Flattery From A Forked Tongue

Charges Against Paul’s Oppressors

Acts 23:23–35 Then he called two of the centurions and said, “Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea at the third hour of the night. Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to Felix the governor.” And he wrote a letter to this effect:

“Claudius Lysias (lie SEE us), to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings. This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen. And desiring to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council. I found that he was being accused about questions of their law, but charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment. And when it was disclosed to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, ordering his accusers also to state before you what they have against him.”

So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris /an TIP uh tris/. And on the next day they returned to the barracks, letting the horsemen go on with him. When they had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him. On reading the letter, he asked what province he was from. And when he learned that he was from Cilicia, he said, “I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive.” And he commanded him to be guarded in Herod’s praetorium.

The Roman Tribune Claudius /lie SEE us/ sent Paul to the Roman Governor Felix accompanied by 470 troops (assuming the soldiers, horsemen, and spearmen were three distinct groups with no overlap). These were for the protection of Paul’s life against those Jews who had taken an oath never to eat until Paul was dead.

You can see the route they likely took on the map above.

Troops are not the only thing that accompanied Paul. There was also the letter from Lysias, a letter which not only testifies to Paul’s innocence but also outlines three accusations against Paul’s opponents.

Paul was seized by the Jews. (A Roman citizen was abducted and held against his will.)

Paul was about to be killed by them in a mob. (These Jews attempted to kill a Roman citizen without a trial, but the Tribune rescued him.)

The Jews plotted to kill Paul while he was in Roman custody. (This was not only attempted murder but also an attempt to subvert the Roman judicial system.)

The troops delivered Paul to Caesarea Maritima, along with the letter. Felix read the letter and determined that he would hear the case against Paul before reaching a verdict.

Compliments for the Most Excellent Felix

Acts 24:1–3 And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul. And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying: “Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude.

This hearing was of vital importance to the Jewish leaders of Jerusalem. Their high priest left his duties in Jerusalem to attend the hearing. The Jews hired a spokesman, no doubt skilled in language and law. This Tertullus did not begin by explaining the case against Paul. He was too slick for that. Verse 2 says, “Tertullus began to accuse him.” This may bring to your mind Revelation 12:10 where Satan is called “the accuser of our brothers” and John 8:44 where Jesus told a gathering of Jews, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Though the tongue of Tertullus was not physically forked, his serpentine words were in keeping with those of his father the devil, the accuser of our brothers.

Perhaps Tertullus’ compliments for Felix don’t strike us as being quite as offensive as they would have to Luke’s original reader, Theophilus. Theophilus would surely have known better than we do what Felix was like and how the Jewish leaders truly felt about him. Such lies came from the mouth of Tertullus that day! The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem were about as grateful to the Roman government as a family of mice are thankful for the barn cat. While Tertullus declared these syrupy words of gratitude “in every way and everywhere” in front of Felix, what words did the Jews whisper about him behind closed doors?

Meanwhile, outside the reach of Felix’s awareness, Paul’s own command to fellow Christians was that they subject themselves to their governors, for God had placed them in power.

But the Jewish leaders who appeared before Felix that day with their praise for him did not dislike him simply because he was a Roman authority. No, their problems with him ran much deeper and much more personal.

In order to give you a taste of Felix’s character, I will share with you the words of two historians of ancient Rome: Tacitus and Josephus.

In his Annals, Tacitus said this about Felix: He “thought that he could do any evil act with impunity.” Tacitus explained that Felix and a rival governor would allow and even encourage bandits from their own provinces to attack the people of the other, especially pleased when the result was a portion of the spoil in their own pockets. (Tac. Ann. 12.54) Yet Tertullus spoke of the great reforms that came from Felix’s foresight.

In his Antiquities of the Jews, Josephus explained that Felix disliked the chief priest Jonathan because he often tried to give Felix advice. “So Felix contrived a method whereby he might get rid of him, now he was become so continually troublesome to him; for such continual admonitions are grievous to those who are disposed to act unjustly. Wherefore Felix persuaded one of Jonathan’s most faithful friends, a citizen of Jerusalem, whose name was Doras, to bring the robbers upon Jonathan, in order to kill him; and this he did by promising to give him a great deal of money for so doing. Doras complied with the proposal, and contrived matters so, that the robbers might murder him after the following manner: Certain of those robbers went up to the city, as if they were going to worship God, while they had daggers under their garments, and by thus mingling themselves among the multitude they slew Jonathan.” Josephus explained that this single murder sparked an inferno of crimes, as these robbers considered themselves under the protection of Felix. They went on to murder their own enemies and to serve as killers for hire to others, murdering people even on the temple grounds (Josephus, The Antiquities of the Jews, 20.162-5). Yet Tertullus praised Felix as one through whom the Jews enjoyed much peace.

This nauseating platter of lying flattery makes me want to yell down the corridors of history, “Get to the point!” It reminds me of a scene from The Rings of Power in which an elf had a big favor to ask of a dwarf. The elf himmed and hawed and spoke of their friendship, and when the dwarf grew tired of these words he said, “Enough of the quail sauce! Give me the meat, and give it to me raw.”

