TERTULLO (Τέρτυλλος). - An orator, chosen, because of his familiarity with Roman legal practice and the Greek language, as advocate for the Sanhedrin against St. Paul before the procurator of Judea Antonio Felice, at Caesarea in Palestine in 58 (Act. 24, 1-9).
It is uncertain whether he was Jewish, Greek, or Latin; various indications tend to exclude the first hypothesis; the name Tertullus (from Tertius) was common among the Romans. His highly skillful indictment began with a capitata benevolentiae that was excessively flattering in comparison with the procurator’s actual merits (v. FELICE, ANTONIO); the accusations against Paul, prudently kept on political ground, were three: he stirred up seditions among the Jews of the Empire; he was leader of the sect of the Nazoreans (only here in the New Testament as an equivalent of “Christians”); he had attempted to violate the Temple. As to the authenticity of vv. 6c-8a, manuscripts and scholars are divided, though with a clear tendency toward non-authenticity, especially for internal reasons: thus T. would invite the procurator himself to question the accused, without involving the tribune Liala. St. Luke reported the indictment very briefly, perhaps relying on notes taken during the trial, at which he may have been present.
(photo Max)