After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. Sermons
(1) a time-server, and (2) as a corrupt judge. Felix, well knowing how the Christians aided one another in distress, and possibly having some information of the funds with which St. Paul had been recently entrusted, and ignorant of those principles which make it impossible for a true Christian to tamper by bribes with the course of the law, might naturally suppose that he had here a good prospect of enriching himself. Nothing so quickly and so utterly debases a man as the cherished spirit of covetousness. This, however, is a somewhat unusual form and expression of the many-sided evil. Olshausen says, "The sword of God's Word pierced deep into the heart of Felix, but for this very reason he suddenly broke off the conference. But his moral baseness betrayed itself strikingly in this, that he could still hold fast his prisoner for the mere purpose of obtaining money for his release, yea, that at his departure from the province, he left him in prison, out of complaisance to the Jews." Illustrate (1) that Felix knew the right; (2) but that, nevertheless, he did the wrong; and (3) that the love of money in part explains his choosing the wrong. The following incident may be helpful in the illustration of this third point: - "A case was tried before a young cadi at Smyrna, the merits of which were these. A poor man claimed a house which a rich man usurped. The former held his deeds and documents to prove his right; but the latter had provided a number of witnesses to invalidate his title. In order to support their evidence effectually, he presented the cadi with a bag containing five hundred ducats. When the day arrived for hearing the cause, the poor man told his story, and produced his writings, but could not support his case by witnesses; the other rested the whole case on his witnesses, and on his adversary's defect in law, who could produce none; he urged the cadi, therefore, to give sentence in his favor. After the most pressing solicitations, the judge calmly drew out from under his sofa the bag of ducats which the rich man had given him as a bribe, saying to him very gravely, 'You have been much mistaken in the suit, for if the poor man could produce no witnesses in confirmation of his right, I myself can produce at least five hundred.' He then threw away the bag with reproach and indignation, and decreed the house to the poor plaintiff." - R.T.
He hoped also that money should have been given him. It is a wonderful characteristic of the Bible that all its characters are still with us. The men of the Bible were types.I. FELIX WAS SATED WITH FLATTERY; no man dare say one critical word to Felix. Are there not men whose minds are narrowed and perverted by always living in the sickly atmosphere of adultation? I am distinguishing in my own mind between just appreciation and foolish idolatry — between the praise which is due to character and the hypocrisy which is offered to mere position. II. FELIX WAS INTERESTED IN RELIGIOUS DISCUSSIONS. That Felix is still alive — the bad man who likes to go to church once a day, who likes to spice his life with religious metaphysics and controversies. Who can explain it that a man, whose life is wholly given to the earth, should, now and again, desire to hear a prayer, listen to a discourse, and have his "views"? What a contradiction is man! III. FELIX LIVED IN SIN: he did not dabble in it, he was no retail criminal, yet he sent for an apostle to speak "concerning the faith in Christ." It is not only possible, it is the daily use of men. Herein we are to some extent all in the same condemnation. Only yesterday we shattered every commandment of Heaven, and today we are — outwardly at least — standing at heaven's gate! There is hope in. this contradiction. Do not let us take wholly the black view of it. We can look at the sin until we see Felix turning into a devil; or we can look at him, sending for Paul, until we see spots of whiteness even on the black disc of his character. IV. FELIX WAS MORALLY IMPRESSIBLE. He trembled. Then there is hope of him. Are there not such men amongst us who never hear a sermon without weeping, men. who like it the more when it wrings their conscience and turns them white with fear? There is a possibility of becoming too familiar with that kind of emotion, of measuring services by its presence. Marvellous that we like to be vivisected We call the preacher faithful, and, having paid him the compliment, we go to repeat the sin he has rebuked. V. FELIX WAS OPEN TO BRIBERY AMIDST ALL THIS CONFLICT OF