Acts 21:27-40 Are You a Zealot?

Acts 21:27-40 Are You a Zealot?

Paul Seized in the Temple

     27When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him, 28crying out, “Men of Israel, come to our aid! This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people and the Law and this place; and besides he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” 29For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30Then all the city was provoked, and the people rushed together, and taking hold of Paul they dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut. 31While they were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the commander of the Roman cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 32At once he took along some soldiers and centurions and ran down to them; and when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33Then the commander came up and took hold of him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; and he began asking who he was and what he had done. 34But among the crowd some were shouting one thing and some another, and when he could not find out the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. 35When he got to the stairs, he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob; 36for the multitude of the people kept following them, shouting, “Away with him!”

     37As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? 38“Then you are not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” 39But Paul said, “I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.” 40When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned to the people with his hand; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew dialect, saying,


It has begun, as it did with Jesus but now with Paul. Zealots for a religion believe they are following God but they are following Satan instead. They accused Jesus falsely as they are doing with Paul. They desire to kill him in the name of God and their religion but fail to follow one of his commandments; Thou shall not murder. Or as some versions say; Thou shall not kill.

How is man acting any different today? Zealots flew planes into the Twin Towers, zealots blow themselves up to murder innocents, zealots behead Christians and the list goes on.

For Paul was once like them, a zealot for his religion persecuting Christians,  murdering, beating and imprisoning them.

If Jesus could turn Paul from destruction and from Hades cannot Jesus turn other zealots from their destructive path?
After all He turned you didn't He?  

Blessings David