Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 24:27

"But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and desiring to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds." — Acts 24:27 (ASV)

After two years Festus replaced Felix as governor of Judea. According to Josephus, Felix’s downfall came through an outbreak of hostilities between Jews and Greeks at Caesarea, with both claiming dominant civil rights in the city. Using the Syrian troops under his command, Felix’s intervention retaliated on the Jews. Many were killed, taken prisoner, or plundered of their wealth; and a delegation of Jews went to Rome to complain. Felix was recalled to Rome and replaced by Festus in A. D. 60. During those two years, Paul remained in Herod’s palace at Caesarea—with Felix undoubtedly rationalizing his imprisonment as a protection for Paul and a favor to the Jews. It must have been an extremely tedious time for Paul. Luke, however, probably made full use of these two years to investigate “everything from the beginning” about Christianity (cf. Lk 1:3).

And while we cannot say whether he at this time produced either a preliminary draft of his gospel or any portion of Acts, it is probable that he became quite familiar with (1) the traditions comprising Mark’s gospel, (2) other materials having to do with the story of Jesus that he would also incorporate into his gospel, (3) accounts circulating in Palestine of events in the early church that he would include in the first half of Acts, and (4) recollections and interpretations of Paul as to his activities before Luke joined him.