Following the Crowd: A Foolish Philosophy
“When 40 million people believe in a dumb idea, it is still a dumb idea.” I’m not sure who said it, but you have to admit it’s catchy…and right. While not as brass, the Bible speaks of this truth quite a bit. Think about it.
Genesis 6-8 details the destruction of the world via a global flood and while stressing a particular point about that tragic (but Divinely just) event, Peter observes that only eight souls were spared (cf. 1 Pet. 3:20). Out of the world’s entire population—which some estimate to have been at least seven billion people—less than ten individuals survived. That’s dumbfounding! What happened? The overwhelming majority decided to ignore the preaching of Noah. A rather bad idea, wouldn’t you say? And there are other examples.
Numbers 13-14 records the evil and faithless report of the ten spies. While Joshua and Caleb sought to inspire confidence and hope in the people (based on the power and promises of a trustworthy God), the inspired record portrays “all the congregation” and “all the children of Israel” crying, weeping, murmuring, and attempting to murder the two faithful spies who refused to go along with the majority. And what was the result of the weepy and murderous mob’s behavior? At first, God was going to smite the nation with a pestilence and disinherit them (Num. 14:12). After the intercession of Moses, however, God ruled that everyone from twenty years old and upward was prohibited from entering the promised land (14:29). Over the next forty years, their carcasses fell in the wilderness where they had aimlessly wandered. But again, this is not the last account of individuals foolishly following a crowd to do evil.
In the New Testament, we read of Pilate, the Roman procurator of Judea, yielding to the mob. This official had the means and authority to free Jesus from his enraged enemies. The Bible is clear regarding his personal judgment of the legal standing of Jesus. Upon his initial examination of the Christ, he told the chief priests and the people, “I find no fault in this man” (Lk. 23:4). After seeing Jesus for a second time, the governor proclaimed, “You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him” (Lk.23:14-15). The crowds went on to reject Pilate’s offer to chastise Jesus and also refused the release of Christ over Barabbas. Still, the procurator announced a third time, “Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go” (Lk. 23:22). But because the voices of the mob were insistent, demanding, and loud, Pilate surrendered to the majority—even though he knew the decision to be wrong.
Of course, other examples exist in God’s Word that demonstrate the folly of conforming to the crowd. Counting heads is not the standard by which one should measure the validity of a belief system, principle, or practice. The sole standard is the New Testament Law of Jesus Christ (cf. Matt. 28:18; Jn. 12:48). Study it and live it!
—Preston Silcox