Trial at Caesarea
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stated that Lysias, the commandant of the garrison, had violently
taken Paul from the Jews as they were about to judge him by their
ecclesiastical law, and had thus improperly forced them to bring the
matter before Felix. These lying statements were skillfully designed to
induce the procurator to deliver Paul over to the Jewish court. All the
charges were vehemently supported by the Jews present, who made
no effort to conceal their hatred against the prisoner.
Felix had sufficient penetration to read the disposition and character
of Paul’s accusers. He perceived the motives of their flattery, and saw
also that they had failed to substantiate their charges. Turning to the
accused, he beckoned to him to answer for himself. Paul wasted no
words in fulsome compliments, but simply stated that he could the
more cheerfully defend himself before Felix, since the latter had been
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so long a procurator, and therefore had so good an understanding of the
laws and customs of the Jews. Step by step he then refuted the charges
brought against him. He declared that he had caused no disturbance
in any part of Jerusalem, nor had he profaned the sanctuary: “They
neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising
up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city; neither can
they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.”
While confessing that “after the way which they call heresy” he had
worshiped the God of his fathers, he asserted that he had never swerved
from his belief in the law and the prophets, and that in conformity with
the Scriptures he held the faith of the resurrection of the dead; and
he further declared that it was the ruling purpose of his life to “have
always a conscience void of offense toward God and toward man.”
In a candid, straightforward manner he then stated the object of his
visit to Jerusalem, and the circumstances of his arrest and trial: “Now
after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings.
Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple,
neither with multitude nor with tumult. Who ought to have been here
before thee, and object, if they had aught against me. Or else let these
same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood
before the council, except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing
among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead, I am called in
question by you this day.”
The apostle spoke with earnestness and evident sincerity, and his
words carried with them a conviction of their truthfulness. Moreover,
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