Who is Drusilla in the Bible?

Daughter of Herod Agrippa I: and Cypros, and sister of Agrippa II. She married Aziz king of Emesa on his becoming a Jew, but was subsequently seduced into leaving her husband and marrying Felix, procurator of Judaea. She was present when Paul was heard before Felix. Acts 24:24. With her son Agrippa she perished at an eruption of Vesuvius.

Felix knew the accusations were not true, but he refused decision. Paul should have been set at liberty. Felix defers it till Lysias the chief-captain came to Caesarea. But he never came, and Paul was kept a prisoner. Felix and his wife, Drusilla, the daughter of Herod Agrippa I, a wicked woman, heard Paul and Felix trembled. Later Felix left Paul behind a prisoner, when Porcius Festus became governor.

One of the freedmen of the Emperor Claudius, and by him appointed to be procurator or governor of Judaea, A.D. 51. Paul, when sent a prisoner to Caesarea, appeared before Felix; and again before him and his wife Drusilla; and as Paul reasoned of righteousness, temperance and judgement to come, Felix trembled, and said when he had a convenient season he would send for him. He showed his mercenary and unrighteous character in keeping Paul a prisoner two years in the hope of being bribed; and then leaving him a prisoner to please the Jews. Acts 23:24, 26; Acts 24:3-27; Acts 25:14.

436 Some days later, Felix, who seems to have been absent with his wife Drusilla, a Jewess, calls for Paul, to hear him concerning the faith in Christ: for now the new doctrine had spread everywhere, and was attracting the attention of all. Felix, as well as his wife, being well versed in the things of the Jews, desired to know from its original source what Christianity was; and therefore summon Paul for this purpose. But Paul, ever occupied with souls and Christ, speaks to the conscience of the governor, telling him of judgment to come. Felix then, trembling, remands the apostle till "a more convenient season." Thus divine testimony is borne to the council, Lysias, and to the governor. Besides this, the governor hoped that Paul would give him money to be liberated. But to such dealing Paul does not consent, and therefore remains a prisoner. Felix, having to go away, and desiring to leave a favourable impression on the minds of the Jews, leaves Paul bound. Though aware of his innocence, and able to set him free, he cared nothing for justice. Money and public opinion were of more importance to him. God's intention, however, was that Paul should appear before other governors and kings, and at last before the Emperor himself. And this therefore is what happened.

(3) Nevertheless there is with Felix also a certain desire to hear about the new teaching: and he and Drusilla his wife send for Paul to learn about that faith in Christ Jesus, of which at his trial he had said nothing directly. It were no wonder if he with the life that he had lived should be willing to hear of any way not too costly by which he could be given rest as to a future which for such as he can hardly fail to be more or less a subject of disquiet. But it is no wonder if he find in his quest something graver than he thought. Perhaps he had heard that here was a hope for sinners, though without any real apprehension as to the meaning of sin. Here then is his need; and Paul reasons with him of righteousness and temperance and judgment about to come, until the miserable man is frightened. But he does not yield. The cost is greater than he supposed; he must consider it well, and will not come to any hasty decision. He had adjourned Paul's case; he can adjourn his own: "For the present go thy way," he concludes; "when I can get an opportunity, I will call thee again:" — too common an escape to elicit much wonder, though Felix' words have become an every-day quotation. Opportunities come and go; the preacher is at his elbow, and he even sends for him, with an ulterior purpose in it of winning a bribe; but, of course, in vain: the preacher is incorruptible, like divine justice; for two years this goes on; at the end of which he is succeeded by Porcius Festus; and desiring to gain favor with the Jews, he leaves Paul bound!

However, he had some interest in Paul and his teaching, possibly awakened through his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. Fausset's Bible Encyclopedia reports that Felix had seduced her from her husband (Ps.229). It may be that Felix agreed that he and his wife should listen to Paul with the very intention of inducing Paul to bribe him. Still, God gave this opportunity to Paul to preach Christ with particular emphasis on righteousness, self-control and judgment to come. It was this that was needed to strike the conscience of this irresponsible man, and at least it produced such fear as to make him tremble. Yet neither fear nor conscience in him was sufficient to overcome the greed that still wanted money from Paul.

'And after certain days Felix, having arrived with Drusilla his wife being a Jewess, sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus. And as he reasoned concerning righteousness and temperance and the judgment to come, Felix became terrified and answered, For the present go, and when I get a convenient season, I will send for thee, hoping at the same time that money would be given him by Paul; wherefore also he sent for him the oftener and communed with him. But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and Felix, willing to gain favour with the Jews, left Paul in bonds' (vers. 24-27).

The essence of unbelief is that, even if God be owned in word or theory He is in fact wholly excluded. And so it was evident in the next incident, where Felix with the beautiful wife of Azizus, king of the Emesenes, whom he had seduced and taken as 'his own', had the apostle before them to hear of the faith in Christ. Little was the guilty Roman prepared for the many sides of the truth, which the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven turns to deal with the hearer as he is. Paul discoursed, not on the prophets as with Jews, nor on the resurrection as with Athenians, nor on the cross even as at Corinth, but about righteousness, and self-control, and the coming judgment. A bad woman, they say, is more shameless than a bad man. Certainly if Drusilla knew more than Felix, she appears to have felt less. The inspiring Spirit records the alarm of the man, not of the woman. But it was no more than a passing terror. There was no repentance toward God; else he would not have got rid of the searching, yet saving, word of the gospel; he would not have been content to wait for a 'more convenient season', which never really comes.

FELIX was procurator of Judea. His character was mean and despicable and profane. Josephus tells us that King Agrippa’s sister, Drusilla, was married to Azizus, King of Emesa, and how Felix, being enamoured of her beauty, persuaded her to forsake her husband and marry him. The Bible narrative mentions Drusilla by name as sitting beside Felix when the Apostle Paul stood before him reasoning of righteousness, temperance (self-restraint), and judgment to come (Acts 24:24-25). As Paul reasoned on these weighty matters, Felix trembled. We wonder what Drusilla thought of it all. God gave them a chance, but alas! they did not avail themselves of it. Felix exhibited his despicable character when he left the noble apostle bound because he did not bribe him to obtain his release, and for no other reason than to give the Jews pleasure. Little did Felix think that his conduct would be on record in the holy Scriptures to his shame, for yet unborn millions to read.

After certain days Felix came with his Jewish wife Drusilla, to hear Paul concerning his faith in Christ. There sat on the judgment-seat a coarse and cruel Roman libertine, his wife a profligate Jewish princess. Paul reasoned of righteousness, temperance (self-restraint), and judgment to come. Felix trembled. The power of the address reached his conscience. Would that he had welcomed these probings of conscience as to his life of sin and wickedness. He would hush the preacher. He would stop the flow of accusing words. He left Paul bound. He hoped for bribes from his prisoner. Little did he know the character of Paul. If he had known it, he would have stood abashed in the presence of purity and truth. He sent for him again and again. What would Paul say? We know he would not hide the truth. What a wonderful opportunity for Felix, but, alas, he let it pass by.

Five days after, the high priest and the elders, with an orator they had retained, accused the apostle of that which he refuted with simple truth and dignity, pointing out the resurrection as the occasion of offence. Felix, conversant with Jewish prejudice, gives latitude to Paul till Lysias came down and all was known. But after an interval he and his wife Drusilla, a Jewess, sent for Paul, who, instead of discussing the faith, dealt with the conscience, so that Felix trembled and closed the interview. The "convenient season" to hear more never came. Disappointed of a bribe from Paul, and willing to gratify the Jews, Felix left him bound when Porcius Festus succeeded (Acts 24).