6749. When Quatratus heard that Mithridates was betrayed and slain and Armenia was ruled by his murderers, he called a council and explained the business and whether it was to be revenged. After they had debated the matter, many were of the opinion to do nothing. However lest they should seem to assent to such a wickedness and Caesar should order them otherwise, they sent messengers to Pharasmanes to order him to get out of Armenia and to recall his son. {Tacitus, Annals, l. 12. c. 48.}
4055a AM, 4764 JP, 51 AD
6750. Julius Pelignus was the procurator of Cappadocia and was equally contemptible for his stupidity and his appearance. He was extremely intimate with Claudius when he was a private man and most amused with ease and sloth. Pelignus gathered together the auxiliaries of the provinces as if he would recover Armenia. He then preyed rather on his friends than his enemies. His troops deserted him and he was left defenceless against the barbarian invasions. He went to Rhadamistus who bribed him well. Pelignus urged him to assume the kingly ensigns and was the very author and abettor to him in it. When this dishonourable conduct was known and lest the rest of the Romans would be branded with Pelignus' fault, Helvidius Priscus was sent as an ambassador with a legion for a time to take care of those unsettled affairs. He quickly crossed the Taurus Mountains and settled more things by diplomacy than with force. He was ordered to return into Syria for fear of a new Parthian war. Vologeses planned to invade Armenia which was part of his ancient kingdom and now ruled by a wicked foreign king. He gathered an army and prepared to give his brother Tiridates the kingdom so that none of the family might be without a kingdom. When the Parthians came, the Iberians were overcome without a fight and the cities of Armenia, Artaxata and Tigranocerta came under their yoke. A very terrible winter followed and an epidemic broke out among the Parthians for lack of supplies. This compelled Vologeses to evacuate the country for the time being. {Tacitus, l. 12. c. 49,50}
6751. Rhadamistus invaded Armenia now that there was no ruler there. He behaved more cruelly than before as if he came against rebels and who in time would rebel again. Although the Armenians were accustomed to servitude, their patience ran out and they took up arms. They surrounded the palace and forced Rhadamistus and his wife, Zenobia, to flee on fast horses. His wife was great with child and tried at first to endure the flight for she feared the enemy and loved her husband. Afterwards with continued haste, her belly was jarred too much and her bowels tormented her with pangs. She begged that she might die rather honourably than live in the disgrace of captivity. At first, he embraced, cherished and helped her. He admired her courage and was sick with fear if he should have to leave her that someone might find and harm her. At last for the vehemency of his love and being no stranger to wicked exploits, he drew his sabre. After he wounded her sufficiently, he dragged her body to the bank of the Araxis River and threw her into it so that she would not fall into enemy hands. He immediately went through Iberia to his father's throne. In the meantime some shepherds found Zenobia, obviously breathing and alive and thought that she was nobly born by her appearance. They bound up her wounds and applied their country medicines. When they knew her name and story, they carried her to Artaxata. From there she was officially brought to Tiridates. He accepted her courteously and took her as his queen. {Tacitus, l. 12. c. 50,51.}
6752. Certain professors of the name of Christ, of the sect of the Pharisees, came down from Judea to Antioch, and said that the Christians of the Gentiles ought to be circumcised and keep the law of Moses if they would be saved. This upset many of the brethren in Syria and Cilicia with their perverse doctrine. Both Paul and Barnabas stiffly opposed them. Ac 15:1,2,5,23,24 Paul called them "brethren brought in unawares." Ga 2:4 Philastrius {Philastrius, de Haeres. c. 87.} and Epiphanius {Epiphanius, Heres. 28.} said that Cerinthus, who was an arch heritic, was the first to hold this opinion.
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6753. Fourteen years after he went to Jerusalem, which he did three years after his conversion, Paul went to Jerusalem with Barnabas. {Ga 2:1} Both of them were sent from the church at Antioch with some others that they might ask the judgment of the apostles and elders at Jerusalem, (whose names those disturbers had misused to bolster their own opinion) concerning the recent controversy. {Ac 15:2,3,24}
6754. Paul went up by revelation and Titus, a Greek, accompanied him. Paul would not compel him to be circumcised lest he should seem to give place to the false brethren for a moment. {Ga 2:1-5}
6755. On their journey through Phoenicia and Samaria, Paul and Barnabas told of the conversion of the Gentiles to the great joy of all the brethren. When they came to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and of the apostles and elders. Paul and Barnabas told what things God had done through them. {Ac 15:3,4}
6756. Paul related the gospel that he had preached among the Gentiles, privately to the leaders among the apostles, James, Peter and John, (who were thought to be the pillars of the church.) They saw that the gospel among the Gentiles was committed to Paul just as the Jews were to Peter. They saw the grace that was given to Paul and they gave the right hand of fellowship to him and Barnabas that these should perform the office of the apostleship among the Gentiles and they among the Jews. They advised them only that they should take care to relieve the poor at Jerusalem. {Ga 2:2,7,9,10}
6757. In a council of the apostles and elders held at Jerusalem, there was a long dispute. After Peter had spoken his opinion, Barnabas and Paul told what great miracles God had done by them among the Gentiles. Then James concluded that it seemed good by the common decree of the apostles, elders and of the whole church that the Gentiles should abstain from things sacrificed to idols, fornication, strangled animals and eating blood. For this purpose, letters were written to them at Antioch, and to the rest of the brethren in Syria and Cilicia. Paul and Barnabas carried these letters to Antioch to Judas. After they had delivered and read the letters, the brethren greatly rejoiced. Judas and Silas were also prophets and exhorted the brethren with many words. {Ac 15:6-32}
6758. Later Judas returned to the apostles and Silas thought it best to stay at Antioch where Paul and Barnabas along with many others preached the gospel. {Ac 15:33-35}
6759. Josephus, the son of Matthias, when he was sixteenth, began with much hard labour, to learned as much as he could about all three sects of the Jews: the Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes. {Josephus, Life, 1:1}
6760. Pallas, the freed man of Claudius, was given an honourary praetorship and 15,000,000 sesterces. {Tacitus, Annals, l. 12. c. 53.}
