Five days after Paul’s arrival at Caesarea, his accusers came from Jerusalem, accompanied by Tertullus, their counsel. Paul was brought before the assembly, and Tertullus “began to accuse him.” The wily orator began his speech by flattering Felix: “Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your provision, most excellent Felix, reforms are introduced on behalf of this nation, in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude.”
(TT 220.1)
Tertullus here descended to barefaced falsehood, for the character of Felix was contemptible. Those who heard Tertullus knew his words were untrue.
(TT 220.2)
Tertullus charged Paul with high treason against the government: “We have found this man a pestilent fellow, an agitator among the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to profane the temple.” All the charges were vehemently supported by the Jews present, who made no effort to conceal their hatred of the prisoner.
(TT 220.3)
Felix had sufficient penetration to know from what motive Paul’s accusers had flattered him. He saw also that they had failed to substantiate their charges. Turning to Paul, he beckoned to him to answer for himself.
(TT 220.4)
Paul wasted no words in compliments. Referring to the charges brought against him, he plainly showed that not one of them was true. He had caused no disturbance in any part of Jerusalem, nor had he profaned the sanctuary. While confessing that he worshiped God “according to the Way,” he asserted that He had always believed “everything laid down by the law or written in the prophets,” and he held the faith of the resurrection of the dead. The ruling purpose of his life was to “always take pains to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men.”
(TT 220.5)
In a straightforward manner he stated the object of his visit to Jerusalem and the circumstances of his arrest and trial: “I came to bring to my nation alms and offerings. As I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult.”
(TT 221.1)
The apostle’s words carried with them a weight of conviction. Claudius Lysias in his letter to Felix had borne a similar testimony in regard to Paul’s conduct. Paul’s plain statement of the facts enabled Felix to understand the motives by which the Jews were governed in attempting to convict the apostle of sedition and treason. The governor would not gratify them by unjustly condemning a Roman citizen; neither would he give him up to them. Yet Felix knew no higher motive than self-interest. Fear of offending the Jews held him back from doing full justice to a man whom he knew to be innocent. He therefore decided to suspend the trial until Lysias should be present.
(TT 221.2)
The apostle remained a prisoner, but Felix commanded that “he should ... have some liberty, and that none of his friends should be prevented from attending to his needs.”
(TT 221.3)
Not long after this, Felix and his wife Drusilla sent for Paul that they might hear him “speak upon faith in Christ Jesus.” They were eager to listen to these new truths—truths which, if rejected, would witness against them in the day of God.
(TT 221.4)
Paul knew that he stood in the presence of one who had power to put him to death or to set him free; yet he did not address Felix and Drusilla with flattery. Forgetting all selfish considerations, he sought to arouse them to a sense of their peril. The apostle realized that one day they would stand either among the holy around the great white throne, or with those to whom Christ would say, “Depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:23.
(TT 221.5)
Few had ever before dared even to intimate to Felix that his character and conduct were not faultless. But Paul had no fear of man. He was thus led to speak of those virtues essential to Christian character, of which the haughty pair before him were so destitute.
(TT 222.1)
He held up before Felix and Drusilla God’s righteousness, justice, and the nature of His law. He showed that it is man’s duty to live a life of sobriety and temperance, in conformity to God’s law, preserving the physical and mental powers in a healthy condition. There would surely come a day of judgment when it would be revealed that wealth, position, or titles are powerless to deliver man from the results of sin. This life is man’s time of preparation for the future life. Should he neglect present opportunities he would suffer eternal loss; no new probation would be given.
(TT 222.2)
Paul especially showed how God’s law extends to the deep secrets of man’s moral nature. The law searches his thoughts, motives, and purposes. Dark passions hidden from the sight of men, jealousy, hatred, lust, and ambition, evil deeds meditated upon yet never executed for want of opportunity—all these God’s law condemns.
(TT 222.3)
Paul pointed to the one great Sacrifice for sin, Christ, as the only source of life and hope for fallen man. As holy men of old saw the dying agonies of the sacrificial victims, they looked across the gulf of ages to the Lamb of God that was to take away the sin of the world.
(TT 222.4)
God justly claims the love and obedience of His creatures. But many forget their Maker and return enmity for love. God cannot lower the requirements of His law; neither can man, in his own power, meet the demands of the law. Only by faith in Christ can the sinner be cleansed from guilt and be enabled to render obedience to the law of his Maker.
(TT 222.5)
Thus Paul the prisoner urged the claims of the divine law and presented Jesus as the Son of God, the world’s Redeemer.
(TT 223.1)
The Jewish princess understood the law she had so shamelessly transgressed, but her prejudice against the Man of Calvary steeled her heart against the word of life. But Felix, deeply agitated, felt that Paul’s words were true. With terrible distinctness there came up before him the secrets of his life. He saw himself licentious, cruel, rapacious. Never before had truth been thus brought home to his heart. The thought that his career of crime was open before the eye of God and that he must be judged according to his deeds caused him to tremble.
(TT 223.2)
But instead of permitting his convictions to lead him to repentance, he sought to dismiss these unwelcome reflections. “Go away for the present; when I have an opportunity I will summon you.”
(TT 223.3)
How wide the contrast between the course of Felix and that of the jailer of Philippi! The servants of the Lord were brought in bonds to the jailer as was Paul to Felix. The evidence they gave of being sustained by a divine power, and their spirit of forgiveness sent conviction to the jailer’s heart. With trembling he confessed his sins and found pardon. Felix trembled, but did not repent. The jailer welcomed the Spirit of God; Felix bade the divine Messenger depart. One chose to become an heir of heaven; the other cast his lot with the workers of iniquity. For two years Paul remained a prisoner. Felix visited him several times and intimated that by the payment of a large sum of money Paul might secure his release. The apostle, however, was too noble to free himself by a bribe. He would not stoop to commit a wrong in order to gain freedom. He felt that he was in the hands of God, and he would not interfere with the divine purposes respecting himself.
(TT 223.4)
Felix was finally summoned to Rome because of gross wrongs committed against the Jews. Before leaving Caesarea he thought to “do the Jews a favor” by allowing Paul to remain in prison. But Felix was not successful in his attempt to regain the confidence of the Jews. He was removed from office in disgrace, and Porcius Festus was appointed to succeed him.
(TT 224.1)
A ray of light from heaven had shone on Felix when Paul reasoned with him “about justice and self-control and future judgment.” But he said to the messenger of God, “Go away for the present; when I have an opportunity I will summon you.”
(TT 224.2)
Never was he to receive another call from God.
(TT 224.3)