CARELESSLY INDIFFERENT!

“But when Gallio was governor of Achaia province, the Jews got up a campaign against Paul, hauled him into court, and filed charges. This man is seducing people into acts of worship that are illegal.’

“Just as Paul was about to defend himself, Gallio interrupted and said to the Jews, ‘If this were a matter of criminal conduct, I would gladly hear you out. But it sounds to me like one more Jewish squabble, another of your hair-splitting quarrels over religion. Take care of it in your own time. I can’t be bothered with this nonsense,’ and he cleared them out of the courtroom.

‘Now the street rabble turned on Sosthenes, the new meeting place president and beat him up in plain sight of the court. Gallio didn’t raise a finger. He could not have cared less.” Acts 18:12-17 (The Message).

Well done, Gallio! At last a government official with sense!

At first sight, Gallio looked like a welcome champion for Paul and his team. He knew the Jews pretty well. He recognised that they were up to their old tricks again — hair-splitting over religious issues, which was no matter for legal action. They only turned to him because, had they lynched Paul, they would be liable for arrest and trial themselves for committing a crime.

Gallio turned out to be indifferent to their religious nit-picking. He wisely dismissed their complaint because it was a non-issue for the courts, not realising that he had just given them permission to take the matter into their own hands. The street rabble was always looking for an excuse for a brawl, which these unscrupulous Jews exploited to their own advantage. If they could not get at Paul, anyone else would do as a target for their displeasure, and there were always those who would do their dirty work for them.

Gallio’s true colours were exposed when the hooligans, egged on by the irate Jews, turned on Sosthenes in full view of the governor. He was not committed to keeping law and order, so it seemed. Perhaps it was this “Roman citizen” thing again. As long as Roman citizens were not involved, he didn’t care what the others did to one another. As far as he was concerned, they were not his responsibility.

What is it about religion that causes people to forget to be human? Could it be that it is one of Satan’s most potent tools to destroy anyone who has been rescued from his clutches? Throughout the centuries and around the world, atrocities have been and are being committed in the name of religion.

In the name of the church and ordered by the Pope, millions of believers were murdered during the Inquisition in the Middle Ages. The Crusades were nothing but killing campaigns against people of another religion, sadly in the “name” of Jesus. The slaughter continues unabated today. Christians are being persecuted and killed in countless numbers in the name of some god that feels insecure enough to get rid of those who don’t support him!

Regardless of how hard the devil tries, using people like the Jews used the street rabble, he will never destroy God or His people. The fire of truth burns steadily and will continue to burn in the hearts of those who have embraced it, until Jesus comes. We do not have to defend Him or His cause. He is not insecure on His throne!