Verse 22: Felix likely has “more perfect knowledge of that way” than the Jewish leaders presumed. There had been believers in Cæsarea at least from the time of Peter preaching to the household of Cornelius, a centurion held in respect of the people. Felix deferred or delayed a decision concerning Paul, with the excuse, “When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter.” Over a two-year period (v. 27) there is no evidence that he conferred with Lysias, or, if he did, that it made any difference. These two years follow a pattern (cf. verses 24-27).
Verse 23: The results of the hearing.
- Paul is kept in custody of the
Romans. Felix “commanded a centurion to keep Paul.”
- Paul is afforded a great amount
of freedom within the custody. Felix commanded the centurion “to let him have
liberty” and also to allow Paul’s friends and companions “to minister or
come unto him.”
Paul was not secured in a common jail, but placed in the custody of a centurion. Paul’s custody could be described as both having liberty (v. 23) and bound (v. 27). He was not free to leave, but he had some freedom of movement and concourse.
Verse 24: At a point “after certain days,” Felix sat with his wife and called Paul to speak about “the faith in Christ.” Felix’s wife Drusilla was a Jewess, that is, a woman of the Jewish faith and nationality (cf. Acts 16:1). She was the daughter of Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:20-23),[i] a sister of Herold Agrippa II (Agrippa of Acts 25:13-26:32), and a sister of Bernice (Acts 25:13, 23; 26:30). Drusilla had a prior arranged marriage to Azizus, but (according to Josephus: Antiquities, Book XX. 7.2) had been persuaded by Felix to leave her first husband to become his (third) wife.
[i] Marcus
Julius Agrippa, Herod Agrippa I, was a son of Herod Antipas (Matthew 14) and grandson
of Herod the Great (Matthew 2).
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