tertullus Summary and Overview

a modification of "Tertius;" a Roman advocate, whom the Jews employed to state their case against Paul in the presence of Felix (Acts 24:1-9). The charges he adduced against the apostle were, "First, that he created disturbances among the Romans throughout the empire, an offence against the Roman government (crimen majestatis). Secondly, that he was a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes; disturbed the Jews in the exercise of their religion, guaranteed by the state; introduced new gods, a thing prohibited by the Romans. And thirdly, that he attempted to profane the temple, a crime which the Jews were permitted to punish."

(diminutive from Tertius), "a certain orator," #Ac 24:1| who was retained by the high priest and Sanhedrin to accuse the apostle Paul at Caesarea before the Roman procurator Antonius Felix. He evidently belonged to the class of professional orators. We may infer that Tertullus was of Roman, or at all events of Italian, origin. (A.D. 55.)

TERTUL'LUS (diminutive of "Tertius"), a lawyer, probably a Roman, who, in consequence of their lack of familiarity with Roman forms of law, was hired by the Jews to act as prosecutor in the case of Paul before Felix. Acts 24:1-9.

A diminutive of Tertius. The Latin professional orator employed by the high priest Ananias to prosecute Paul before Felix at Caesarea (Acts 24:1). As the law proceedings were probably conducted in Latin, Roman or at least Italian advocates were commonly employed in the provinces. Greek may have been used in the Syrian law courts, as indeed the emperors permitted it even at Rome (Dio Cassius, 57:15). Still his address has a Latin tinge. It was a common rhetorical device to conciliate the judge by flattery. (See FELIX by putting down some rebels gave just enough color to Tertullus' eulogy to make its general falsehood the more glaring. (See PAUL.) Acts 24:6-8, "who also hath gone about ... whereof we accuse him," are omitted in the oldest manuscripts, Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Alexandrinus.