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Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 24:5

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For we have found this man [a] pestilent [fellow,] and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:

5. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow ] The Greek literally says “a pestilence.” The same word in the plural is translated “pestilent fellows” in 1Ma 10:61 , and it is further explained there by “men of a wicked life.” When they say “we have found” it is implied that they have already spent some pains in detecting the evil ways of the prisoner.

and a mover of sedition ] ( insurrections, with oldest MSS. and Rev. Ver.). The first charge had been one of general depravity. On coming to particulars Tertullus puts that first which would most touch the Roman power, and against which Felix had already shewn himself to be severe. Insurrections were of such common occurrence that one man might at this time be readily the prime mover in many.

among all the Jews throughout the world ] We must bear in mind that Paul had been assailed at a time when Jerusalem was full of strangers come to the feast. It is not improbable that from some of the Jewish visitors particulars had been gathered about the Apostle’s troubles at Philippi, Corinth, Ephesus and elsewhere, which in the minds and on the lips of his accusers would be held for seditious conduct, conduct which had brought him at times under the notice of the tribunals. This Tertullus would put forward in its darkest colours. “The world” at this time meant “the whole Roman Empire.” Cp. Csar’s decree (Luk 2:1) that “all the world” should be taxed.

a ringleader ] The word is used in classical Greek of the front-rank men in an army.

of the sect of the Nazarenes ] The adjective is used as a term of reproach equivalent to “the followers of him of Nazareth,” which origin was to the mind of the Jews enough to stamp Jesus as one of the many false Messiahs. Cp. on the despised character of Nazareth, Joh 1:46.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

We have found this man a pestilent fellow – loimon This word is commonly applied to a plague or pestilence, and then to a man who corrupts the morals of others, or who is turbulent, and an exciter of sedition. Our translation somewhat weakens the force of the original expression. Tertullus did not say that he was a pestilent fellow, but that he was the very pestilence itself. In this he referred to their belief that he had been the cause of extensive disturbances everywhere among the Jews.

And a mover of sedition – An exciter of tumult. This they pretended he did by preaching doctrines contrary to the laws and customs of Moses, and exciting the Jews to tumult and disorder.

Throughout the world – Throughout the Roman empire, and thus leading the Jews to violate the laws, and to produce tumults, riots, and disorder.

And a ringleader – protostaten. This word occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It is properly a military word, and denotes one who stands first in an army, a standard-bearer, a leader, a commander. The meaning is, that Paul had been so active, and so prominent in preaching the gospel, that he had been a leader, or the principal person in extending the sect of the Nazarenes.

Of the sect – The original word here haireseos is the word from which we have derived the term heresy. It is, however, properly translated sect, or party, and should have been so translated in Act 24:14. See the notes on Act 5:17.

Of the Nazarenes – This was the name usually given to Christians by way of contempt. They were so called because Jesus was of Nazareth.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Act 24:5

We have found this man a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.

The Nazarene and the sect of the Nazarenes

(text, and Mat 2:23):–

1. Our Saviour, though born at Bethlehem, was commonly known as Jesus of Nazareth, because Nazareth was the place where He was brought up. This was a place very much despised, and the people were the boors of the country. More than that, you will generally find everywhere some town made the butt of ridicule. The name signifies sprouts, and the Jews, who were great at puns upon names, threw it as a jest at the people who came from that town. And Matthew refers to Isa 11:1, where it is said that a rod shall come out of the stem of Jesse, and a Netzar, a Nazarene, a Branch shall grow out of his roots. Perhaps Nazareth was called branch because trees flourished there, and not much else; or because they thought the people rather verdant, and they therefore called them sprouts and greens, as the vulgar do at this day when they wish to express contempt.

2. As Nazarene was a term of contempt in the olden times, so it has continued to be. The apostate emperor Julian always called our Lord the Galilean; and when he died, he cried, O Galilean, Thou hast vanquished me. This is still the name given to our Lord by the Jews, and Christians are called among Mahometans, Nazarenes.

3. Our Lord was never ashamed of this name: He called Himself Jesus of Nazareth after He had risen from the dead. Notice our Redeemers condescension. It was a marvel that He should live on this earth at all; but if He must, why is He born in Judaea? Why not in Rome? Yet if born in Judaea, why must He live in Galilee? And if He must live in Galilee, why not at Capernaum? Why choose Nazareth, and be a carpenters son, and be rejected by His fellow townsmen? Was there ever such condescension as this? Verily He emptied Himself. Nothing was left Him of honour or respect.

I. Our Master, the Nazarene, was, and is despised.

1. He was despised because–

(1) In His person, parentage, state, habits, etc., there was nothing grand. He was no popularity hunter, flatterer of the great, or man of strife.

