Acts 24:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

“Believing,” he says, “all things written in the law.” By this he expresses that no man who believes in the future resurrection, which they themselves accept, could ever do what they accuse him of doing.

He did not say that they believe in the writings of the prophets, for they did not believe. Rather, he says that he believes all things, not they.

How is this so? It would take long to speak of it now. Paul said so much, and did not mention Christ. Yet by the word “believing” he also indicates Christ.

He dwells more on the teaching concerning the resurrection, which was also accepted by them and removed from him any suspicion of sedition.

The defensive speech of the Apostle Paul had a stronger effect on the procurator. Felix dismissed the accusers, promising to reconsider the case when the tribune Lysias came. Until then he granted the prisoner Paul even greater freedom than he had enjoyed before. He ordered the centurion assigned to him not to restrain him, and not to forbid any of his own people to serve him or come to him (vv. 10-23).

As for the second point, he does indeed belong to a particular society. Yet it is the same kind of society as that to which they themselves belong. He worships God, whom he, as a Jew, was taught from childhood to worship. He openly accepted all Holy Scripture and believed, as most of them did, in the resurrection of the just and the unjust. Because of this very faith, he always strove to have a pure conscience before both God and men.

This faith is joined to a living hope in the resurrection of the dead, of all, both the righteous and the unrighteous. Again the apostle testifies that in this he agrees with the Old Testament, for they themselves, that is, his accusers, await this.

Here the apostle does not single out, from among the Jews who believe in the universal resurrection, the Sadducees who do not believe it. He speaks of the Jews in general.

It is hard to say whether the apostle, by pointing precisely to the teaching on the resurrection of the dead, intended again to produce division among the representatives of hostile parties, as at the last meeting of the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem (Acts 23:6 and following).

The confession of faith made by the holy Apostle Paul is expressed in general, yet quite definite, features, insofar as this was needed to show his innocence.

He confesses that he adheres to that teaching which the Jews call a heresy, the Nazarene one. Yet this teaching is fully in accord with the true service of the forefathers and prophets, beginning with Moses.

The essential doctrine of this confession is faith in the resurrection of the dead and in heavenly recompense. This is also what the accusers believe.

“See,” says Saint John Chrysostom, “they presented him as an opponent of the law. But in his defense he shows himself devoted to the law.