Godbey's Commentary - Acts - Romans - Enter His Rest

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
CHAPTER XXIV.
PAUL’S TRIAL BEFORE FELIX.
The high priest, Ananias, with his grave, elderly cohort, and Tertullus, a tricky lawyer, arrive at
Cæsarea at the expiration of five days, close on Paul’s track, Satan’s thirsty bloodhounds, feeling
sure that they will precipitate the proconsul into a verdict of immediate execution. Unable to bring
against the accused a solitary criminal allegation, they clamorously denounce and villify him as a
“ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.” The Greek word for sect is heresy, which means
“separation,” very appropriately applied, because in following Jesus they necessarily separated
themselves from the fallen Jewish Church. Though it was heresy from the standpoint of apostate
Judaism, it was simple loyalty to God and His truth. How history repeats itself! The holiness
movements in all ages have been calumniated as heretical by the dead churches, out of which they
came, multiplied thousands burnt at the stake as heretics. As Satan is the god of this world, ruling
state and worldly church, the followers of God are forced to assume a heretical attitude toward him
and his people.
7. Here we see the Jews reflect seriously on the administration of Lysias at Jerusalem, doubtless
hoping to bring him into trouble with the governor.
9. Felix, a shrewd lawyer and statesman, seeing the utter futility of all their charges, not so much
as the semblance of criminality in Roman law, now beckons to Paul to speak, who very courteously
addressing the Procurator, recognizing the prolixity of his administration [already seven years], and
his gratitude for the privilege of thus defending himself, certifying the utter falsity of all the
accusations brought against him by his accusers, boldly challenges the proof.
14. “I confess this unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy serve I the God of my
fathers, believing all things which have been written according to the law and in the prophets,
15. “Having hope toward God, which they themselves accept, that there shall be a resurrection
both of the just and the unjust.” Here we see the word heresy again occurring, which means
separation, and its legitimate application to all the followers of Jesus is here recognized by Paul. The
Holy Ghost is the Spirit of the Lord Jesus (Acts 16:6 and Romans 8:9) sent into the world not only
as the Revelator but the Successor of our risen Lord (John 14:16). The holiness movement, like all
preceding revivals, is simply a departure from the fallen, dead, despiritualized and degospelized
ecclesiasticisms in order to follow Jesus. Hence it is heresy from their standpoint, just as primitive
Christianity was heresy from the attitude of fallen Judaism. Here we see a clear repetition of some
modern heresies in reference to the annihilation of the wicked, as we see here that even their bodies
will be raised into immortality, as well as those of the righteous in the general resurrection. God in
the beginning created Adam immortal. Though he was free to sin and fall, his immortality, a
necessary constituent of his humanity, is nonforfeitable, since such forfeiture would dehumanize,
i.e., brutalize, him.