Home Library

Acts 19

Thursday Evening Bible Study

February 13, 2014

Introduction

Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel preached? Does it speak to the broken hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision Is the church loved? Target 4400 words

On the day of Pentecost, the church was born. It began with the Holy Spirit filling the believers. As the apostles preached about Jesus, the church began to grow.

By chapter seven, the church was beginning to experience persecution. Stephen was the first one to die for his faith. One of the main men behind the persecution was a man named Saul. But when Saul headed for the city of Damascus to pursue the Christians there, he was knocked off his horse by a bright light and he met Jesus. Saul is more well known by his Roman name, Paul.

By chapter 10, the gospel began to reach even the Gentiles, starting with a Roman Centurion named Cornelius.

In chapter 13, we began a new section of Acts as we began to focus on the ministry of Paul.

Play Paul’s first missionary journey map clip

Paul’s first missionary journey took him from Antioch of Syria, through the island of Cyprus, up into the area of Galatia, and back again, traveling roughly 1300 miles.

After the journey, Paul and Barnabas then went to the church council in Jerusalem where the leaders wrestled with the concern over whether the Gentiles needed to become Jews to be truly saved.

The verdict was that salvation is through faith alone, and circumcision was not necessary.

Play Paul’s second missionary journey map clip

Paul’s second missionary journey took him through Galatia, then up and across to Macedonia, then southward in Greece to Achaia, where he spent 1 ½ years in Corinth. Then Paul headed back home by sailing first to Ephesus, then stopping at Jerusalem, and finally heading back to Antioch. The entire journey was over 2700 miles.

Paul has started his third journey, going once again through the Galatian churches.

19:1-10 Paul at Ephesus

:1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus.

:1 Apollos was at Corinth

Apollos had been in Ephesus while Paul has been gone.

Initially Apollos had a problem – he didn’t know the full story of the gospel. Luke records that “he knew only the baptism of John”.

Apollos knew what John the Baptist’s ministry was, preparing people for the coming Messiah and baptizing people for repentance.

I’m not sure he knew that the Messiah had come, died on a cross, rose again, and sent the Holy Spirit.

We will see the results of some of this incomplete knowledge this week.

Paul’s friends Aquila and Priscilla were also at Ephesus, and they took Apollos aside and filled in the blanks.

Apollos has since sailed off to Corinth.

:1 having passed through the upper regions

Ephesus is in the region known as “Asia”.

Lesson

Not yet

On Paul’s second missionary journey, Paul had tried to go to Asia.

(Ac 16:6 NKJV) Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.

It almost seemed as if Paul was “knocking on doors”, but no one answered the door.

He tried to go to Asia and to Bithynia, but God kept saying “no”.

Now God allows Paul to go and spend time in Ephesus, the capital of the province of Asia.

Sometimes God will put something on our heart that is good and right, but it’s for a later time.

:1 came to Ephesus

Play “To Ephesus” map clip

Paul started his third journey by going through the Galatian area, then across the mountains into Asia, where he came to Ephesus.

Ephesus was a commercial center, being one of the major seaports on the Aegean Sea.

It was a political center, the capital of the Roman province of “Asia” (it seems that Paul likes to go to the Roman provincial capitals – Thessalonica, Corinth, and Ephesus).

Ephesus was also a religious center. The ancient myth was that some sort of “image”, perhaps a meteorite, had fallen from Diana in heaven. The locals built a temple to this goddess Diana (also known as Artemis). The temple was huge and was known as one of the seven wonders of the world.

Timothy would one day be the pastor in Ephesus (1Tim. 1:3). The apostle John would also spend his final years in Ephesus. This is the city where Jesus would write a letter (Rev. 2) and warn them about having left their “first love”.

But the guy that really started the church was Paul.

:1 And finding some disciples

:2 he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”

:1 finding some disciples

This is the word usually reserved for followers of Jesus, for “believers”.

But when Paul finds them, he sees that something is wrong. 

:2 a Holy Spirit

The people of Ephesus know all about “spirits”.

We’re going to see an example of people being possessed by “evil spirits” in Ephesus.

But Paul isn’t talking about a demonic spirit, He’s talking about a “Holy” Spirit.