6761. When the Galileans went up to the feast at Jerusalem, they had to travel through Samaria. {Joh 4:3-4} It happened that there was a Galilean killed in a Samaritan village called Nais, (or Ginea.) This caused a fight between the travellers and the villagers in which many of the Galileans were killed. The Jewish rulers took this very heinously and stirred up the Jews to arms and exhorted them to defend their liberty. They said slavery was bad enough without having to suffer additional wrongs as well. At Jerusalem, the common people left the feast, took up arms and invaded Samaria. They would not stop fighting no matter what the magistrates said or did. The people also called for help from Eleazar, the son of Dineus, and Alexander, both the captains of the thieves. They invaded the part of Samaria which bordered on the country of Acrabatene and made a confused slaughter. They spared no age nor sex and also burnt the towns. When Cumanus knew what was done, he took with him one cavalry troop from Sebaste and four cohorts of foot soldiers along with armed Samaritans and he attacked the Jews. When he had overtaken them, he killed many of those who followed Eleazar but took more prisoners. When the rulers of Jerusalem saw the magnitude of the calamity, they put on sack cloth and ashes on their heads and pleaded with the rest of the multitude who went to destroy the territories of Samaria that they would change their minds. They told them how their country would be destroyed, the temple burnt and their wives and children taken captives. Therefore they begged them to put down their arms and go home. The Jews obeyed and went home. However, the thieves retired again to their strongholds and after this time Judea was overrun by thieves. {Josephus, Wars, l. 2. c. 11. <c. 12. 1:612>} {Josephus, Antiq., l. 20. c. 5. <c. 6. 1:532>}
6762. The governors of Samaria resorted to Numidius Quadratus, the president of Syria who then lived at Tyre. They begged him to take vengeance on the Jews who had plundered and burned their towns. Some of the Jewish nobility and Jonathan, the son of Ananus the high priest answered the changes. They stated that the Samaritans started this sedition by murdering a Jew and that Cumanus was the cause of all the calamities that followed because he was bribed and would not revenge that murder. When Quadratus had heard them, he deferred his sentence and said that he would decide that matter when he came to Judea and there more exactly know the truth of the matter. So they departed and nothing was done. {Josephus, Wars, l. 2. c. 11. <c. 12. 1:613>} {Josephus, Antiq., l. 20. c. 5. <c. 6. 1:532>}
6763. In the meantime Felix, by his injudicious disciplinary measures, provoked the Jews to offend the more. Ventidius Cumanus, who controlled part of the province was his rival in all manner of wickedness. Cumanus administered the area of Galilee and Felix the Samaritans. Both countries were always at odds but then much more through the contempt of their governors. Therefore they invaded one another and sent thieves and robbers to plunder. They laid ambushes and sometimes fought battles and brought the spoils and preys to the governors. At first the governors were pleased but when the disorder grew intolerable, they sent soldiers to quell it who were all killed. The whole province would have been in an uproar had not Quadratus redressed the matter in time. {Tacitus, l. 12. c. 54.}
6764. He acted immediately and executed those Jews who had killed the Roman soldiers. Cumanus' and Felix's actions were told to Claudius. When he had heard the causes of the rebellion, he gave authority to Quadratus to deal with the matter even with the officials of the provinces. Quadratus appointed Felix among the judges, (because he was the brother of Pallas, the great favourite at Rome) and received him into the tribunal to intimidate his accusers. Cumanus alone was condemned for the faults that both had committed. By that means, Quadratus made peace in the province. {Tacitus, l. 12. c. 54.}
6765. The Cietae tribes of Cilicia made Trosoborus (or Arosoboras) their captain. They camped on rough mountains and from there ran down to the shores and cities. They plundered the husbandmen and citizens but most commonly the merchants and seamen. They besieged also the cities of the Anemunenses and also routed the cavalry sent from Syria who were sent there under their captain Curtius Severus. The places around there were good to fight on foot but poor for the cavalry. Then Antiochus Epiphanes the 4th, the king of that country, used diplomacy toward the common people and craft toward their captain and divided their forces. He executed Trosuborus and some of the ring leaders and appeased the rest through his clemency. {Tacitus, l. 12. c. 55.}
6766. When Peter the apostle came to Antioch, he ate and was friendly with the believing Gentiles. When certain Jewish brethren came there from James, he withdrew himself from the Gentiles and some Jews of the church of Antioch followed his example. Barnabas was even carried away with their hypocrisy. This was plainly contrary to the gospel and Paul did not stand for it. He withstood Barnabas to the face and sharply reproved his fearfulness before them all. {Ga 2:11-14}
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6767. When Quadratus came to Samaria, he ordered those who were accused to defend their actions and found that the tumult was caused by the Samaritans. When he went to Caesarea, he knew that some Jews were trying to rebel. Therefore he hanged those whom Cumanus had taken alive and taken prisoner. He went to Lydda which was almost the size of a city, and held a tribunal to hear again the cause of the Samaritans. He learned from a certain Samaritan, that Dortus, a ruler of the Jews had persuaded the Jews to a revolt. Quadratus had Dortus executed. He also beheaded eighteen Jews, who had been in the fight. {Josephus, Wars, l. 2. c. 11. <c. 12. 1:613>} {Josephus, Antiq., l. 20. c. 5. <c. 6. 1:533>}
6768. Quadratus sent to Caesar, two of the chief priests, Jonathan and Ananias and his son Ananus along with some of the nobility of the Jews and of the Samaritans. He ordered also that Cumanus the governor and Celer the tribune to go to Rome to give an account to Caesar of what they had done in the country. {Josephus, Wars, l. 2. c. 11. <c. 12. 1:613>} {Josephus, Antiq., l. 20. c. 5. <c. 6. 1:532>}
6769. After this was done, Quadratus feared that the Jews might revolt. He went from Lydda to Jerusalem where he found all things quiet and the people busy celebrating their feast of unleavened bread and offering sacrifices. Therefore, he thought that they would be quiet and he left them busy at their feast and returned to Antioch. {Josephus, Wars, l. 2. c. 11. <c. 12. 1:613>} {Josephus, Antiq., l. 20. c. 5. <c. 6. 1:532>}
6770. Cumanus and the Samaritans were sent to Rome. At an appointed day, they were ordered to defend their actions. They obtained the favour of Caesar's freedmen and friends and would have won there case. However, King Agrippa the younger, who was living at Rome, saw that the rulers of the Jews were being over powered by the favour of the great ones. He by much intreaty had Agrippina, the wife of Claudius, persuade her husband that he would fully hear the matter and execute justice on those he found to be the authors of the sedition. Claudius yielded to their requests and when he heard both sides he knew that the Samaritans started the fighting. Claudius executed those who came before him to plead their cause. He punished Cumanus with banishment and sent Celer, the tribune, as prisoner to Jerusalem. He was to be turned over to the Jews to be punished. He was to be dragged through the city and then beheaded. {Josephus, Wars, l. 2. c. 11. <c. 12. 1:613>} {Josephus, Antiq., l. 20. c. 5. <c. 6. 1:532>}
6771. Claudius sent Claudius Felix, the brother of Paulus, to be the governor of Judea as well as Samaria and Galilee. {Josephus, Wars, l. 2. c. 11. <c. 12. 1:613>} Jonathan the high priest had begged Caesar for him. {Josephus, Antiq., l. 20. c. 5. <c. 6. 1:532>} Suetonius wrote: {Suetonius, Claudius, c. 28.}
``Claudius preferred Felix, one of his freedmen, to command the cavalry or foot soldiers and to the government of Judea. He was the husband of three queens.''
