Acts 14 Jewish and gentile opposition - what was their motivation

[Eoghan]

I am curious as to why the Jews and Gentiles make common cause against Paul and Barnabus. In Acts 13 v50 we read that it was the Jewish women of note and the prominent men of the city who persecuted Paul and drove them out of their district.

Now in Acts 14 v19 they come to Iconium and "win over" the gentiles to stone Paul.

What is it that is so upsetting? For the Jews, those who believe there is no problem. For the unbelieving Jews however there is a problem. Their religion casts them on the moral high ground. They look down on others and to some extent have others look up to them. They have the chief seats in the synagogue as a right. Now Paul comes along and takes the fan base away.

For the Gentiles there is a set order of things with the rulers at the top. Again there is respect for these officials and these officials expect respect. There is a top down heirarchy. Paul undermines that by his preaching.

I think it was Calvin who was charged with revolution (?) for making the ploughboy as able to judge the rights and wrongs of matters as the civil magistrate (QUOTATION NEEDED).

Again and again it is JEALOUSY that is said to cause these outbreaks of persecution. Jealous of what?

Anyone else care care to shed some insight into the opposition encountered?

I was thinking it might be concern about Paul leading the proselytes astray, i.e. concern for their souls. I do have to keep reminding myself that the Jews who were genuinely spiritually aware would be the first to believe in Jesus. We also need to be aware of the effect on the economy of the spread ofd Christianity. Recall that it was the "idol makers and allied trades" that opposed Paul at Ephesus (Acts 19). Even today the call to "spend, spend, spend" to stimulate the economy, runs counter to Christian concepts of thrift. If the state ever counts up the financial giving to foreign missions that sees money "lost" to the economy...


I am trying to think as an actor p) if I was portraying either Jew or Gentile opposition what would my motivation be?

 

[py3ak]

As a Jew, do you need to look any further than Paul himself? A misguided zeal for the law led him to persecute Christians quite horribly. Now obviously in a situation like Caiaphas', the motivation is more about preserving place and reputation - but at this point in Acts it would have to be a very forward-thinking individual who would see that Paul's doctrine might eventually cause the Romans to crack down on Jews as such.

I'd be leery of excessively confident claims that Paul undermines the social order by his preaching - see the Epistle to Diognetus for something of an answer. The Gentiles will get involved when the Jews lodge a complaint or engage in some old-fashioned rabble rousing. Has anyone ever figured out why a mob cares?

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Eoghan,
I think your post is just confusing, not heretical.

"Politics makes strange bedfellows." One need not have a "common cause" to have a common enemy.

Christianity was challenging the larger contingent, Rabbinism, for the heritage of Abraham.
Christianity was challenging heathenism for the allegiance of its servants--whether the polytheists or or the political.
No one likes the guys who rock the boat, least of all those presently in power.

Man is inescapably religious. Worship of the State is the apotheosis of self-glorification by man of man.
Paul is not challenging the "order of man," as much as he aims to set it right: in subjection to the Lord of All.

 

[Eoghan]

If we are to understand the scripture we need to understand the people it speaks of.
Q1. What caused the jealousy of the Jewish leaders, was it religous adherents or popularity?

Q2. What specifically got the gentiles upset, was it the slighting of their gods or the loss of authority over their thralls/inferiors?

Q3. Could a Jew in good conscience push the buttons of a gentile by pointing out the slighting of their gods?

Q4. Is it reasonable to talk of Jews of good conscience when they were planning murder?

Q5. Could a Jew use the death sentence of the OT to vindicate their position and then argue that the Gentiles were the instrument of God?

Q6. Why does it seem to be the "upper classes" that seem to be the first to be offended, is there an inate sense for what is "revolutionary"?

 

[Eoghan]

Now that I think of it the "enemy of my enemy is my friend" while not universally true does have some bearing. If the Jew and Gentile were to scratch beneath the surface they would find they are on different teams. In fact teams is perhaps a good analogy. In Scotland we have different football teams with their various supporters. This borders on a "religion" but these internal differences are forgotten when Scotland plays England.

Differences are forgotten (or overlooked) when there is a common cause.

I suppose I was talking about that in the politics forum where evangelicals are more likely to make common cause with Catholics over abortion issues than more liberal "reformed" churchmen (little r little c).