Bible Dictionary: Tertullus

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Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Tertullus

third

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Tertullus

(diminutive from Tertius), "a certain orator," (Acts 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.)

ATS Bible Dictionary

Tertullus

A Roman orator or advocate, whom the Jews employed to bring forward their accusation against Paul, before the Roman procurator at Caesarea, probably because they were themselves unacquainted with the modes of proceeding in the Roman courts, Acts 24:1-2.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

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."

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

TERTULLUS

ter-tul'-us, ter- (Tertullos, diminutive of Latin tertius, "third"):, An orator who descended with Ananias the high priest and elders from Jerusalem to Caesarea to accuse Paul before Felix the Roman governor (Acts 24:1). Tertullus was a hired pleader whose services were necessary that the case for the Jews might be stated in proper form. Although he bore a Roman name, he was not necessarily a Roman; Roman names were common both among Greeks and Jews, and most orators were at this time of eastern extraction. Nor is it definitely to be concluded from the manner of his speech (Acts 24:2-8) that he was a Jew; it has always been customary for lawyers to identify themselves in their pleading with their clients. His speech before Felix is marked by considerable ingenuity. It begins with an adulation of the governorship of Felix that was little in accord with history (see FELIX); and the subsequent argument is an example of how a strong case may apparently be made out by the skillful manipulation of half-truths. Thus the riot at Jerusalem was ascribed to the sedition-mongering of Paul, who thereby proved himself an enemy of Roman rule and Jewish religion, both of which Felix was pledged to uphold. Again, the arrest of Paul was not an act of mob violence, but was legally carried out by the high priests and elders in the interests of peace; and but for the unwarranted interference of Lysias (see LYSIAS), they would have dealt with the prisoner in their own courts and thus have avoided trespassing on the time of Felix. They were, however, perfectly willing to submit the whole case to his jurisdiction. It is interesting to compare this speech of Tertullus with the true account, as given in Acts 21:27-35, and also with the letter of Lysias (Acts 23:26-30).

C. M. Kerr

Greek

5061. Tertullos -- Tertullus, probably a Roman
... Tertullus, probably a Roman. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: Tertullos
Phonetic Spelling: (ter'-tool-los) Short Definition: Tertullus Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5061.htm - 6k

Library

The Trial at Caesarea
... Five days after Paul's arrival at Caesarea his accusers came from Jerusalem,
accompanied by Tertullus, an orator whom they had engaged as their counsel. ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 39 the trial at.htm

Acts XXIV
... (1) "Now, after five days, Ananias the high priest, with the elders and a certain
orator named Tertullus, came down, and informed the governor against Paul ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xxiv.htm

Paul Before Felix.
... Let us attend, in the first place, to the speech of Tertullus, an orator, whom Ananias
and the elders had chosen, on account of his eloquence and address, to ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xxvii paul before felix.htm

Paul Before Felix
... At any rate he had gained experience which might help him in picking his way through
Tertullus's rhetoric. ... Tertullus and company had only hearsay. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/paul before felix.htm

Acts xxiii. 31, 32, 33
... to shame here also. "And with an orator, one Tertullus." [1108] And what
need was there of "an orator? Which (persons) also informed ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily l acts xxiii 31.htm

Epistle Liii. To Cornelius, Concerning Granting Peace to the ...
... Cæcilius, Junius, Marrutius, Felix, Successus, Faustinus, Fortunatus, Victor,
Saturninus, another Saturninus, Rogatianus, Tertullus, Lucianus, Eutyches, Amplus ...
/.../cyprian/the epistles of cyprian/epistle liii to cornelius concerning.htm

Acts XXV
... against Cæsar have I at all offended." The specifications embraced in this defense
are the same as in the defense against the speech of Tertullus before Felix ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xxv.htm

Epistle v. To the Presbyters and Deacons.
... other advantages connected with the peace and safety of us all:"which advantages
an account will be given you by our beloved brother Tertullus, who, besides ...
/.../cyprian/the epistles of cyprian/epistle v to the presbyters.htm

Epistle Lxix. To Januarius and Other Numidian Bishops, on ...
... Pomponius, Demetrius, Quintus, Saturninus, Januarius, Marcus, another Saturninus,
another Donatus, Rogatianus, Sedatus, Tertullus, Hortensianus, still another ...
/.../cyprian/the epistles of cyprian/epistle lxix to januarius and.htm

Epistle Lxi. To Pomponius, Concerning Some virgins.
... 1. Cyprian, Cæcilius, Victor, Sedatus, Tertullus, with the presbyters who were
present with them, to Pomponius their brother, greeting. ...
/.../cyprian/the epistles of cyprian/epistle lxi to pomponius concerning.htm

Thesaurus

Tertullus (2 Occurrences)
... punish.". Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. TERTULLUS. ter-tul ... 30). CM Kerr.
Multi-Version Concordance Tertullus (2 Occurrences). Acts 24 ...
/t/tertullus.htm - 9k

Felix (11 Occurrences)
... The trial was begun, but after hearing the evidence of Tertullus (see TERTULLUS)
and the speech of Paul in his own defense, Felix deferred judgment (Acts 24:1 ...
/f/felix.htm - 15k

Tertul'lus (2 Occurrences)
Tertul'lus. Tertullus, Tertul'lus. Test . Multi-Version Concordance
Tertul'lus (2 Occurrences). ... Tertullus, Tertul'lus. Test . Reference Bible.
/t/tertul'lus.htm - 7k

Orator (3 Occurrences)
... (2) As the rendering of rhetor, the title applied to Tertullus, who appeared as
the advocate of the Jewish accusers of Paul before Felix (Acts 24:1). The ...
/o/orator.htm - 9k

Lysias (3 Occurrences)
... 22). For the reference to him in the speech of Tertullus (see Acts 24:7 the
Revised Version, margin), see TERTULLUS. CM Kerr. LYSIAS. ...
/l/lysias.htm - 12k

Antonius
... The trial was begun, but after hearing the evidence of Tertullus (see TERTULLUS)
and the speech of Paul in his own defense, Felix deferred judgment (Acts 24:1 ...
/a/antonius.htm - 10k

Case (138 Occurrences)
... Acts 24:1 Five days after this, Ananias the High Priest came down to Caesarea
with a number of Elders and a pleader called Tertullus. ...
/c/case.htm - 38k

Claudius (3 Occurrences)
... For the reference to him in the speech of Tertullus (see Acts 24:7 the Revised Version,
margin), see TERTULLUS. CM Kerr. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/c/claudius.htm - 15k

Statement (88 Occurrences)
... Acts 24:1 And after five days, the high priest, Ananias, came with certain of the
rulers, and an expert talker, one Tertullus; and they made a statement to ...
/s/statement.htm - 31k

Tertius (1 Occurrence)

/t/tertius.htm - 8k

Bible Concordance

Tertullus (2 Occurrences)

Acts 24:1 After five days, the high priest, Ananias, came down with certain elders and an orator, one Tertullus. They informed the governor against Paul.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Acts 24:2 When he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, "Seeing that by you we enjoy much peace, and that excellent measures are coming to this nation,
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Subtopics

Tertullus

Tertullus: The Prosecutor of Paul Before Governor Felix

Related Terms

Felix (11 Occurrences)

Tertul'lus (2 Occurrences)

Orator (3 Occurrences)

Lysias (3 Occurrences)

Antonius

Case (138 Occurrences)

Claudius (3 Occurrences)

Statement (88 Occurrences)