Acts 24:22Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

See what a trial befalls Paul, first from many people, and then over a long time. It cannot be said that the trial took place quickly. After the orator mentioned Lysias, saying that he had taken Paul by force, the writer fittingly gives the words of Felix. It is said of him, “Felix deferred their case: when Lysias the tribune comes, I will learn more exactly about this Way.” That is, he deliberately postponed the case. He had no need of investigation, but only wished to remove the Jews.

He intentionally postponed the case, not in order to investigate it, but to remove the Jews and give Paul relief, since he did not wish to punish him for their sake. “When Lysias the tribune comes, I will decide your case.” Felix, instructed from the Old Testament in what concerned Christ, knew Paul’s faith well. He did not release him out of human respect, as is said below: “wishing to do the Jews a favor” (Acts 24:27). Perhaps he also thought he might receive money from Paul. Felix knew what concerned Christ because he had a Jewish wife, from whom he often heard about these things.

It must be pointed out that Felix knew the faith exactly, having been taught from the Old Testament about the prophecies concerning Christ. Yet, from a desire to please men, he did not release Paul, as is said later, “wishing to do the Jews a favor” (Acts 24:27). He even hoped to receive money for this. He knew the faith because he had a Jewish wife, from whom he constantly heard about it.

Felix did not wish to enter into the domestic disputes of the Jews. Though he did not consider the accused guilty, he nevertheless did not wish to grant him justice without money. Paul did not wish to buy his freedom in so unprofitable a way, one that would cast suspicion on his very cause. Therefore Felix, in order to make amends to the Jews for his offenses when taking leave of them, left Paul in prison. Paul remained in this condition for two years, until Felix’s successor, Porcius Festus, arrived.

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).

The accusation was evidently proving untenable. The account of the circumstances of the case given by the Apostle Paul directly contradicted the only testimony made against him.

Disagreements in teaching between the Jews and him could in no way serve as the subject of judicial inquiry. They concerned questions that did not fall under the jurisdiction of Roman law.

The Apostle Paul had no need to prove the teaching of the Nazarenes or justify himself for accepting it. At that time it had not yet been declared religio illicita, an unlawful religion.

Felix was fully aware of this. He had a much more exact knowledge of this teaching than the Jews and their hired advocate.

“Having heard these things,” and so forth. This whole verse should be translated more exactly thus: “But Felix postponed their case, knowing more accurately about this Way, saying, ‘When Lysias the tribune comes, I will decide your case.’”

By challenging his accusers to point out what crime he had committed at the trial before the Sanhedrin, the apostle ended his defense. The accusers were silent, and Felix decided to postpone the final decision of this case.

Since he knew about Christianity, this Way, more accurately than had been stated at the trial before him, he saw from such knowledge that Paul was being accused in vain.

The case ended with a postponement, which Felix evidently liked to use for many purposes. Earlier he had postponed the hearing until the arrival of the chief accusers; now he postponed it until the arrival of Lysias.

Among other things, he wanted to learn more fully about the teaching to which Paul adhered. Later he made attempts toward this, verse 25.

Yet it seems that covetous motives prevailed in him, verse 26, and he did everything for their sake.

Still, he could have ordered Paul to be kept decently both because of his Roman citizenship and because his guilt was unproved. Perhaps he even had for Paul a respect similar to that which Herod had for John the Forerunner.