When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” 29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30 Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. 31 And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 32 He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another. And as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. 35 And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, 36 for the mob of the people followed, crying out, “Away with him!”
37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? 38 Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” 39 Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.”
If anyone knows about zealous protectionism, it would be Saul of Tarsus, now known as Paul. You’ll remember how he persecuted the church. He will confess this himself.
“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities. – Acts 26:9-11
So I can assure you his heart is broken by these people who are so zealously seeking his death. He knows about zeal. He knows about anger. He knows about taking action and seeking others’ deaths. He will confess when he writes Timothy, “I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man.” (1 Timothy 1:13)
These who are seeking his life are his brothers of deep dedication to the Jewish traditions and religion. They care about God’s house, the Jewish laws and traditions, and have a strong conviction about the way things out to be. Paul knows all about this but also knows how wrong-headed he was in his zeal. He had to be knocked to the ground, struck blind, and told by Jesus that he was heading in the wrong direction.
Zeal can be a good thing. Romans 12:11 says, “Never be lacking in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” Isaiah 59:17 says, “He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.” And I love Paul’s comment in Galatians 4:18, “It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you.” And I love James’ admonition in James 1:20, “The anger of man does not accomplish the righteous things God desires.”
Readers of this blog will notice I never speak about political candidates either for or against. I do have thoughts and sensibilities about these issues. But I don’t want to put anything in the way of my witness to Jesus Christ. Political issues can easily excite people’s zeal and block out the message of the gospel.
Jesus’ followers are urged to be zealous for love and good works. We must be careful that our zeal is tied to the grace and truth found in Jesus Christ.
David Bahn - Reflections 
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