Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 22 And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

23 About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. 24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. 25 These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. 26 And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. 27 And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”

28 When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s companions in travel. 30 But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. 31 And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theatre. 32 Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd. 34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

35 And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky?36 Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. 37 For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38 If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. 40 For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.” 41 And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly. (ESV)

I wanted to return to yesterday’s passage in order to highlight one or two other things:

  • Paul knew the Spirit’s leading (21), but his visits to Jerusalem and Rome were to be full of trial and difficulty. Don’t let anyone kid you that the Spirit-filled life is a picnic! When you consider the birth stories of Jesus, as found in Matthew and Luke, and see the prominent role of the Holy Spirit in these events, remember that there were many difficulties for Mary and Joseph to navigate, and for Jesus above all. Yet the Spirit was powerfully at work and God’s will was being done. The Spirit-filled life does not mean the absence of difficulty but the presence of power;
  • The folly of idolatry. I think there is almost an ironic comedy lying close to the surface of verse 27. It reminds me of some of those great Old Testament prophetic passages where scorn is poured on idol religion. The temple of Artemis was, in truth, ”nothing” (even though regarded as one of the wonders of the ancient world). She was ”nothing”. Who was this ”great goddess” that she needed humans to defend her? It’s laughable! ”Magnificence”? What magnificence?
  • There is also something quite funny about the comment in verse 32-something which rings true about crowd dynamics. Let’s chuck these bricks, and then find out later why we’re chucking them!!

I conclude this brief look at Acts 19 with the always insightful words of F.B. Meyer:

‘The theatre of Ephesus still stands, and the writer of these words has spoken in its mighty enclosure, from the very spot where this town clerk-the model of officialism-must have stood to address and calm the frenzied crowd. Paul never knew the fear of man, and was with difficulty prevented from endangering his life in his desire to turn the occasion to account. He probably refers to this incident when he says that he fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, 1 Corinthians 15:32 . But he could have done no good in the face of such a turmoil. Be valorous, Christian soldiers, but be discreet! Do not throw yourselves from the mountain brow unless God clearly calls for it.

It is well to bear this scene in mind when the Apostle tells us of a “peace that passeth understanding” which stands sentry over heart and mind. His was not the sequestered life of a religious recluse; he was continually battling his way through a stormy sea. But it is in the floods of great waters that we learn what our Lord can be. Dying outwardly and in human estimation, yet we live, 2 Corinthians 4:16 ; the earthen vessel chipped and broken, but the heavenly treasure unimpaired, 2 Corinthians 4:7 .’