Here’s a translation of Mark 14:43 where I substitute modern terminology for certain institutions of the ancient world: “…Judas, one of the twelve, arrives and with him a mob with swords and clubs from the hereditary elite, the intellectual elite, and those with entrenched interest in maintaining the status quo.” The words in italics are what “the high priests, the scribes, and the elders” means in a modern context.
The word I translated “mob” is ὄχλος (och-los). This is frequently rendered as “crowd” or “multitude.” Rightly so when referring to the crowds or multitudes who followed Jesus around and listened to him speak. In such cases there is usually no negative connotation to it. (Although sometimes it seems implied that the crowds following Jesus became a little over enthusiastic.) On the other hand, Thucydides, the Classical Greek historian, often uses this word as with the negative connotation of “mob” and frequently contrasts it with δῆμος (de-mos) “the people” from which we get the word “democracy,” literally “the people rule.”
Another kind of rule is described by a little-known English word “ochlocracy.” This is described by Kevin D. Williamson (who quotes the author of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by way of example):
Ochlocracy is an ancient concept that denotes, approximately, “mob rule.” But “mob rule” does not mean only riots and lynchings and other acts of extralegal violence. More commonly, ochlocracy functions through the legitimate organs of the state or through other entities, such as businesses and professional associations. In these cases, the threat of mob violence, or the simple fact of a mob demand, is sufficient to get those with power to act as the mob wishes, to do the mob’s dirty work for it and thereby relieve the rabble of the exertion of a riot. As Edward Gibbon tells the story, the mob need not murder its enemy — not if it can get the state to act on its behalf:
The people demanded with angry clamors the head of the public enemy. Cleander, who commanded the Praetorian Guards, ordered a body of cavalry to sally forth and disperse the seditious multitude. The multitude fled with precipitation towards the city; several were slain, and many more were trampled to death; but when the cavalry entered the streets their pursuit was checked by a shower of stones and darts from the roofs and windows of the houses. The footguards, who had long been jealous of the prerogatives and insolence of the Praetorian cavalry, embraced the party of the people. The tumult became a regular engagement and threatened a general massacre. The Praetorians at length gave way, oppressed with numbers; and the tide of popular fury returned with redoubled violence against the gates of the palace, where Commodus lay dissolved in luxury, and alone unconscious of the civil war . . . Commodus started from his dream of pleasure and commanded that the head of Cleander should be thrown out to the people. The desired spectacle instantly appeased the tumult.
This is exactly what happened to Jesus. The “legitimate organs of the state,” that is the high priest, the scribes and the elders, sent a mob to arrest him. Anyone willing to speak the unvarnished truth today risks being confronted by similar mobs. Eventually the organs of the state will become bold enough to arrest those who speak out against them even here in the land where free speech was invented.
