Acts 24:8

Commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(8) By examining of whom . . .—Literally, from whom thou shalt be able, by examining him thyself, to know thoroughly . . . The English construction suggests that the “accusers” are the persons to be examined, but as the Greek relative is in the singular this cannot possibly be the meaning. Tertullus apparently suggests that the judge should interrogate the prisoner—perhaps, by using a technical term, with a well-understood significance, that he should examine him by scourging, or some other mode of torture. Strictly speaking, the “examination” of Which Tertullus speaks was a preliminary inquiry, previous to the actual trial, to ascertain whether there were sufficient grounds for further proceedings. It will be observed that he keeps back the fact of St. Paul’s being a Roman, and it does not follow that Tertullus knew that Lysias had informed Felix of it. It is possible, however, after all, if we admit the genuineness of Acts 24:7, that the relative pronoun may refer to Lysias and not to the Apostle; and this agrees with the language of Felix in Acts 24:22.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

24:1-9 See here the unhappiness of great men, and a great unhappiness it is, to have their services praised beyond measure, and never to be faithfully told of their faults; hereby they are hardened and encouraged in evil, like Felix. God's prophets were charged with being troublers of the land, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that he perverted the nation; the very same charges were brought against Paul. The selfish and evil passions of men urge them forward, and the graces and power of speech, too often have been used to mislead and prejudice men against the truth. How different will the characters of Paul and Felix appear at the day of judgement, from what they are represented in the speech of Tertullus! Let not Christians value the applause, or be troubled at the revilings of ungodly men, who represent the vilest of the human race almost as gods, and the excellent of the earth as pestilences and movers of sedition.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Commanding his accusers ... - Acts 23:30.

By examining of whom - That is, the Jews who were then present. Tertullus offered them as his witnesses of the truth of what he had said. It is evident that we have here only the summary or outline of the speech which he made It is incredible that a Roman rhetorician would have on such an occasion delivered an address so brief, so meagre, and so destitute of display as this. But it is doubtless a correct summary of his address, and contains the leading points of the accusation. It is customary for the sacred writers, as for other writers, to give only the outline of discourses and arguments. Such a course was inevitable, unless the New Testament had been swelled to wholly undue proportions.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

8. Commanding his accusers to come unto thee—Here they insinuate that, instead of troubling Felix with the case, he ought to have left it to be dealt with by the Jewish tribunal; in which case his life would soon have been taken.

by examining whom—Lysias, as would seem (Ac 24:22).

thyself mayest, &c.—referring all, as if with confidence, to Felix.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

By examining of whom; not that the Jews would have any witnesses produced, and fairly examined; but the pronoun being singular, it refers to Paul, whom Tertullus would have examined, and put to the question, or racked, that he might confess what they would have had him guilty of: or it is as if he had said, (so impudent is impiety), that Paul himself could not deny (if he were asked) the accusation which was brought against him.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Commanding his accusers to come unto thee,.... But this was not done till after Paul had set forth his case before the people, upon the stairs leading to the castle: and after he had pleaded his own cause before the sanhedrim; and after the chief captain had had intelligence of the Jews lying in wait to kill him: Tertullus would insinuate that the captain was blameworthy, that he hindered a legal process against Paul; and that it was owing to him, that this trouble was given the governor, as well as the high priest and elders, who by his orders came down from Jerusalem to Caesarea; and that had it not been for him this affair might have been finished with more dispatch, and less trouble.

By examining of whom; not the accusers, but either the chief captain, as some think, or rather Paul:

thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things whereof we accuse him; so impudent was Tertullus, and of such effrontery and assurance, that he feared not to say, that the governor, by examining Paul himself, would easily come to the knowledge of the things he was accused of, and plainly see that he was guilty of them; so that there would be no need of their attestations, or of producing witnesses against him.

Geneva Study Bible

Commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Acts 24:8. ἀνακ.: not an examination by torture, which could not be legally applied either to Paul or to Lysias as Roman citizens, but in the sense of a judicial investigation—in this sense peculiar to Luke, cf. Luke 4:9, and Plummer on Luke 23:14, cf. Acts 25:26 below. A.V., “by examining of whom thyself,” etc., which is quite misleading whether we retain the words omitted above in R.V. or not, because this rendering reads as it Felix was to examine the accusers, whereas the relative pronoun is in the singular, παρʼ οὐ.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

8. commanding his accusers to come unto thee] Which Lysias had not done till Paul was removed beyond reach of pursuit.

by examining of whom] In the A. V. the relative “whom” is here naturally referred to “accusers.” A glance at the Greek shews that this cannot be, for it is in the singular number. The Rev. Ver. gives the literal rendering of the passage thus, “From whom thou wilt be able, by examining him thyself. to take knowledge, &c.” If the supposed interpolation be accepted as text, then “whom” and “him” would most properly be referred to Lysias. Felix might on the arrival of the chief captain question him and learn the truth of what had taken place. And with this the remark of Felix in Acts 24:22 fits in, “When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will determine your matter.” If however the doubtful words be rejected, then the pronouns must refer to St Paul. But it is curious, to say the least, that Tertullus should suggest to Felix that the truth of his case should be supported by an examination of the person accused. It has therefore been suggested that the word rendered “examining” has regard to some process of torture by which a prisoner might be forced to confess the truth. But for this no sufficient support has been found. The noun derived from this verb is employed (Acts 25:26) for the inquiry before Agrippa. On the whole there seems quite as much to be said in favour of the Textus Receptus from internal evidence, as can be brought against it by the evidence of MSS.

Bengel's Gnomen

Acts 24:8. Παρʼ οὗ, from whom) i.e. from Paul.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 8. - From whom thou wilt be able, by examining him thyself, to take for by examining of whom thyself mayest take, A.V. According to the R.V., whom refers to St. Paul, but according to the A.V., to Lysias. This last agrees with ver. 22. By examining him; ἀνακρίνας (Luke 23:14; Acts 4:9; Acts 12:19; Acts 17:11; Acts 28:18; elsewhere only in St. Paul's Epistles). In Acts 25:26 the kindred ἀνάκρισις, examination, is used. Acts 24:8

Vincent's Word Studies

From whom

Paul. It would refer to Lysias if the omitted passage above were retained.