Acts 19: 21 – 41
It must be true; I heard it on TV
21 When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 22 So he sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, but he himself stayed in Asia for a time. 23 And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. 24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. 25 He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: “Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. 26 Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. 27 So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.” 28 Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” 29 So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s travel companions. 30 And when Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not allow him. 31 Then some of the officials of Asia, who were his friends, sent to him pleading that he would not venture into the theater. 32 Some therefore cried one thing and some another, for the assembly was confused, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand, and wanted to make his defense to the people. 34 But when they found out that he was a Jew, all with one voice cried out for about two hours, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” 35 And when the city clerk had quieted the crowd, he said: “Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Zeus? 36 Therefore, since these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rashly. 37 For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess. 38 Therefore, if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a case against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you have any other inquiry to make, it shall be determined in the lawful assembly. 40 For we are in danger of being called in question for today’s uproar, there being no reason which we may give to account for this disorderly gathering.” 41 And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.
In my prayers I have added not only prayers for our President but that our Precious Holy Lord will expose and eliminate the evil shadow government that is attempting to destroy this nation. This group is made up of evil men that are filthy rich and have nothing better to do then to use people for their main purpose of destroying this country. These same evil folks have been shrewd enough to buy the television and other media outlets to keep most Americans in the dark as to what is really going on in our country. In the Gospel of Matthew our Precious Lord Jesus informed us that in our lifetimes what we can expect is deceit. Unless you are an ostrich I think you are aware that you cannot believe what the news media dishes out. They do not give us the news. They manipulate what they want you to know. Being deceived doesn’t have anything to do with how smart you are.
Have you noticed the bombardment of the same stories of the media? Here is a test for you, pick out the same 3 major networks and write down as you channel surf what stories they are covering. I think you will find that pretty much all three are covering the same stories. When people keep hearing this information pretty soon they start to agree with the lies being forwarded. What we see is not new. This same deceit has been going on for thousands of years. We are going to see in this scripture how people are whipped up to riot because there are advised that their goddess Diana is being offended. In reality the truth is all about money. Those who made their livelihood felt that the new ‘Way’ would put them out of business so they wanted to snuff it out before that can possibly happen.
Here we begin a new section of Acts. It commences with Paul’s purposing to go to Jerusalem, followed by an incident, which, while it brings to the conclusion his ministry in Ephesus, very much introduces the new section. From this time onwards all things change.
Paul’s purpose to go to Jerusalem in spite of warnings raises an interesting question. If the Spirit was giving him warnings, why did he proceed?
21 When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
In our last study we read that Paul wanted to go to Jerusalem that he was determined if at all possible to reach Jerusalem in time for Pentecost. So, is Paul being disobedient to the Holy Spirit or is he going to be set up by our Good God to undergo extreme suffering and difficulties. Why would our Holy and Good God go to the effort on numerous times to warn Paul what was awaiting for him? Was God testing him to see if he truly is sold out for our Lord? I do not think our Lord would do this to Paul or anyone else.
I have learned personally from life and what I find in Scriptures that if we run ahead of the Lord and want to do something without His immediate okay we accomplish our objective but at some costs. If we wait for the Lord’s timing we get things accomplished smoothly and properly. For example I want you to notice Rachael’s comment to her sister and other women after giving birth to Joseph which we read in the book of Genesis chapter 30, “30 Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I die!” 2 And Jacob’s anger was aroused against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” 3 So she said, “Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, and she will bear a child on my knees, that I also may have children by her.” 4 Then she gave him Bilhah her maid as wife, and Jacob went in to her. 5 And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has judged my case; and He has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan. 7 And Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “With great wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and indeed I have prevailed.” So she called his name Naphtali. 9 When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took Zilpah her maid and gave her to Jacob as wife. 10 And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, “A troop comes!” So she called his name Gad. 12 And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 Then Leah said, “I am happy, for the daughters will call me blessed.” So she called his name Asher. 14 Now Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” 15 But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” And Rachel said, “Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son’s mandrakes.” 16 When Jacob came out of the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have surely hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” And he lay with her that night. 17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “God has given me my wages, because I have given my maid to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar. 19 Then Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 And Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name Zebulun. 21Afterward she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah. 22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. 23 And she conceived and bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” 24 So she called his name Joseph, and said, “The LORD shall add to me another son.”
