Rabble
The Rabble in Acts 17:5
The word "rabble" appears in the Revised Version and several modern translations of Acts 17:5, where Paul and Silas face opposition in Thessalonica. The KJV reads that certain Jews, "moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar." The Revised Version replaced "lewd fellows of the baser sort" with "certain vile fellows of the rabble" or similar phrasing.
The Greek word behind this phrase is agoraioi, which literally means "those who lounge in the marketplace" — idle men who hung around the agora looking for trouble or easy money. These were not respectable citizens but street-level agitators who could be recruited to form a mob at short notice. The jealous opponents of Paul found these men useful for creating civil disturbance and dragging Jason, Paul's host, before the city authorities (Acts 17:6-7).
The Mixed Multitude in Numbers 11
A related concept appears in Numbers 11:4, where the "rabble" or "mixed multitude" among the Israelites in the wilderness began to crave the foods they had enjoyed in Egypt. The Hebrew word here is asaphsuph, meaning "riffraff" or "gathered ones" — a mixed group of non-Israelites who had joined the exodus from Egypt (Exodus 12:38). Their complaining spread to the Israelites, who began weeping and saying, "Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost" (Numbers 11:4-5).
This episode is significant because it shows how a discontented minority can influence an entire community. The rabble's craving led to widespread grumbling, which provoked God's anger and resulted in the place being named Kibroth-hattaavah, meaning "graves of craving" (Numbers 11:34).
Mobs and Crowds in the Ancient World
The phenomenon of urban mobs was well known in the Greco-Roman world. Cities like Thessalonica, Ephesus, and Jerusalem all had populations of underemployed men who congregated in marketplaces and could be mobilized for political purposes. The riot in Ephesus described in Acts 19:23-41 provides another vivid example: a silversmith named Demetrius stirred up a crowd of craftsmen and bystanders into a chaotic assembly that lasted two hours.
Paul's opponents frequently used such crowds to disrupt his ministry. In Thessalonica, the mob dragged Jason before the politarchs (city rulers), accusing Paul and his companions of "turning the world upside down" and proclaiming Jesus as king in defiance of Caesar's decrees (Acts 17:6-7).
The Dangers of Mob Mentality
Scripture consistently portrays mob behavior as dangerous and irrational. The crowd that demanded Jesus's crucifixion shifted from hosanna to "crucify him" within days (Matthew 27:22-23). The Ephesian mob in Acts 19 shouted for two hours without most of them even knowing why they had assembled (Acts 19:32). The rabble in Thessalonica acted on jealousy rather than justice.
These narratives serve as warnings about the power of crowd manipulation and the ease with which people can be swept into unjust actions when stirred by emotion rather than guided by truth.
A Contrast with the Berean Response
Immediately after the Thessalonian mob incident, Luke records that Paul traveled to Berea, where the Jews "were of more noble character" and "examined the Scriptures every day" to verify Paul's teaching (Acts 17:11). The contrast between the Thessalonian rabble and the Berean investigators is deliberate. Where the rabble acted on impulse and jealousy, the Bereans responded with thoughtful inquiry. This juxtaposition teaches that the proper response to new claims about God is careful examination, not reactive hostility.
Biblical Context
The word 'rabble' appears in Acts 17:5 (RV) to describe marketplace agitators who formed a mob against Paul in Thessalonica. The related concept of a 'mixed multitude' or 'riffraff' appears in Numbers 11:4 and Exodus 12:38, describing non-Israelites who joined the exodus and later instigated complaining in the wilderness. Both usages describe disorderly groups who destabilize communities.
Theological Significance
The biblical portrayal of rabbles and mobs warns against the dangers of acting on impulse, jealousy, or crowd pressure rather than seeking truth. The contrast between the Thessalonian rabble and the Berean investigators in Acts 17 teaches that genuine faith requires careful examination of God's word. The wilderness rabble in Numbers 11 illustrates how discontent, when allowed to spread unchecked, brings divine judgment.
Historical Background
The Greek word agoraioi describes a specific social class in Greco-Roman cities: idle men who frequented the marketplace (agora) and were available for hire as agitators or supporters. Thessalonica was a major Roman city in Macedonia governed by politarchs, a title confirmed by archaeological inscriptions found at the site. The use of marketplace rabble for political purposes is well attested in ancient sources, including the writings of Plutarch and Dio Chrysostom.