⁵But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. ⁶When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also; ⁷and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” ⁸They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. ⁹And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them.

By the term “Jews,” Luke means the unbelieving Jews, for we just read in verse 4 that “some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas.” The rest of the Jews were a different story. They began to stir up strife and opposition, and in fact started a city-wide riot not entirely unlike the large-scale race riots in North America in present days, where thousands of people are stirred up in short order. Tensions boil over at a single catalytic event. Everywhere the Jews went, there were tensions and persecutions. They refused to honor the multiplicity of gods that was the status quo. And their refusal was tantamount to narrow-mindedness, unpatriotic to the Roman Empire. It was the ancient version of being intolerant, where religious tolerance was the political correctness of the day.

When Paul and Silas preached Jesus, His death and resurrection, explaining the significance as they had at every preaching stop, unbelieving Jews saw their message as blasphemous.

For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men . . . (1 Thess. 2:14–15)

Not finding Paul and company, the rioting mob apprehended one of their sympathizers, a man named Jason who housed the missionaries. The accusation, “These men . . . have upset the world,” rings through the age. The gospel does indeed upset the world. It commands allegiance to the King of kings and Lord of lords. A Christian who is loyal to the heavenly King will not bow down to an earthly king—and that is dangerous in the world’s eyes. So the mob’s accusation sticks, but the scene peters out with a whimper when Jason and the other sympathizers make a pledge, and they are released. The content of the pledge was not important; Luke simply states that no further persecution happened.

Lord, help me not shy away from identifying with those who proclaim the Word.