What’s going on with this family? Don’t they learn any lessons? You and I know that Jacob was aware of his grandfather Abraham’s incorrect decisions. A couple of times Abraham disobeyed God and left the Promised Land because of difficult situations. He ran into messes and our Holy Faithful God bailed him out on each occasion. God had promised him and his wife a son. Since they felt that God was too slow or that He might not actually do what He promised Abraham allowed his wife to talk him into taking the Egyptian servant girl Hagar and conceive a child through her. As you know this did not work out as the child born was Ishmael.
Now Jacob Abraham’s grandson gets caught up with two sisters’s competing for their husband’s love. Now you might be thinking about why all the attention to mandrakes? You see they are associated with fertility. Rachel also felt like Sarah and had to take matters into her own hand. Since she could not get pregnant she felt that the mandrake would help her out in this situation. As you know our Holy God allowed her to get pregnant and she gave birth to Joseph. Now you ladies who are mom know the physical pain associated with having a baby. Would you at the time of your child’s birth immediately say and God Is going to give me another.
Now many teachers teach that Paul was not disobedient. They see the purpose of the revelations as in order to demonstrate Paul’s faithfulness in the face of coming martyrdom, rather than as an indication that the Spirit was actually seeking to dissuade him from going. They go to claim that there is no rebuke and thus the Lord is clearly content with the situation.
I have a question regarding this point of view. Does our Holy God rebuke you for every wrong decision we make? Of course He doesn’t. He allows us to make our own mistakes and based on His Great Love ultimately gets us to where He wants us.
22 So he sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, but he himself stayed in Asia for a time.
Paul sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he remained a little longer at Ephesus. This upcoming visit might have been intended to be the last that he would make to them. One of its purposes was in order to receive the collection which they had been making (1 Corinthians 16.1-5) in order to take it on to the needy people of Judaea.
This is the first mention that we have of Erastus, which was a fairly common name. It is a reminder that Paul’s missionary parties may always have been larger than we might have gathered from Acts. Luke, for example, never tells us about the presence of Titus, but judging by Paul’s letters he must often have been with Paul.
23 And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way.
It was at this stage, as his successful ministry in Ephesus was coming to an end, that a crisis came that may even have threatened his life. What follows might be what he was describing in 2 Corinthians 1.8 when he wrote, ‘our affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, insomuch that we despaired even of life’.
There arose an attack on ‘the Way’ which could have been successful had not God prevented it. It arose partly due to the fact that Ephesus, with its silting up harbor, was becoming more and more dependent on revenues associated with the worship of Diana, and partly because of the grip that the occult had on the worshippers of Diana. Thus anything which affected those revenues or her name was seen as threatening.
24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. 25 He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: “Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade.
Behind the trouble was Demetrius, who operated a business in silver. He may have been an overseer of the silversmiths’ guild. His business made ‘silver idols’, and he employed the services of many people and cooperated in business activity with many more. Until Paul arrived all had been going very well, and trade was brisk. Silver idols sold like hot cakes. But Paul’s coming had affected trade. People who became Christians were not interested in idols which were ‘gods made with hands’, and due to the wide scale advance of the word, they had consequently all lost many good customers. So he called together all who were involved in the trade to discuss what should be done. He pointed out to them that their wealth depended on selling the silver idols. If the market dried up they would be ruined.
The ‘idols’ were replicas, on a small scale, of the image of Diana (which could be seen in the temple) which was considered to have ‘fallen from heaven’. This Diana was not the same as the divinely beautiful Diana of the Greeks, although they were often equated, but was the ancient Anatolian fertility goddess who was worshipped all over Asia Minor in the form of a nature religion, and depicted as rather ugly and many breasted, her main image probably being an asteroid and revered because it had fallen from the gods. Her fertility rites would undoubtedly have encouraged very loose sexual behavior as fertility rites regularly did. Her huge temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was supported by over one hundred massive pillars. It was a major treasury for the ancient world, acting as a bank where large sums of money could be kept safe under the protection of the goddess. Cult and business enterprise were thus closely linked, and its importance to Ephesus, and the world, is clear.
26 Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands.
Then he turned their attention to their major problem. Throughout the whole region, as they could see and had no doubt heard, many people had ceased buying silver idols, and the reason was because Paul had turned them away from worshipping gods which were made with hands and were therefore not gods at all. The drop in trade was wholly his fault.
This admission was, of course, evidence that what was done in the Name of Jesus had proved far more powerful and effective than anything connected with the name of Diana of the Ephesians. Her followers might yell her name for hours, but she was totally ineffective, whereas all had seen earlier what the Name of Jesus could do.