6772. Tacitus wrote: {Tacitus, Annals, l. 12. c. 54.}
``When Felix was the governor of Judea, he thought he might do any wickedness with impunity and behaved arrogantly.''
6773. He added this about his tyrannical government in Judea. {Tacitus, Histories, l. 5. c. 9.}
``Antonius Felix exercised regal power with the instincts of a slave with all cruelty and lust. He married Drusilla, the niece of Cleopatra and Antonius. Claudius was the grandchild of the same Antonius and son of Felix.''
6774. When king Agrippa the younger had governed Chalcis for four years, after the 12th year of his empire, Claudius took that from him and gave him a larger one. He received the tetrarchy of Philip, which contained Batanea, Gaulonitis and Trachonitis. He also added Abilene (or Abila) which was the tetrarchy of Lysanias which Varus had governed. {Josephus, Wars, l. 2. c. 11. <c. 12. 1:613>} {Josephus, Antiq., l. 20. c. 5. <c. 7. 1:533>}
6775. After Agrippa had been advanced by Caesar's gifts, he gave Drusilla, his sister, in marriage to Azizus, the king of the Emisa who was circumcised. Epiphanes, the son of Antiochus the king of the Commagenians had refused her, because he changed his mind and would not embrace the Jewish religion as he had promised her father. Agrippa gave in marriage Mariamme to Julius Archelaus the son of Helcias, to whom she was betrothed by her father Agrippa. {Josephus, Antiq., l. 20. c. 9. <c. 7. 1:533>}
6776. Josephus, the son of Matthias, began to adopt the lifestyle of Banus, who lived in the wilderness who clothed himself with what the trees brought forth and used for his food those things which grew of themselves. To keep himself chaste, he often washed himself in cold water and thus he lived for three years. {Josephus, Life, <1:1>}
6777. Nero took up the cause of the Ilienses in his speech. He said how the Romans were descended from Troy and that Aeneas was the father of the Julian family as well as many other old things which were likely fables. The Ilienses were freed from tribute for ever because they were the founders of the Romans. Nero read this speech publicly in Greek to the senate and the people of Rome. He promised to King Seleucus friendship and alliance and freed their kinsmen, the Ilienses from all tribute. (??) {Suetonius, Claudius, c. 25.}
6778. Rhodians repened of their old misdeeds and Claudius restored their liberty. It was often taken away or confirmed either as they had deserved in foreign wars or offended by sedition at home. {Suetonius, Claudius, c. 25.} {Tacitus, Annals, c. 58.} Suetonius wrote that he pleaded for the Rhodians and Ilienses in Greek before his father Claudius who was in his last consulship two years earlier. {Suetonius, Nero, c. 7.} Claudius remitted all tribute to the Apameans for five years, because their city was destroyed by an earthquake. {Tacitus, Annals, l. 12. c. 58.}
6779. After that Claudius spoke concerning the freeing of the island of Cos from tribute. He alleged many things about their antiquity such as that the Argives or perhaps Coeus, the father of the goddess Latona (of whom the island was named) were the ancient inhabitants. Aesulapius brought the art of healing there and he was famous among all his posterity. He named them by their names and in what ages they lived. Then he said that Zenophon his own physician, was from Cos and descended from that family. Claudius had yielded to his entreaty that they might hereafter be free from tribute and be devoted to the service of that god. {Tacitus, Annals, l. 12. c. 62.}
6780. Paul asked Barnabas to go again and visit the churches where they had preached the gospel. Barnabas was determined to take John Mark with him but Paul thought it not good to take him since he had abandoned them in Pamphylia {Ac 13:13} and did not went with them to the work. Barnabas took this badly that such an infamy should lie upon his sister's son. {Col 4:10} The contention was so sharp that they departed one from the other. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to his own country of Cyprus but Paul who was commended to the grace of God, chose Silas and went into Syria and Cilicia and confirmed the brethren. {Ac 15:36-41}
6781. Paul came to Derbe and Lystra and found there among the disciples, Timothy who was born of a Greek or Gentile father but his mother was a believing Jew (Eunice) to whom all the brethren at Iconium and Lystra gave good testimony. Paul wanted to take Timothy with him. To win over the Jews more easily, he had Timothy circumcised. {Ac 16:1-3}
6782. As Paul and Silas passed through the cities, they gave them the decrees they were to keep that were ordained by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem. The churches were established in the faith and increased in number daily. {Ac 16:4,5}
6783. When they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Spirit to preach the word of God in Asia. When they had come to Mysia, they planned to go into Bithynia but the Spirit did not allow them. They left Mysia and came down to Troas. Here, Paul had a vision of a man asking them to come into Macedonia to help them. {Ac 16:6-9}
6784. When he had seen this vision, they planned to go into Macedonia and were certain that the Lord had called them there to preach the gospel. {Ac 16:10} Thus said Luke who spoke after this of Paul and his companions in the first person whereas always before he had spoken in the third person. He showed that from that time, he was a companion of Paul's in the preaching of the Gospel.
