Listening first
It’s a rare and wonderful gift to be able to learn from the mistakes of others. When we can do so we are saved from the pain of making those mistakes ourselves. We can learn from the crowds that tried to murder Paul. They themselves were hurting, afraid and helpless and prone to further abuse. Jesus loved and taught many such crowds and He teaches us how to avoid the destruction of rage and find the peace that we call crave. If you’re longing for peace, come and listen.
Scripture
Acts 21:27-40 ESV When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, [28] crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” [29] For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. [30] Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. [31] And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. [32] He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. [33] Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. [34] Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another. And as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. [35] And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, [36] for the mob of the people followed, crying out, “Away with him!” [37] As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? [38] Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” [39] Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” [40] And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying:
Through the Scripture
Harassed and helpless ripe for misleading
An angry crowd can go from what they suppose to be willing to kill in a very short time. The Jews from Asia were probably from Ephesus and would have known Paul and Trophimus from there. They appealed to the crowd, playing the victim “help us”. They exaggerate to the extreme, “everyone everywhere” and “people law and the Temple”, and then suppose something without having the full facts to establish it. And even without the facts they quickly escalate to murderous. This is a crowd that is already vexed and helpless, and like a powder keg ready to explode.
Acts 21:27-30 ESV When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, [28] crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” [29] For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. [31] Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. [31] And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion.
How Jesus lead the harassed and helpless
This crowd was nothing new. Throughout Jesus’ ministry and travels he kept encountering the same type of crowd. He dealt very differently with them because his motives were very different. He had compassion and wanted the best for them. This is in stark contrast with those who abused the crowd for their own evil desires.
Matthew 9:35-36 ESV And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. [36] When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Mark 6:34 ESV When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.
The Roman soldiers tried to listen first, but also supposed
Reacting on what we suppose doesn’t have to be an action, it can be an attitude that ultimately leads to an action. When we only listen to one side of a story, especially one prone to exaggeration, we can come to conclusions that inflame us further. The Roman soldiers were ironically more open to hearing and learning than the most religious crowd - yet even they allowed their prejudice or suppositions to lead them astray. They were no doubt also tired of all the friction and also on edge, wanting to avoid riots and their consequences.
Acts 21:32-35 He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. [33] Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. [34] Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another. And as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. [35] And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, [36] for the mob of the people followed, crying out, “Away with him!” [37] As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? [38] Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?”
How to avoid the destructive allure of rage
As we’ve already seen, Jesus is the only answer to our harassed and helpless troubles. He has compassion on us and wants to lead us away from the sense of helplessness that exacerbates the vexation of harassment. He dealt with it by teaching the people and loving them. We can ask Him to do the same. The Bible tells us what to do to start, be quiet and listen, knowing that human rage accomplishes nothing good.
James 1:19-20 ESV Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; [20] for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of
Deal with harassment and helplessness gently and faithfully
The opposite of helplessness and harassment is peace. Paul taught the Philippians the steps to peace and it starts with faith. Faith that Jesus is with us, close to us and that He will return soon.
Philippians 4:5-7 ESV Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;
Prayer and gratitude bring peace
We can have peace when we swap anxiety and the burden of dealing with problems in our own strength for gratitude for what Jesus has already done and faith in Him dealling with those things that we cannot.
Philippians 4:6 ESV do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. [7] And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus
Purpose brings peace
Always focus on our supreme purpose, the preaching of the Gospel for the good of man and the glory of God. This helps us through helplessness and sharpens the mind and will away from wasteful pursuits on onto what really matters.
Acts 21:39-40 ESV Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” [40] And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying:
Acts 20:22-24 ESV And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, [23] except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. [24] But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.