Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 24]
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24:1 {And with an Orator, one Tertullus} (\kai rh•toros Tertullou
tinos\). A deputation of elders along with the high priest
Ananias, not the whole Sanhedrin, but no hint of the forty
conspirators or of the Asian Jews. The Sanhedrin had become
divided so that now it is probably Ananias (mortally offended)
and the Sadducees who take the lead in the prosecution of Paul.
It is not clear whether after five days is from Paul's departure
from Jerusalem or his arrival in Caesarea. If he spent nine days
in Jerusalem, then the five days would be counted from then
(verse 11). The employment of a Roman lawyer (Latin _orator_)
was necessary since the Jews were not familiar with Roman legal
procedure and it was the custom in the provinces (Cicero _pro
Cael_. 30). The speech was probably in Latin which Paul may have
understood also. \Rh•t•r\ is a common old Greek word meaning a
forensic orator or advocate but here only in the N.T. The Latin
_rhetor_ was a teacher of rhetoric, a very different thing.
Tertullus is a diminutive of Tertius (Ro 16:22). {Informed}
(\enephanisan\). Same verb as in 23:15,22, somewhat like our
modern "indictment," certainly accusations "against Paul" (\kata
tou Paulou\). They were down on Paul and the hired barrister was
prosecuting attorney. For the legal form see _Oxyrhynchus
Papyri_, Vol. II., p. 162, line 19.
24:2 {When he (Paul) was called} (\kl•thentos autou\). Genitive
absolute (as so often in Acts) with first aorist passive
participle of \kale•\. Seeing that by thee we enjoy much peace
(\poll•s eir•n•s tugchanontes 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 t•s pronoias\). Forethought, old Greek word
from \pronoos\ (\pronoe•\ in 1Ti 5:8; Ro 12:17; 2Co 8:21), in
N.T. only here and Ro 13:14. "Providence" is Latin
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Word Pictures in the New Testament
(Acts: Chapter 24)