Acts 24:23-26 (NIV)
He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to take care of his needs.
Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.” At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him.
Felix knew that Paul was innocent, but the delicate balancing act he had to play with the Jewish leaders, the power structure of the land, caused him to act cautiously, slowly. In effect, Paul became a political prisoner.
Paul, on the other hand, flourished wherever he was planted. He had some freedom, even in prison, and Felix didn’t treat him as a normal prisoner.
In verse 24, Luke reveals why Felix was so knowledgeable about “the Way.” His wife, Drusilla,” was Jewish, and the Christians were a perennial hot topic among the Jews. So, he had doubtless heard all about it, perhaps a bit one-sided, from his wife and her family.
Felix thought it might be interesting for Drusilla to hear about the Way directly from one of those in a strong position in the Church. So, he invited her to listen to Paul and summoned him to speak.
But Felix got more than he bargained for! As Paul was answering questions and expounding on the beliefs of the Way, he moved into the need for righteousness before God, a righteousness that can only come through faith in Jesus, and without which we stand condemned. He talked about the need for self-control, not just doing whatever we want, but bending ourselves to God’s will. And he talked about the judgment to come, when all people will stand before God’s throne and answer for the life that they have lived and the things that they have done (Revelation 20:11-15).
When he heard about all this, not spoken about philosophically, but passionately, and with a clarity that showed more than mere religious belief, it freaked Felix out. He was deeply convicted about his own lack of righteousness. But rather than repent, Felix used his authority to remove the convictor, ordering Paul back to his cell.
Still, Felix found Paul to be fascinating, and listened to him often over the two years that he held him prisoner. Luke tells us that part of the reason for his regular visits to Paul was that he hoped Paul would offer him a bribe to get freed. But neither Paul nor his friends who came to see to his needs had appreciable money, and none of them ever thought about gaming the system through a bribe. They simply trusted that God was at work in the situation, and that God would free Paul when it was time.
Father, I appreciate Paul’s spirit. He never was one to sit weeping in a corner when things didn’t go right. He simply looked for and took advantage of every opportunity to be useful in growing Your kingdom. In prison he had access to the governor of the land, so he used that access to speak Your words at every opportunity. There is no sign that Felix ever repented, but Paul never let an opportunity go by. And he doubtless spoke to his fellow prisoners and the guards as well, likely having greater success with them. Help me, Lord, to be like Paul, never idling, but always looking for opportunities wherever I am. Amen.
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