Acts 24:10 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Then Paul—answered, Forasmuch, &c.— It was now about seven years since Felix entered on his government. The three articles of Tertullus's charge were sedition,—heresy,—and a profanation of the temple. St. Paul's answer exactly corresponds to each of these. As to the first he suggests, that he had not been long enough at Jerusalem to form a party, and attempt an insurrection; and challenges his accusers, in fact, to produce any evidence of such practices, Acts 24:11-13. As to the second, he confesses himself to be a Christian, but maintains that Christianity is a religion perfectly agreeable to the revelation of Moses and all the prophets, and consequently not deserving to be branded with any infamous or invidious title, Acts 24:14-16. And as for the profanation of the temple, he tells them, that on the contrary he had entered it with some peculiar rites of religious purification, and had behaved himself therein in a most peaceful and regular manner; so thathis innocence had been evident even before the sanhedrim, where the authors of the tumult did not dare to appear against him; Acts 24:17-21.