Acts 24:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Again, in the words "they complained to the governor against Paul," something is lacking for the thought to be complete. The sense should be this: they presented a written accusation against Paul.

The accusation brought here by the Sanhedrin against Paul consisted solely of what could have significance in the eyes of the Roman government regarding the Jews. They accused Paul of everywhere violating the rights granted to the Jews for peaceful use within the empire. They said that he was causing disturbances and divisions among them, and that recently he had dared to profane the temple. They complained against the tribune, saying that he had hindered the Jews from judging Paul according to the rights granted to them.

After five days Paul's accusers appeared in Caesarea: the high priest Ananias with the elders. They had armed themselves with an advocate, the orator Tertullus, who delivered the accusation against Paul before the procurator (vv. 1-9). Yet the eloquence of this speaker did not achieve its purpose.

For the examination of the case, Felix summoned the members of the Sanhedrin to Caesarea. Although such a journey was not especially pleasant for the members of the supreme court, it could not be avoided. The high priest Ananias himself went to Caesarea, intending at all costs to take revenge on the man who had called him a "whitewashed wall." For greater success in the matter, the Jews even hired a special advocate, Tertullus, and conducted the case in the most formal manner.

On the fifth day after Paul had been sent from Jerusalem to Caesarea, the high priest Ananias came there by order of Lysias (Acts 23:30), together with the elders, that is, members of the Sanhedrin.

It is improbable that the whole Sanhedrin, in its full membership, went to Caesarea. These elders were probably chosen representatives, or deputies, of the Sanhedrin, authorized to conduct the case in the name of the whole Sanhedrin.

What a humiliation of the Sanhedrin, and what malice and hatred toward Paul! Those authorized by the Sanhedrin, with the ruling high priest at their head, go by order of a Roman tribune on a journey not nearby.

They do this only in order, one way or another, to destroy the man they hated.

The journey to Caesarea by the high priest and the elders in order to accuse Paul is more than astonishing. True, in part it was compelled, since the tribune had sent them there.

Yet they could have sent only accusers in the strict sense of the word, as Lysias also seems to have desired (see Acts 23:30). But they themselves evidently wished to support the accusation against Paul, who was so hateful to them.

In order to have greater success, they took with them the best orator, thoroughly acquainted not only with the rules of public speech, but also with the jurisdiction of Roman civil procedure.

His name was Tertullus, or otherwise Tertullian, a Jew who bore a Roman name according to the custom of many young men of that time.