So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul's travel companions. And when Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not allow him. Then some of the officials of Asia, who were his friends, sent to him pleading that he would not venture into the theater. Some therefore cried one thing and some another, for the assembly was confused, and most of them did not know why they had come together. Acts 19:29-32
In his commentary on Acts, Warren Wiersbe makes some insightful comments on the madness of mobs:
“Max Lerner wrote in The Unfinished Country, “Every mob, in its ignorance and blindness and bewilderment, is a League of Frightened Men that seeks reassurance in collective action.” It was a “religious mob” that shouted “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” to Pilate, and eventually got its way. Had this Ephesian mob succeeded in its plans, Paul would have been arrested and executed before the law could have stepped in to protect him.” ~ Wiersbe
The angry mob, likely numbering in the thousands, was “confused.” Luke used that word twice (vv.29 & 32). He further described their confusion by stating that “most of them did not know why they had come together.” Wiersbe quoted Benjamin Franklin who wrote, that a mob was “a monster with heads enough, but no brains.”
We have witnessed these kinds of mobs in our own country in the last two years as senseless protesters violently invaded cities, and even the US Capitol building. True to common mob mentality, those involved were “confused,” most not knowing “why they had come together.”
The riotous rabble in Ephesus were not stirred up by Paul’s preaching. They were agitated by a small number of “community organizers,” who were exploiting the people’s gullibility for personal gain. All Paul did was calmly preach the truth.
Consider how dangerous persecuted Christians are to their communities. They only want to follow Jesus, but mobs are moved to violence in opposition. May the Church never be a mob! And may God grant us mercy if and when angry violent mobs turn against the Church for simply being the Church.