Multitudes of people feature prominently in the narrative parts of Scripture, particularly in the Gospels and Acts. The attitudes of the crowds to Jesus Christ throw light on his ministry, as do his attitudes to them.
Crowds tend towards evil
Exodus 23:2; Psalm 64:2; Isaiah 53:6; Jeremiah 9:2; Ezekiel 23:42; Mark 15:8–15
Crowds and worship
Psalm 42:4 See also Ezra 10:1
These things come to mind as I pour out my soul: how I walked with the multitude, leading the festive procession to the house of God with shouts of joy and praise.
God's judgment is pronounced on crowds of people
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the Day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
Multitudes are seen by John in his vision
Revelation 7:9 The redeemed in heaven; Revelation 17:15 Sinful people on earth.
After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.
Crowds played a large part in Jesus Christ's ministry
Gathering round him: Matthew 13:2 parallels Mark 4:1, Luke 8:4; Mark 3:20, Mark 5:21; Luke 12:1; Matthew 8:1; Mark 3:7; Luke 14:25; John 6:2; Mark 9:25 running to the scene of his healings; Luke 8:42 almost crushing him; Luke 3:7 coming to him to be baptised; Matthew 15:30 bringing people to him to be healed; Luke 5:29 eating with him; John 12:34 questioning him; John 12:17 spreading news of him; John 7:12 whispering about him
Jesus Christ often taught crowds
Mark 2:13 See also Matthew 4:25–5:2 parallel Luke 6:17–20; Matthew 11:7 parallel Luke 7:24; Matthew 13:1–3 parallels Mark 4:1–3, Luke 8:4–5; Matthew 13:34, Matthew 15:10 parallel Mark 7:14; Matthew 23:1; Mark 6:34, Mark 10:1
Once again Jesus went out beside the sea. All the people came to Him, and He taught them there.
Jesus Christ had compassion on the crowds
Matthew 9:36 See also Mark 6:34
When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
He healed them
Matthew 14:14 See also Matthew 19:2
When He stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them and healed their sick.
He fed them
Matthew 14:15–21 parallels Mark 6:35–44, Luke 9:12–17, John 6:5–13; Matthew 15:32–38 parallel Mark 8:1–10
Jesus Christ's other contacts with crowds
Matthew 26:55 parallel Mark 14:48 questioning them; Matthew 9:23–25; Mark 2:4 parallel Luke 5:19; Matthew 14:22 parallel Mark 6:45 dismissing them; Luke 4:30 passing through them; Mark 4:36 leaving them; John 5:13 slipping away from them; Mark 7:33 leading a man away from the crowd to heal him
Individuals mentioned in connection with a crowd
Mark 9:17 parallel Luke 9:37–40 the man with a demon-possessed son; Mark 5:21–34 Jairus and the woman with a haemorrhage; Luke 7:12 the widow with a dead son; Luke 19:2–3 Zaccheus, unable to see Jesus Christ because of the crowd; Mark 10:46–48 parallel Luke 18:35–39 blind Bartimaeus, rebuked by the crowd and healed by Jesus Christ; Luke 11:27 the woman who blessed Jesus Christ; John 5:3–9 the man, in the crowd of disabled people by the pool, whom Jesus Christ healed; John 11:42, John 12:17
The crowds' varied reactions to Jesus Christ's teaching
Awe, amazement, delight and faith
Matthew 9:8; Mark 1:22, Mark 12:37; John 7:31
Accusation, confusion and questioning
John 7:20, John 12:29, John 12:34
Crowds played a large part in the final events of Jesus Christ's life
Matthew 21:46 parallels Mark 12:12, Luke 20:19 Fear of the crowds restrained the Jewish leaders. See also Matthew 21:8–11 Crowds demonstrated on Jesus Christ's entry into Jerusalem; Mark 15:8–15 The crowd, stirred up by the chief priests, asked for the release of Barabbas; Matthew 27:24 Pilate washed his hands in front of the crowd; Matthew 26:47 parallels Mark 14:43, Luke 22:47 A crowd came with Judas to Gethsemane.
Although they wanted to arrest Him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded Him as a prophet.
A crowd gathered in Jerusalem at Pentecost
And when this sound rang out, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking his own language.
Crowds featured prominently in the ministry of the apostles
Acts 5:16 bringing the sick to be healed; Acts 8:6 listening to Philip's preaching in Samaria; Acts 13:44–45 listening to Paul and Barnabas in Pisidian Antioch; Acts 14:11–19 attempting to worship Paul and Barnabas in Lystra; Acts 16:22 attacking Paul and Silas in Philippi; Acts 17:5–13 being stirred up against Paul in Thessalonica and Berea; Acts 19:30–35 rising up against Paul in Ephesus; Acts 21:27–40 rising up against Paul in Jerusalem; Acts 22:22 giving Paul a limited hearing in Jerusalem
Crowds as the source of loud noise
Isaiah 13:4 See also Daniel 10:6; Revelation 19:1, Revelation 19:6
Listen, a tumult on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations gathered together! The LORD of Hosts is mobilizing an army for war.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.