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6785. Paul and Silas with Luke and Timothy sailed from Troas and sailed straight to Samothracia. The next day they arrived at Neapolis and from there to Philippi. It was the main city of that part of Macedonia and a Roman colony. They stayed there for some days. {Ac 16:11,12}
6786. On the sabbath day, they left the city to go to the river side where there was an house of prayer. They spoke to the women who came there. Among these was Lydia who worshipped God and was a seller of purple in the city of Thyatira. She listened to the things which Paul said and the Lord opened her heart and she believed in Christ. When she was baptized and her household, she entertained Paul and his companions. {Ac 16:13-15}
6787. Later at the place of prayer, they cast out an unclean spirit from a servant who had the spirit of divination. He had cried after them many days and said that these men were the servants of the most High God and showed them the way of salvation. Paul was grieved and ordered in the name of Jesus, the spirit to come out of her. When the masters of the maid saw that the hope of their financial gain was gone, they drew Paul and Silas into the market place and caused a commotion before the rulers. The rulers had both Paul and Silas publicly scourged and cast into prison. At midnight as they were praying and singing psalms, there was a violent earthquake and all the doors of the prison were opened and all the prisoners bands were released. Therefore the jailor in desperation, would have killed himself with his naked sword. Paul and Silas preached to him and he was converted to the faith and baptized the same night with all his family. When it was day, the magistrates sent them word that they were free to go. Paul and Silas objected about the shame and injury done to them because they had publicly scourged them and cast them into prison uncondemned. Thereupon the magistrates came themselves and set them at liberty with honour and asked them to depart from the city. They went to Lydia's house and comforted the brethren who came to them and so left the city. {Ac 16:16-40}
6788. As they journeyed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, the main city of Macedonia where there was a synagogue of the Jews. {Ac 17:1-3} There Paul wrote {1Th 2:2} that after he was shamefully entreated at Philippi, he preached the gospel with much zeal. As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue of the Jews for three sabbaths and reasoned with them concerning Christ from the scriptures. Some Jews believed along with a great number of the religious Greeks and many of the chief women. {Ac 17:2-4}
6789. Paul taught the Thessalonians about faith in Christ and concerning the future apostasy of antichrist and his revelation. {2Th 2:5-12}
6790. When Paul stayed a long time at Thessalonica, he received once and again relief from the Philippians for his needs. {Php 4:16} The unbelieving Jews stirred up certain lewd fellows of the baser sort and made an uproar in the city. They drew Jason (with whom Paul and his companion lodged) and certain brethren before the magistrates and accused them in a riotous fashion. When the magistrates had taken security from them, the brethren sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. {Ac 17:5-10}
6791. When they had entered into the synagogue of the Jews, they diligently preached Christ from the scriptures. Those that heard diligently compared this with the scriptures. When the scriptures confirmed what was said, many of them believed including many honourable Greek women and men. When the Jews of Thessalonica came there, they stirred up the multitude against Paul. Immediately the brethren sent them away to go as it were to the sea but they brought him to Athens. Paul asked that Silas and Timothy whom he left at Berea, should come quickly to him. {Ac 17:10-15}
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6792. The Jews by the instigation of Chrestus continually caused trouble so that Claudius expelled them from Rome. {Suetonius, Claudius, c. 25.} Suetonius, if I am not mistaken mentioned only Chrestus. I am not persuaded that Christ out Lord is meant here (for whom the Christians in another place by the same name are called.)
6793. While Paul waited for Silas and Timothy at Athens, he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and devout men and daily in the market place with anyone who would listen. He argued also with the philosophers of the Epicurean and Stoic sects concerning Christ and the resurrection. He was brought to Mars Hill to hear him expound about these strange gods. Paul defended his cause in a most learned speech. He used the example of the altar dedicated to the unknown God, as also from the testimony of Aratus the poet and confirmed that all were the offspring of God. It was that God whom they ignorantly worshipped that Paul spoke to them about. {Ac 17:16-31} The God of the Jews among the Gentiles was called the unknown God. In the same sense, Lucan called him "the uncertain God." {Lucan, Pharsilia, l. 2.} Trebellius Pollio called him the "God of uncertain power." In the life of Claudius, whom the inhabitants of Mount Carmel, {Tacitus, Histories, l. 2. c. 78.} attributed neither image nor temple but only an altar and reverence. Hence the Athenians made an altar to Mercy in the middle of their city without any image. {Statius, Thebais, l. 12.}
God's form by pictures cannot be expressed, He loves to dwell within the heart and breast.
6794. Among Paul's converts were Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman, (or his wife as it seem to Ambrose, Chrysostome and Augustine) called Damaris, and some others. {Ac 17:34}
6795. When Felix, the governor of Judea saw Drusilla, the sister of king Agrippa, he fell in love with her. He sent his friend Simon, a Jew from Cyprus who pretended to be a soothsayer, to persuade the woman to leave her husband and marry Felix. Simon promised that she would be happy if she did not refuse him. She married Felix unadvisedly and was willing to escape the troubles of her sister Bernice, who envied her for her beauty. She broke the laws of the Jew's religion. However, Bernice, the widow of her uncle, persuaded Polemon to be circumcised and to marry her. She thought by this that she might prove false that she had illegal conduct with Agrippa (the younger.) Polemon agreed because she was rich but the marriage did not last long. Bernice (as it was reported) through her intemperance left him and when he was abandoned by his wife, he immediately left the Jewish religion. {Josephus, Antiq., l. 20. c. 5. <c. 7. 1:533,534>}
6796. At the same time also Mariamme, the third sister of King Agrippa, scorned Julius Archelaus the son of Chelcias. She went and married Demetrius, a chief man among the Jews of Alexandria both for birth and riches and was at that time the alabarch. {Josephus, Antiq., l. 20. c. 5. <c. 7. 1:534>}
6797. Paul sent back Silas and Timothy who had come to him from Berea, again into Macedonia and remained alone at Athens. He planned to return to Thessalonica but Satan hindered his plans. Therefore, he sent Timothy there that he might confirm and comfort the Thessalonians in the faith. {Ac 18:5 1Th 2:17,18 3:1,2}
6798. In the meantime, he left Athens and went to Corinth, where he found Aquilla a Jew and his wife Priscilla, who came recently from Italy, because Claudius had made a decree that all Jews should leave Rome. Paul stayed with them because they were both tent makers. Paul reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath and persuaded the Jews and Greeks. {Ac 18:1-5}
6799. Here Paul with his own hand baptized the family of Stephanus, {1Co 1:16} who were the first fruits of Achaia and who had dedicated themselves to the ministry of the saints. {1Co 16:15}
6800. As Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, the Jews withstood Paul's preaching of Christ with great zeal and blasphemed Paul. Paul shook his garments against them and turned to the Gentiles. He went into the house of one who was surnamed Justus, who worshipped God and lived near the synagogue. {Ac 18:6,7}
6801. Chrispus the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his family and when many of the Corinthians heard the gospel, they believed and were baptized. {Ac 18:8} Of these, Paul only baptized Chrispus and Gaius with his own hand. {1Co 1:14}
6802. The Lord told Paul in a vision by night not to be afraid and to speak boldly. No one would harm him and the Lord had many people in that city. Paul stayed another eighteen months and taught the word of the Lord among them {Ac 18:9-11} along with Silvanus (or Silas) and Timothy. {2Co 1:19}
6803. After the return of Timothy from Macedonia, Paul with the same Timothy and Silvanus (or Silas) wrote the first epistle to the Thessalonians. {1Th 3:6} He wrote some difficult things concerning the day of judgment as if it were now at hand. {1Th 1:1-5} He wrote later another epistle to them where he more clearly expounded that matter. {2Th 2:2,3} This was written when he had Silvanus and Timothy as his companions in the ministry of the gospel {1Th 1:1} and after he had been with the Thessalonians and they had embraced the faith of Christ. {2Th 2:5} Grotius was extremely mistaken when he thought that it was written under Caius Caligula.