(2) His followers and chosen friends were common fishermen–unlearned and ignorant men. He was not a preacher that attracted the elite of society. Those highly cultured minds went to hear Rabbi Simeon, the Pharisee, who expounded points of no earthly importance; but Jesus was one of whom it is written, The common people heard Him gladly. And so the wise ones ran Him down as a Nazarene.

(3) His doctrine was unpalatable. He told a learned Rabbi, Except a man be born again, etc. They could not bear His levelling teaching. He went further, and dared to tell the Scribes and Pharisees that all their outside religion was a lie unless the inner part of the soul was cleansed.

2. Christ is as much despised as ever. How frequently you will find in newspapers, and magazines contempt poured on the doctrine of justification by faith, the Atonement, etc.

II. Christs followers must expect to bear a measure of the indignities poured upon their Leader. If you follow Christ fully you will be sure to be called by some ill name. They will say–

1. How singular you are! Mine inheritance, says God, is unto Me as a speckled bird. The birds round about her are against her.

2. How old-fashioned! You believe those old Puritanical doctrines. Do you not know that the world has made a great progress and has entered upon the nineteenth century? Will you never move with the times? Will you get as far as Moses, and Jesus, and John, and stick there?

3. How credulous! They say, You simple-minded people have great capacity for believing! We are far too sensible to feel sure about anything. As to this Spirit of God that you trust in, it is sheer enthusiasm. Be rational.

4. How enslaved! You dare not go to the theatre; you dare not drink. No; but you need not say that we have no liberty because we do not feed out of the swine trough, for such liberty we never desired. We have liberty to serve God and do good, and this is the freedom which we covet.

5. What company you keep! Keep to society, and society will smile upon you; but if you attend meetings where so long as people love Christ you count them the best of company, then you are low and vulgar, a Philistine, or a Nazarene.

III. There is, after all, nothing despicable in either Christ or His people.

1. What is there to be ashamed of in Him? He is the Son of the Highest. His is the sublimest of all lives, and even His enemies have been struck dumb by the splendour of the love that moved Him to stoop so low.

2. There is nothing to be ashamed of in being a Christian. I am afraid that there are some Christians that we have need to be ashamed of, and that we ourselves do many unworthy things. Christians ought to be reflections of Christ, but I fear they often cast reflections upon Christ. But the fact is that the ungodly usually revile those who are true to Christ. Well, when they do, there is nothing in that to be ashamed of. Shall I be ashamed because I try to do what is right? Shall I be ashamed of chastity and truth? (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Prejudice in authority

On the occasion of some visits to Ireland, when Charles Wesley and other preachers were furiously assaulted by the mob, the depositions of the victims were laid before a grand jury. That body, after considering them, came to the following conclusion: We find and present Charles Wesley to be a person of ill fame, a vagabond, and a common disturber of His Majestys peace; and we pray he may be transported. (J. F. B. Tinling, B. A.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 5. For we have found this man, c.] Here the proposition of the orator commences. He accuses Paul, ant his accusation includes four particulars:-

1. He is a pest, an exceedingly bad and wicked man.

2. He excites disturbances and seditions against the Jews.

3. He is the chief of the sect of the Nazarenes, who are a very bad people, and should not be tolerated.

4. He has endeavoured to pollute and profane the temple, and we took him in the fact.

A pestilent fellow] The word , pestis – the plague or pestilence, is used by both Greek and Roman authors to signify a very bad and profligate man; we have weakened the force of the word by translating the substantive adjectively. Tertullus did not say that Paul was a pestilent fellow, but he said that he was the very pestilence itself. As in that of Martial, xi. 92:-

Non vitiosus homo es, Zoile, sed vitium.

“Thou art not a vicious man, O Zoilus, but thou

art vice itself.” The words , and pestis, are thus frequently used.-See Wetstein, Bp. Pearce, and Kypke.

A mover of sedition] Instead of , sedition, ABE, several others, with the Coptic, Vulgate, Chrysostom, Theophylact, and OEcumenius, read , commotions, which is probably the true reading.

Among all the Jews] Bp. Pearce contends that the words should be understood thus-one that stirreth up tumults AGAINST all the Jews; for, if they be understood otherwise, Tertullus may be considered as accusing his countrymen, as if they, at Paul’s instigation, were forward to make insurrections every where. On the contrary, he wishes to represent them as a persecuted and distressed people, by means of Paul and his Nazarenes.

A ringleader] . This is a military phrase, and signifies the officer who stands on the right of the first rank; the captain of the front rank of the sect of the Nazarenes; , of the heresy of the Nazarenes. This word is used six times by St. Luke; viz. in this verse, and in Ac 24:14, and in Ac 5:17; Ac 15:5; Ac 26:5; Ac 28:22; but in none of them does it appear necessarily to include that bad sense which we generally assign to the word heresy.-See Clarke on Ac 5:17, where the subject is largely considered; and see farther on Ac 24:14.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

A pestilent fellow; a pest, or plague, the abstract being put for the concrete, as implying, that no word he could use could properly signify the mischievousness of that man, whom he falsely charges with

sedition (not that the Jews would have disliked him for that, had it been true, but) to make St. Paul the more odious, and in danger of his life.

