Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 24:21

"except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question before you this day." — Acts 24:21 (ASV)

Continuing the summary of what took place at Jerusalem, Paul spoke of his arrest in the temple (v.18) and his arraignment before the Sanhedrin (v.20). But, he insisted, he made no attempt to create a disturbance; rather, he was taken by the crowd while worshiping in a ceremonially clean condition. If the Asian Jews who instigated the riot had any serious charge against him, they should have been present to accuse him before the governor. Roman law imposed heavy penalties upon accusers who abandoned their charges, and the disappearance of accusers often meant the withdrawal of a charge. Their absence, therefore, suggested that they had nothing against him that would stand up in a Roman court of law. Nor did the Sanhedrin, Paul went on, find any crime in him— except that he believed in the resurrection of the dead. Therefore, Paul declared, he was on trial because of his belief in “the resurrection of the dead” (v.21).