6804. The Parthians invaded Armenia after driving out Rhadamistus, who had often reigned as king there and often been ejected and had given up the struggle. {Tacitus, Annals, l. 13. c. 6.} When Vardanes' son revolted from Vologesus, the king of the Parthians, the Parthians abandoned Armenia as if they deferred the war. {Tacitus, Annals, l. 13. c. 7.}
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6805. Claudius died on October 13th (3rd ides) when Asinius Marcellus, and Asinius Aviola were consuls. {Seneca, in Ludi. de Mort. Claudii.} {Suetonius, Claudius, c. 45.} {*Dio, l. 60. 8:31} He had reigned thirteen years, eight months and twenty days. {*Dio, l. 60. 8:31} {Josephus, Antiq., l. 20. c. 5. <c. 8. 1:534>} In the middle of the same day, the gates of the palace were suddenly thrown open and Nero, the son in law and adopted son was declared emperor. {Tacitus, l. 12. c. ult.}
6806. In the beginning of Nero's reign, Junius Silanus, the proconsul of Asia, was a noble man and descended from the Caesars. Nero was not involved in his murder and he had barely reached manhood. Julius was murdered through the treachery of his mother Agrippina. His officers were P. Celer, an equestrian of Rome and Aelius, a freedman. They had the charge of the prince's revenues in Asia. They poisoned the proconsul at a feast. {Tacitus, Annals, l. 13. c. 1.}
6807. The ambassadors of Armenia pleaded their cause before Nero. His mother wanted to come up into the seat of audience and sit with him. Everyone was stupefied. Seneca advised Nero to meet his mother and so under pretence of doing his duty, he prevented a scandal. {*Tacitus, Annals, l. 13. c. 5.}
6808. The report was brought to Rome that the Parthians had occupied Armenia. Nero ordered the youth of the neighbouring provinces to be mustered to supply the eastern legions. The legions were to be stationed near Armenia. The two old kings, Agrippa (of Judea) and Jocchus (or Antiochus, of Commagene) were to prepare their forces to invade Parthia and bridges were to be built over the Euphrates River. Nero gave Aristobulus the kingdom of Armenia the Less and Sohaemus was given the kingdom of Sophene. Both had royal status. He sent Domitius Corbulo to hold Armenia and allocated the forces of the east. Some should remain in the province of Syria with Quadratus its lieutenant. A similar number of citizens and allies should go with Corbulo with other cohorts and cavalry who had wintered in Cappadocia. Nero ordered the confederate kings to be ready for war if required. {Tacitus, Annals, l. 13. c. 5, 7, 8.}
6809. In the first year of Nero's empire, Azizus, the king of Emesea died and his brother succeeded him in the kingdom. Aristobulus, the son of Herod, the king of Chalcis received from Nero the kingdom of Armenia the Less (as previously mentioned from Tacitus) and Nero added four cities to the kingdom of Agrippa with all the land belonging to them, in Galilee, Tiberias and Tarichea. In Iturea beyond Jordan, Abila and Julias. He received the land that was inhabited with fourteen villages. {Josephus, Antiq., l. 20. c. 6. <c. 8. 1:534>} {Josephus, Wars, l. 2. c. 12. <c. 13. 1:614>}
6810. Domitius Corbulo hurried quickly to Aegeae, a city of Cilicia and met Quadratus who went there on purpose lest if Corbulo had entered Syria to receive the forces, all men's eyes would have been on him. Both of them sent messengers to Vologeses, the king of the Parthians and asked him to choose peace and send hostages to secure it. He was to continue to respect the people of Rome as his ancestors had done. Either to buy time to better prepare for war or to remove all contenders for the throne, Vologeses turned over the most noble of the family of the Arsacidae. Quadratus sent the centurion Hostorius (or Histius) to receive them. When Corbulo knew this, he ordered Arrius Varus, the captain of the foot soldiers to go and receive the hostages. Thereupon there was a quarrel between the captain and the centurion. So as not to air their differences in front of strangers, both men let the hostages decide whom they wanted to go with. They selected the captain to escort them because Corbulo was famous even among Rome's enemies. Hence Corbulo and Quadratus had a falling out. Quadratus complained that he was robbed of the fruits of his negotations. Corbulo protested that the king never offered hostages until he had been chosen the general and the king was afraid of him. To settle the differences, Nero proclaimed this order that Quadratus and Corbulo, for their prosperous success should have their imperial fasces wreathed with laurel. {Tacitus, Annals, l. 13. c. 8,9.}
6811. At the beginning of Nero's reign, all Judea was filled with thieves and enchanters and seducers of the ignornant multitude. Every day Felix put to death as many as he took. Eleazar, the son of Dinas, had a great band of thieves about him. Felix persuaded him to come to him, giving him his word, that he should suffer no harm from him. When he came, Felix bound him and sent him to Rome. {Josephus, Antiq., l. 20. c. 6. <c. 8. 1:535>}
6812. Felix could no longer tolerate Jonathan, the high priest, who so often and so freely admonished him concerning his government of the Jews. He persuaded Dora, a great friend of Jonathan's, by promising him a great sum of money, to kill Jonathan by some assassins. Some entered the city under the pretence of religious worship and had short swords hidden secretly under their garments. They mingled among his family and killed Jonathan. Since that murder was unpunished, this was an invitation to more licentiousness. Others came at every feast and hid their swords in the same way. They mixed with the crowd and freely killed some of their private enemies. Some were hired for money to murder both in the city and even in the temple. {Josephus, Antiq., l. 20 c. 6. <c. 8. 1:535>}
6813. Thus was the city was infested with thieves. The deceivers and magicians enticed and drew multitudes into the deserts and promised them that they would show them signs and wonders done by the power of God. When the multitude was thus persuaded, they suffered the penalty for their folly. They were called back by Felix and put to death. {Josephus, Antiq., l. 20 c. 6. <c. 8. 1:536>}
6814. At that time there was a certain Egyptian who called himself a prophet. He gathered 30,000 (or 4000 Ac 21:38) men and brought them from the wilderness to the Mount of Olives. He told them that from there they would see the walls of Jerusalem fall down by which way they might enter into the city. When Felix found out, he attacked this seduced multitude with his Roman cavalry and foot soldiers along with a large number of Jews. He killed 400 and took 200 prisoners alive. The rest of the multitude dispersed into their own countries. No one knew what became of the Egyptian, with a few that escaped from the fight. {Josephus, Antiq., l. 20 c. 6. <c. 8. 1:536>} {Josephus, Wars, l. 2. c. 12. <c. 13. 1:614} Lysias the captain, mentioned him to Paul and {Ac 21:38} asked if Paul was not that Egyptian who before these days created an uproar and lead 4000 men who were murderers into the desert.