It’s possible that Paul is indeed talking about the third Person of the Trinity, the person we refer to as the “Holy Spirit”.

But what these disciples are hearing Paul talking about is the fact that the Spirit is “Holy”.

Lesson

He is Holy

When the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, He wants to begin to work in us, changing us, making us more like He is.

You can tell a lot about the inhabitants of a house/apartment by how the house is kept.

People in Ephesus could tell when a person was demon possessed.

There were outward signs of who was living inside the person.

Paul can see that something is off with these disciples.

It’s not that they were demon possessed, but it’s that another spirit dweller was obviously missing.

I think the missing ingredient is “holiness”, the chief character trait of the Holy Spirit.

When a person is not living a life influenced by the Holy Spirit, their life looks like this:

(Ga 5:19–21 NKJV) —19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

When a person is living a life influenced by the Holy Spirit, their life looks like this:

(Ga 5:22–23 NKJV) —22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.

Can people see who is living in your life?

:3 And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”

:4 Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”

:3 Into John’s baptism

Paul goes back to the basics of what they believed.

I think these are disciples of Apollos, who initially only knew about John the Baptist.

He finds that they only knew about “John’s baptism”.

This is what Apollos had taught, and the limit to Apollos’ knowledge before he was instructed by Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:25)

(Ac 18:25 NKJV) —25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John.

“John’s baptism” was pointing people to the Messiah who was to come.

Paul lets these folks know that His name was Jesus.

:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

:6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

:6 the Holy Spirit came upon them

This is that phrase that’s connected with the “baptism of the Holy Spirit”, the filling of the Holy Spirit.

There are three types of relationships a person might have with the Holy Spirit. Every person on the planet has at least one of these.

For everyone in the world, the Holy Spirit is “with” them, convicting them, drawing them to Jesus.

When a person becomes a Christian, the Holy Spirit comes to live “in” them.

(Jn 14:17 NKJV) …for He dwells with you and will be in you.

When a person learns to yield their life to the work of the Holy Spirit and allow the Spirit to control their life, the Spirit comes “upon” them.

(Ac 1:8 NKJV) But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Lesson

Filled with the Spirit

What Jesus promised in Acts 1:8 was fulfilled in Acts 2 when the apostles were baptized in the Holy Spirit, or “filled” with the Holy Spirit.

(Ac 2:4 NKJV) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

How can I be filled with the Spirit?

(Jn 7:37–38 NKJV) —37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

It starts with recognizing your need, your “thirst” for the Lord.

You need to be coming to Jesus for this.

Receive (drink) and believe

With these fellows, Paul laid hands on them. This can be helpful, to have someone pray for you. But you can also receive this by yourself by simply asking.

This is not a “one time” occurrence. We need to be continually, over and over again, “filled” with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18).

:7 Now the men were about twelve in all.

:8 And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God.

:8 into the synagogue

Paul had briefly visited Ephesus at the end of his last missionary journey when he was on his way to Jerusalem, but didn’t stay long.

But he did take the time to speak at least once in the synagogue (Acts 18:19-21)

Now he’s back.

(Ac 18:19–21 NKJV) —19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, 21 but took leave of them, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.” And he sailed from Ephesus.

Paul has now kept his promise and has come back to speak in the synagogue. They let him keep speaking to them for three months.

:9 But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.

:9 reasoning daily

The typical work day included a LONG siesta from 11am to 4pm. This was when Paul taught.

The typical work day was done from 7-11am each day, then a break from 11am to 4pm, then back to work until 9pm. The suggestion is that Paul taught during the daily “break” or “siesta”.

:9 the school of Tyrannus

Whatever kind of “school” this was, they allowed Paul to use it as a meeting place.

We don’t know what kind of school this was, perhaps a school of “rhetoric”. But the fellow allowed Paul to use it as a meeting place – kind of like when we started the church in the YMCA at Fullerton.

:10 And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

:10 all who dwelt in Asia

The gospel goes out from the church at Ephesus. Perhaps it was because Ephesus was the Roman capital, perhaps because of the trade that went on.

