Acts 24:1-21--Paul Before Felix at Caesarea

Acts 24:1-21
English Standard Version

Paul Before Felix at Caesarea
24 And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul. 2 And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying:

“Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, 3 in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude. 4 But, to detain you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. 5 For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6 He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him. 8 By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him.”

9 The Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that all these things were so.

10 And when the governor had nodded to him to speak, Paul replied:

​“Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense. 11 You can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem, 12 and they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city. 13 Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. 14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, 15 having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. 16 So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. 17 Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings. 18 While I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But some Jews from Asia-- 19 they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me. 20 Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council, 21 other than this one thing that I cried out while standing among them: ‘It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.’”

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After five days the high priest of Israel and several of the Council members of the Sanhedrin as well as an official spokesperson (likely a lawyer) appeared in Caesarea to be heard in court by Felix.  When they appeared, they laid out their case (that is they presented the charges) against Paul and they gave their opening statement and remarks.

Paul was then allowed to speak in his own defense to answer these charges and enter his plea (which in this case is "not guilty on all counts").  He also was allowed to give his opening remarks to lay out what he would present if given the opportunity and also started to poke holes in the version of events presented by the Jews in their indictment and opening statement, as Paul claimed they had no proof that any of these things happened the way they claimed because they didn't happen that way (Paul never actually took a Gentile into the Temple, they just thought he did because they saw him talking to a Gentile in the marketplace at some other time that week and just assumed that man was with Paul when Paul went into the Temple).

Paul even looks and notices that those Jews from Asia who were the ones to originally thought he brought a Gentile into the Temple were conspicuously absent from the representatives sent by the Jews, and Paul makes note that if their testimony is going to be used in court, then they should be there so that they can be cross-examined.  I don't know the hearsay rules for the Roman courts, but Paul definitely seems to be arguing that point and at least pointing out their conspicuous absence.  Paul then says that the men present should make charges against which they have first-hand knowledge of, and that they were all there when Paul was tried before their Council (in the presence of the Roman tribune) and they could not agree on any charges against him at that time.  Paul is in essence claiming double-jeopardy here saying that he already stood trial for these charges once in their court system and they could not convict him and now they are bringing the same charges against him in another jurisdiction hoping for a different verdict (one where they will not be responsible for the execution they are hoping for).

Paul even goes so far as to admit the one statement that he made before them in the Council chambers which stirred them up because he wanted Felix to hear the exact words that he used and how the Jews are taking the words, "It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day," and are trying to make that statement a capital offense.  There should be nothing else that the Council members present should be able to agree upon because everything else they are charging Paul with is conjecture, hearsay and lies.  We'll pick up here next time.