6815. When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews of Corinth brought Paul before his judgment seat. The Greeks took Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue and beat him. Gallio did not care about this. {Ac 18:12-17}
6816. Gallio was the brother of L. Anneus Seneca, (who together with Burrhus, commanded all things at Rome under his young student Nero.) Gallio derided the deifying of Claudius who died from poisoning and it was claimed he was taken up to heaven by a litter. He said Claudius received "pumpkinfication" not deification! {Dio, l. 60. 8:33} There is extant the book of Controversies, of Marcus Anneus Seneca, the father to the three sons, Novatus, Seneca and Melas. The second of these L. Seneca in his consolation to his mother, Helvia said:
``One of his brothers by his industry received honours, the other despised them.''
6817. The first one referred to Novatus, who was adopted by Junius Gallio (who was banished by Tiberius, See note on 4035 AM. fin) He was also called Gallio and was by the same Seneca called Lord, as being his older brother as Lipsius noted: {Lipsius, Epistle 104.}
``This was the saying of my Lord Gallio who began to have a fever in Achaia and immediately sailed away and cried that it was not the disease of the body but of the place.''
4059 AM, 4769 JP, 56 AD
6818. When Paul had stayed many days at Corinth, after the riot at Gallio's tribunal, he bid goodbye to the brethren and sailed from the port of Cenchrea for Syria. He arrived first at Ephesus and entered into a synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they wanted him to stay longer, he did not agree to it and said that he wanted to keep the feast at Jerusalem. He promised that he would return to them again, if God willed. After bidding them farewell, he left Aquila and Priscilla behind and sailed from Ephesus with the rest of his companions. {Ac 18:18-22}
6819. Paul landed at Caesarea (Stratonis) and went to greet the church at Jerusalem. He went down to Antioch, (of Syria) and after he had stayed there for some time, he left and went over in order, all the regions of Galatia and Phrygia to confirm all the disciples. {Ac 18:22,23} The Galatians received him as an angel of God or as Jesus Christ himself. {Ga 4:14} Among other things, he arranged that the collections for the poor should be set apart every Lord's day. {1Co 16:1,2}
6820. After the three years which he had lived with Banus in the wilderness, Josephus, the son of Matthias returned to Jerusalem. He was now nineteen years old and he began to dabble with public affairs and followed the sect of the Pharisees which was the closest sect to the Greek Stoics. {Josephus, Life, <1:1>}
6821. A certain Jew named Apollos, was born at Alexandria and was an eloquent man and powerful in the scriptures. He came to Ephesus and was instructed in the way of the Lord and was fervent in the spirit. He spoke and taught diligently the things of the Lord and knew only of the baptism of John. He began to speak freely in the synagogue. Aquila and Priscilla heard him and they took him and expounded to him the way of the Lord more fully. When Apollos planned to go into Achaia, the brethren exhorted him and wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he came, he helped those who had believed, for with great zeal he convinced the Jews publicly, showing by the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ. {Ac 18:24-28}
4060 AM, 4770 JP, 57 AD
6822. When Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper coasts (that is, Galatia and Phrygia) and came to Ephesus. He found twelve disciples who only knew of the baptism of John and had not yet received the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. After Paul had further instructed them in the doctrine of Christ, he laid his hands on them the Holy Ghost came on them and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Then he went into the synagogue and spoke freely, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. {Ac 19:1-8}
6823. When some Jews were hardened and believed not, they spoke evil of the way of the Lord. Paul in the view of the multitude, departed from them and separated the disciples and daily disputed in the school of Tyrannus for two whole years. All who lived in Asia, both Jews and Greeks heard the word of the Lord Jesus. Paul performed many miracles so that handkerchiefs and aprons were brought from his body to the sick and they were healed and evil spirits went out of them. {Ac 19:9-12}
6824. Asia accused P. Celer of his crimes. Caesar could not absolve him, so he delayed his trial, until Celer died from old age. Celer had killed Sylanus the proconsul, which masked other wickednesses, by the greatness of this villainy. {Tacitus, Annals, l. 13. c. 33.}
6825. The Cilicians accused Cossutianus Capito, as one besotted and defiled with all vices. He thought that he had the same authority to do wickedly in the province as he had exercised in the city of Rome. The prosecution was so determined that he abandoned his defence and was condemned of extortion. {Tacitus, Annals, l. 13. c. 33.} It was he whom (according to Lipsius) is referred to in Juvenal: {Juvenal, Satire, 8.}
--How the senate's just thunder struck Suitor and Capito for making prize, As pirates of the Cilician merchandise.
6826. Quintilian mentioned: {Quintilian, l. 6. c. 1.}
``The accuser of Cossutianus seemed to us young men to speak bravely, it was in Greek, but to this sense, "He was ashamed to be afraid of Caesar."''
6827. His great intrigues prevailed so much for Epirus Marcellus, of whom the Lycians demanded restitution, that some of the accusors were banished, as though they had endangered an innocent man. {Tacitus, Annals, l. 13, c. 33.}
4061 AM, 4771 JP, 58 AD
6828. The war about who would control Armenia which started coolly enough between the Romans and Parthians, was now hotly pursued. Vologeses would not allow his brother Tiridates to be removed from that kingdom that he had given him or let him accept it as the gift from another. Corbulo thought it worthy of the greatness of the people of Rome to recover what was in former time captured by Lucullus and Pompey. Corbulo prepared his army for this war in the old manner after the old severity and discipline of the Romans. He entered Armenia and destroyed some citadels and burnt Artaxata. Tiridates did not dare to give him battle. {Tacitus, l. 13. c. 34-41.}
6829. Seven exorcists of the Jews, the sons of Sceva a chief priest, called those over who had unclean spirits. They tried to cast out the unclean spirit in the name of the Lord Jesus whom Paul preached. However the man who had the unclean spirit, leaped on them and forced them to flee the house wounded and naked. When it was known both to the Jews and Greeks who lived at Ephesus, they were all afraid and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. Many who believed, came and confessed and showed their deeds. Many of those who used curious arts, brought their books together and burned them before all men. These books were valued at 50,000 pieces of silver. So mightily the word grew and prevailed. {Ac 19:13-20}
6830. Immediately after Paul left them, the Galatians {Ac 18:23} were seduced by false brethren and thought that they were to be justified by the works of the law. Paul sent a strongly worded letter to them to correct this error. {Ga 1:6,7}
4062 AM, 4772 JP, 59 AD
6831. Paul planned to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia. He said that after he had been to Jerusalem he wanted to go to Rome as well. {Ac 19:21} First he thought he would go to Corinth, and from there to Macedonia and return again to Corinth. From there he would travel to Judea {1Co 1:15,16} to take the collections for the poor saints at Jerusalem. From there, he planned to go to Rome and then to Spain. {Ro 15:24-28}