Play church planting map clip

Churches were started in the cities of Colosse, Laodicea, and Hierapolis. It’s possible that some of the other cities mentioned in Rev. 2-3 were also started during these two years as well.

19:11-20 Miracles at Ephesus

:11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul,

:11 unusual miracles

All miracles are “unusual”, but these were way outside the expected.

These were literally “not ordinary”.

unusual – tugchano – to hit the mark; of he who meets one or presents himself unsought, any chance, ordinary, common person

:12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.

:12 handkerchiefs – soudarion – a handkerchief; a cloth for wiping perspiration from the face and for cleaning the nose

People are raiding the trashcans for Paul’s used Kleenexes and sweaty headbands. They are getting healed and demons are fleeing at the sight of them.

The fact that Paul has “handkerchiefs” and “aprons” makes me think he might still be doing his job as a tentmaker on the side.

Lesson

Point of contact

Chuck: The people activated their faith at the point of contact when Paul's articles were placed on them. The articles themselves had no power to heal but triggered the release of faith.

Ultimately the power is in God alone. And for a person to be healed, what they need is to trust God to heal them. Yet God will allow at times for us to have a point of contact to release our faith in him.

(Lk 8:43–48 NKJV) —43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. 45 And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” 46 But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” 47 Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. 48 And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

In one Scripture, God even commands us to use a “point of contact” to receive healing:

(Jas 5:14–15 NKJV) —14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

Is there any great healing power in oil? Is there great healing power in elders? No, the power is in God, and it’s our faith in Him that brings the healing. But God can work even in our weakness and inability to believe by giving us something to help focus our faith.

:13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.”

:13 exorcists – exorkistes – he who extracts an oath of one; an exorcist; one who employs a formula of conjuration for expelling demons

:13 exorcise – horkizo – to force to take an oath, to administer an oath to; to adjure (solemnly implore)

Josephus (Antiquities, 8:2:5) writes about these Jewish customs of exorcism, saying that they supposedly came from Solomon:

“God also enabled him (Solomon) to learn that skill which expels demons, which is a science useful and sanative to men. He composed such incantations also by which distempers are alleviated. And he left behind him the manner of using exorcisms, by which they drive away demons, so that they never return; and this method of cure is of great force unto this day; for I have seen a certain man of my own country, whose name was Eleazar, releasing people that were demoniacal in the presence of Vespasian, and his sons, and his captains, and the whole multitude of his soldiers. The manner of the cure was this: He put a ring that had a Foot of one of those sorts mentioned by Solomon to the nostrils of the demoniac, after which he drew out the demon through his nostrils; and when the man fell down immediately, he abjured him to return into him no more, making still mention of Solomon, and reciting the incantations which he composed. And when Eleazar would persuade and demonstrate to the spectators that he had such a power, he set a little way off a cup or basin full of water, and commanded the demon, as he went out of the man, to overturn it, and thereby to let the spectators know that he had left the man.

Keep in mind, this is not Scriptural, or the way we ought to be doing things, but simply became the tradition from which these men claimed their authority.

:13 the Jesus whom Paul preaches

These exorcists were not men who believed in Jesus, but simply used words, formulas to cast out demons. They see that there is power in the name of Jesus.

:14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.

:14 Sceva = “mind reader”

:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”

:15 Jesus … Paul I know

:15 I know – ginosko – to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel

:15 I know – epistamai – to be acquainted with, to understand

There are two different words here, both translated “know”. More literally, “Jesus I know personally from experience, and Paul I am acquainted with, but who are you?”

Isn’t it kind of strange to think that there might be demons in the spirit world who know you, as a Christian, by name? (and are afraid of your kleenex?)

:16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

:16 they fled out of that house naked

One demon possessed man overcomes seven men (was his name Bruce Lee???)

Lesson

Understanding your authority

We tend to think of there being “power” and “authority” in the name of Jesus – which is true in a sense. Yet the power isn’t in the sound of someone speaking the name, the power is in the one who is using the name and their relationship to the Person who owns that name.

As a believer in Jesus, you and I have authority to cast out demons. But an unbeliever isn’t able to use the name of Jesus in this way.

