Mob rule….
Paul has finished his letter to the Corinthians with greetings of grace and his love for the believers….when a civil disturbance led by a silversmith for economic reasons resisted the teachings of Paul…wanting Paul’s teachings to go away so that his business could carry on making idols, as well as worship for the goddess, whom they worshipped….
I like the phrase,
“ Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together.”
And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky? Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess. If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.” And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.
Acts.19.32,Acts.19.35-41
Reading through this passage is a reminder of the mob rule, false accusations when Jesus was brought to be “ tried “…followed by his crucifixion…
In this instance, the clerk was able to talk down the riot with reasoning to bring it to court and dismiss the people…
I was a teenager during the 1960’s, and riots, it seemed, was the norm for a variety of reasons…looking at this list of riots on Wikipedia...they have been going on historically for a long time…and this list is not even exhaustive…
Lot in Sodom had the town at his door with their heathen demands…people have sought their “rights”, shouted their complaints, destroyed property, killed, gone to war over issues since the beginning…
David spoke of it..
O God, insolent men have risen up against me;a band of ruthless men seeks my life,and they do not set you before them.
But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
Ps.86.14-15
Paul writes of it in Galatians, Ephesians …followed by a cure…
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Gal.5.19-23
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Eph.4.26-27,Eph.4.31-32
I am glad God has given us a way of dealing with anger…even ways of dealing peacefully with one another…not in riots, but peacemaking…nor all will adhere to it, also as a realist, as man continues, anger will continue, riots will continue as man seeks his own way rather than God’s…and from Jesus’ speaking of end times, it will be a lot worse….
Matthew 24…
Thank YOU….
Seek ye first…
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