EMOTION. He, perhaps, did not know that it was criminal, as we understand that term. Men become accustomed to crime until they repeat it as a kind of virtue. It is the custom of the trade; it is always expected that it should be so. We do not always take the bribe in the form of money, and if the act were isolated, we could detest it. Paul was often sent for, but Paul never suspected the design. Evil be to him who evil thinks. Paul might receive the invitations as expressive of a real desire to know more about these religious mysteries. VI. FELIX WAS KIND TO PREACHERS (ver. 23). Some of the most generous friends I have ever had have been men who made no profession of religion and who yet liked to come to church, and who loved the preacher with even a fond affectionateness. Herein the preacher has an infinite advantage over other men. VII. FELIX WAS PROCRASTINATING (ver. 25). It was not a rude dismissal; there was a longing for the very whip that scourged him. The procrastinating man is in every Church. He dose not mean to give it up; he says, "I will return in the evening." Conclusion: In Felix I see that double action which is so characteristic of every man, which excites the observer, and indeed, excites the subject himself. Sometimes the good is uppermost, and then the bad, and then again the good; and we say, looking on, "Which will win?" Let us this day, in God's strength, so act as to give joy in the presence of the angels of God over many a sinner that repenteth. Left to ourselves, the struggle can only go one way; aided by Christ, it is still a struggle, but a struggle that must end in victory. (J. Parker, D. D.) Scientific Illustrations. You would not think a man who had held high office in the State for long years would descend to mean and paltry tricks to obtain still more power. But he will. You would not believe that a vast capitalist would go out of his way to grab at the farthing which the rough hand of toil is endeavouring to hold. But he does. Power is avaricious alike in birds and men. The more the man has the more he wants. These men. who thus display the avarice of power are the white-headed eagles of society. During spring and summer the white-headed eagle follows a course to procure sustenance which you would judge very little suited to a bird as well able to supply itself without interfering with other plunderers. No sooner does the fish hawk make its appearance along the Atlantic shore, or ascend the numerous and large rivers, than the eagle follows it, and robs it of the hard-earned fruits of its labour. Perched on some tall summit in view of the ocean, or of some water course, he watches every movement of the osprey while on the wing. When the latter rises from the water with a fish in its grasp forth rushes the eagle in pursuit. He mounts above the fish hawk and threatens it by actions well understood, when the latter, fearing, perhaps, that its life is in danger, drops its prey. In an instant the eagle, accurately estimating the rapid descent of the fish, closes its wings, follows it with the swiftness of thought, and the next moment grasps it. The white-headed eagles of society pursue their course with equal disgrace to themselves; and their method is not more exalted. They take advantage of their strength, and the great elevation to which fortune has raised them, for the greedy purpose of discovering the movements of those who are below them, the better to rob the more humble of even the little they possess.(Scientific Illustrations.) Scientific Illustrations. Though selfish kindness is a paradox, its existence is a reality. There are people who are really kind towards us and others, but are so from no creditable motive. Father Ripa, in the account of his sojourn near the mouth of the Ganges, tells us of a set of religionists who are very kind to all sorts of animals and insects, which they neither kill nor eat, but, on the contrary, tend them with great care. Indeed to such a pitch do they carry their kindness, that they have hospitals for lice and fleas, and pay liberally by the hour those who will allow the insects to feed on their blood. They are also most kind to sheep and cows. And why all this? Not because they possess disinterested kindness, but because they believe in the transmigration of souls, and that after death they will pass into the body of some animal more or less offensive according to the good or evil actions of their past life. And further, because they believe after death that a great river must be passed which can only be done by holding on fast to the tail of the sheep or cow. So that in this, as in a number of other instances to be met with in civilised society, there is really a complete absence of real unselfishness in the act, which, however, may be kind enough in its way. Here we have the expectation of some future advantage as the actual basis of the act. Numbers of deeds which pass for genuine kindness are the result of a complex mixture of motives, amongst which pure charity is not found. Where is the kindness which lends, which does, and which gives, expecting nothing as reward in return either in this world or the other?