Act 24:15 | KingComments | STEP | Then Paul declares that he is not an apostate Jew, but that he serves the God of the fathers. With this he confesses to serve the same God that his accusers confess to serve. He also confesses to believe everything that is in the law and the prophets. However, there is also a big difference and that he mentions as well. He serves the God of the fathers and believes that what is according to the law and written in the prophets is in accordance with the Way. With this he confesses that the movement that within Judaism is considered a sect and is called ”the Way” is the point of reference of his actions. With this he refers in veiled terms to the Lord Jesus, to Him Who is the Way from and to God. That is also the basis of the hope he has in God – a hope they too have – that there is a resurrection. Here too Paul points to the common ground on which he and his accusers stand. At that time Christendom was still seen as a sect of Judaism whose followers confessed that the Messiah had come, but otherwise distinguished themselves in nothing from the orthodox Jews. By always seeking that common ground, Paul says as it were: They rejected me, but I did not reject them. In this way he declares his solidarity with his people. How then could he be called ‘a pest’? The resurrection was known to the Jews from the Old Testament ( ; ; ), but the distinction between a resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous was not. The New Testament shows us that there is a gap of a thousand years between the two resurrections ( ). Mentioning the resurrection to Felix confronts the governor with the situation after death. Surely it is a hint for Felix to think about that. Paul presents the resurrection as a hope ( ). This hope is the sure fulfillment of the promises God made to His people. In that hope, in that expectation, Paul lived and that – “in view of this” – was the motive for him to serve God with a blameless conscience. In no way did he want to do anything that would cause him to lose his inner bond with God, nor lose sight of the fulfillment of God’s promises. By speaking in this way, he also speaks to the conscience of the people before whom he appears (cf. ). Felix did not have a blameless conscience, nor did Tertullus and the unbelieving Jews. Once again he points out that he was not in Jerusalem for many years and that when he got there again, it was not to cause unrest, but to do good. If Felix wants to, he can check all that and he will get it confirmed. He had come to Jerusalem with the money from the collection of the nations with him ( ; ; ). This was meant for “my people”, who are his believing Jewish brothers from the church in Jerusalem, with whom he also wanted to present offerings. There was no problem until some Jews came from Asia. Felix should call them to declare under oath that they had found him with a pagan in the temple. As far as Paul is concerned, the Jews from Jerusalem who appeared before Felix may also come up with a real accusation. The only thing they could accuse him of is what he shouted when he was standing among them. He shouted something that these Sadducees refused to believe. But such an accusation wouldn’t impress Felix at all. He would not concern himself with a theological dispute.

‏ Acts 24:15

Paul Declares his Orthodox Faith

Then Paul declares that he is not an apostate Jew, but that he serves the God of the fathers. With this he confesses to serve the same God that his accusers confess to serve. He also confesses to believe everything that is in the law and the prophets. However, there is also a big difference and that he mentions as well. He serves the God of the fathers and believes that what is according to the law and written in the prophets is in accordance with the Way.

With this he confesses that the movement that within Judaism is considered a sect and is called ”the Way” is the point of reference of his actions. With this he refers in veiled terms to the Lord Jesus, to Him Who is the Way from and to God. That is also the basis of the hope he has in God – a hope they too have – that there is a resurrection. Here too Paul points to the common ground on which he and his accusers stand.

At that time Christendom was still seen as a sect of Judaism whose followers confessed that the Messiah had come, but otherwise distinguished themselves in nothing from the orthodox Jews. By always seeking that common ground, Paul says as it were: They rejected me, but I did not reject them. In this way he declares his solidarity with his people. How then could he be called ‘a pest’?

The resurrection was known to the Jews from the Old Testament (Job 19:25-27; Psa 16:9-11; Dan 12:13), but the distinction between a resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous was not. The New Testament shows us that there is a gap of a thousand years between the two resurrections (Rev 20:4-6).

Mentioning the resurrection to Felix confronts the governor with the situation after death. Surely it is a hint for Felix to think about that. Paul presents the resurrection as a hope (Acts 23:6 ; Acts 26:6 ; Acts 28:20). This hope is the sure fulfillment of the promises God made to His people.

In that hope, in that expectation, Paul lived and that – “in view of this” – was the motive for him to serve God with a blameless conscience. In no way did he want to do anything that would cause him to lose his inner bond with God, nor lose sight of the fulfillment of God’s promises. By speaking in this way, he also speaks to the conscience of the people before whom he appears (cf. Acts 23:1). Felix did not have a blameless conscience, nor did Tertullus and the unbelieving Jews.

Once again he points out that he was not in Jerusalem for many years and that when he got there again, it was not to cause unrest, but to do good. If Felix wants to, he can check all that and he will get it confirmed. He had come to Jerusalem with the money from the collection of the nations with him (Rom 15:25-28; 1Cor 16:1-4; Gal 2:10).

This was meant for “my people”, who are his believing Jewish brothers from the church in Jerusalem, with whom he also wanted to present offerings. There was no problem until some Jews came from Asia. Felix should call them to declare under oath that they had found him with a pagan in the temple. As far as Paul is concerned, the Jews from Jerusalem who appeared before Felix may also come up with a real accusation.

The only thing they could accuse him of is what he shouted when he was standing among them. He shouted something that these Sadducees refused to believe. But such an accusation wouldn’t impress Felix at all. He would not concern himself with a theological dispute.