When we ask Jesus to come into our life, we have a power greater than that of Satan:

(1 Jn 4:4 NKJV) You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Jesus gives authority over demons to those who follow Him.

(Lk 10:19 NKJV) Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

The name of Jesus is powerful, but it’s your relationship with Jesus that unlocks the power.

:17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

:18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds.

:18 confessing – exomologeo – to confess; to profess; acknowledge openly and joyfully

:18 telling – anaggello – to announce, make known; to report, bring back tidings, rehearse

:19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver.

:20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.

:19 magic – periergos (“about” + “work”) – busy about trifles and neglectful of important matters; esp. busy about other folks’ affairs, a busybody; of things: impertinent and superfluous; of magic arts

The word almost reminds me of things like “National Enquirer” or “The Star”. Wasteful stuff.

:19 books – this might not just be books about magic, but Ephesus was famous for what was called its “Ephesian Letters”, which were slips of papyrus or parchment that contained symbols, magical sentences, incantations (like fortune cookies), and were worn as amulets and charms.

:19 fifty thousand pieces of silver

For the average person in the ancient Mideast, life was all about money.

They made no attempt to hide the fact that all motives, all plans, were based on money.

The fact that these people burned these books of such great value is a huge thing.

Sir William Ramsay, the famous archaeologist wrote

“The money value of the books that were destroyed is another touch that is thoroughly characteristic of the oriental popular tale. The inability of the vulgar oriental mind to conceive any other aim, object, or standard in the world except money, and its utter slavery to gold, are familiar to everyone who has seen the life of the people, or studied the Arabian Nights: in the West one sees nothing like the simple, childish frankness with which the ordinary oriental measures all things by gold, and can conceive of no other conscious aim except gold. So far as the oriental peasant is natural and unconscious, he is interesting and delightful, and his complete difference of nature at once attracts and holds at a distance the man of Western thoughts; but so far as he consciously attempts to conceive motives and form plans, gold is his sole standard of value.”

:18 confessing and telling their deeds

Lesson

Repentance

The people of Ephesus not only spoke up publicly about what they had done wrong, but they also changed the way they live.

What they “did” was bring their “magic” books and burned them.

Note that this “repentance” was public, done “in the sight of all” (vs. 19).

(Jas 5:16 NKJV) Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

There’s something powerful that happens when we learn to walk away from the “darkness” in a public way. That is part of the value of the “altar call”, when we come forward to admit our need for Jesus.

Following Jesus is worth it, even if it costs you (50,000 pieces of silver)

Illustration

The story goes of a beggar who lived near the king’s palace and who was one day invited to a great dinner, as long as he wore royal garments. But because the beggar didn’t have any proper clothes, he pleaded with the king for perhaps some hand-me-downs to wear. The king went into a closet and came out with one of his son’s best outfits.

“You are now eligible to attend my banquet tomorrow night,” said the king. “But even more important, you will never need any other clothes. These garments will last forever.” The beggar dropped to his knees. “Oh, thank you,” he cried. But as he started to leave, he looked back at his pile of dirty rags on the floor. He hesitated. What if the king was wrong? What if he would need his old clothes again? Quickly he gathered them up.

The banquet was far greater than he had ever imagined, but he could not enjoy himself as he should. He had made a small bundle of his old rags and it kept falling off his lap. The food was passed quickly and the beggar missed some of the greatest delicacies. Time proved that the prince was right. The clothes lasted forever. Still the poor beggar grew fonder and fonder of his old rags. As time passed people seemed to forget the royal robes he was wearing. They saw only the little bundle of filthy rags that he clung to wherever he went. They even spoke of him as the old man with the rags.

One day as he lay dying, the king visited him. The beggar saw the sad look on the king’s face when he looked at the small bundle of rags by the bed. Suddenly the beggar remembered the prince’s words and he realized that his bundle of rags had cost him a lifetime of true royalty. He wept bitterly at his folly. And the king wept with him. (Edited from More Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks by Wayne Rice. Copyright 1995 by Youth Specialties, Inc.)

This is the way that God’s Word grew.

19:21-41 Riot at Ephesus

: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.”

