The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-10-09
EXPLANATION OF THE CON
TEXT.

THE HIGH PRIEST ANANIAS CAME DOWN.
He WAS appointed high priest by Herod
Agrippa ii, when he was king of Chal-
els, who, Josephus tells Ne. had petit
toned Claudius, the emperor, for au-
thority over the temple, the money OF
the sacred treasury, and the choice of
the high priests; and obtained what ne
had petitioned for. Ant. Xxx; l, 3; and
v:2
WITH CERTAIN ELDERS, They were
representatives of the Pharisaic party,
who were naturally most interested in
suppressing the heresy Paul had been
preaching.
AND WITH AN ORATOR, ONE TERTULLUs.
This is the only reference in the new
Testament to the profession of rhetori-
clan, which was great and powerful in
the social and political life of the times.
He acted as an attorney of to-day would
act; only the province of an orator in
those days was much wider than the
field of law.
AND THEY INFORMED THE GOVERNOR
AGAINST PAUL. They made powerful
combination: the high priest. who was
favorite of Herod Agrippa, and so had
influence at the Roman court, and the
leaders Of the popular party among the
Jews. They combined all the influence
Roman governor had cause to respect
except his sense of justice.
TERTULLUs BEGAN TO ACCUSE HIM. He
began by tiattering the governor; al
though both he and the governor under
stood perfectly we'll that there was a
state of war between the governor and
the Jews. 1t was we'll to dissemble this
and to pay and receive the usual empty
courtesy to Roman power.
SEEING THAT BY THEE WE ENJOY MUCH
PEACE. A peace hateful to the Jews.
for they detested the tyranny they suf
fered under; but the statement was just
to Felix; for he had cleared the country
of robbers. and had put down jewish
instruction under the Egyptian fanatic
to whom Lysias refers in Acts. xxi; SO.
AND THAT BY THY PROVIDENCE EVILS
ARE CORRECTED FOR THIS NATION. He had
inflicted injuries upon the Jews to such
an extent that they had already at this
time prepared an accusation against
him before the authorities at Rome.
He was aware of the fact; but their dis
sembling might perhaps create a hope
In his mind that they would not press
it if he treated their petition with
favor.
A MOVER OF INSTRUCTIONS or upris-
nigel AMONG THE JEWS. The elders by
means of this orator assumed to be the
friends of the Roman authorities, and
opposed to the frequent outbreaks
among their own people. They them
selves would not have ieopardized their
standing by making such claim. The
charge was we'll calculated to rouse the
savage instincts of Felix, who hated all
civil and religious agitators.
AND RINGLEADER OF THE SECT OF
NAzARINEs. A charge supposed by the
elders to put any one accused of it out.
side the protection of the Roman law
and subject him TO criminal prosecu-
ton.
Who MOREOVER AssAYED TO PRoFANE
THE TEMPLE. The Romans had a double
reason for protecting the temple from
proclamation. They protected all their
people in the practice of their religions;
and then they bad learned by expe-
rience that the slightest offence to the
temple was the occasion of the maddest
outbreak among the Jews.
AND THE jews ALSO JOINED IN THE
CHARGE, AFFIRMING THAT THESE THINGS
WERE so. They committed themselves
before the governor to statements that
they would not have dared to utter in
Jerusalem.
THE LESSON AND IT'S APPLI-