I’ve entitled our message for this evening, “The Smiths.” Have you heard about the Smiths? Take for instance Zipporah Smith. “Who’s that?” you may say. Well, her husband, Moses, was used by God to deliver the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt. You see, Zipporah was a Kenite, and the word “Kenite” means “smith.”(1)
I’m sure you’ve heard about the Jones’ before, because people are always keeping up with them. But did you know that people were keeping up with the Smiths first? Mark Twain made an allusion to both the Smith and Jones families with regard to social custom in the essay “Corn Pone Opinions,” written in 1901. Twain pointed out how the outside influences are always pouring in on us, and we are always obeying their orders and accepting their verdicts. He alludes to how the Smiths like a new play; and therefore, in trying to keep up with the Smiths, the Jones’ go to see it, and then they copy the Smith’s verdict and give a raving review.(2)
So, what does the name Smith mean? The name Smith is defined simply by its own name. A smith is a worker of metals. This evening we are going to look at two smiths. Their last names are not really “Smith,” but they are workers of metal. One is a coppersmith and the other a silversmith. So let us see what this is all about, beginning with Mr. Alexander Smith!
Alexander “Smith” (2 Timothy 4:14-16)
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. 15 You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words. 16 At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.
As I was searching for a passage to preach, the name “Alexander” leapt out from the page and caught my eye. These verses puzzled me for a while, and I asked myself, “What did this Alexander do to Paul that was so bad?” Well, I got out a book on the writings of Paul, called Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free, written by commentator F. F. Bruce. I looked up the name Alexander in the index, found a short paragraph that gave a brief explanation, and was then led to Acts chapter 19. So who was this Alexander? Well, we will begin our investigation by looking at another “Smith,” whom I will call Demetrius Smith, and his account begins in Acts chapter 19, verses 23-27.
Demetrius “Smith” (Acts 19:23-27)
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.”
Earlier in chapter 19, we learn that many of the Ephesians had turned their lives over to Christ and gave up their witchcraft and spell casting. Since people were turning their lives over to Jesus, they no longer worshipped evil forces or idols. This lack of interest in idols and the goddess Diana hurt the businesses of the silver smiths and copper smiths. We see that a silversmith named Demetrius stood up and tried to dissuade people from following the “Way” – or from joining those who worshipped Christ – and he did so, in order to keep his business going.
This scene is similar to one found in Acts chapter 16, verses 16-22. The scene in Acts chapter sixteen supplements this passage quite well. Ephesus was a city of witchcraft and spell casting, and the scene that unfolds in Acts chapter sixteen involves a woman who was a fortuneteller.
Acts 16:16-17 says, “Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, ‘These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation’.”
After this woman followed Paul for several days, he became frustrated and cast out the spirit that was in the woman. The woman’s masters got mad when she could not tell fortunes anymore, because they lost their profits. They then drug Paul and Silas into the market place and beat and whipped them.
In both of these scenes, people were supporting their own self-interest over the truth of the gospel. The smiths and the masters of the fortune-tellers were not willing to join the others who accepted Christ as their Savior. There was too much at stake. They were unwilling to admit that they were wrong, because their greed clouded their judgement.
They were willing to risk spiritual disaster for the sake of earthly gain and profit. This is an excellent time to remind us of what Jesus asked in Matthew 16:26-27: “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Now that we have seen what Demetrius did, the question remains, “Who might be a Demetrius ‘Smith’ in today’s society? How do we identify a Demetrius ‘Smith’ when we meet him?” well, if you witness to a person who has an excuse for everything you say, as to why he can’t accept Christ or come to church, that person is likely a Demetrius. If the person chooses something in this world over following Christ, then he is a Demetrius.
Demetrius the silversmith probably reasoned in his mind, “Well, I know I need to accept Christ, but this has been my way of living all my life. I can’t stop now, because I will go broke!” A Demetrius in today’s society might say, “I know I need to accept Christ, but that would mean I would have to sell my bar where I sell alcohol. That bar is my living!” Or he may say, “I know I need to come to church, but I work hard all week, and Sunday is my rest day.”
Mass Confusion (Acts 19:28-32)
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.
Demetrius caused mass confusion among the people at Ephesus. We see here that he was not only willing to lose his own soul, but he wanted the others to follow him and lose their souls too. We read that all of the people became confused, and they did not even know why they had assembled.
Since this confusion took place among a large group of people, let us apply this by taking the church as an example. Suppose there were a Demetrius within a church. He could be the pastor, a deacon, or even a layperson.
In the case of Demetrius Pastor, he might be someone who uses a small church as a stepping stone and not put forth much effort into leading the congregation, and so the church finds itself in confusion. And when he finally leaves as soon as a larger church has an opening, it definitely leaves people in confusion, not to mention emotional hurt that could drive them away from the church.