The sect, or heresy, which in common use was then taken more favourably, for any doctrine.

Of the Nazarenes; of the Christians; for they who out of Judea were called Christians, in Judea were called Nazarenes. The Jews did call our Saviour and his followers thus, it being accounted an ignominious term; and they who were born at Nazareth disgraced by it, as appears by Nathanaels question, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Joh 1:46. Yet this name is most glorious, as imposed upon our Saviour by God himself, Mat 2:23.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

5-8. a pestilent fellowa plague, or pest.

and a mover of sedition amongall the Jewsby exciting disturbances among them.

throughout the world(Seeon Lu 2:1). This was the firstcharge; and true only in the sense explained on Ac16:20.

a ringleader of the sect ofthe Nazarenesthe second charge; and true enough.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

For we have found this man a pestilent fellow,…. Pointing to Paul, the prisoner at the bar; the word here used signifies the “pest” or “plague” itself; and it was usual with orators among the Romans, when they would represent a man as a very wicked man, as dangerous to the state, and unworthy to live in it, to call him the pest of the city, or of the country, or of the empire, as may be observed in several places in Cicero’s Orations.

And a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world: sedition was severely punished by the Romans, being what they carefully watched and guarded against, and was what the Jews were supposed to be very prone unto; and Tertullus would suggest, that the several riots, and tumults, and seditions, fomented by the Jews, in the several parts of the Roman empire, here called the world, were occasioned by the apostle: the crime charged upon him is greatly aggravated, as that not only he was guilty of sedition, but that he was the mover of it, and that he stirred up all the Jews to it, and that in every part of the world, or empire, than which nothing was more false; the Jews often raised up a mob against him, but he never rioted them, and much less moved them against the Roman government: and to this charge he adds,

and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes; not Nazarites, as Calvin seems to understand the passage; for these were men of great repute among the Jews, and for Paul to be at the head of them would never be brought against him as a charge: but Nazarenes, that is, Christians, so called by way of contempt and reproach, from Jesus of Nazareth; which name and sect being contemptible among the Romans, as well as Jews, are here mentioned to make the apostle more odious.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

For we have found ( ). Second aorist active participle of , but without a principal verb in the sentence. Probably we have here only a “summary of the charges against Paul” (Page).

A pestilent fellow (). An old word for pest, plague, pestilence, Paul the pest. In N.T. only here and Lu 21:11 ( , pestilences and famines) which see. Latin pestis. Think of the greatest preacher of the ages being branded a pest by a contemporary hired lawyer.

A mover of insurrections ( ). This was an offence against Roman law if it could be proven. “Plotted against at Damascus, plotted against at Jerusalem, expelled from Pisidian Antioch, stoned at Lystra, scourged and imprisoned at Philippi, accused of treason at Thessalonica, haled before the proconsul at Corinth, cause of a serious riot at Ephesus, and now finally of a riot at Jerusalem” (Furneaux). Specious proof could have been produced, but was not. Tertullus went on to other charges with which a Roman court had no concern (instance Gallio in Corinth).

Throughout the world ( ). The Roman inhabited earth () as in 17:6.

A ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes ( ). is an old word in common use from and , a front-rank man, a chief, a champion. Here only in the N.T. This charge is certainly true. About “sect” () see on 5:17. here only in the plural in the N.T., elsewhere of Jesus (Matt 2:23; Matt 26:71; Luke 18:37; John 18:5; John 18:7; John 19:19; Acts 2:22; Acts 3:6; Acts 4:10; Acts 6:14; Acts 22:8; Acts 26:9). The disciple is not above his Master. There was a sneer in the term as applied to Jesus and here to his followers.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

Pestilent fellow [] . Lit., a plague or pest.

Ringleader [] . Originally, one who stands first on the right of a line; a file – leader. Thus Thucydides says that all armies when engaging are apt to thrust outward their right wing; and adds, “The first man in the front rank [ ] of the right wing is originally responsible for the deflection” (v., 71). Here, of course, metaphorically, as A. V. and Rev. Only here in New Testament.

Sect [] . See on heresies, 2Pe 2:1.

Nazarenes. The only passage in scripture where this term is used to denote the Christians. See on Mt 2:23.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1) “For we have found this man a pestilent fellow,” (heurontes gar ton andra touton loimon) “For we have found this man (to be) a pest,” a rowdy meanderer, a loiterer. Proof or specific example would have been more proper than bare exaggerated assertion in this court of Roman equity. The term pestilent means a “plague-breeder,” yet he was really a preacher of the gospel of life eternal, eternal health, not a “disease spreader,” 1Co 15:1-4.