:21 Paul purposed in the Spirit

:21 purposed – tithemi – to set, put, place; to set, fix establish

As this revival is taking place, God has been moving on Paul’s heart that it was time to move on.

Paul intends to visit the churches in Greece, then visit Jerusalem and even Rome.

His intention is to go from Ephesus on to the churches of Macedonia and Achaia, which would include Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, and Corinth.

Then he intends to go to Jerusalem, and hopefully one day on to Rome.

Lesson

God’s Will

Sometimes finding God’s will is a messy thing.

Sometimes what God wants isn’t all that obvious.

There are some principles that can help us figure out God’s Will.

Delight

(Ps 37:4 NKJV) Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

If God is the primary delight of your heart, you will find God putting “desires” into your heart.

He has to be first in your heart.

Trust

(Pr 3:5–6 NKJV) —5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

You have to trust God.

Learn His ways and count on them instead of your own ways.

He will direct your paths.

Living sacrifice

(Ro 12:1–2 NKJV) —1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Be consumed by God. Give yourself completely to Him.

Be careful about how you allow the world to push you into its mold.

Let Him work on your mind, how you think. I think getting God’s Word into your heart and mind are a key part of this.

If your plans are something contrary to God’s Word, then they aren’t God’s plans.

If you plan on living with your girlfriend before you get married, you are going against God’s command to “flee immorality”.

(1 Co 6:18 NKJV) Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

Purpose

Paul had “notions” of what God wanted, but he actually began to “purpose”, to put his money where his mouth was, to make his plans.

Paul’s purpose was “in the Spirit”. James wrote,

(Jas 4:15 NKJV) Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

It’s “if the Lord wills”.

Sometimes our own “purposes” will fail. Sometimes we make mistakes.

I think it’s better to make mistakes with the intent of trying to please God rather than be so afraid of making a choice that we do nothing.

: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.

:22 he himself stayed in Asia

Bible Students: Mark your Bibles – “AD 56, Paul writes 1Corinthians”

You can see some of these things mentioned in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians:

(1 Co 16:5–12 NKJV) —5 Now I will come to you

To Corinth

when I pass through Macedonia (for I am passing through Macedonia). 6 And it may be that I will remain, or even spend the winter with you, that you may send me on my journey, wherever I go. 7 For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost. 9 For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

We’re going to take a peek at these “adversaries” in a minute.

10 And if Timothy comes, see that he may be with you without fear; for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do.

Acts 19:22 tells us Timothy would be sent to Corinth by way of Macedonia.

11 Therefore let no one despise him. But send him on his journey in peace, that he may come to me; for I am waiting for him with the brethren. 12 Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to come to you with the brethren, but he was quite unwilling to come at this time; however, he will come when he has a convenient time.

Apparently during Paul’s three years in Ephesus, Apollos had come back to Ephesus from Corinth, and he wasn’t too excited about going back to Corinth.

:23 And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way.

:23 a great commotion about the Way

This is how the believers called themselves (“the Way”).

Jesus Himself had said,

(Jn 14:6 NKJV) Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

This commotion involves the “adversaries” (1Cor. 16:9) Paul wrote about.

:24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen.

:24 craftsmen – technites – an artificer, craftsman

:24 silver shrines of Diana

Making these little “shrines” was a big business, a major part of the Ephesian economy.

: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.

:26 they are not gods

The nerve of Paul to claim that little silver statues weren’t really gods!

: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.”

The repentance we saw in Acts 19:19 had an economic impact on the city of Ephesus. People who had made their living off of idolatry were finding themselves out of work.

:28 Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”

:28 Great is Diana of the Ephesians

Diana of the Romans and Artemis of the Greeks were the same goddess, but this is NOT that goddess. That’s why she’s called “Diana of the Ephesians”. She was separate deity, probably linked closer to the Syrian Astarte (also known as Ashtoreth and Molech).

Remember that Ephesus had this “thing” that had fallen from heaven, around which the Ephesians had built a temple dedicated to Diana. The temple was one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

: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.

:29 rushed into the theater

The theater in Ephesus held 25,000 people. Largest in the ancient world.

: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.

:31 officials of Asia

These officials were powerful men. They aren’t necessarily believers, but are at least friends of Pauls.

