diff --git a/synapse/state.py b/synapse/state.py
index c75499c3e..90b14e758 100644
--- a/synapse/state.py
+++ b/synapse/state.py
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ class StateHandler(object):
                     for st in state_groups_ids.values()
                 ]
                 with Measure(self.clock, "state._resolve_events"):
-                    new_state, _ = Resolver.resolve_events(
+                    new_state, _ = resolve_events(
                         state_sets, event_type, state_key
                     )
                 new_state = {
@@ -392,11 +392,11 @@ class StateHandler(object):
         )
         with Measure(self.clock, "state._resolve_events"):
             if event.is_state():
-                return Resolver.resolve_events(
+                return resolve_events(
                     state_sets, event.type, event.state_key
                 )
             else:
-                return Resolver.resolve_events(state_sets)
+                return resolve_events(state_sets)
 
 
 def _ordered_events(events):
@@ -406,138 +406,136 @@ def _ordered_events(events):
     return sorted(events, key=key_func)
 
 
-class Resolver(object):
-    @staticmethod
-    def resolve_events(state_sets, event_type=None, state_key=""):
-        """
-        Returns
-            (dict[(str, str), synapse.events.FrozenEvent], list[str]): a tuple
-            (new_state, prev_states). new_state is a map from (type, state_key)
-            to event. prev_states is a list of event_ids.
-        """
-        state = {}
-        for st in state_sets:
-            for e in st:
-                state.setdefault(
-                    (e.type, e.state_key),
-                    {}
-                )[e.event_id] = e
+def resolve_events(state_sets, event_type=None, state_key=""):
+    """
+    Returns
+        (dict[(str, str), synapse.events.FrozenEvent], list[str]): a tuple
+        (new_state, prev_states). new_state is a map from (type, state_key)
+        to event. prev_states is a list of event_ids.
+    """
+    state = {}
+    for st in state_sets:
+        for e in st:
+            state.setdefault(
+                (e.type, e.state_key),
+                {}
+            )[e.event_id] = e
 
-        unconflicted_state = {
-            k: v.values()[0] for k, v in state.items()
-            if len(v.values()) == 1
-        }
+    unconflicted_state = {
+        k: v.values()[0] for k, v in state.items()
+        if len(v.values()) == 1
+    }
 
-        conflicted_state = {
-            k: v.values()
-            for k, v in state.items()
-            if len(v.values()) > 1
-        }
+    conflicted_state = {
+        k: v.values()
+        for k, v in state.items()
+        if len(v.values()) > 1
+    }
 
-        if event_type:
-            prev_states_events = conflicted_state.get(
-                (event_type, state_key), []
+    if event_type:
+        prev_states_events = conflicted_state.get(
+            (event_type, state_key), []
+        )
+        prev_states = [s.event_id for s in prev_states_events]
+    else:
+        prev_states = []
+
+    auth_events = {
+        k: e for k, e in unconflicted_state.items()
+        if k[0] in AuthEventTypes
+    }
+
+    try:
+        resolved_state = _resolve_state_events(
+            conflicted_state, auth_events
+        )
+    except:
+        logger.exception("Failed to resolve state")
+        raise
+
+    new_state = unconflicted_state
+    new_state.update(resolved_state)
+
+    return new_state, prev_states
+
+
+def _resolve_state_events(conflicted_state, auth_events):
+    """ This is where we actually decide which of the conflicted state to
+    use.
+
+    We resolve conflicts in the following order:
+        1. power levels
+        2. join rules
+        3. memberships
+        4. other events.
+    """
+    resolved_state = {}
+    power_key = (EventTypes.PowerLevels, "")
+    if power_key in conflicted_state:
+        events = conflicted_state[power_key]
+        logger.debug("Resolving conflicted power levels %r", events)
+        resolved_state[power_key] = _resolve_auth_events(
+            events, auth_events)
+
+    auth_events.update(resolved_state)
+
+    for key, events in conflicted_state.items():
+        if key[0] == EventTypes.JoinRules:
+            logger.debug("Resolving conflicted join rules %r", events)
+            resolved_state[key] = _resolve_auth_events(
+                events,
+                auth_events
             )
-            prev_states = [s.event_id for s in prev_states_events]
-        else:
-            prev_states = []
 