2) “And a mover of sedition,” (kai kinounta staseis) “And an (incitor who stirs) seditions,” leads unpatriotic insurrections, exciting disturbances against the law and nation of Israel. Then why not give some specific example please grand orator, pleading prosecuting attorney, Tertullus!

3) “Among all the Jews,” (pasin tous loudaiois) “Among Jews” everywhere – He was the “hot air,” whole hog” type of accuser, without sustaining evidence.

4) “Throughout the world,” (tois kata ten oikoumenen) “Throughout all the inhabited earth,” a pretty big area of influence for one man, is it not? Tertullus, would you name the witnesses to back up these first two claims? Don’t drag in all the population, of all the Jews, in all the world. Simply present two or three witnesses to sustain each of the charges or cut off the hot air please, Num 35:30; Deu 17:6; Joh 8:17; 2Co 13:1.

5) “And a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:” (protostaten te tes ton Nazoraion haireseos) “And a lead man of the Nazarene sect,” from which it is generally known that no good thing comes, a term of derision among the Jews, who often asked, “can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Joh 1:46.

Tertullus was, as a prosecuting attorney the lead-lying witness against Paul, a professional, hired false witness who began his address with foamy flattery, and lathered himself into a lying attack against Paul, alleging matters he knew were untrue and that he could not prove, Act 6:13; Act 16:20; Act 21:28; 1Pe 2:12-15.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

−

5. For we found this man. Tertullus doth aim at a double mark. The first is this, that Paul may be delivered to the Jews, because they be very skillful in matters which concern the worship of God and the law of Moses. But and if he deny this, he layeth to his charge a crime worthy of death, because he procured contention − (566) among the people. They knew that the Romans did hate nothing more, therefore they urge that the sorest against Paul. This doth Tertullus amplify when he saith, that Paul had moved the Jews throughout the whole world. But I wonder why he addeth that he is the author or chief of the sect of the Nazarites, which we know was rather a praise than a dispraise among the Jews. I think that they mean not those who, according to the old and lawful custom of the law, did consecrate themselves to God, but those troublesome murderers who did also vaunt and boast that they were zealous men. − (567) Some − (568) think that Nazarites are here put for Christians, which may very well be. But if we like the former exposition better, he doth craftily lay to Paul’s charge that he was one of that sect which the Romans did hate. For whereas these zealous men would above all other have been counted for notable observers of the law, they advanced a color of zeal as a banner to stir up the minds of the common people. Nevertheless, these good men, who are so zealous over their liberty, do not spare the chiefest maintainers thereof, so they may cause Paul to be hated by means of them. They would have commended the Nazarites as courageous defenders of the law, if it had not been in this matter, but now, as if they did infect the whole world, they seek to bring upon Paul great reproach by saying that he is one of them. Moreover, they slander Paul impudently, for no man did think that he was guilty of that crime. Therefore they lay to his charge, no less wickedly than maliciously, a crime which they take up at their foot, − (569) and invent without all color. But such is the careless security of hypocrites, that they think they may do whatsoever they will, so they color their doings with zeal. −

(566) −

“

Seditionem… concitaverit,” stirred up sedition.

(567) −

“−

Tumultusos illos sicarios qui se etiam plausibili nomine vociferabant zelotas ,” those tumultuary assassins who, assuming a specious name, boasted of being zelotae, (zealous)

(568) −

“−

Quae factio circiter illud tempus emerserit; imo ex Josephi historia colligitur jamtunc fuisse grassatos ,” about this time that faction had broken out, nay, it appears from Josephus that it had even then made considerable progress, omitted.

(569) −

“

Crimen velut ex trivio aereptum,” some charge, picked up, as it were, in the streets.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(5) We have found this man a pestilent fellow.The Greek gives the more emphatic substantive, a pestilence, a plague. The advocate passes from flattering the judge to invective against the defendant, and lays stress on the fact that he is charged with the very crimes which Felix prided himself on repressing. St. Paul, we may well believe, did not look like a sicarius, or brigand, but Tertullus could not have used stronger language had he been caught red-handed in the fact.

A mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world.The world is, of course, here, as elsewhere, the Roman empire. (See Note on Luk. 2:1.) The language may simply be that of vague invective, but we may perhaps read between the lines some statements gathered, in preparing the case, from the Jews of Thessalonica (Act. 17:6) and Ephesus (Act. 21:28) who had come to keep the Feast of Pentecost at Jerusalem.

A ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.This is the first appearance of the term of reproach as transferred from the Master to the disciples. (Comp. Note on Joh. 1:46.) It has continued to be used by both Jews and Mahometans; and it has been stated (Smiths Dict. of Bible, Art. Nazarene), that during the Indian Mutiny of 1855 the Mahometan rebels relied on a supposed ancient prophecy that the Nazarenes would be expelled from the country after ruling for a hundred years.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

“For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, who moreover attempted to profane the temple. On whom also we laid hold.”