6832. While Paul thought about this, he sent Timothy and Erastus to Macedonia but he remained in Asia for a while. {Ac 19:22} He likely was in Lydia where he seemed to have preached the gospel to the cities which were near Ephesus for nine months. He spent two years teaching in the school of Tyrannus and three months teaching in the synagogue of Ephesus. Therefore he spent three years labouring in Asia. {Ac 20:15-31} He said a great door was opened for him although there were many adversaries. {1Co 16:9}
6833. On the last day of April in Campania when Vipsanius and Fonteius were consuls, there was an eclipse between one and two p.m. Corbulo, the general who was in Armenia, wrote that it was seen between four and five p.m. {*Pliny, l. 2. c. 70. 1:313} At Rome, this eclipse was seen in the middle of their sacrifices that were made by the decree of the senate, for the cause of Agrippina that was killed by her son. It was so dark the stars were seen. {*Dio, l. 62. 8:73} {Tacitus, Annals, l. 14. c. 12.}
4063a AM, 4772 JP, 59 AD
6834. People from the family of Chloe told Paul there was a schism in the church of Corinth. Some said they followed Paul, some Apollos, some Cephas and some Christ. {1Co 1:11,12 3:3,4} Apollos with some other brethren went from Corinth to Paul in Asia {1Co 16:12} by whom the Corinthians wrote to Paul and asked his advice about the matter of marriage and the single life. {1Co 7}
6835. Paul together with Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue at Corinth, who was converted to Christ, wrote the first letter to the Corinthians from Lydia. (Timothy was absent {1Co 16:10 Ac 19:22} from Asia) He sent it by Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, who were sent from Corinth to visit the apostle. Apollos did not wish to return at that time to the Corinthians. {1Co 1:1 16:12,13,17,19}
6836. In this letter, Paul ordered the incestuous Corinthian who had married his father's wife, to be delivered to Satan. {1Co 5} He also corrected other errors that had crept into the church. He corrected errors in conduct and refuted the error of the Sadducees who said there was no resurrection. {1Co 15} He told them that when he arrived, he would set the rest of the church in order. {1Co 4:18,19, 11:34} He would pass through Macedonia. However, he planned to stay at Ephesus until Pentecost {1Co 16:5-8} unless something came up that changed his plans.
6837. Demetrius a silversmith who made silver shrines for Diana, feared that he would lose his livelihood. He convened all the workmen of the same craft and raised an uproar against Paul. He claimed that Paul had persuaded the Ephesians and almost all of Asia that they were not gods which were made by men. They laid hold on Gaius and Aristarchus who were from Macedonia and were Paul's travelling companions and rushed into the theatre. When Paul wanted to go there, some of the disciples and some of the chief men of Asia (who provided for the plays shown in the theatre) and his friends would not allow Paul to go to the people. When Alexander the Jew would have made his defence to the people, there was a great cry among the people almost for two hours, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians." At length the tumult was settled by the wisdom of the town clerk. Paul called the brethren together and took his leave and departed for Macedonia. {Ac 19:24-41 20:1}
6838. Aquila and Priscilla left Ephesus and returned to Rome after they had risked their lives to save Paul. {Ro 16:3,4 1Co 16:19} The Jews everywhere returned to Rome since the edict of Claudius for their expulsion, expired after his death. {Ac 28:17-21}
6839. Paul went from Ephesus to Troas. Although he had opportunities to preach the gospel, he was troubled because he did not find Titus there (whom he had sent to the Corinthians with another brother.) Paul sailed from there into Macedonia and {2Co 2:12,13 12:18} when he arrived, he earnestly exhorted the brethren. {Ac 20:2}
6840. Paul's afflictions continued. People opposed him and he was fearful. He was comforted by the arrival of Titus who told him the good news about the Corinthian church. {2Co 2:5-16} Paul used the Corinthians as an example to stir up the Macedonians to provide collections to be sent to Jerusalem. He said that Achaia was ready for this a year ago. {2Co 8:1-5}
4063b AM, 4773 JP, 60 AD
6841. When Titus told Paul how well his first letter was received by the Corinthians, he sent another letter with Timothy to the Corinthians. He told of the great afflictions that he had suffered in Asia by Demetrius. He stated he did not come to them as he had intended to do in order to spare them. {2Co 1:8,9 17-23} He desired that they would pardon the incestuous Corinthian upon his repentance. {2Co 6:5-11} Paul sent Titus to them again along with another brother whose praise was in the gospel throughout all the churches. (This man was thought to be Luke.) They were to prepare them to have their collections ready to be sent to Jerusalem by the time Paul arrived. {2Co 8:16-19 9:3-5}
6842. Paul went from Macedonia into Greece and stayed there three months. {Ac 20:2,3} During that time, he went to Corinth and received the collections in Achaia for the relief of the believers at Jerusalem. {1Co 16:3-5 2Co 9:4}
6843. The famous letter to the Romans was written from Corinth at this time as Origen confirmed by many reasons in his preface to the exposition of that epistle. It was dictated by Paul and written by Tertius and sent by Phebe, a servant of the church of Cenchrea near Corinth. {Ro 16:1} This was at the time Paul was about to take his journey to Jerusalem with the collections from Macedonia and Achaia. {Ro 15:25,26}
6844. When Paul planned to go directly from there to Syria to carry the collections to Jerusalem, the Jews planned to ambush him. Thereupon, he thought it best to return to Macedonia from where he came. From there he would pass into Asia. {Ac 20:3,4}
6845. Paul sent ahead his travelling companions from Philippi in Macedonia to Asia. Sopater or Sosipater, {Ro 16:11} of Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus of Thessalonica, Gaius of Derbe and Timothy with Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia were to wait for him at Troas. He, Luke and the rest sailed from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread and arrived at Troas in five days. They stayed there seven days. {Ac 20:4-6}
6846. On the eighth day which was the first of the week, the disciples assembled together to break bread. Paul preached to them since he was leaving the next day. He continued to midnight and restored to life Eutychus, a young man who fell down from the third loft in the room where they were gathered together. {Ac 20:7-12}
6847. From here Paul travelled on foot to Assos where Luke and his other companions sailed to. They took him in and they sailed to Mitylene. After they left there, the next day they sailed opposite Chios. The following day they arrived at Samos. They stayed at Trogyllium and the next day they came to Miletus. {Ac 20:13-15}
6848. Paul hurried to be at Jerusalem by the time of the feast of Pentecost. Therefore to save time, he bypassed Ephesus and sent messengers from Miletus to Ephesus to summon the elders of the church to meet him. He delivered a most grave speech to them and warned them of their duty and seriously exhorted them to do it. He kneeled and prayed with them. They all wept especially because Paul thought he would never see them again. {Ac 20:16-38}
