Acts 24:5

We have found. The statement implies careful investigation resulting in evidence that Paul is the depraved fellow they claim him to be.

Pestilent fellow. Gr. loimos, “pest,” “plague,” literally, “a pestilence.” In 1 Mace. 10:61 loimos is used of criminals.

A mover of sedition. Or, “an agitator,” a grave charge that would, his accusers hoped, place Paul in direct conflict with Roman law. Paul was “pestilent” in the eyes of the Jews, but not of the Romans. However, Felix was known to deal harshly with insurrectionists (see on v. 2), and if Tertullus could convince him of this allegation, Paul’s fate would be settled. Compare the charges brought against our Lord before Pilate (see on Luke 23:2).

Among all the Jews. With thousands of Jews from abroad gathered at Jerusalem for the annual feasts, reports of the turmoil that had accompanied Paul’s labors in such places as Philippi (ch. 16:16-24), Thessalonica (ch. 17:5-9), Corinth (ch. 18:12-17), and Ephesus (chs. 19:8-10, 13 to 20:2) had certainly come to the ears of the leaders. These disturbances could be interpreted as resulting from seditious conduct on Paul’s part, and thus appear to lend substance to the charge brought against him. Tertullus may have cited specific incidents, and made the most of them by putting the worst possible interpretation upon them (cf. ch. 24:18).

World. Gr. oikoumene, here meaning the Roman Empire (see on Luke 2:1).

Ringleader. Gr. protostates, “one who stands in the front rank,” “a front-rank man,” and thus “a leader.” In Thucydides’ History v. 71 the protostates at the right wing is responsible for the direction followed in advancing or attacking. Here the word is used metaphorically.

Sect. See on ch. 5:17.

Nazarenes. Applied to Christians here only in the NT, evidently as followers of Jesus of Nazareth. During the 2d and 3d centuries there was a Jewish Christian sect called Nazarenes, but reference here is to Christians simply as such, whether Jew or Gentile (see Vol. V, p. 55). See Matt. 2:23, where the term “Nazarene” is applied to Jesus as a resident of Nazareth. The word has no known connection with the term Nazirite (see on Num. 6:2; Matt. 2:23), nor can it be shown to be related to the Hebrew word nasar, “to observe,” “to watch,” “to keep.”