Flattery Reveals What Authority Ought to Be
When the professional advocate Tertullus addressed Felix with extravagant praise—calling the detested Syrian governor a man of peace and virtue—he spoke lies that everyone present...
This is historical examples on authority and its proper use and the contrast between person and office, drawing on Acts 24:2-3.
When the professional advocate Tertullus addressed Felix with extravagant praise—calling the detested Syrian governor a man of peace and virtue—he spoke lies that everyone present recognized as lies. Yet Maclaren perceives a profound paradox: both the flatterer and the oppressed knew in their hearts what those honeyed words ought to have described. The very falsehood of the eulogy bore witness to a standard of governance that transcended the moment.…
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