Tertullus was clever, and he did not count on Felix to be a patient person. It did not take him too long to come to the...

Charges Against Paul

Acts 24:4-9 But, to detain you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him. By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him.” The Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that all these things were so.

[Before addressing the content of this passage, let me explain a discrepancy you may have noticed between the ESV text and other translations you may have. Some Greek manuscripts of this passage include extra words that do not appear in the ESV, except in a footnote. You will see this difference in vv.6-8. Other translations deal with these extra words by including them in the text but setting them aside in brackets. These extra words do not appear in manuscripts older than the 6th century. Abundant evidence points to the fact that they were not in Luke’s original writing. Therefore, the ESV leaves them out.]

Here we have 3 accusations leveled against Paul, mirroring the three accusations that Lysias /lie SEE us/ leveled against the Jews.

Paul stirs up riots among all the Jews.

He is a ringleader of a sect called the Nazarenes.

He tried to profane the temple.

Of course, we know the truth behind these charges.

1. Riots do seem to pop up when Paul speaks, but they are not his goal. As Jesus said to Nicodemus, John 3:19–20 “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.” Paul shared the light of Jesus, and those who loved darkness rioted against him in a feeble effort to extinguish the light. But never fear, brothers and sisters. As dark as this world gets and as much as darkness seems to prevail at times, remember the words that Paul wrote to Timothy (1 Timothy 5:24–25 “The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.”) Judgment will reveal the hidden things. Those who fear the light will not be able to avoid it forever.

2. Paul was a ringleader, a standard bearer of the faith, but he did not wave the standard of a sect. The word sect indicates a group that split from a religion and contaminated it with heresy. (In fact, that is the meaning of the Greek word translated sect.) Paul waved the banner of the Messiah, declaring that He had come in fulfillment of all that the Jews claimed to value. This is why Jesus said John 5:39 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me.”

3. Paul neither profaned the temple nor tried to profane the temple. As Luke explained to us back in Acts 21:29 “...They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.” This was simply a matter of jumping to conclusions based on bias. (By the way, a sad many Christians do this. We may see an act of darkness and let that action taint our view of other actions taken by the same person or group of people. The world is dark enough as it is. Let’s not make it out to be even darker.)

Having considered this passage from beginning to end, let’s now examine further the flattery of Tertullus from two perspectives for two goals. The perspectives are those of the one who uses flattery and the one who receives flattery. The two goals are to grow in Christ-like living and to see Jesus Christ more clearly.

The Heart of the Flatterer

Given the likelihood that Tertullus didn’t believe the compliments that he offered Felix, why did he say those things? Instinctively we know, don’t we, that Tertullus wanted to win Felix’s favor so that Felix would be more likely to condemn Paul. As Mason Cooley observed, “Flattery and insults raise the same question: What do you want?” In other words, Tertullus used flattery in an attempt to get his way.

Like all sin, flattery is a perversion of something good. It is a perversion of loving encouragement. How can you tell the difference? If you are the one giving a compliment, you simply need to ask yourself the vital question “Why?”

Typically people give compliments for 3 reasons: either as a spontaneous enjoyment of something delightful, as a means of encouraging someone to continue in a good path, or as a means of manipulation.

Tertullus offers a clear example of using compliments—even false compliments—as a manipulative tactic. This is what I mean by flattery. Oxford Languages defines flattery as, “excessive and insincere praise, given especially to further one's own interests.” In contrast, let’s take a look at some of the compliments that Jesus offered so that we can see directly from our Lord a more honorable way.

Matthew 8:9–10 A centurion explained to Jesus that there was no need for Jesus to go to his house in order to heal his paralyzed servant. “For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.”

Mark 5:33–34 A bleeding woman secretly touched Jesus and was healed. Jesus stopped and asked who from the jostling crowd had touched him. “But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

Mark 12:43–44 Jesus watched people as they gave their offerings. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Mark 14:6 The disciples criticized a woman for wasting a very expensive jar of perfume by pouring it on Jesus. “But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.” Mark 14:8–9 “She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

The heart of the flatterer is a hate-filled heart. It sees people as pawns to be manipulated in service to one’s own desires. It is a wolf draped in a sheepskin, a devil disguised as an angel of light. In contrast, the heart of Jesus is love, the kind of love that lays down one’s life. May we choose our words with care, not to use one another, but to build one another up in love, encouraging one another all the more as we see the Day drawing near.

The Heart of the Flattered

The curse of flattery does not end once it leaves the lips of the flatterer. It reaches the ear of its recipient, stoking the fire of pride in a person’s heart and melting that person’s inhibitions.

What makes a person susceptible to flattery? It is the force that drew Eve to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, as she saw “that the tree was desired to make one wise.” It was the force that built the Tower of Babel, a tower whose builders said, “Let us make a name for ourselves.” It is the force that causes children to puff their chests when they are chosen first to be on a team and the force that causes them to wither inside when they are chosen last. It is the force that drives a man crazy when no one notices something good that he did, and it is often the force that drives a woman to try on five different outfits before she goes out for the day, asking herself with each option, “What will people think of me if I wear this?”.