In the case of Demetrius Deacon, that deacon might whisper a dirty joke in church and try to get others to laugh. He is portraying the message that we can still participate in sin and have our way, while at the same time be favored in the eyes of God. Demetrius Deacon has led some people into confusion.
What about Demetrius Layperson? Well, in keeping with the theme of what was going on in Ephesus, a layperson might practice witchcraft, or play with tarot cards and still claim to be a Christian. This not only leads others in the congregation to think it’s alright, but the public testimony of it leads the world into confusion.
Back to Alexander “Smith” (Acts 19:33-34)
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!”
Now we will find out who Alexander is and what he did that was so bad that Paul wanted the Lord to repay him for his evil.
According to F. F. Bruce, what happened in these verses is that there were some Jewish metal smiths, who felt the same way that Demetrius had felt. They did not want their businesses to be ruined, and so they tried to get Alexander to speak up on behalf of their group; on behalf of the Jewish metalsmiths. That’s why Alexander motioned with his hand to make his defense.
But the Ephesians, still being confused, blamed the Jews for people being converted to Christianity. You see, Paul was a Jewish believer in Christ, and so the Ephesians just assumed that all Jews must have been affiliated with Christianity, and so they started an anti-Jewish riot. Alexander was not able to get in a single word before being silenced by the crowd.(3)
We see though, back in 2 Timothy 4:14, that Alexander did Paul harm. 2 Timothy 4:15-16 stated, “You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words. At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me.” Apparently, Alexander was later able to make his own defense on behalf of the Jewish metalsmiths and disassociate himself with the Jews of Paul’s party.
The defense of Alexander, probably with some influence from Demetrius, was able to cause “all” the Jews to disassociate with Paul; and make it so that many – if not all – who accepted Christ to forsake their decision to follow Him and revert to their former ways. Alexander led many – if not all – of the new Christians astray. He was responsible for the condemnation of hundreds, possibly thousands of souls, and that is why Paul said, “May the Lord repay him according to his works” (2 Timothy 4:14).
Alexander was a lot different from Demetrius. Demetrius led some astray by his self-interest, but Alexander was opposed to the preaching of the cross. He not only opposed preaching about Jesus, because he was afraid of losing business, but also because he really did not believe in Christ. He was a devout Jew, and out-rightly rejected Christ as his Savior and Lord.
What is an example of such a person today? “There was a pastor of a very well-known Bible church, one that taught the Word of God. Today he is a denier of the deity of Jesus Christ. He is a professor at USC [University of South California], one who does everything he can to turn young people away from Christianity. He also falls into the category of an apostate, somebody who knows the truth, has all the information about the truth, and willfully turns his back on the truth for his own pursuit.”(4)
Back in my Bible college and seminary days, I read about a group called The Jesus Seminar, who said that Jesus was just an ordinary man, and it was their sole purpose to prove this point. The members of this organization were college professors who had gone astray in their faith, and they were leading their students astray as well.
Time of Reflection
So, why did the Lord lead us to this passage tonight? I am not sure. But I have a hunch that perhaps someone needs to hear this message. Maybe there is someone here this evening who is a Demetrius “Smith.” Maybe your judgement is clouded by selfish desires. You may not know Christ, or you may be slacking off in your relationship with Him in some area for your own personal gain in some way or another. Only you know.
There might be an Alexander “Smith” here this evening. Maybe someone doubts the authority of Scripture and does not believe that it’s true. Or, perhaps, you do not believe in Christ, because you think it’s all a bunch of nonsense; and you share your doubts with others, often leading them astray. Maybe you just don’t want to be alone in your sin, and so you deliberately make it a point to see if you can make other Christians fall. Beware, because as Paul said, God will repay you according to your works.
Once again I pose the question that Jesus asked: “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” What are you sacrificing your soul for this evening, or for what are you sacrificing the time you could be spending with Jesus? Is it money, parties, time off from church?
If you are an Alexander, what is it that motivates you to out-rightly reject God and lead others astray? Is it because you are so full of pride that you believe that your own reasoning power can tell you there is no God? Is it because it is fun and games to tempt Christians to sin? Only you know.
I want to urge you, though, not to reject Christ anymore. There is nothing worth losing your soul over. If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, then you have the opportunity to tonight. If you are slacking off somewhere in your relationship with God, then you can ask forgiveness this very night.
NOTES
(1) Walter Kaiser, Jr., A History of Israel (Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 1998), 92.
(2) “Keeping Up with the Joneses,” Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keeping_up_with_the_Joneses.
(3) F.F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996), 294.
(4) Michael P. Green, Illustration for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1997), 23.
