A Study of Acts: Felix and Drusilla Listen to Paul and Keep Him Imprisoned
Acts 24:24-27 - The time is NOW to repent and believe, not at some future and uncertain date and time.
“But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.” At the same time too, he was hoping that money would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to send for him quite often and converse with him. But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.”
Acts 24:24-27 NASB1995
One of the challenges in doing these devotionals is finding appropriate artwork or pictures to help enliven the text. I found this image, above, in an internet search looking for artworks about Paul preaching to Felix and Drusilla. The image comes from a Jehovah’s Witness website, but IMHO that doesn’t make it any less compelling even though I reject the teachings of this sect; I decided to “borrow” it.
A few days later after the testimony in front of Felix, he sends for Paul and has his wife Drusilla with him to hear Paul speak about faith in Christ Jesus. So who is Drusilla? Let’s consult the wonderful Gotquestions.org for an answer:
Drusilla was the youngest of three daughters born to Herod Agrippa I and is reported to have been very beautiful. Both King Agrippa I and his son Agrippa II were rulers in Israel during the first century. Drusilla is significant because of her interaction with the apostle Paul during one of his imprisonments. Drusilla, along with her husband at the time, Governor Felix, were intrigued by Paul’s teaching about Jesus and wanted to hear more (Acts 24:24).
Drusilla came from a royal but dysfunctional family. Her father, Herod Agrippa I, was the grandson of Herod the Great, the king we read about in the Christmas story who ordered the slaughter of all baby boys in Bethlehem in an effort to destroy the Messiah (Matthew 2:1–15). Drusilla’s older sister Bernice had a long and checkered sexual history, culminating in an incestuous relationship with their brother, Agrippa II, whom we read about in Acts 25 and 26.
Drusilla was given in marriage at the age of fourteen to Azizus, king of Emeza. The historian Josephus implies that she was unhappy in this marriage and was later seduced by Felix with the help of a Cyprian sorcerer named Simon. Felix, the Roman governor of Judea, took Drusilla as his third wife, and they had a son, also named Agrippa. This son later died in an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79.
As a Jewess, Drusilla would probably have known about the stoning of Stephen, which happened before she was born (Acts 7:58–60), and the martyrdom of James (Acts 12:2) at the order of her own father. She was married to a man who was well acquainted with Christianity (Acts 24:22). After Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, he was brought to Caesarea. Governor Felix heard the charges brought against him, and Paul presented the gospel as part of his defense, but Felix delayed giving a verdict. Some days later, Felix with his wife, Drusilla, summoned Paul for another hearing. There was no legal reason for Drusilla to be present at these hearings, so she must have been curious about what Paul had to say.
Speaking before Felix and Drusilla, Paul “spoke about faith in Christ Jesus . . . righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come” (Acts 24:24–25). Luke records that the governor was afraid at Paul’s words and sent Paul back to his cell until a more “convenient” time (verse 25). We are not told what Drusilla’s response was, but Paul’s preaching on self-restraint and the coming judgment must have disturbed her, given her marital history and ungodly lifestyle.
Paul preaches about three things to his audience: Righteousness, self-control and the judgment of God to come. These topics obviously frighten the two of them and they tell Paul to go away for the present. Felix says “when I find time I will summon you”. He also hoped for money from Paul, so he would use that nefarious and greedy reason to talk to him from time to time.
This commentary from Enduring Word is worth reading, with some amazing Spurgeon quotes:
With his wife Drusilla: This woman was the sister of Herod Agrippa II and Bernice mentioned in Acts 25. Drusilla was beautiful, ambitious, and about 20 years old at this point. Felix seduced her away from her husband and made her his third wife.
“The lax morals of Felix and Drusilla help to explain the topics on which Paul spoke to them.” (John Stott)
He reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come: These were the three points Paul used when he spoke to Felix and Drusilla. These are three points many modern preachers would avoid speaking about, especially in speaking to a high figure like Felix.
We don’t know exactly how Paul developed these three points, but we can speculate on something like this:
The righteousness that is ours in Jesus Christ.
The need for Christian ethics (self-control) that was evidently lacking in the life of both Felix and Drusilla.
Eternal accountability before God (the judgment to come).
We admire Paul’s bold preaching, directed right to the issues of Felix’s life: “Are there not some to be found, who think the highest object of the minister is to attract the multitude and then to please them? O my God! how solemnly ought each of us to bewail our sin, if we feel we have been guilty in this matter. What is it to have pleased men? Is there aught in it that can make our head lie easy on the pillow of our death? Is there aught in it that can give us boldness in the day of judgment when we face thy tribunal, O Judge of quick and dead? No, my brethren, we must always take our texts so that we may bear upon our hearers with all our might.” (Charles Spurgeon)
“But some men will say, ‘Sir, ministers ought not to be personal.’ Ministers ought to be personal, and they will never be true to their Master till they are…But now we poor craven sons of nobodies have to stand and talk about generalities; but we are afraid to point you out and tell you of your sins personally. But, blessed be God, from that fear I have been delivered long ago. There walketh not a man on the surface of this earth whom I dare not reprove.” (Charles Spurgeon)
Felix was afraid: Hearing this message made Felix afraid. Knowing something about his life, at least we can say that he probably understood it. The gospel should make those who are intent on rejecting Jesus afraid.
Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you: However, Felix was unwilling to declare his decision against Jesus. Instead, he rejected Jesus under the pretense of delaying his decision.
Many respond to the gospel in this way; they express their rejection through delay, by delaying their decision to commit to Jesus Christ – but it is rejection none the less. The Bible tells us to come to Jesus in repentance and faith today: Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).
It is foolish to trust in a convenient time to repent and believe. “Thou sayest, ‘Another time.’ How knowest thou that thou wilt ever feel again as thou feelest now? This morning, perhaps a voice is saying in thy heart, ‘Prepare to meet thy God.’ Tomorrow that voice will be hushed. The gaieties of the ball-room and the theatre will put out that voice that warns thee now, and perhaps thou wilt never hear it again. Men all have their warnings, and all men who perish have had a last warning. Perhaps this is your last warning.” (Charles Spurgeon)
“God to-day is pulling the reigns tight to check you from your lust; perhaps, if to-day you spurn the bit, and rush madly on, he will throw the reigns upon your back, saying, ‘Let him alone;’ and then it is a dark steeple-chase between hell and earth, and you will run it in mad confusion, never thinking of a hell till you find yourself past warning, past repentance, past faith, past hope.” (Charles Spurgeon)
The claims of Jesus are never convenient for us. If we insist on waiting for a convenient time, we will wait for an eternity – an eternity spent in agonizing separation from God.
Righteousness, self-control and accountability are the hallmarks of the believer and are rarely discussed in many churches today. In this commentary from Enduring Word, I think that last bullet is the kicker. The claims of Jesus are never convenient for humans caught up in their lives. Eternity is NOW, not tomorrow, so we should not wait to decide for Him! Death is not the end for anyone, but your final destination for eternity is dependent on your decisions in this short mortal life. Don’t let fear drive you from repenting and accepting the salvation from Jesus.
Paul is trying his best to give these two God-created humans a reason to repent and turn away from their sin and their love of things of this world. He does not care about the authority and position that Felix occupies. This message frightens them, like it scares many people and they run away, although Felix pretends to listen to Paul for another two years. The present-day reactions from unbelievers to the Christian message usually include sarcasm, anger, nasty jokes, and outright hatred; these reactions are all covers for deep-seated fear. What if those annoying pests known as Christians are actually right?
I also like this commentary from Steven Cole quoted in Precept Austin:
When your body is in pain, it’s a warning that something is wrong. If you dull the pain with drugs without fixing the root problem, you may be in for more serious trouble later. It’s like the warning lights on the dashboard of your car. When they go off, you need to find out what the problem is and fix it. Continuing to ignore the warnings can destroy your engine. It is the same way spiritually. God may use His Word, the preaching of the Word, or someone’s godly words or behavior to prick your conscience. You can pay attention to the warnings and take appropriate action, or you can ignore the warnings by making up excuses and pretending that the problems don’t exist.
Felix should have allowed his fear to drive him to ask, “What must I do to be saved?” Instead, he blocked out the warning and missed his opportunity for salvation. Every week, we all face opportunities for spiritual advance. There is the opportunity to set your alarm a few minutes early to get up and spend time with the Lord. Or, you can sack in and miss that opportunity. There is the opportunity to read some spiritually enriching Christian books that will change your life. Or, you can sit mesmerized in front of TV shows that pollute your mind with filthy humor, which the Bible plainly commands us to avoid (Eph. 5:3). There is the opportunity to get your finances in order as a good steward of what the Lord has entrusted to you, and to give generously to His cause. Or, you can squander those resources on American junk. There is the opportunity to meet with other believers to grow in your faith. Or, you can forsake assembling together with the saints. There is the opportunity to talk to a lost person about the Savior. Or, you can busy yourself with less important things. With Paul, will you seize present opportunities for spiritual advance or, with Felix, will you make up excuses and miss those opportunities? (Sermon)
Paul is confined by Felix for two years, although this violates his rights as a Roman citizen and his guilt has never been determined, but Felix keeps hoping for a bribe. After that interval of time Felix is replaced by Porcius Festus. Felix was apparently recalled to Rome. So who was Porcius Festus? According to Precept Austin here is a short version of his story:
Porcius Festus was a Roman procurator, succeeding Antonius Felix somewhere between AD 55 and 60. History describes him as fair and reasonable—much more so than Felix or Festus’ successor, Albinus. In the Bible Porcius Festus is known for sending Paul to Rome to stand trial under Emperor Nero.
We will learn more about Festus in Acts 25. My next devotional examines Acts 25:1-12 - Paul stands before Festus and his accusers and asks for his appeal to be brought before Caesar.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - I am grateful beyond measure that I was given the opportunity in this life to repent of my ways and turn to You. Help me to treat others with that same sense of urgency about eternity. Amen.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Gotquestions.org was accessed on 1/22/2025 and 1/23/2025 to answer the question, Who was Drusilla?
Commentary from Enduring Word by David Guzik is used with written permission.
Precept Austin was accessed on 1/22/2025 and 1/23/2025 to review commentary for Acts 24:24-27.