27 So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.”
While Demetrius could probably see that the other business owners like himself were agreeing strongly and nodding at the thought of losing profits, he also probably recognized that many of the lower level workers present were not too impressed. Drop in trade had not yet affected them too much, and was not so obviously important for them. So he now changed his tack. Not only was there the danger that their trade would come into disrepute (a slight exaggeration. Those who worshipped idols were still well in the majority) but they should also take into account the effect of it all on the worship of Diana with its huge Temple. If things went on as they were Diana she would be degraded and her magnificence lost. Her very name would be brought into disrepute. Did not all the world look to Diana? Yet here was this Paul deposing her from her magnificence, and, if things went on as they were, visitors would cease coming because of her lost reputation.
Economically speaking it was, of course, an argument with little basis. The grand temple remained, the famous statue of Artemis was still in place, and those who came from worldwide to see her would not be affected by what was virtually a minority religion in Asia. While sales had undoubtedly been lost, that would only be in the local and regional market, and had already happened, although it had been sufficient to cause this stir. It would, however, not at this stage very much affect their worldwide and souvenir trade. But what stirred a chord more with the lower level workers was the possibility of Diana being humiliated. It is doubtful if Demetrius and some of the other entrepreneurs were too bothered about that side of things, but the lower level workers certainly were.
Over thirty sites around the Roman Empire from Spain to Syria have been located where the worship of Artemis was carried on, while according to an early historian Pausanias this cult achieved the most extensive and most supreme worship in the ancient world. People flocked to Ephesus from all over the Empire in order to participate in the Games, take part in the festivities, and enjoy the religious orgies. Gifts and coins from many different countries, discovered at the site of the Temple, bear witness to the worldwide nature of her appeal. Thus when the Emperor married Agrippina commemorative coins were struck at Ephesus with the profiles of the newlyweds on one side and a figure of the statue with the legend "Diana Ephesia" on the other. She was seen as extremely important.
28 Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”
When they heard the suggestion that Diana would be humiliated they were filled with fervor and anger and began to cry out, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians”. This was a common formula of prayer and invocation and is found on inscriptions. And gradually they became incensed and the idea took over their actions. Note here at once how the emphasis is placed on the name, a name which they revere and hold dear, and this in contrast with those who have rather turned to the name of Jesus at which every knee will bow, and which every tongue will confess to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2.10-11).
29 So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s travel companions.
They poured out of their meeting and raced in large numbers down the main street which led to the theatre, yelling ‘Great is Diana of the Ephesians’ and harassing people, and as they went, calling them to come to an unofficial assembly. And at one point they came across, and were able to seize, Gaius and Aristarchus, two Macedonians who were working with Paul as companions and assistants. Whether this was by going to where they were staying or from the unfortunate circumstance of their being in the street at the time we are not told. Then they dragged them to the large theatre calling for an informal public assembly to be held (something of which Rome did not approve) so that they could be given rough justice. All were to behold their humiliation.
30 And when Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not allow him.
Recognizing the situation, and concerned for his companions who had been seized, Paul bravely wanted to go into the theatre to assist their defense before the people. He was never afraid to put his head in the lion’s mouth. But the disciples knew that while Gaius and Aristarchus might come away from the situation only having been roughed up, if Paul showed his face there he was liable to be torn to pieces. He was Public Enemy Number One. Thus they prevented him from going, no doubt pointing out that while he was free his companions were less likely to be in such deep trouble. It was not his companions that they were after, it was him.
31 Then some of the officials of Asia, who were his friends, sent to him pleading that he would not venture into the theater.
This thought also occurred to certain of the Asiarchs who were friends of Paul’s. They had no doubt been called to the theatre as a result of the uproar, and hurrying there recognized the full truth about the situation. So knowing Paul they sent him a message advising him to keep well away from the theatre and not to venture there.
The Asiarchs were men of great power and influence who controlled the league of cities of the province of Asia. They were chosen annually from the wealthiest and most aristocratic citizens, and probably kept the title when they retired. From their ranks were drawn the honorary high priests of the provincial cult of Roma and the Emperor, established by the league which had its headquarters at Pergamum. Among other things they were responsible for the organization and running of the Games, much common provincial business and the cult of Roma and the Emperor, of which there were at this time at least two temples in Ephesus. Paul had clearly won the esteem of some of them and Luke mentions them because it would demonstrate to any skeptical reader that the most important and loyal men in the province were on Paul’s side. Thus it drew attention to the fact that what he was doing was clearly legal and acceptable to the authorities.
