Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. Acts 21:31

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In the previous verse, the city was disturbed, and the people ran together, seizing Paul, and dragging him out of the temple. With that, it next says, “Now as they were seeking to kill him.”

As is typical with crowds that have been stirred up, people will often act in a manner that they would not act in when alone. In this case, they have been riled up to the point that they are ready to kill Paul.

As will be seen, though, once Paul has a chance to defend himself, they will quiet down and listen to him. This means that at this time they actually have no idea why they are doing what they are doing. They are bent on killing him based on whatever rumor met their ears, whether true or not. While this was going on, “news came to the commander of the garrison.”

The word translated as garrison is better translated as a cohort or band. A garrison is the place where men are gathered. This man’s position refers to the gathering of the men rather than the place of their gathering. He is the commander of a unit of men stationed in Jerusalem.

The Greek designation of the commander is a chiliarch, meaning the captain of one thousand men. Such a cohort is one-sixth of a legion, which equates to six thousand men. This cohort was stationed in the castle Antonia which was on the north side of the temple. It is referred to in Matthew 27:65, 66; John 18:12; and Acts 5:26.

As for the word translated as news, it is the Greek word phasis. It is found only here in the New Testament. It speaks of the disclosure of a secret crime. In other words, an unlawful act was occurring because the Jews had no right to put anyone to death, especially in a mob scene.

However, by beating him to death in a mob, they could avoid having accusations against any individual for murder. It was a planned way of executing him that would leave a body but no available suspects. However, during the time of a feast, the Romans would be on a higher state of alert because of the multitudes of people flocking to Jerusalem.

As for the news he received, it was “that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.” Chaos had broken out because of the situation. In such a case, it could only get worse without immediate crowd control. Otherwise, people would be hurt, factions within the crowd would arise, and more chaos and destruction would occur. This is the exact reason why so many men were stationed in Jerusalem.

The city was a hotbed of activity. The religious, cultural, and political views of the Jews were set against any authority being established over them. Unless very strict controls were placed over the people, especially during the annual pilgrim feasts, things could get out of hand quickly. From there, a general uprising could easily spread throughout the land.

Life application: The best thing to do when in a crowded situation is to mind your own business. If people start getting out of hand, finding a quick avenue of escape is then the preferred option. Once the camera comes out and people start recording, it means things are getting out of hand. Instead of watching, which can be done on the evening news or YouTube later, ducking out and getting away from the mob is prudent.

This is even more important today, where governments are actively looking for reasons to arrest people of conservative, Christian values. There is a “guilt by association” attitude for anyone who is in such an area, even if they are just watching. This is perfectly evident when murderous thugs on the left are actually apprehended for severe crimes but are then released without charges within a few hours.

The world is devolving into wickedness, and it is the wicked who will be given the free pass when such times arise. Be on your guard and get away from crowds that are getting agitated. That is your best option in today’s world.

Lord God, give us wisdom and discernment in how to conduct our affairs when we are gathered in large settings. Help us to pay attention to what is going on around us and to be ready to act quickly if things get out of control. Above all, Lord, keep us from getting ourselves into situations where we might bring reproach on the name of Jesus. May it be so, O Lord. Amen.