-        auth_events = {
-            k: e for k, e in unconflicted_state.items()
-            if k[0] in AuthEventTypes
-        }
+    auth_events.update(resolved_state)
 
+    for key, events in conflicted_state.items():
+        if key[0] == EventTypes.Member:
+            logger.debug("Resolving conflicted member lists %r", events)
+            resolved_state[key] = _resolve_auth_events(
+                events,
+                auth_events
+            )
+
+    auth_events.update(resolved_state)
+
+    for key, events in conflicted_state.items():
+        if key not in resolved_state:
+            logger.debug("Resolving conflicted state %r:%r", key, events)
+            resolved_state[key] = _resolve_normal_events(
+                events, auth_events
+            )
+
+    return resolved_state
+
+
+def _resolve_auth_events(events, auth_events):
+    reverse = [i for i in reversed(_ordered_events(events))]
+
+    auth_events = dict(auth_events)
+
+    prev_event = reverse[0]
+    for event in reverse[1:]:
+        auth_events[(prev_event.type, prev_event.state_key)] = prev_event
         try:
-            resolved_state = Resolver._resolve_state_events(
-                conflicted_state, auth_events
-            )
-        except:
-            logger.exception("Failed to resolve state")
-            raise
+            # The signatures have already been checked at this point
+            event_auth.check(event, auth_events, do_sig_check=False)
+            prev_event = event
+        except AuthError:
+            return prev_event
 
-        new_state = unconflicted_state
-        new_state.update(resolved_state)
+    return event
 
-        return new_state, prev_states
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def _resolve_state_events(conflicted_state, auth_events):
-        """ This is where we actually decide which of the conflicted state to
-        use.
+def _resolve_normal_events(events, auth_events):
+    for event in _ordered_events(events):
+        try:
+            # The signatures have already been checked at this point
+            event_auth.check(event, auth_events, do_sig_check=False)
+            return event
+        except AuthError:
+            pass
 
-        We resolve conflicts in the following order:
-            1. power levels
-            2. join rules
-            3. memberships
-            4. other events.
-        """
-        resolved_state = {}
-        power_key = (EventTypes.PowerLevels, "")
-        if power_key in conflicted_state:
-            events = conflicted_state[power_key]
-            logger.debug("Resolving conflicted power levels %r", events)
-            resolved_state[power_key] = Resolver._resolve_auth_events(
-                events, auth_events)
-
-        auth_events.update(resolved_state)
-
-        for key, events in conflicted_state.items():
-            if key[0] == EventTypes.JoinRules:
-                logger.debug("Resolving conflicted join rules %r", events)
-                resolved_state[key] = Resolver._resolve_auth_events(
-                    events,
-                    auth_events
-                )
-
-        auth_events.update(resolved_state)
-
-        for key, events in conflicted_state.items():
-            if key[0] == EventTypes.Member:
-                logger.debug("Resolving conflicted member lists %r", events)
-                resolved_state[key] = Resolver._resolve_auth_events(
-                    events,
-                    auth_events
-                )
-
-        auth_events.update(resolved_state)
-
-        for key, events in conflicted_state.items():
-            if key not in resolved_state:
-                logger.debug("Resolving conflicted state %r:%r", key, events)
-                resolved_state[key] = Resolver._resolve_normal_events(
-                    events, auth_events
-                )
-
-        return resolved_state
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def _resolve_auth_events(events, auth_events):
-        reverse = [i for i in reversed(_ordered_events(events))]
-
-        auth_events = dict(auth_events)
-
-        prev_event = reverse[0]
-        for event in reverse[1:]:
-            auth_events[(prev_event.type, prev_event.state_key)] = prev_event
-            try:
-                # The signatures have already been checked at this point
-                event_auth.check(event, auth_events, do_sig_check=False)
-                prev_event = event
-            except AuthError:
-                return prev_event
-
-        return event
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def _resolve_normal_events(events, auth_events):
-        for event in _ordered_events(events):
-            try:
-                # The signatures have already been checked at this point
-                event_auth.check(event, auth_events, do_sig_check=False)
-                return event
-            except AuthError:
-                pass
-
-        # Use the last event (the one with the least depth) if they all fail
-        # the auth check.
-        return event
+    # Use the last event (the one with the least depth) if they all fail
+    # the auth check.
+    return event