A Year in Luke/ActsНамуна

The reaction from the people yet again shows the state of people’s hearts in Jerusalem. When we think about the context of the Roman occupation and the various rebellion movements that occurred around this time, it’s easy to see why tensions were high. There was probably a desire to go about everyday life in peace and a disdain for the Romans bumping up against one another.

What the crowd is united on is that what Paul and the church are proclaiming is not the way. The irony is that the followers of Jesus were not proposing an uprising against the Romans, yet did proclaim Jesus as “Lord” and not Caesar. If they took the time to listen and understand what was being said, they might have found that everything they hoped for could be met in accepting this gospel. It did not compromise on calling out the Roman occupation and its evils but also allowed everyday life to go on in peace, animated with a belief that the kingdom of God was coming on earth as in heaven.