Acts 24:13

24:10-21 Paul gives a just account of himself, which clears him from crime, and likewise shows the true reason of the violence against him. Let us never be driven from any good way by its having an ill name. It is very comfortable, in worshipping God, to look to him as the God of our fathers, and to set up no other rule of faith or practice but the Scriptures. This shows there will be a resurrection to a final judgment. Prophets and their doctrines were to be tried by their fruits. Paul's aim was to have a conscience void of offence. His care and endeavour was to abstain from many things, and to abound in the exercises of religion at all times; both towards God. and towards man. If blamed for being more earnest in the things of God than our neighbours, what is our reply? Do we shrink from the accusation? How many in the world would rather be accused of any weakness, nay, even of wickedness, than of an earnest, fervent feeling of love to the Lord Jesus Christ, and of devotedness to his service! Can such think that He will confess them when he comes in his glory, and before the angels of God? If there is any sight pleasing to the God of our salvation, and a sight at which the angels rejoice, it is, to behold a devoted follower of the Lord, here upon earth, acknowledging that he is guilty, if it be a crime, of loving the Lord who died for him, with all his heart, and soul, and mind, and strength.

Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. As that he was a pestilent fellow, a mover of sedition, and a profaner of the temple these things they could not set forth in any clear light, and bring testimonies, or give demonstration of; they could not make them appear to be true, which it lay upon them to do, or otherwise in course he ought be acquitted: this was challenging and defying them to make good their assertions.

13 . neither can they prove ( Rev. Ver. , with MS. authority, adds to thee ) the things , &c.] The proof must be such as the law required, not the mere multiplied assertions of the accusers. The verb implies a formal setting-forth of evidence, and is used by Josephus ( De vita sua , 6) of an array of proof which he has set forth to shew that his fellow-countrymen did not enter on a war till they were forced.

Neither can they prove the things ... - That is, that I am a mover of sedition, or a disturber of the peace of the people. This appeal he boldly makes; he challenges investigation; and as they did not offer to specify any acts of disorder or tumult excited by him, this charge falls of course.

Acts 24:13 . οὔτε : οὐδὲ , R.V. (so Blass, Gram. , p. 260, Simcox, Z. N. T. , p. 165); the Apostle after denying the specific charges made against him in Jerusalem, now proceeds further to a general denial of the charge that he had been an agitator amongst the Jews throughout the empire.— παραστῆσαι : argumentis probare , only here in N.T. in this sense, but in classical Greek, Philo, Jos., Epictet.— νῦν , see critical note.

4. The illustration of this proposition, proving its truth: 1. From Christ's stock and family, Acts 13:23. 2. From the testimony of his forerunner, Acts 13:24. 3. From the resurrection of Christ, Acts 13:30; which was corroborated with the testimony of many Galileans, Acts 13:31, and of the prophets, David, Acts 13:33, Acts 13:35, and Isaiah, Acts 13:34. 5. He anticipates objections, relative to the unjust condemnation, death and burial of Christ, Acts 13:27-29.