Introduction: These last verses of Acts 19 show some of the opposition Paul faced as he taught the Truth of God and God’s Word to the people in Ephesus. Paul had seen the Lord work in a number of ways; now, he was going to experience some of the hatred the devil had for him and for all those who chose Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
Text, Acts 19:21-22, KJV: 21 After these things were ended, 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 them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.
Thoughts:
--“These things” most likely refer to the events listed earlier in this chapter:
-verses 1-7, the encounter with the group of 12 disciples of John;
-verses 8-12 the ministry of teaching and sending of handkerchiefs or facecloths and aprons to heal the sick and cast out demons;
-verses 13-20, the episode where a demon-possessed man cast out a group of exorcists! This led to a complete break of the people and the dabbling in black magic and perhaps other things.
--The bonfire destroyed literature worth 50,000 “pieces of silver”, a day’s wage at the time. No matter how much these items may have cost them, the people knew they had to get rid of the evil stuff they had kept, and did so quickly.
--Paul “purposed in the spirit” to go to Jerusalem but it’s not clear if this means the Holy Spirit caused this struggle in Paul’s mind, or if this was his own spirit. Paul sent Timothy and Erastus into Macedonia (northern Greece at the time) but he stayed in Ephesus “for a season”.
--And while Paul stayed, an event took place that could have been very dangerous for him.
Text, Acts 19:23-27, KJV: 23 And the same time there arose no small stir about that way. 24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; 25 Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. 26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: 27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
Thoughts:
--“No small stir” actually means a disturbance or commotion! We may never know how many people had brought their publications and burned them, but there had to be some who were upset and certainly the devil was furious. Now the devil was about to use one of his human servants to attempt to cause problems for Paul—and, perhaps, the other genuine believers.
--Demetrius seemed to be a well-known silversmith, with the ability to craft words and opinions even as he did the metal. “No small gain” probably means “a great deal of profit”. Dr. A. T. Robertson states Demetrius may have been the organizer of the guild of “craftsmen” who made these images of Diana (https://godrules.net/library/robert/robertact19.htm).
--Demetrius didn’t stop there, either. He called them and the “workmen”—probably those who were lesser skilled (maybe compared to journeymen and apprentices in guilds?)—and promptly tried to fire them up, emotionally. First, he appealed to their wallets and wealth: “we have our wealth by this craft”. No mention of the cost of souls in Hell because they worshipped Diana.
--The second charge or accusation was against Paul personally. Demetrius blamed Paul for “turning people away” from the “gods . . . made with hands”. Paul had never done this, only teaching things concerning the kingdom of God (verse 8).
--The final two charges aimed at their pride. Demetrius warned that their craft would “be set at naught”. There are several opinions in various commentators but the common thread is that these craftsmen and other workmen would be out of work; worse, that the temple of Diana/Artemis would be despised and her magnificence destroyed.
--Demetrius had fired them up, so to speak. Luke records the results of his speech, rant, or diatribe in the next several verses.
Text, Acts 19:28-34, KJV: 28 And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. 29 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre. 30 And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not. 31 And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre. 32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together. 33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people. 34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
Thoughts:
--The first thing to happen was the reaction of the workmen. Demetrius had got them plenty angry, “hopping or howling mad” as some used to say. These men then began to cry out , “Great is Diana of the Ephesians”—Demetrius had warned them that Diana was in danger of losing her greatness because of Paul (verse 37, paraphrased).
--Next, somehow the whole city was “filled with confusion”. Ellicott mentions that the noise made by Demetrius and the others soon filled the city and things went from bad to worse (paraphrased from https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/acts/19.htm). He and several others observed that the theater, being close to the temple of Diana, would be the place where anything could happen.
--We’re not told how but Gaius and Aristarchus, both of Macedonia (northern Greece), were “caught” as the crowd rushed into the theater. Opinions vary as to why they were taken there in the first place, except that if they were known as Paul’s associates, both of them could have been in trouble.
--Paul wanted to go into the theater but some of the “Chiefs of Asia (high-ranking leaders)” told him not to do it. How much Paul knew about Demetrius and his plot against Paul is not known, but clearly Paul would have walked into a certain trap or worse had he gone to the theater.
--Nobody really knew what was going on or why until Alexander, the Jew, tried to make a defense. Once the people saw him, they began to shout “Great is Diana of the Ephesians” for two hours! Imagine the noise heard at professional football or soccer games, when thousands of people shout in unison. Now imagine a crowd of, say, 20,000 shouting a four-word chant for two solid hours!
--This could have gone on for a long time but something was about to change.
Text, Acts 19:35-41, KJV: 35 And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? 36 Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly. 37 For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess. 38 Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another. 39 But if ye inquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly. 40 For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse. 41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
Thoughts:
--Luke says the “townclerk . . . appeased the people”. How much time this took is not stated but eventually he was able to get the crowd quieted down. Of note is that this man had a great deal of power and authority and could use either or both as needed (see Ellicott’s commentary; Lange (https://biblehub.com/commentaries/lange/acts/19.htm) and Matthew Poole’s commentary (https://biblehub.com/commentaries/poole/acts/19.htm) for three such descriptions.
--The town clerk then spoke some words to “soothe ruffled feathers”, so to speak. He reminded them that Ephesus was THE worshiper of Diana (after all, the temple was there plus all the various staff who kept it going); and Ephesus had the image which fell from Jupiter (Greek, Zeus, chief of the “gods” in Greek mythology). That answered some of Demetrius’ speech.
--Then the clerk asked (instructed?) the assembly to “be quiet (they had been shouting one thing or another for over two hours!),” and “do nothing rashly (such as scooping up two innocent men and dragging them into the theater!)”.
--He went on to remind the crowd that “these men (probably Gaius and Aristarchus)” had neither robbed any of the temples (the word in the original means the building, not the people; https://biblehub.com/greek/2417.htm) nor blasphemed (spoken evil of) the goddess. Paul had only been speaking about the kingdom of God and there’s no record he ever spoke a word about Diana or anyone who worshiped her. He then refuted another claim by Demetrius.
--The clerk also provided a legal and reasonable solution: “let the legal process take care of this”. The clerk reminded the people of the legal system in place and suggested (commanded?) this course of action if desired. Note that he didn’t demand anybody do anything else.
--Then he closed his remarks—and the assembly!—by stating to use a lawful assembly (this one, being unscheduled, was not) and that the city (and people) would be called into account for what had happened that day.
--The clerk’s last words seemed to ring with the people. He dismissed the assembly and it seemed to work as there is no record anyone stayed behind.
Conclusion: Paul encountered some very different episodes during his days in Ephesus. Some of these were good but others, not so much. The one theme I see in all of this is Paul’s dependence on the Lord and being able to use what he had to share the Gospel with people.
Scripture quotations taken from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV).
