For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. Acts 24:5
People who hate the Gospel love to insult, mock, and disparage those who believe and teach the Gospel. The Bible has always been a target of those who are wicked, and those who believe the Bible find themselves a direct part of the target. Today, those who promote the abomination of homosexuality savagely attack Christians, accusing us of being dangerous opponents of human rights. Such attacks are part of the devil’s efforts to squelch the Gospel and torment the followers of Jesus Christ. As Tertullus did with his accusation against Paul in today’s text, many of the accusations against Christians are outright lies. That’s no problem for the devil and his minions; he is the father of lies. But sometimes, the accusations, intended as insults, turn out to have considerable truth hidden within them. Such was the description of Paul as a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.
Tertullus intended his remarks to carry the worst of impressions of Paul as he spoke before the governor Felix. The word ‘ringleader’ was a very negative term that Tertullus intended to use to portray Paul as one of the most dangerous people. He used the word ‘sect’ to give Felix the impression that Paul was part of a divisive or rebellious segment of society. And he used the word ‘Nazarenes’ in a derogative way dripping with negative innuendo. Paul must have smiled as he considered this expression, and the elements of truth within it. As an apostle and a missionary, Paul was indeed a leader among the Christians of his day, a man with authority under the direction of the Holy Spirit and a man with influence among the saints because of his knowledge and ability. So there was no insult to Paul. Nor was there an insult in the reference to Christians as a sect. Paul himself often urged Christians to separate themselves from the evils and influences of the world. There could be no doubting that Christians were distinct from the societies in which they were found. The term ‘Nazarenes’ was a direct reference to Jesus of Nazareth and to His followers. Although the world might consider it an insult, to faithful Christians, there is no higher honour than to be recognized as a follower of Jesus Christ.
Does the world around us have insults and accusations for us because of our faith? If not, perhaps they don’t know or recognize our affiliation with our Lord. Shame on us. If they do accuse and attack us, we should not view this as opposing us but as opposing our Lord. The Lord Jesus Himself told us that such opposition would come: ‘Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake’ (Luke 6:22).
Let us regard the attacks of the world on us as a commendation for our faithfulness as followers of the Nazarene.