These men, called “Asiarchs”, were wealthy men who would use their own money to put on festivals and games, some of which were connected to worship of pagan gods and the worship of the emperor. Some had become friends of Paul. It does not necessarily mean that these men had become believers yet.

: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.

:32 most of them did not know

Lesson

Mob mentality

Like it or not, we often prefer to do what everyone else is doing.

Illustration

An out of towner, on a trip to the country, drove his car into the ditch. Fortunately for him a farmer was nearby with his horse, Buddy, to pull him out. The farmer hitched Buddy up to the car and then yelled “pull Nellie, pull!” The car didn’t move. Next the farmer yelled “pull, Daisy, pull!” but the car still didn’t move. Finally the farmer yelled” pull, Coco, pull” still the car didn’t move. The farmer then nonchalantly said “pull, Buddy, pull” whereupon Buddy easily pulled the car out of the ditch. Seeing this strange behavior the out of towner asked the farmer why he had called his horse by the wrong name three times. The farmer answered, “Buddy is blind and if he thought he was the only one pulling he wouldn’t even have tried.”

Sometimes we won’t do something unless we think others are doing it too.

The problem is that sometimes the “mob” is doing the wrong thing.

Most people in a mob don’t have a clue what they are doing.

I see this in a lot of today’s politics. People march and demonstrate and often don’t have a clue what they’re protesting against.

Think of the people who demonstrate for “women’s rights”, meaning they want a woman to have the ability to have a “choice” to have an abortion.

They are demonstrating for the right for a mother to kill her unborn child.

: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.

:33 they drew Alexander out

Alexander was a Jew like Paul, but not a Christian.

The unbelieving Jews were afraid that they were getting drawn into this mess along with Paul, and Alexander seems to want to try and separate the Jews from the Christians.

This may be the same man Paul will later warn Timothy (who was in Ephesus at the time) about:

(2 Ti 4:14 NKJV) Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works.

: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!”

:34 Great is Diana of the Ephesians!

Lesson

Avoiding the truth

These people are keeping up their chant because they don’t want to hear the truth.

They don’t want to hear that their way of life was empty.

The gods and goddesses of the pagan religions enabled people to live according to the desires of their flesh.

They are afraid of someone taking their “stuff” away?

What are the kinds of things that people do today to fill the emptiness inside?

Drinking, drugs, sex, entertainment, sports.

Not all this stuff is bad. The problem comes when you try to fill the emptiness inside with “stuff” instead of Jesus.

Rather than risk losing their “stuff”, these people are satisfied chanting their mantra over and over again until the truth goes away.

Look at what’s happened to our nation over the last twenty years.

Marijuana laws – one state at a time, restrictions are lifting. First medical marijuana is allowed. Then everyone seems to have a condition requiring marijuana. Now some states are allowing any kind of marijuana usage.

Sexuality – it used to be illegal to commit adultery. Then we legalized sex between consenting adults. Then we began to hear that some people were “born” with homosexual traits. We’ve made it a civil rights issue. Then it seeped into our new definition of marriage.

Where will it end? Doesn’t it seem that if enough people begin to break societies rules that we then think it’s okay?

Today, the city of Ephesus is gone. The worldwide worship of Diana is gone. The temple of Diana is gone. The silversmith’s guild is gone. But the good news of Jesus Christ and His church is still going.

What are you settling for in your life? How are you filling the emptiness?

: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?

:35 city clerk – actually the title of the highest elected official in Ephesus, like a “mayor”. Remember that Ephesus was the capital of the Roman province of Asia.

: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.

:37 neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers

In reality, Paul and the believers didn’t have a reputation for blowing up Diana temples.

They didn’t preach “against Diana”.

They preached Jesus.

I wonder if sometimes we don’t spend too much time telling people what we’re “against”, when we ought to be telling people who we are for (Jesus).

: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.

:38 Let them bring charges

If you have a problem with Paul, then sue him…

: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.”

:40 we are in danger

It was not a good idea for a Roman colony to get a reputation for being “disorderly”. That just might bring in more Roman troops.

:41 And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

And so … we’re dismissed too!