DESTRUCTION AT ANY COST

 Note: No time this morning to proof-read.

(After Paul was purified with four Nazarites), KEY VERSES: 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 teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also 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, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) 30 And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut. 31 Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the commander came near and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and he asked who he was and what he had… 34 And some among the multitude cried one thing and some another. So when he could not ascertain the truth because of the tumult, he commanded him to be taken into the barracks. (Act 21; underlines mine)

After all the commotion, even the Roman commander was misled, as he asked “Are you not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness” (Act 21:39)? The mob’s anger had persuaded that Paul surely must be guilty of something. He cared little about whether Jesus stirred up those religions “nuts” but he was concerned that Paul might be a political zealot. To one group, Paul was a false Jewish Nazarite, and the the commander he was a political threat to the government. (Ironically, the groups against our president have much the same false notions!)

The Jews lacked civility; “they stirred up the whole crowd.” They were emotional and took the Law unto their own hands. They should have appealed to the Jewish authorities, but instead they became the Law. Always, emotional people attempt to bring justice based on perceptions. Paul just had to have broken some law and all they needed to do was present a menu of them, and surely he broke at least one. Multiple accusations is case-building. Someone who violates several counts is perceived as more guilty that breaking one. God’s Law was actually that breaking one was as if breaking them all. The Jews continued to violate their own “Constitution” since the Ten Commandments are the “Constitution” written by God for His people.

“This is the man…” They positively identified Paul as the law-breaker. They could not be wrong even though the commander thought he must be an Egyptian. Paul had purified himself according to Jewish Law and Gentiles do not do that. He proved he was a Jew. Then the commander thought him to be an Egyptian and assumed that he could not speak Greek. Obviously, Paul spoke Aramaic, Latin, and Greek, but even more impressive was that he spoke Hebrew. Common people could not do that. He provided evidence that he is a Jew.

Then they accused Paul of teaching, “men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place;” that is against Jews, God’s Law, and Judea. He was against them, their God, and their country. He was guilty of anti-semitism, is ungodly, and a traitor. The commander fairly well called him a “xenophobe” and surely some thought him racist. (The same old accusations that we still hear to this day.)

The mob also exaggerated. He “teaches all men everywhere.” He was acting as if he was God as if he could be everywhere at once; that he was going to and fro usurping the Law just as Satan would!

“Furthermore!” If that is not enough evidence, we have more and more. He is guilty on multiple accounts. Everything that Paul did, they perceived that it was against some law, either their Law of Roman Law… you have several to choose from; please choose at least one offense and justice can be served.

Paul had with him a Gentile named Trophimus, “whom they supposed,” Paul had brought into the Temple. That was evidence enough. Because he was with Paul surely meant that Paul broke the Law just because he had a companion that was not like them.

The crime that condemned Paul was that he allegedly brought a “dirty” Gentile into a pure place. They judged the appearance of the man. They were the xenophobes and they were those who judged and condemned others based on hearsay and false premises. Surely Paul could have done that, because after all, he ate and slept with Gentiles. Paul had even cleansed himself according to the Law.

He was presumed guilty based on something they assumed. Just as the mob presumes that the law is guilty today without regard to evidence. And even when the evidence was there, the mob still de ied the truth. (I will say it out loud: BLM cares little for facts, they are out for blood, and one way or another, they shall obtain it!) The crowd was there for cover. The leaders of the mob would not have been as brave if it had not been for the innocent bystanders who seemed to stand with them by their presence. (Today, the civil protesters remain cover of the mob. Lack of condemnation implies support.)

“All the city was disturbed.” The insinuations made by a few aroused the crowd. They got the city to do what the citizens would not normally do. Everyone became brave for evil, but were cowards in the face of good. What had Paul actually done? Brought the Good News to the Gentiles who became one of them. The racists did not want lower class Gentiles in their presence, let alone in their “church!” And even those “dirty” Gentiles in the face of God. How dare them! How dare Paul!

Paul was doing good things for God and the people, all according to the Greatest Commandment. Despite that, they were, “seeking to kill him.” They could not stand the thought of another Party (the party of Christians) doing charitable things that they would not do. Paul had sent provisions to the Jews in Jerusalem, and his “thank you” was the threat of death! Some people just are not wise enough to recognize helpful people when they see them. Making God Great Again was not a great idea to the Jews. They wanted to keep Moses the only holy one.

“Some among the multitude cried one thing and some another.” Their “narrative” differed because they had not had the time to orchestrate a cohesive accusation. They were fabricating their truths (sic). It was the facts as they understood them. Like most people, they did not want to be confused with the facts. It was their perceptions that mattered — OPM (Only Perceptions Matter).

Because their evidence was not evidence at all, but accusations, they all lied, and the Roman commander, “could not ascertain the truth.” Accusations were so callous and vehement that truth was concealed. Perhaps the mob intimidated the commander to go with their truth (sic) and disregard the facts. He was certainly no “Joe Friday” who wants, “Just the facts, Ma’am… just the facts.” Facts never persuade mobs. Even after the evidence is in, they still want blood, and if it would not be Paul’s, then to Hell with the city. If the Romans do not destroy, it then the Jews will. And that is exactly what happened. The zealots harassed the Romans until they tore down Jerusalem for the Jews. What about that precious Temple that one man could not defile? The Romans defiled the whole Temple by tearing it down!

(picture credit: Wikipedia"Second Temple)