Commentary - Acts 24:24-27

Bird's-eye view

In this brief but potent scene, the apostle Paul, a prisoner of the Roman state, is summoned to give a private hearing before the governor Felix and his wife Drusilla. What begins as a titillating diversion for a corrupt and powerful couple quickly turns into a direct, soul-piercing confrontation with the gospel. Paul is not there to entertain or to flatter; he is there as an ambassador of the King of kings. He preaches "faith in Christ Jesus," but unpacks this faith through the non-negotiable categories of righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment. The message hits its mark. Felix, a man accustomed to wielding power, is terrified by the announcement of a higher power to whom he must give an account. His response is a classic example of procrastination born of fear and greed. He dismisses the preacher, hoping for a more convenient season and a bribe. The passage concludes with the grim reality of political maneuvering, as Felix, after two years of indecision, leaves Paul in chains to curry favor with the Jews, demonstrating that the fear of man is a snare that chokes out the fear of God.

This episode serves as a powerful illustration of the gospel's offensive power. It is not a message to be trifled with or domesticated. It demands a verdict. Paul, though in chains, is the free man in the room, speaking with divine authority. Felix, though on a throne, is the true prisoner, enslaved to his lusts, his fears, and his political ambitions. The scene is a microcosm of the conflict between the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of men, showing that true power lies not in political office or worldly wealth, but in the unchained word of God.

Outline

Context In Acts

This scene in Caesarea follows Paul's dramatic arrest in Jerusalem and his subsequent defense before the Sanhedrin and then Governor Felix. The Jewish leadership has formally accused him of being a pestilent fellow, a ringleader of the Nazarene sect, and a profaner of the temple. Paul has ably defended himself, demonstrating that he is on trial for the central hope of Israel: the resurrection of the dead. Felix, having a decent knowledge of "the Way," has deferred judgment. Paul is now in a strange sort of limbo, a prisoner held in Herod's praetorium for two full years. This period of confinement sets the stage for his eventual appeal to Caesar and his journey to Rome. The interaction with Felix and Drusilla is one of several instances in Acts where Paul brings the gospel directly before the highest echelons of Roman power (cf. Sergius Paulus, Gallio, Festus, Agrippa II), fulfilling the Lord's commission that he would bear His name before Gentiles and kings (Acts 9:15).

Key Issues

The Gospel for Governors

It is crucial to note what Paul's gospel consists of when he has a powerful man on the ropes. He is not trimming his sails to suit his audience. Felix and Drusilla were a notoriously corrupt and immoral pair. Felix was a former slave who had risen to power through cruelty and intrigue, and Drusilla had left her previous husband to marry him. They were the very embodiment of unrighteousness and a lack of self-control. And so what does Paul preach? Righteousness and self-control. He does not begin with "God has a wonderful plan for your life." He begins with the character of God and the demands of God. He preaches the law to show them their sin. He holds up God's perfect standard of righteousness, which they had violated. He speaks of self-control, the very thing they lacked. And he seals it with the threat of the judgment to come, the day when all accounts will be settled before the throne of God.

This is not a gospel-less moralism. Luke tells us he was speaking about "faith in Christ Jesus." The righteousness, self-control, and judgment are the necessary framework for understanding why faith in Christ is necessary. Without the bad news of the law and judgment, the good news of the gospel is just sentimental advice. Paul is showing them their terminal diagnosis so that they will see their need for the only Physician who can cure them. This is how the gospel is to be preached to governors, and to garbage men. It is the same message for all, because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Verse by Verse Commentary

24 But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and summoned Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.

Felix comes with his wife, Drusilla. She was the daughter of Herod Agrippa I (who executed James) and the great-granddaughter of Herod the Great. She was steeped in the bloody and compromised politics of the Herodian dynasty. As a Jewess, she would have had some familiarity with the religious questions at hand, making the hearing all the more intriguing for them. They summon Paul, likely out of a mixture of curiosity and a desire for some intellectual entertainment. A famous and controversial prisoner is in their custody; why not hear what he has to say? They ask to hear about "faith in Christ Jesus." They think they are the ones in charge, setting the agenda. But God is the one who has arranged this divine appointment. Paul is not there to perform; he is there to preach.

