24:22,23
Felix was well acquainted with the Way. We are not told how this happened, but his wife was a Jew, and the Way had become a well known phenomenon. Paul was kept under guard, though he was given a degree of freedom, and his friends were allowed to provide for him. This is the way things worked in those days.
24:24,25
Felix privately listened to Paul speaking about the gospel and faith in Christ. Paul spoke about “righteousness, self-control and the judgement to come”. Like many rulers, Felix was not morally upright. Note that the things Paul’s approach would be criticised by many, saying we shouldn’t speak about such things at first. We find no support for such a view in the Bible. Moreover, Jesus said the Holy Spirit would convict people about “sin, righteousness and judgement” (John 16:8). We are far better to take our lead from the Holy Spirit than from men! Maybe Felix felt convicted from time to time, so could only take so much of Paul, yet at the same time there was something attractive about what he said.
24:26,27
Felix would later be replaced as governor, he was not a particularly upright man. On hearing that Paul had brought money for the Jerusalem church, perhaps he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe. If that was the case, he was out of luck. However, Felix often listened to Paul. After two years, without having made a decision, Felix was replaced by Procius Festus. In order to placate the Jews, Felix had kept Paul in prison. In some ways, Felix was like Pilate.
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