The Acts of Disciples
Compassion Under Fire – Part I

Scripture Reading: Acts 21:27-40

Key Verse: Acts 21:27
The seven days were almost ended when some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the Temple and roused a mob against him. They grabbed him.

Today’s Key Verse describes the day a mob was worked up over false allegations against the Apostle Paul. In today’s Scripture Reading, they were beating Paul and probably would have beaten him to death if the Roman soldiers hadn’t stepped in. The Roman government controlled that region of the world and served as the police when trouble erupted. This mob had grown so violent that the soldiers had to lift Paul onto their shoulders to protect him (Acts 21:35). Acts 21:36 tells us what the crowd truly wanted:

And the crowd followed behind, shouting, “Kill him, kill him!” (Acts 21:36)

After Paul was pulled to safety, he made a request of the Roman commander. Paul stood on the stairs and motioned to the people to be quiet. Soon a deep silence enveloped the crowd, and he addressed them in their own language, Aramaic (Acts 21:39-40).

Why wasn’t Paul totally disgusted with this crowd? Why wouldn’t he decide they could all be lost for eternity after the way they had treated him?

I can’t imagine having pity on a mob that had just been beating me. It is the grace of God that covers all of us believers and helps us do what the Spirit would want over what our human spirit would want.

Paul wanted to give his testimony to this crowd, and the Roman commander allowed it.

Acts 22:1-21 gives us Paul’s life story up to that point. The crowd listened intently to what Paul was saying. But as soon as Paul said that the Lord sent him to preach to the Gentiles, the mob erupted again, calling for Paul to be killed. The soldiers had to pull Paul inside their headquarters to keep the crowd from getting out of control. The Roman commander made a decision he thought would satisfy the mob. When they tied Paul down to lash him, Paul said to the officer standing there:

“Is it legal for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been tried?” (Acts 22:25)

Paul knew the law of the land — he was born into a Roman family. They withdrew the order to whip him and decided to call a meeting with the Jewish leaders. Through it all, God was at work accomplishing His purposes!

Father, help me to trust Your power and Your purposes. In Jesus’s Name I pray, amen.