows　of　good
things　to　come；　and　then　presented　Christ　as　the　antitype　of　all　those
ceremoniesthe　object　to　which　they　pointed　as　the　only　source　of　life　and
hope　for　fallen　man。　Holy　men　of　old　were　saved　by　faith　in　the　blood　of
Christ。　As　they　saw　the　dying　agonies　of

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　425

the　sacrificial　victims　they　looked　across　the　gulf　of　ages　to　the　Lamb　of
God　that　was　to　take　away　the　sin　of　the　world。

God　justly　claims　the　love　and　obedience　of　all　His　creatures。　He　has　g