He then paints the blackest possible picture of Paul. He is the worst kind of man, a deliberate troublemaker, a scourge of the Empire, an international insurgent, whose aim is to destabilise the world, and he is the ringleader of the strange sect called the Nazarenes, whom everyone knows are themselves simply troublemakers. And what is more in the course of all this he has also sought to profane the Jewish Temple. He is thus worthy of death three times over! Nevertheless, let the procurator note, fierce fellow that he was, they had managed to lay hold of him.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

The charges against Paul:

v. 5. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes;

v. 6. who also hath gone about to profane the Temple; whom we took and would have judged according to our Law.

v. 7. But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,

v. 8. commanding his accusers to come unto thee; by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things whereof we accuse him.

v. 9. And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so.

After the rhetorical promise of the introduction, the statement of the charges against Paul is all the weaker by contrast. Tertullus declares that the Jews found this man a regular pest, an exceedingly bad and wicked person; an inciter of seditions to all the Jews in the whole world, throughout the length and breadth of the Roman Empire, a destroyer of all peace and order by creating bickerings; a ringleader of the sect of Nazarenes, the contemptuous epithet applied to the followers of Jesus. This man, against whom these charges were preferred, had, as the crowning indignity of his career and as an expression of the low character ascribed to him, made an attempt to profane the Temple. The Jews had thereupon apprehended, arrested him, with the intention, as Tertullus asserts, of giving him a fair trial according to their Law. That was again straining the truth with a vengeance, for the affair in the Temple had been the action of the mob violence of the people, and could be interpreted in no other way. But Lysias, the chiliarch, as the attorney states with a great show of outraged justice, had come upon them and had led the prisoner away, out of their hands, with great force, with armed violence, thus interfering, as Tertullus implied, with the Law according to which the Jews were permitted by the Romans to put any person to death that profaned the Temple. And then Lysias had commanded the accusers of Paul to go to the governor, and the latter could now, so the attorney concludes his speech, by examining the prisoner, gain an understanding, come to a conclusion, in regard to the accusations which they brought against him. His decision, as the tone of Tertullus implies, could not possibly be made otherwise than in favor of the Jews. It was a fine fabric of lies which the skillful lawyer had constructed by distorting the facts, adding motives that had not existed at the time when certain deeds were performed, and making statements concerning the character of the prisoner which were nothing but calumnies. But the Jews joined in the charge, confirming their lawyer’s words, and falsely alleging that all those things were true, that such were the facts in the case. By such means do unbelievers and enemies of Christ attempt to hinder and destroy the truth.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Act 24:5-8 . is to be deleted. See the critical remarks.

. . .] The structure of the sentence is anacoluthic , as Grotius already saw. Luke has departed from the construction; instead of continuing, Act 24:6 , with , he, led astray by the preceding relative construction, brings the principal verb also into connection with the relative. Comp. Winer, pp. 330, 528 [E. T. 442, 710]; Buttmann, p. 252 [E. T. 293]. Comp. on Rom 16:27 . The is namely ; see on Mat 1:18 .

Examples of and pestis , as designating men bringing destruction , may be seen in Grotius and Wetstein. Grimm on 1Ma 10:61 .

.] is here, in the mouth of a Roman , before a Roman tribunal, to be understood of the Roman orbis terrarum. See on Luk 2:1 .

] front-rank man, file-leader. Thuc. v. 71. 2, and Krger in loc .

] a contemptuous appellation of Christians as the followers of Jesus of Nazareth, whose presumed descent from Nazareth stamped Him as a false Messiah (Joh 7:42 ).

. . . .] who even the temple , etc. Comp. , Act 21:28 .

Act 24:8 . ] refers, as the preceding mention of Lysias is spurious, to Paul , to whom, however, it could not have been referred, were the preceding portion genuine, in opposition to Cornelius a Lapide, Grotius, Limborch, Rosenmller, who have, moreover, arbitrarily understood of a quaestio per tormenta ; it denotes judicial examination generally.

] = a by attraction.

That we have not before us the speech of Tertullus in a quite exact reproduction is obvious of itself, as the source of the narrative could only be the communication of Paul. The beginning, so much in contrast with the rest, is doubtless most faithfully reproduced, impressing itself, as it naturally did, alike as the commencement of the imposing trial and by reason of the singularly pompous flattery, with the most literal precision on the recollection of the apostle and, through his communication, on the memory of Luke.

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

5 For we have found this man a pestilent fellow , and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:

Ver. 5. A pestilent fellow ] Gr. , a botch, sicut Scelus pro scelerato: Tubulus quidam, paulo supra Ciceronem, Praetor fuit, homo tam Proiecte improbus, ut eius nomen non hominis sed vitii esse videretur. (Lips., Antiq. Lect.) Now if so precious a man as Paul (than whom, saith Chrysostom, the earth never bare a better since it bore Christ) were counted and called a pest, let not us think much to be so esteemed.

