362
THE KING’S BUSINESS
ing that holy place, but the charge was wholly false. “They supposed" that it was true, but they had no business to suppose anything about it. In bringing charges against men we should bring, not what we suppose to be true, but only what we know to be' true. But most charges are founded upon supposed instead of upon known facts. They had seen a Greek with Paul “in the city” and “supposed” Paul had also taken him “into the temple.” By far the major part ' of the charges that men, even Christians, bring against one another are of just this character, where something is seen and something else'inferred,and the inference .stated as a fact. Men see one thing and suppose another and tell, not what they see but what they suppose. The supposer is a great liar and a slanderer. Thursday, April 5. Acts 21:30-32. Here ajgain Paul falls a victim to a moN but this was no new experience to him (ch. 16:20-22; 19:29). The maddened Jews laid heavy hands upon him and dragged him out of the temple. It must have recalled to him the treatment of Stephen in. which he himself had had a hand (cf. ch. 7 :57, 58). We are very likely ourselves in due time to be treated in the same way we treat others (Gal. 6:7). It was/the intention of the Jews to kill Paul at once without any trial of any kind (cf. ch. 26:9, 10). They fancied that in doing this they ’were doing God a service (cf. John 16:2). In the whole transaction we have a striking example of the utter folly and wickedness of mob law. Paul’s time, how ever, had not as yet come, and all the mobs on earth could not kill him until God saw fit to permit it. His deliverance came from an unexpected -source, at the hand of an unscrupulous heathen (cf. ch. 23 :27). God often uses the strangest instrumentalities to carry out his purposes of love toward His faithful servants. The murderous Jews had a healthy respect for the Roman soldiers. Mobs usually have respect for soldiers. Mobs are always cowardly things. They had been beating Paul just as he in olden times had beaten those who believed
in Jesus (ch. 22:19). At the first sight-of the soldiers they quit. Friday, April 6. Acts'21:33-36. Paul’s troublés were not over yet. The colonel of the Roman regiment now arrested him. He took it for granted that if every one was against Paul he must b« guilty of some great crime. That is the way we often judge. Unanimity on the part of any crowd does not prove the crowd is right. Men are as likely to be unanimous in wrong as they are in right. Paul was loaded with chains. The proph ecy of Agabus was fulfilled (cf. v. 11). After thus heaping indignities upon Paul the colonel inquired “who he was, and what he had done.” It would have been far bet ter to have inquired beforehand. The mob themselves did not knoi^- why they had attacked Paul. Some shouted one thing and some another. There is nothing more senseless than a mob (cf. ch. 19:32). While the mob did not know what he had done they did know what they wanted to do with him, they wanted to kill him. They surged up around the soldiers with such violence that they were forced to lift Paul above their heads and thus carry him. Paul himself seems to be the only calm person in the whole gathering (cf. Isa. 26:3). The hoarse cry continually rent the air, “Away with him.” The same cry had rung out on the air when Pilate wished to release Jesus, but the people clamored for His blood. Paul was following closely in the path his Master had trod (cf. John 19:15), Paul will hear that cry again (cf. ch. 22 : 22 ). Saturday, April 7. Acts 21:37-40. During all this tumult Paul had but one thought and that was how he might wit ness for his Master and bring some of his blind enemies to Christ He at once asked the privilege of speaking. He made this request very courteously. Paul was a tact ful gentleman as well as a brave man. He united in himself qualities that are seldom united. He knew how to be deferential as well as brave. The Roman colonel was
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker