SEV Biblia, Chapter 24:2
Y citado que fue, Trtulo comenz a acusarle, diciendo: Como por causa tuya vivamos en gran paz, y muchas cosas son bien gobernadas en el pueblo por tu prudencia,
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 24:2
Verse 2. Tertullus began to accuse him] There are three parts in this oration of Tertullus:-1. The exordium. 2. The proposition. 3. The conclusion. The exordium contains the praise of Felix and his administration, merely for the purpose of conciliating his esteem, ver. 2-4; The proposition is contained in ver. 5. The narration and conclusion, in ver. 6-8. By thee we enjoy great quietness] As bad a governor as Felix most certainly was, he rendered some services to Judea. The country had long been infested with robbers; and a very formidable banditti of this kind, under one Eliezar, he entirely suppressed. Joseph. Antiq. lib. xx. cap. 6; Bell. lib. ii, cap. 22. He also suppressed the sedition raised by an Egyptian impostor, who had seduced 30,000 men; see on chap. xxi. 38. He had also quelled a very afflictive disturbance which took place between the Syrians and the Jews of Caesarea. On this ground Tertullus said, By thee we enjoy great quietness; and illustrious deeds are done to this nation by thy prudent administration. This was all true; but, notwithstanding this, he is well known from his own historians, and from Josephus, to have been not only a very bad man, but also a very bad governor. He was mercenary, oppressive, and cruel; and of all these the Jews brought proofs to Nero, before whom they accused him; and, had it not been for the interest and influence of his brother Pallas; he had been certainly ruined.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 2. And when he was called forth , etc.] Not Tertullus the orator; for this is not to be understood of him, and of his being admitted to speak, as is thought by some, but the Apostle Paul; which is put out of doubt by the Vulgate Latin version, which reads, and Paul being cited; he was ordered to be brought out of custody into the court, to hear his indictment, and answer for himself: Tertullus began to accuse him ; to set forth his crimes, which he introduced with a flattering preface to Felix: saying, seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence ; very likely he might refer to his purging the country of robbers; he took Eleazar, the chief of them, who had infested the country for twenty years, and many others with him, whom he sent bound to Rome, and others of them he crucified; and whereas there arose up another set of men, under a pretence of religion, who led people into the wilderness, signifying, that God would show them some signs of liberty; these seemed, to Felix, to sow the seeds, and lay the foundation of division and defection, which showed his sagacity, and which Tertullus here calls providence; wherefore, foreseeing what would be the consequence of these things, if not timely prevented, he sent armed men, horse and foot, and destroyed great numbers of them; and particularly he put to flight the Egyptian false prophet, who had collected thirty thousand men together, and dispersed them f1189 ; and yet his government was attended with cruelty and avarice; witness the murder of Jonathan the high priest, by a sort of cut throats, who were connived at by him; particularly by the means of Dora his friend, whom he corrupted; and the pillaging of many of the inhabitants of Caesarea f1190 : so that this was a piece of flattery, used by Tertullus, to catch his ear, and gain attention, and insinuate himself into his affections.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 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 an 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 selfis 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 agains the truth. How different will the characters of Paul and Felix appea at the day of judgement, from what they are represented in the speec of Tertullus! Let not Christians value the applause, or be troubled a the revilings of ungodly men, who represent the vilest of the huma race almost as gods, and the excellent of the earth as pestilences an movers of sedition.
Greek Textus Receptus
κληθεντος 2564 5685 V-APP-GSM δε 1161 CONJ αυτου 846 P-GSM ηρξατο 756 5662 V-ADI-3S κατηγορειν 2723 5721 V-PAN ο 3588 T-NSM τερτυλλος 5061 N-NSM λεγων 3004 5723 V-PAP-NSM
Robertson's NT Word Studies
24:2 {When he (Paul) was called} (kleqentos autou). Genitive absolute (as so often in Acts) with first aorist passive participle of kalew. Seeing that by thee we enjoy much peace (polles eirenes tugcanontes dia sou). Literally, obtaining much peace by thee. A regular piece of flattery, _captatio benevolentiae_, to ingratiate himself into the good graces of the governor. Felix had suppressed a riot, but Tacitus (_Ann_. XII. 54) declares that Felix secretly encouraged banditti and shared the plunder for which the Jews finally made complaint to Nero who recalled him. But it sounded well to praise Felix for keeping peace in his province, especially as Tertullus was going to accuse Paul of being a disturber of the peace. {And that by thy providence} (kai dia tes pronoias). Forethought, old Greek word from pronoos (pronoew in #1Ti 5:8; Ro 12:17; 2Co 8:21), in N.T. only here and #Ro 13:14. "Providence" is Latin _Providentia_ (foreseeing, _provideo_). Roman coins often have _Providentia Caesaris_. Post-Augustan Latin uses it of God (Deus). {Evils are corrected for this nation} (diorqwmatwn ginomenwn twi eqnei toutwi). Genitive absolute again, ginomenwn, present middle participle describing the process of reform going on for this nation (dative case of personal interest). diorqwma (from diorqow, to set right) occurs from Aristotle on of setting right broken limbs (Hippocrates) or reforms in law and life (Polybius, Plutarch). "Reform continually taking place for this nation." Felix the Reform Governor of Judea! It is like a campaign speech, but it doubtless pleased Felix.