And a mover of sedition ] So Elias was held, and called the “troubler of Israel,” Luther Tuba rebelllonis, the trumpet of turmoil. So it was said to one Singleton, sometime chaplain to the Lady Ann Boleyn, that he was the murderer of Packington, and afterwards that he was a stirrer up of sedition and commotion, who also suffered as a traitor for the same; where in very deed the true cause was nothing else but for preaching the gospel, saith Master Fox. And he might as safely say as Mr Latimer did in his third sermon before King Edward VI, “As for sedition, for aught that I know, methinks I should not need Christ, if I might so say.” (Acts and Mon.)

Of the sect of the Nazarenes ] Who stirred up the people to stand up for their liberty against the Romans, saith an interpreter.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

5. ] See reff. and Demosth. p. 794. 5, , The construction here is an anacoluthon, there being nothing to follow up the part. . The part. cannot be taken for the finite verb. See Winer, edn. 6, 45. 6. b.

] would here mean the Roman ‘orbis terrarum.’

.] This is the only place in the N. T. where the Christians are so called. The Jews could not call them by any name answering to Christians , as the hope of a Messiah was professed by themselves.

[ 6 .] Considerable difficulty rests on the omission of the words to . Their absence from the principal MSS., their many variations in those which contain them, are strongly against their genuineness; as also is the consideration that no probable reason for their omission can be suggested. On the other hand, as De Wette observes, it is hardly imaginable that so little should have been assigned to the speaker as would be if these words were omitted. Besides this, the historic aorist seems to require some sequel, some reason, after this seizure, why he was there present and freed from Jewish durance. The phnomena are common enough in the Acts, of unaccountable insertions, and almost always in D (here deficient). See a list of such in Prolegg. to Acts, Act 24:3 . But in this place it is the omission which is unaccountable, for no similarity of ending, no doctrinal consideration can have led to it. The two reasons cited from Matthi by Bloomfield, ed. 9, 1) “that the critics believed the Jews hardly likely to have accused Lysias himself,” 2) “because the words , at Act 24:8 , must be referred to Paul: though by its ( sic ) position, it seems to refer to Lysias,” are futile and childish enough (on the latter of them, see below); and I only refer to them, to shew by what sort of considerations English readers are still supposed to be influenced.

I still retain the words, in dark brackets, being as much at a loss as ever to decide respecting them, and being moved principally by the aorist , inexplicable without any sequel. It may of course be said that this very circumstance may have given rise to their insertion. But of the two it seems to me less likely that Tertullus should have ended with , than that an abridgment of his speech should have been attempted. It may be a question how far we can detect traces of deliberate abridgment, in our early MSS., of the text of the Acts.]

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Act 24:5 . .: on the anacolouthon, Blass, Gram. des N.G. , p. 277, Winer-Moulton, xlv., 6 b . Blass remarks that Luke gives no address so carelessly as that of Tertullus, but may not the anacolouthon here be the exact expression of the orator’s invective? see critical note. : 1Sa 2:12 ; 1Sa 10:27 ; 1Sa 25:17 ; 1Sa 25:25 , Psa 1:1 (plural), 1Ma 15:21 ; 1Ma 10:61 ; 1Ma 15:3 R, ( cf. Pro 24:9 ; Pro 29:8 A). So in classical Greek Dem., and in Latin pestis , Ter., Cic., Sallust. In 1Ma 10:6 A, is a further description of “the pestilent fellows” (so 1Sa 2:12 , = , 2Sa 16:7 ). , cf. Jos., B.J. , ii., 9, 4. . .: not against the Romans but amongst the Jews themselves such a charge would be specially obnoxious to Felix, who prided himself on keeping order. .: the Roman empire, see on p. 270, cf. Act 17:6 , and Act 21:28 ; see addition in [378] text. : the closely connecting the thought that the prisoner does all this as the leader, etc., literally one who stands in the front rank, so often in classical Greek, in LXX, Job 15:24 , AB. .: “the disciple is not above his Master,” and the term is applied as a term of contempt to the followers of Jesus, as it had been to Jesus Himself, Who was stamped in the eyes of the Jews as a false Messiah by His reputed origin from Nazareth, Joh 1:46 ; Joh 7:41-42 ; see for the modern employment of the name amongst Jews and Mohammedans Plumptre, in loco , and further, Harnack, History of Dogma , i., 301, E.T. Blass compares the contemptuous term used by the Greeks, , Act 11:26 . , see above on Act 5:17 , all references to the question of law, Act 23:6 ; Act 23:29 , were purposely kept in the background, and stress laid upon all which threatened to destroy the boasted “peace” (Weiss).