25 But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and answered, “Go away for the present, and when I find time I will call for you.”

Paul takes their invitation and drives a truck through it. He "discusses" or "reasons" about three things that were calculated to strike terror into the hearts of people like Felix and Drusilla. First, righteousness: God's perfect, holy standard, which as a corrupt judge, Felix violated daily. Second, self-control: the mastery over one's passions, a virtue starkly absent in their adulterous and indulgent lives. Third, the judgment to come: the final, inescapable divine audit. This is the law doing its work, exposing sin and leaving the sinner without excuse. The effect is immediate. Felix becomes "frightened." The Greek is emphobos, meaning he was filled with terror. The Holy Spirit took the preached word and drove it like a spear into his conscience. But instead of repenting, he reacts with the classic maneuver of the convicted sinner: procrastination. "Go away for now." He wants to control the timing. "When I find time", a convenient season that, for most, never arrives. He wants to deal with God on his own terms, which is another way of saying he does not want to deal with God at all.

26 At the same time, he was also hoping that money would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to summon for him quite often and converse with him.

Luke, the careful historian, gives us a glimpse into the sordid motivations of Felix's heart. His fear was real, but his greed was stronger. Two things were at war in him: the terror of judgment and the love of money. He knew that Paul had friends and was connected to a movement that had raised funds for the poor in Jerusalem (v. 17). So he keeps bringing Paul in, not primarily to hear more of the gospel, but in the hope of a bribe. What a picture of a man divided. He is drawn to the apostle, but for all the wrong reasons. He converses with the man who holds the keys to eternal life, but all he can think about is lining his own pockets. This is the blinding power of greed. It makes a man trifle with his own eternal destiny for the sake of a few coins.

27 But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.

Two years. Two years of conversations. Two years of opportunities to repent. Two years of Paul faithfully remaining in prison, his case unresolved. In the end, Felix's political calculations win out. He is recalled to Rome, his governorship having been a disaster marked by unrest and corruption. As a final act, "wishing to do the Jews a favor," he leaves Paul in chains. He knows Paul is innocent of any crime worthy of imprisonment, but a political favor is more valuable to him than justice. He wants to leave on good terms with the Jewish leadership to smooth over his rocky tenure. And so an innocent man is sacrificed on the altar of political expediency. Felix had his chance. He heard the gospel plainly. He was terrified by his sin. But he loved his money and his political standing more than his soul. He chose the favor of the Jews over the favor of God, and in so doing, sealed his own fate, passing out of the biblical narrative and into the judgment he so feared.

Application

The story of Felix is a timeless warning against the danger of a convenient season. Many people hear the gospel, and like Felix, they are stirred. They feel a prick in their conscience, a sense of fear or unease about their lives and their standing before God. They know, deep down, that what they are hearing is true. But the call to repentance is a call to an unconditional surrender, and they are not ready for that. They have a Drusilla they are not willing to give up. They have a bribe they are still hoping to receive. They have a political favor they are trying to curry. And so they say to Christ, through His messenger, "Go away for the present. When I have a more convenient time, I will call for you."

But the Bible teaches us that "now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2). The convenient season is a mirage in the desert of our rebellion. It never comes. The heart that is soft today will be harder tomorrow. The opportunity that is present now may be gone forever in the next moment. We must not trifle with the terror of the Lord. When God's word confronts our unrighteousness and our lack of self-control, the only sane response is not to send the messenger away, but to fall on our faces and cry out for mercy.

For the believer, Paul's conduct is the model. He was a prisoner, but his word was not chained. He did not moderate his message to make the powerful feel comfortable. He spoke the truth in love, a love that was willing to wound in order to heal. We are called to the same faithfulness. Whether we are speaking to a governor or a neighbor, the message is the same: because of God's perfect righteousness and our profound lack of self-control, a day of judgment is coming for all. Therefore, repent and believe the good news of faith in Christ Jesus, the only one who can save us from the wrath to come.