'Crowds' have pretty much
always been the same. There is such predictability in 'crowd behavior' that the
assessments of such by contemplative and thoughtful people down through the past
2,500 years have remained virtually the same, regardless of the era or culture. People are people - but God chooses to deal with us
as individuals. So, we see "For God so loved the world
(plural) that He gave His only
begotten Son that whosoever (singular)
believes on Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." Jn
3:16 When we are engaged in mob-think and mob-speak (en
masse) we invariably disengage individual 'reason' and individual
'accountability.' Mob-think and mob-speak have historically resulted
in more harsh and divisive social consequences than those derived through
processes of dialogue and reason by accountable individuals. The difficulties encountered by the apostles were
the result of individuals who had felt their position/power/authority in 'group'
threatened by the loosening of group restraint through the empowering of
individual freedoms. This was more than just a decision as to whether or
not new male converts to Christianity had to be circumcised. This was conformity
to 'group' for purposes of uniformity and control. The difficulty theologically for those of the
'Pharisee' group of Christianity, was transitioning from the 'group' activities
(national day of Atonement; national day of Fasting; national day of Feasting;
national days of sacrifices; national days of offerings, etc.) to the personal,
direct, relational access that 'Believers' have to God through Jesus Christ. It had never been this way before! Jesus had
commented on how reluctant we are to try out 'new wineskins.' The adulation and respect of the individuals for the
apostles went from 'hero to zero' almost overnight as a threatened few brought
the individuals into 'common-cause.' It went from individual 'reason' and
individual 'accountability' to the harsh and divisive social consequences of
mob-think and mob-speak. Harsh and divisive? Yes, and we are talking about
far more than just the intention of compulsory circumcision. If you go against the grain of mob-think/speak you
will almost invariably go from hero to zero...but you will gain advocacy from
Him who 'stands at the right hand of the Father.' While you might think you are standing alone, you
truly never are.