(Scientific Illustrations.) Biblical Museum. A poor man in Smyrna claimed a house which a rich man usurped. The former held his deeds to prove his rights; the latter provided witnesses to invalidate his title, whose testimony he sought to support effectually by a present of five hundred ducats. When the day arrived for hearing the case, the poor man told his story, and produced his writings, but could not bring witnesses; the other rested the whole case on his witnesses, and on his adversary's defect who could produce none. He urged the Cadi, therefore, to give sentence in his favour. Whereupon the judge calmly drew from under his sofa the bag of ducats, saying very gravely, "You have been much mistaken in the suit, for if the poor man can produce no witnesses in confirmation of his right, I can produce five hundred." He then threw away the bag with indignation, and decreed the house to the poor plaintiff. Such was the noble decision of the Turkish judge, whose disinterestedness was the reverse of the unjust time-serving Felix.(Biblical Museum.) But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix's room or the painful yet blessed resting and waiting times of the servants of God. Compare Joseph in prison, Moses in the wilderness, David in the mountains, Elijah at the brook Cherith, John the Baptist in prison, John the Evangelist in Patmos, Luther at Wartburg, faithful preachers in sick beds.I. PAINFUL — 1. To the servant of God whose hands are bound. 2. For the congregations of the Lord who are deprived of their pastors. II. BLESSED — 1. For the servant of God. (1) (2) 2. For the Church. (1) (2) (3) (K. Gerok.). People Ananias, Drusilla, Felix, Festus, Paul, TertullusPlaces Asia, Caesarea, JerusalemTopics Acquire, Approval, Bonds, Bound, Chains, Completed, Desiring, Desirous, Elapsed, Favor, Favour, Felix, Festus, Fulfilled, Fully, Gain, Grant, Gratifying, Imprisoned, Jews, Kept, Lapse, Lay, Oblige, Passed, Paul, Pleasure, Porcius, Prison, Received, Relieved, Room, Shew, Succeeded, Successor, Wanted, Willing, WishingOutline 1. Paul being accused by Tertullus the orator,10. answers for his life and doctrine. 24. He preaches Christ to the governor and his wife. 26. The governor hopes for a bribe, but in vain. 27. Felix, succeeded by Festus, leaves Paul in prison. Dictionary of Bible Themes Acts 24:27 5344 imprisonment 5348 injustice, nature and source Library Paul and FelixACTS xxiv. 25. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. This is a well-known text, on which many a sermon has been preached, and with good reason, for it is an important text. It tells us of a man who, like too many men in all times, trembled when he heard the truth about his wicked life, but did not therefore repent and mend; and a very serious lesson we may … Charles Kingsley—Discipline and Other Sermons Felix Before Paul Paul Before Felix A Loyal Tribute The Resurrection of the Dead Paul's Sermon Before Felix Saurin -- Paul Before Felix and Drusilla The Awakened Sinner Urged to Immediate Consideration and Cautioned against Delay. The Epistles of the Captivity. Of Presbyters who are Corrected by their Own Bishops. ... A Plot Detected The Witness of Our Own Spirit The Parables Exemplified in the Early History of the Church. Christian Perfection "Now the End of the Commandment," &C. The Baptist's Inquiry and Jesus' Discourse Suggested Thereby. Verbal Inspiration Of the Power of Making Laws. The Cruelty of the Pope and his Adherents, in this Respect, in Tyrannically Oppressing and Destroying Souls. Quirinius the Governor of Syria Truth Hidden when not Sought After. Jerusalem to Rome From Antioch to the Destruction of Jerusalem. Of Christian Liberty. Links Acts 24:27 NIVActs 24:27 NLT Acts 24:27 ESV Acts 24:27 NASB Acts 24:27 KJV Acts 24:27 Bible Apps Acts 24:27 Parallel Acts 24:27 Biblia Paralela Acts 24:27 Chinese Bible Acts 24:27 French Bible Acts 24:27 German Bible Acts 24:27 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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