Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 24]
and in N.T. (especially in Acts). {Stirring up a crowd}
(\epistasin poiounta ochlou\). \Epistasis\ is a late word from
\ephist•mi\, to make an onset or rush. Only twice in the N.T.,
2Co 11:28 (the pressure or care of the churches) and here
(making a rush of a crowd). The papyri give examples also for
"onset." So Paul denies the two charges that were serious and the
only one that concerned Roman law (insurrection).
24:13 {Prove} (\parast•sai\). First aorist active infinitive of
\parist•mi\, to place beside. They have made "charges," mere
assertions. They have not backed up these charges with proof,
"nor can they," says Paul. {Now} (\nuni\). As if they had changed
their charges from the cries of the mob in Jerusalem which is
true. Paul has no hired lawyer to plead for him, but he has made
a masterly plea for his freedom.
24:14 {I confess} (\homolog•\). The only charge left was that of
being a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. This Paul
frankly confesses is true. He uses the word in its full sense. He
is "guilty" of that. {After the Way} (\kata t•n hodon\). This
word Paul had already applied to Christianity (22:4). He
prefers it to "sect" (\hairesin\ which means a choosing, then a
division). Paul claims Christianity to be the real (whole,
catholic) Judaism, not a "sect" of it. But he will show that
Christianity is not a deviation from Judaism, but the fulfilment
of it (Page) as he has already shown in Ga 3; Ro 9. {So serve I
the God of our fathers} (\hout•s latreu• t•i patr•i•i the•i\).
Paul has not stretched the truth at all. He has confirmed the
claim made before the Sanhedrin that he is a spiritual Pharisee
in the truest sense (23:6). He reasserts his faith in all the
law and the prophets, holding to the Messianic hope. A curious
"heretic" surely! {Which these themselves also look for} (\h•n
kai autoi houtoi prosdechontai\). Probably with a gesture towards
his accusers. He does not treat them all as Sadducees. See Tit
2:13 for similar use of the verb (\prosdechomenoi t•n makarian
elpida\, looking for the happy hope).
24:15 {That there shall be a resurrection} (\anastasin mellein
esesthai\). Indirect assertion with infinitive and accusative of
general reference (\anastasin\) after the word \elpida\ (hope).
The future infinitive \esesthai\ after \mellein\ is also
according to rule, \mell•\ being followed by either present,
aorist, or future infinitive (Robertson, _Grammar_, pp. 870, 877,
878). {Both of the just and the unjust} (\dikai•n te kai
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