2 Corinthians 5
Holman Christian Standard Bible
11 Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we seek to persuade people. We are completely open before God, and I hope we are completely open to your consciences as well. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride in the outward appearance[d] rather than in the heart. 13 For if we are out of our mind, it is for God; if we have a sound mind, it is for you. 14 For Christ’s love compels[e] us, since we have reached this conclusion: If One died for all, then all died. 15 And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised.
The Ministry of Reconciliation
16 From now on, then, we do not know[f] anyone in a purely human way.[g] Even if we have known[h] Christ in a purely human way,[i] yet now we no longer know[j] Him in this way. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things[k] have come. 18 Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” 21 He made the One who did not know sin to be sin[l] for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
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Tertullus
In the Bible, Tertullus (a modification of "Tertius") was a lawyer, who was employed by the Jews to state their case against Paul in the presence of Felix (Acts 24:1-9).
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The charges he raised 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."
It is generally assumed that Tertullus was himself a Hellenistic Jew,[1] though he could have been a Gentile.[2] It is not certain whether the trial would have taken place in Latin or Greek.[3]
Tertullus before Antonius Felix makes the first recorded use of the plural "Nazarenes" (the plural form of the Iesous ho Nazoraios "Jesus of Nazareth") to refer to Christians, though the use of the term "Christians" is already used at Antioch, and by Herod Agrippa II in the next trial of Paul before Porcius Festus.[4] Tertullus' use of the Greek term Nazoraioi has continuity with the Hebrew term Notzrim found in later rabbinical literature.[5] Tertullus presumably could not use the Antioch term Christianoi (Hebrew Meshiykhiyyim משיחיים) since Christianoi from Greek Christos (literally "Anointed One", "Messiah") might imply Tertullus' recognition of Jesus of Nazareth as a Davidic "Anointed One," or "Messiah."[6]
FELIX, MARCUS ANTONIUS
Roman procurator of Palestine (c. a.d. 53–60) who held St. Paul a prisoner at Caesarea. Felix was a freedman of Antonia, Emperor Claudius's mother, and a brother of Pallas, Claudius's favorite. He was first married to Drusilla, the granddaughter of Anthony and Cleopatra, and later to the daughter of Herod agrippa i, also named Drusilla. She had been married for two months to Aziz, King of Emesa (ancient Hamath), before leaving him to marry Felix. Felix was made procurator (governor) of Palestine by Claudius in 52 or 53. His brother's favored position emboldened him to cruelty, lust, greed, and assassination, and saved him from punishment when Nero recalled him to Rome on a charge of maladministration (c. a.d. 60).
His misconduct fanned Jewish discontent and eventually led to the Jewish revolt of 66–70. Paul, after his arrest at Jerusalem, was taken to Caesarea in order to be protected against the fanatical Jews in Jerusalem and to stand trial before Felix, who already had "some accurate knowledge of the Way" (Acts 23.22–24.23). Some days later Paul terrified Felix and Drusilla by speaking to them on chastity and the judgment to come, but in hope of a bribe, Felix kept him in prison for two years, speaking to him often (23.24–26). When Felix was recalled to Rome, he left Paul in prison for the sake of currying favor with the Jews, although he admitted that he did not find him guilty of any crime. He was succeeded by Porcius festus.
