Thematic Bible: Mob


Thematic Bible



The city was filled with confusion, and the people rushed into the theater together, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's fellow travelers from Macedonia. Paul wanted to go into the crowd, but the disciples wouldn't let him. Even some officials of the province of Asia who were his friends sent him a message urging him not to risk his life in the theater. read more.
Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing and some another, since the crowd was confused, and most of them didn't know why they were meeting. Some of the crowd concluded it was because of Alexander, since the Jews had pushed him to the front. So Alexander motioned for silence and tried to make a defense before the people. But when they found out that he was a Jew, they all started to shout in unison for about two hours, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" When the city recorder had quieted the crowd, he said, "Men of Ephesus, who in the world doesn't know that this city of Ephesus is the keeper of the temple of the great Artemis and of the statue that fell down from heaven? Since these things cannot be denied, you must be quiet and not do anything reckless. For you have brought these men here, although they neither rob temples nor blaspheme our goddess. So if Demetrius and his workers have a charge against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They should accuse one another there. But if you want anything else, it must be settled in the regular assembly, because we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, and there is no good reason we can give to justify this commotion."

yelling, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere to turn against our people, the Law, and this place. More than that, he has even brought Greeks into the Temple and desecrated this Holy Place." Verse ConceptsHoliness,  Worldly SeparationHoliness, As Set Apart For GodShoutingFalse Accusations, Examples OfMisteachingForeigners In The Holy PlacesGroups HelpingIsrael HardenedPolluting Holy Places

The whole city was in chaos. The people rushed together, grabbed Paul, dragged him out of the Temple, and at once the doors were sealed shut. Verse ConceptsArrestingShutting GatesPulling People

But the Jewish leaders became jealous, and they took some contemptible characters who used to hang out in the public square, formed a mob, and started a riot in the city. They attacked Jason's home and searched it for Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the people. Verse ConceptsEnvyIntoleranceJealousyMarketsUnbelieversEnvy, Example OfUnbelief, Examples OfDisorder Among PeopleBringing People Out Of Other PlacesIsrael HardenedMaking Israel Jealous

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