[378] R(omana), in Blass, a first rough copy of St. Luke.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

pestilent. Greek. loimos, a plague. Occurs elsewhere. Mat 24:7. Luk 21:11.

a mover of = stirring up.

sedition. Greek. stasis. See note on Act 15:2. The texts read “seditions”.

among. Dative case.

throughout. Greek. kata. App-104.

world. Greek. oikoumene. App-129.

ringleader. Greek. Greek. protostates. Only here.

sect. Greek. hairesis. See note on Act 5:17.

Nazarenes. Compare Act 6:14. Only here is the term applied to believers. The Jews would not call them Christians (Act 11:26), as that was derived from the word for Messiah; so Tertullus was instructed to call them Nazarenes. Compare Act 22:8.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

] would here mean the Roman orbis terrarum.

.] This is the only place in the N. T. where the Christians are so called. The Jews could not call them by any name answering to Christians, as the hope of a Messiah was professed by themselves.

[6.] Considerable difficulty rests on the omission of the words to . Their absence from the principal MSS., their many variations in those which contain them, are strongly against their genuineness; as also is the consideration that no probable reason for their omission can be suggested. On the other hand, as De Wette observes, it is hardly imaginable that so little should have been assigned to the speaker as would be if these words were omitted. Besides this, the historic aorist seems to require some sequel, some reason, after this seizure, why he was there present and freed from Jewish durance. The phnomena are common enough in the Acts, of unaccountable insertions, and almost always in D (here deficient). See a list of such in Prolegg. to Acts, Act 24:3. But in this place it is the omission which is unaccountable, for no similarity of ending, no doctrinal consideration can have led to it. The two reasons cited from Matthi by Bloomfield, ed. 9,-1) that the critics believed the Jews hardly likely to have accused Lysias himself,-2) because the words , at Act 24:8, must be referred to Paul: though by its (sic) position, it seems to refer to Lysias, are futile and childish enough (on the latter of them, see below); and I only refer to them, to shew by what sort of considerations English readers are still supposed to be influenced.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Act 24:5. ) for .- ) So 1Ma 15:3, .-) So the best MSS.[136] Others read . Sedition was an invidious term among the Romans and Jews.-) a ringleader.-, of the Nazarenes) A name (nickname) of Christians, taken from the surname applied to our Lord, which Paul does not refuse: Act 24:14.

[136] Therefore in this passage both the margin of Ed. 2 withdraws from the larger Ed., and the Germ. Vers. agrees with the more recent decision.-E. B.

is the reading of ABEe Vulg. Memph. None of the oldest authorities, except both Syr. Versions and Theb., support the of Rec. Text and Tisck.-E. and T.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

world

“oikoumene” = inhabited earth. (See Scofield “Luk 2:1”).

Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes

we have: Act 6:13, Act 16:20, Act 16:21, Act 17:6, Act 17:7, Act 21:28, Act 22:22, Act 28:22, 1Ki 18:17, 1Ki 18:18, Jer 38:4, Amo 7:10, Mat 5:11, Mat 5:12, Mat 10:25, 1Co 4:13

and a mover: 1Sa 22:7-9, Ezr 4:12-19, Neh 6:5-8, Est 3:8, Luk 23:2, Luk 23:5, Luk 23:19, Luk 23:25, 1Pe 2:12-15, 1Pe 2:19

the sect: Act 24:14,*Gr: Act 5:17, Act 15:5, Act 26:5, Act 28:22, 1Co 11:19,*Gr.

Nazarenes: Mat 2:23

Reciprocal: Exo 5:4 – wherefore 1Ki 21:13 – the king Ezr 4:6 – wrote Neh 2:19 – will ye rebel Job 32:3 – and yet Psa 35:11 – False witnesses Psa 52:2 – Thy Psa 119:69 – proud Pro 18:17 – General Jer 37:13 – Thou Eze 22:9 – men that carry tales Luk 2:34 – for a Luk 6:22 – separate Luk 23:10 – and vehemently Act 2:22 – Jesus Act 18:13 – General Act 23:29 – questions Act 24:12 – General Act 25:7 – and laid Act 26:9 – the name 2Co 6:8 – evil

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Act 24:5. An orator is supposed to make his speech before a court after the accusers and witnesses have said their part. But Tertullus acted both as accuser and witness, before the legal accusers were even present, like the unprincipled lawyer that he was. The most of this verse is false, but, the part pertaining to Paul’s leadership among the Nazarenes is true. And that was the chief grievance the Jews had against Paul, because they had previously had that feeling against Jesus, the founder of the sect of the Nazarenes. The last word was applied to Christians by the Jews, in reference to Jesus who had lived at Nazareth.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Act 24:5. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow. The Greek word rendered a pestilent fellow, literally signifies a plague or pestilence. But it is used by Demosthenes, as here, to designate a designing, dangerous person.

A mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world. The world here means the Roman orbis terrarum, in other words, the Roman Empire, which, in the days of Paul, embraced so vast an area in the East as well as the West. This charge of teaching sedition was no new one. The Jews of Thessalonica, when they arrested Jason and other friends of Paul, accused the apostle and his companions of being those who had turned the world upside down …. doing things contrary to the decrees of Csar, saying that there is another king, Jesus (see chap. Act 17:6-7). It was the same accusation which had in old days worked upon Pilate when the Master stood before him. The jealous Roman governors were always ready to give ear to any information respecting alleged treason against the Majesty of the state.

And a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. This was really in the eyes of the Jews the offence which Paul had committed. It was here urged by the Sanhedrim advocate Tertullus, before a Roman tribunal, as an offence against the laws of the Empire, inasmuch as the prisoner was an acknowledged chief of a worship not licensed and approved by the slate, and an introducer of strange gods.

This is the only passage in the New Testament where the word Nazarenes is used to denote the Christians. We know it was the ordinary Jewish appellation by which the disciples of Jesus were then known. They (the Jews) could not of course use the ordinary term Christians, by which name the disciples of Jesus were known among Pagans. Christ was to every Jew a sacred name, and to these blinded ones still remained a title unappropriated. They were eager to call the Crucified Lord the Nazarene, the citizen of a nameless city; and they chose the dishonoured title as the heritage of those who called Him Master and Lord, styling them Nazarenes. The name is still used as the designation of the Christians by Jews and Mohammedans.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Tertullus having prepared the judge, presently falls upon the matter, and charges St. Paul with being a pestilent fellow, a seditious person, a disturber of the nation, a profaner of the temple, a ring-leader of the sect of the Nazarenes.

And adds, that out of mere zeal to the Jewish religion, they had themselves before now dispatched him out of the way, but that he was violently rescued out of their hands by Lysias, the chief captain, and brought thither to be tried.

Concluding, that these things which he had spoken were the sense of all those that came down with him as witnesses, The Jews also assented, and said that these things were so. Act 24:9

Here note, 1. What an heavy load of reproaches and false accusations our innocent apostle laboured under; he is accounted, and called, a walking pestilence. Thus the holy and faithful servants of God are esteemed by the world, the plague and bane of the place and nation where they live: although it is really for their sakes that God staves off plagues and judgments from falling upon the world; We have found this man a pestilant fellow.

It is not the greatest holiness towards God, nor righteousness towards men, that can sufficiently shield and defend a saint from censure and slander, from calumny and false accusation.

Note, 2. Besides the general charge that the apostle was the very pest and plague of mankind; we have a threefold accusation brought against him, That he was a mover of sedition, a profaner of the temple, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.

Lord, how should thy faithful ministers and ambassadors prepare themselves for, and comfort themselves under, the most hellish reproaches, when we find the great apostle, (whom St. Chrysostom honours with this character, “That the earth never bare a better man since it bare our Redeemer,”) yet thus miscalled and accounted a pest, a plague, the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all things!

O why should such worthless worms as we murmur, when we meet with much less reproaches! Lord! help us in imitation of thy example, for the joy that is set before us, to despise the shame, as well as to endure the cross. The best men that ever the world had, have fallen under the lashes of envenomed tongues. What foul aspersions hath malice cast upon innocency itself! Our blessed Saviour, in the clearest act of innocency, his casting out of devils, suffered the most horrid imputation, even of casting out devils through Beelzebub, the prince of devils, Mat 9:34.

Now the servant must not expect to be above his master: if Christ thus suffered, needs must Christianity, needs must Christians, needs must ministers and ambassadors.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

See notes on verse 2

Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)

24:5 For we have found this man [a] {c} pestilent [fellow], and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a {d} ringleader of the sect of the {e} Nazarenes:

(d) As one would say, a ringleader, or a flag bearer.

(e) So they scoffingly called the Christians, taking the name from the towns where they thought that Christ was born, whereupon it happened that Julian the apostate called Christ a Galilean.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

Tertullus leveled three specific charges against Paul: a personal charge, a political charge, and a religious charge. First, he was a pest and a troublemaker in the Roman Empire having stirred up Jews wherever he went. This was a serious charge because Rome sought to preserve peace in the world, and Jewish uprisings were a perennial problem to Roman officials.

Second, Tertullus pictured Paul as the leader of a cult outside mainstream Judaism. The Roman Empire tolerated Judaism, but the "sect of the Nazarenes" was not a part of Judaism to the Jewish leaders. This title is a unique name for Christianity found nowhere else in the New Testament. Tertullus evidently used this name to make "the Way" sound as bad as possible.

"That [second charge] coupled Paul with Messianic movements; and the Romans knew what havoc false Messiahs could cause and how they could whip the people into hysterical risings which were only settled at the cost of blood." [Note: Barclay, p. 185.]

The first two charges gave the impression that Paul was guilty of sedition against Rome. The Jews had similarly charged Jesus with political sedition before Pilate (cf. Luk 23:2; Luk 23:5).

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

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