¹After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders, with an attorney named Tertullus, and they brought charges to the governor against Paul. ²After Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying to the governor, “Since we have through you attained much peace, and since by your providence reforms are being carried out for this nation, ³we acknowledge this in every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.”

Five days after Paul’s arrest, the first “court” hearing took place. Roman justice moved quickly compared to typical modern court systems. Ananias procured a lawyer, an expert in Roman law, since this trial was before the Roman authorities. Commentator Craig Keener points out that Luke’s original readers would be generally familiar with the legal proceedings, as they seem to follow typical Roman jurisprudence (see Keener, Acts).

Governor Felix himself was born a slave but was freed by the mother of emperor Claudius and became a good friend of Claudius when he was still a prince. He was appointed governor of Judea in A.D. 52 but was ineffective in suppressing Jewish disturbances. The Roman historian Tacitus described him as “a master of cruelty and lust who exercised the powers of a king with the spirit of a slave.” The first of his three successive wives was the granddaughter of the famous Antony and Cleopatra (see EBC, s.v. Acts 24:1). So he was both infamous and well-connected in the highest reaches of Roman government.

It appears that the Jewish elders and the high priest made their initial charge against Paul to the governor before the apostle was present. When he was brought in, the formal trial began with Tertullus’ accusations. The lawyer began his case by flattering Felix. For the Jews, this claim of peace would have been quite a stretch, for they were seething under Roman hard-handed rule. Their experience was anything but peace, but as many political leaders know, flattery can swell the head and stack the deck in favor of the petitioner.

Many times, we Christians find ourselves in situations that seem to depend on political maneuvering and the whims of disinterested, secular authorities. But, like the apostle Paul, we have the Lord Jesus Christ as our advocate (1 John 2:11) and thus, we can act in confidence and courage (Acts 23:11). The Lord standing with us is sovereign over all human authorities. Remember when Pontius Pilate claimed to Jesus, “Do you not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” The Lord asserted, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” (John 19:11).

Lord, I have nothing to fear from the judgments of men, for You are in control.