It is possible to find reruns of the Barney Fife show, also known as the Andy Griffith Show on TV. Every now and then a crowd would assemble somewhere in Mayberry and it was Barney's job to disperse them.
"Y'all go home now! Ya hear? Go on, git!"Didn't you just love to see the "take charge guy" tear into those pesky assemblers? Listen to the account in Acts 19 as the city clerk talks to the crowd which had gathered to deal with "this Paul." (Verse 26) They were at a severe disadvantage because the preceding verses had recounted the miracles that Paul had performed. He was preaching and persuading many to turn to the True and Living God.
So they, logically, rioted to draw attention away from the failures of their god. Several hours later, the town clerk (verse 35) began to reason with the crowd and calmed them down. Verses 40 and 41give us the finale of the brouhaha. He is speaking...
40 "For indeed we are in danger of being accused of a riot in connection with today's events, since there is no real cause for it, and in this connection we will be unable to account for this disorderly gathering." 41 After saying this he dismissed the assembly.
"There is no real cause for it...." The riot that is. Sounds like he is somewhat sympathetic toward Paul and his message. Anyway, "...we will be unable to" (logically) "account for this disorderly gathering."
Verse 41 gives Barney his big day. "After saying this he dismissed the assembly." Sometimes we just need an authority figure to step in and deal with an unruly crowd.
Maybe we need this clerk or Barney to show up at some of our "disorderly" political gatherings.
No comments:
Post a Comment