32 Some therefore cried one thing and some another, for the assembly was confused, and most of them did not know why they had come together.
While the silversmiths and their employees knew exactly why they were there, the larger proportion who had been gathered by the commotion had no idea. They had only come because they had been hustled into it, or because they felt that it was their responsibility to do so when a situation like this arose. Thus the assembly became confused, and the majority was still asking what it was all about.
33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand, and wanted to make his defense to the people.
Then a man called Alexander was put forward by the Jews, who would not be favorable to Paul. This might well have been because sinister rumors were spreading around that Paul was a Jew, and they were afraid that it would arouse feelings of anti-Semitism, something that they knew could only too easily be aroused. They wanted to ensure that the Jews did not share the blame for Paul’s activities. Alexander then beckoned with his hand in order to obtain a hearing, and explain things to the assembly, which would probably not have afforded Paul’s companions any good.
34 But when they found out that he was a Jew, all with one voice cried out for about two hours, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”
However, the sight of a Jew inflamed their feelings even more. They knew that the Jews too looked down on Diana their goddess. So they shouted him down and for two hours chanted, ‘Great is Diana of the Ephesians’. The whole matter had got totally out of hand (although the attention seems to some extent have turned away from Gaius and Aristarchus). After two hours the first fervor would have died down.
Luke may have mentioned this attempt by Alexander because it confirmed the uselessness of Paul’s wish to enter the theatre and speak. He too was a Jew, and a monotheist, and as such he would have been given no more opportunity to speak than Alexander. Such people were clearly not welcome in the theatre at this time, whoever they were, Paul most of all. He could be sure from this that his presence would certainly not have done any good at all.
35 And when the city clerk had quieted the crowd, he said: “Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Zeus?
Then the city clerk hushed the crowd and spoke to them. With the Asiarchs there, and the city clerk, the meeting had become quasi-official, exactly the kind of unofficial meeting not approved of by the Romans who kept an eye out for such things. He pointed out that he was on their side, but that they were making a fuss about nothing, for everyone knew that the city of Ephesus was the temple-keeper of ‘Diana the Great (a title found on inscriptions) and that its image ‘fell down from heaven’.
His argument was subtle. These people were declaiming because Paul had taught that idols made with hands could not be true gods. Well, in this case that was irrelevant. Was it not known to all that the image of Diana had fallen from heaven? It was thus not made with hands! Therefore Paul’s words had not been spoken against Diana.
He was not, of course, aware of what had been the original grievance, the trading losses of the silversmiths. For by being transformed into a religious quarrel the initial complaint had been lost sight of. Demetrius had probably not expected such a swift intervention by the authorities. He had possibly hoped that he and his colleagues would find Paul and ensure that he was ‘accidentally’ severely beaten up, or died in the riot, before any hearing actually took place.
36 Therefore, since these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rashly. 37 For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess.
The city clerk pointed out that as no one could deny these things they should take matters quietly and not do anything rash. They needed to be calm and look at matters sensibly, or otherwise they would simply bring down trouble on them all. The crowd needed to recognize that there was no real excuse for holding this meeting. The men whom they had arraigned were not guilty of anything tangible. They had neither robbed Temples nor blasphemed their goddess (had such charges been brought they might at least have been seen as justifying an extraordinary city meeting). So the Roman authorities would not like it at all.
38 Therefore, if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a case against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another.
If Demetrius and his craftsmen really did have a criminal charge against these men, or against anyone, then the periodic courts were available, and they could bring the matter before the proconsuls. Let them accuse one another there, and not in this unofficial way, which could only cause trouble.
39 But if you have any other inquiry to make, it shall be determined in the lawful assembly.
If it was a civil matter then they should wait for the regular assembly, where such matters could be dealt with, not at an ad hoc meeting gathered like this by a riotous crowd which would only be seen by Rome as reprehensible.
40 For we are in danger of being called in question for today’s uproar, there being no reason which we may give to account for this disorderly gathering.”
For the truth was that they were all in danger of being called to account by the Roman authorities for this days riotous behavior and this clandestine meeting. For they could produce no real grounds to excuse the one or authorize the holding of the other. (Had it been a matter of a charge of blasphemy or the robbing of a Temple it would have been a different matter. It might have been seen as justifying such a meeting).
41 And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.
Then having spoken in this way he quickly dismissed the assembly hoping that its convening, and his part in it, might not have been noticed or might be overlooked. But in Luke’s eyes it was a clear and unequivocal declaration that the authorities saw nothing about the Christian church to disapprove of.