6849. After they had launched from Troas, they sailed straight for Cos. The next day they came to Rhodes and from there to Patara. They took a ship which sailed for Phoenicia. They sailed north of Cyprus and arrived at Tyre. {Ac 21:1-3}
6850. They stayed with some disciples for seven days. They warned Paul by the Spirit that he should not go up to Jerusalem. However, he kneeled down on the shore and prayed with them. He sailed from Tyre to Ptolemais and there stayed many days with Philip the evangelist. He was one of the seven deacons {Ac 6:5} and had four daughters who were virgins and prophesied. He was met by Agabus, a prophet from Judea who bound his own hands and feet and foretold about the bonds that waited for him. When Paul could not be persuaded by the brethren that he should not go to such a dangerous place, he went to Jerusalem. The disciples accompanied him from Caesarea and brought Mnason of Cyprus with them. He was an old disciple with whom Paul would stay. {Ac 21:4-16}
6851. They were most gladly received by the church. James and all the elders of Jerusalem advised Paul to remove the stigma that was on him. It was alleged that he taught the Jewish converts to Christianity to forsake the law of Moses. Paul went with four men who were believing Jews and had made the vow of the Nazarite. He purified himself with them according to the command of the law. This was of no avail. When some of the unbelieving and rebellious Jews of Asia, (who came to Jerusalem to the feast) saw him in the temple, they made a great clamour and noise and stirred up the people about Paul's alleged crime. They said that Paul had brought Trophimus, a Gentile of Ephesus into the temple and had profaned the temple. When they were about to kill him, Claudius Lysias, who was the chief captain came with a band of men and took Paul away to the safety of the citadel. The chief captain allowed him to speak in Hebrew to the people. {Ac 21:17-40}
6852. The Jews were enraged and more vehemently cried out against him because of his speech and the chief captain ordered him to be examined by scourging. He was spared this punishment because he was a Roman citizen. The chief captain wanted to know what crime the Jews accused him of. The next day he ordered the chief priests and all their council to come together and set Paul before them and released him from his bonds. {Ac 22}
6853. As Paul was beginning to plead his cause before the council, Ananias ordered him to be struck on the mouth. He was the high priest (the son of Nebidius, who, although he was removed from the high priesthood, yet seemed to be president of the council. This was similar to what happened before him with Annas or Ananus who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas.) Therefore Paul severely rebuked him and called him a whited wall. Then Paul proclaimed openly that he was a Pharisee and that he was called into question because of the hope of the resurrection. Then there arose a dissension between the Sadducees who accused him and the Pharisees who excused him. The chief captain feared lest he should be torn in pieces by them as they were fighting. He took Paul from among them with his soldiers and brought him into the citadel. The Lord appeared the next night to Paul and comforted him since he was sad. The Lord encouraged Paul and told him that he must witness in Rome also. {Ac 23:1-11}
6854. When it was day, more than forty of the zealous Jews bound themselves under a curse, that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul in an ambush. Paul's sister's son told the chief captain about the plot. In the third hour of the night, he sent Paul with a guard of soldiers to Felix, the governor of the province. Felix took Paul in the night to Antipatris and the next day to Caesarea. He was ordered by Felix to be kept in Herod's judgment hall. {Ac 23:12-35} All these things happened within one week as may be understood when {Ac 24:1} and {Ac 24:11} are compared together.
6855. Five days later Paul was accused before the governor of Caesarea by Ananias and the elders through Tertullus an orator. Paul cleared himself of their false accusations. This was twelve days after he was attacked in the temple. When Felix who had governed the Jews many years, (for this was now the tenth year of his government,) heard them, he deferred his sentence to another time. He ordered a centurion that Paul should be kept and to be allowed to have his freedom. All his visitors could come and minister to him. {Ac 24:1-23}
6856. Some days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla who was a Jew, (the sister of King Agrippa.) There was another Drusilla besides the one who was the wife of Felix. She was the daughter of Juba, the king of Mauritania, the niece of Antony and Cleopatra. Felix called for Paul and heard him. He trembled as he heard Paul reason about faith in Christ, righteousness, temperance and the judgment to come. He spoke more often with Paul and hoped that he would redeem himself with money. He had him in bonds for two whole years. {Ac 24:24-27}
6857. Tigranocerta surrendered to Corbulo who also subdued all of Armenia. {Tacitus, Annals, l. 14. c. 13-26.}
6858. Tigranes, the son of Alexander (the son of that Alexander who was executed by his father, Herod the Great) and of Glaphira (the daughter of Archelaus the King of Cappadocia) were kept hostages at Rome for a long time. He was sent by Nero to take the kingdom of Armenia and was not received there by a general consent. Some still loved the family of the Arsacida and the Persians. However, most hated the arrogance of the Parthians and desired a king to be given to them from Rome. He was given a guard of a thousand legionary soldiers, three bands of allies and two wings of cavalry. This was to help him defend more easily his new kingdom. The frontier zones of Armenia that bordered the neighbouring kings (Pharasmanes of Iberia, Polemon II of Pontus, Aristobulus of Armenia the Less, and Antiochus IV Epiphanes of Commagene,) were allocated to them to defend the new king. {Tacitus, Annals, l. 14. c. 26.} {Josephus, Antiq., l. 18. c. 7. <c. 5. 1:485,486>}
6859. Corbulo went into Syria to be the governor because Ventidius (Numidius) Quadratus, who was the lieutenant, there had died and it was committed to Corbulo's charge. {Tacitus, Annals, l. 14. c. 26.}
6860. In the same year Laodicea, one of the most famous cities of Asia, was destroyed by an earthquake. They rebuilt the city themselves using their own wealth. {Tacitus, Annals, l. 14. c. 27.}
4064 AM, 4774 JP, 61 AD
6861. Tarquitius Priscus was condemned for extortion, at the suite of the Bithynians. The senate remembered that he had once accused his proconsul Titus Statilius Taurus (II) and was delighted. {Tacitus, Annals, l. 14. c. 46. l. 12. c. 59.}
6862. There arose a contention at Caesarea between the Jews and the Syrians about the equal right of privileges in the city. The Jews who were rich reproached the poor Syrians. Although the Syrians were poorer, they thought they were better because many of them who had served the Romans in the wars in those places, were natives of Caesarea and Sebaste. Hence they thought they were as good as the Jews. Later they began to throw stones at one another so that many were killed and hurt on both sides. However, the Jews won the victory. When Felix required the Jews to stop this mini-war, they refused. He sent soldiers among them who killed many of them and took many prisoners. He also allowed his soldiers to plunder many of the rich houses. The more honourable and modest Jews feared they would suffer next. They begged Felix that he would call off his soldiers and spare what was left. They repented and asked Felix's pardon which he granted. {Josephus, Antiq., l. 20. c. 6. <c. 8. 1:536>}