Chapter 33

Ephesus: Excitement And Danger

Acts 19:8-41

 

 

Paul's third missionary tour focused on the city of Ephesus, the most important city in Asia minor.  Paul had first visited this great city at the very end of his second missionary journey.  He returned there, as he had promised, in Acts 19.

 

 

The Synagogue, The School And The Success, 19:8-10

 

Following his well-established pattern, verse 8 says that Paul went to the synagogue for a period of 3 months speaking boldly, disputing and persuading his Jewish brethren concerning the kingdom of God.

 

Usually the Jewish rejection came against Paul quickly.  But in Ephesus, the Jews listened to him for 3 months and then hardened their hearts to his message, refusing to believe and speaking evil of Paul and those who followed his way of teaching, v. 9a.  And so after three months, Paul relocated to the school of Tyrannus and taught a class every day.  In that part of the world, probably because of the heat, schools and businesses closed down from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.  One author commented that in Ephesus you were likely to find more people awake at 1 a.m. then at 1 p.m.  (Some of you would probably love that kind of schedule).  It is suggested that Paul used this school during those 5 unused hours of the day for his ministry.  "Paul, after spending the early hours of the day at his tent-making (see 20:34) devoted the hours of burden and heat to his more important and more exhausting business, and must have infected his hearers with his own energy and zeal, so that they were willing to sacrifice their siesta for the sake of listening to Paul" (F. F. Bruce).  According to 20:31, his ministry extended into the night hours.

 

Paul kept this grueling schedule for two years, v. 10a.  The impact of this ministry was incredible.  Verse 10 - "all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks."  Without ever leaving Ephesus, Paul through his converts evangelized the entire province of Asia.  A church was planted in Colossae and Hieropolis, and probably, the seven churches of Asia (Revelation 2-3).

 

Paul's very effective strategy for evangelism was to teach the word of God, make disciples and let them spread the gospel.  What a concept!  (See Matthew 28:19-20).  Constantly reproducing one's self was (and is) a very effective method of evangelism.

 

 

Confirmation, Competition And Conviction, 19:11-20

 

The Bible says that God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul, v. 11.  This was to confirm that the message was true and that Paul was from God.  Such miraculous confirmation was a standard feature of apostolic preaching.  In the absence of a written New Testament by which to measure someone's teaching, God used signs and wonders to authenticate the message and the messenger, II Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:3-4; Acts 2:22.  Verse 12 gives a example for the amazing things which were done.  It was commonly believed by people of that time and place that healing power could be transmitted in such a fashion.  I don't think that what happened here was God commending the method as much as it was God accommodating the mentality of those people.  Dr. Luke, is careful to point out that some were diseased and some were demonized and that there is a difference between the two.

 

Should we expect such signs and miracles still today?  There are those Pentecostal and Charismatic that say "Yes."  There are Christians who think that without them they are missing out on an exciting aspect of the Christian life.

 

While I certainly believe that God still heals in answer to our prayers, we must recognize that there was a unique aspect to that time.  There were apostles then.  There are no longer apostles.  There was no New Testament then.  There is a complete New Testament now, I Corinthians 13:8-11.

 

It didn't take long for Satan to sow the tares in with wheat, for imitators to come along and mimic the miracles of God.  The seven sons of Sceva, who were itinerant Jewish exorcists, started invoking the name of the Lord Jesus in their attempts to rid the demon-possessed.  "We charge you by Jesus whom Paul preaches to come out."  And the demon answered, "Jesus I know and Paul I know, but who are you?"  And the demon-possessed man assaulted and injured these imitators.

 

News of his event was quickly spread and had the effect of really shaking some people up.  Fear fell on them all.  It showed them the futility of the false teachers.  But it also showed them the reality of Jesus Christ.  "The name of the Lord Jesus was magnified."  Many who had believed went public about their faith, confessing and declaring their faith, v. 18.

 

Paganism was widespread in Ephesus.  There was a temple dedicated to the worship of the Greek goddess Diana, goddess of love.  Verse 19 reveals both the extend of paganism and the impact of Paul's ministry.  When these new believers burned their sorcery books, the value was estimated to be 50,000 pieces of silver.  (One piece of silver was one day's wages for a laborer).  Verse 20 summarized the ministry (as in 6:7; 12:24).

 

 

Rome, A Riot And A Resolution, 19:21-41

 

Paul was also thinking ahead and at this point he began making travel plans.  He wanted to check out the situation of the churches in Macedonia and Achaia, and from there travel to Jerusalem (he was collecting an offering from the Gentile churches to give to the Jerusalem church).  It was also in Paul's heart to go to Rome, v. 21.

 

So he sent Timothy and Erastus ahead into Macedonia but he stayed in Ephesus, v. 22.

 

At the same time, the enemies of Paul were getting stirred up at the impact of his ministry, v. 23.  The real root cause of their problem with Paul was economic.  Paul was having a negative effect on business, vs. 24-27.  Demetrius also appealed on the basis of patriotism (civic pride) and religious allegiance, v. 27b -28.

 

A riot ensued but it was without any organization and the citizens were very confused.  It was more of a mob scene.  Two Christians were seized, v. 29.  Paul wanted to enter the theatre - what an opportunity to preach the gospel - but was wisely counseled to stay away, v. 30-31.

 

Before long anti-Semitism entered the picture.  Alexander, no doubt, did not want the Jewish community to be associated with Paul but was shouted down by the crowd who knew that the Jews would not approve of their idol worship, vs. 32-34.

 

It was the town clerk who finally brought order to the situation, but he acted primarily for political reasons.  The same tactics that the silversmiths used to aroused the crowd, the clerk used to calm the crowd - the greatness of their city and of their goddess.

 

He did however attest to the innocence of the Christians both in private and public matters (vs. 36-37) and to remind the mob that they were acting illegally, vs. 38-41.

 

"The crowd was dismissed, and no doubt the people went home congratulating themselves that they had succeeded in defending their great city and their famous goddess.  It is doubtful that many of them questioned the truthfulness of their religion or determined to investigate what Paul had been preaching for three years.  It is much easier to believe a lie and follow the crowd.

 

But Ephesus is gone and so is the worldwide worship of Diana of the Ephesians.  The city and the temple are gone, the silversmith's guild is gone.  Today, Ephesus is visited primarily by archeologists and people on Holy Land tours.  Yet the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Lord's church are still here!  We have four inspired letters that were sent to the saints in Ephesus (Ephesians; I and II Timothy; Revelation 2:1-7).  The name of Paul is honored and the name of Demetrius is forgotten" (Warren W. Wiersbe).

 

There is a contrast here to be considered.  Paul proclaimed God's truth; Demetrius propagandized religious lies.  Paul was motivated by love, not anger and interested in souls, not simply in money.  May it also be so with us ... always.