It is pride. It is a desire to be elevated in others’ eyes, a desire for approval, a longing for acceptance and possibly even a little applause.

Again, flattery and the pride that makes flattery effective are perversions of something good. You and I are wired to need acceptance and approval. As young children, we need to know the unconditional love of our parents. We need to know that nothing we can do will cancel our parents’ acceptance of us. And when we do good, we need to feel that physical pat on the back and those affirming words of approval. Parents, be careful to provide these things for your children. If they don’t get it from you, they will seek it elsewhere.

The reason we need this parental acceptance and approval is that the parent/child relationship is a picture of our relationship with God. And it is His acceptance and approval for which our hearts truly and ultimately long.

Look at how Jesus clearly and repeatedly contrasted a desire for men’s approval with a desire for God’s approval. Matthew 6:1–4 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” This teaching isn’t primarily about giving. It is primarily about seeking approval. Will you give that you may be praised by others, or will you give secretly, seeking only the Father’s notice? Jesus went on to emphasize this contrast of seeking man’s approval vs. God’s approval in the realms of prayer and of fasting.

How can we gain God’s approval, and how can we get His applause? The truth is, we can’t. We just aren’t good enough. We have all failed God and made ourselves despicable in His sight. Consider what a terrible position we sinners find ourselves in before our holy God: Psalm 5:4–5 “For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.” Psalm 11:5 “The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.”

Here we are, craving—because we are made to crave—the acceptance and even the applause of our Maker, but he finds us disgusting. What hope could we have? Our hope is not in our ability to improve ourselves, so that we are no longer despicable. Our hope is God Himself. Alongside his hatred toward our sinful, rebellious hearts, He has a love for us that is so intense it has transformational power. John 3:14–17 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

So if you want God’s acceptance, there is hope. He has designed a plan, in His love, to cancel the sin that causes Him to hate you.

Does everyone have his or her sin canceled? No. What distinguishes the one whose sin is cancelled from the one whose sin isn’t? Faith.

Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

[faith as the front door to God’s house… Once you enter, you are family, and nothing can change that. Once you are in, you can please your Father.]

When, by faith, you enter the household of God, He delights in You as His child. He wraps you in the robe of Jesus’ righteousness and places a ring on your finger, a ring that bears the family seal. And once You have the honor of being accepted by God, which is what your heart really longs for, you also have the blessing of being able to please Him.

If you are not picked for a team, you cannot make any good plays for that team. Once you are picked for a team, you can make plays under the guidance of your coach that will put a smile on his face. If you are a true Christian, God has chosen you for His team. He will never kick you off the team. If you are still trying to do good things to earn your place on the team, stop it. Rest in the acceptance you will always find in God based on Jesus’ righteousness. Now you are free to do good things for the smile that they place on God’s face.

Many passages in the Bible speak to the principle that good works done in faith bring pleasure to God. One of those is Matthew 25:31–40“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”

Earlier in the same chapter, Jesus used a parable that contains the words our hearts long to hear from our Lord:

Matthew 25:20–21 “And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’”

Brothers and sisters, if you are seeking the approval and the applause of humans, you have set your goal much too low. Forsake the flattery of men. Bask in the freedom that comes when you regard the applause of men insignificant, and seek the applause of your God. Long for the day when you will hear from the lips of Jesus, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Take-Aways

Share the light of Jesus, as Paul did. Be a standard-bearer of the faith.

Avoid the temptation to assume the worst, even in those who oppose you.

Do not compliment others in order to get something from them, but use your words to build others up for the glory of God.

Trust Jesus’ righteousness as the source of God’s acceptance of you.

Seek the pleasure and applause of God, not of men and women.

Lord’s Supper

[Call the congregation to receive the elements.]

When instituting the Lord’s Supper, Jesus said, “Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” And Paul added this explanation in 1 Cor 11:26— “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

So in the Lord’s Supper, we remember and proclaim Jesus’ death. That is our mission in this moment: to remember and to proclaim the ultimate demonstration of God’s love: While we were still disgusting sinners, Christ died for us to transform us into God’s cherished children.

Let’s take a moment, in silence, to remember Jesus’ sacrifice and thank Him for it.

[silence]

In unity with one another then, we proclaim our Lord’s death. This is part of the reason why we collect the elements and walk down the center aisle. That practice allows us to see one another better, to see the people who are proclaiming our Lord’s death to us. I am proclaiming His death to you, you are proclaiming His death to me, and you are all proclaiming His death to one another. It is your turn to preach. You are preaching by taking the bread and the cup, and your message is, “Jesus died for us.”

[bread] As this bread has been broken, Jesus’ flesh was torn by cruel whips and pierced by iron nails. “And when he had given thanks, [Jesus] broke [the bread], and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

[cup] As the fruit of the vine was poured into this cup, Jesus’ blood was poured out for you for the forgiveness of your sins. “Jesus took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood.’”

[Pray.]