Acts 17:5

Moved with jealousy (zhlwsante). Both our English words, zeal and jealousy, are from the Greek zhlo. In 2 Corinthians 13:45 the Jews (rabbis) "were filled with jealousy" (eplhsqhsan zhlou). That is another way of saying the same thing as here. The success of Paul was entirely too great in both places to please the rabbis. So here is jealousy of Jewish preachers towards Christian preachers. It is always between men or women of the same profession or group. In 1 Thessalonians 2:3-10 Paul hints at some of the slanders spread against him by these rabbis (deceivers, using words of flattery as men-pleasers, after vain-glory, greed of gain, etc.). Took unto them (proslabomenoi). Second aorist middle (indirect, to themselves) participle of proslambanw, old and common verb. Certain vile fellows of the rabble (twn agoraiwn andra tina ponhrou). The agora or market-place was the natural resort for those with nothing to do ( Matthew 20:4 ) like the court-house square today or various parks in our cities where bench-warmers flock. Plato (Protagoras 347 C) calls these agoraioi (common word, but in N.T. only here and Matthew 19:38 ) idlers or good-for-nothing fellows. They are in every city and such "bums" are ready for any job. The church in Thessalonica caught some of these peripatetic idlers ( 2 Thessalonians 3:10 ) "doing nothing but doing about." So the Jewish preachers gather to themselves a choice collection of these market-loungers or loafers or wharf-rats. The Romans called them subrostrani (hangers round the rostrum or subbasilicari). Gathering a crowd (oclopoihsante). Literally, making or getting (poiew) a crowd (oclo), a word not found elsewhere. Probably right in the agora itself where the rabbis could tell men their duties and pay them in advance. Instance Hyde Park in London with all the curious gatherings every day, Sunday afternoons in particular. Set the city on an uproar (eqoruboun). Imperfect active of qorubew, from qorubo (tumult), old verb, but in the N.T. only here and 2 Thessalonians 20:10 ; Matthew 9:23 ; Mark 4:39 . They kept up the din, this combination of rabbis and rabble. Assaulting the house of Jason (epistante th oikiai Iasono). Second aorist (ingressive) active of episthmi, taking a stand against, rushing at, because he was Paul's host. He may have been a Gentile (Jason the name of an ancient king of Thessaly), but the Jews often used it for Joshua or Jesus (II Macc. 1:7). They sought (ezhtoun). Imperfect active. They burst into the house and searched up and down. Them (autou). Paul and Silas. They were getting ready to have a lynching party.