Acts 19:23-41
What can you make by using your own hands?
#God #People #Time #Place #Obedient faith #Sin #Key Idea
Acts
19:23-41
A Riot at Ephesus
21Now 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.” 22And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
23About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. 24For a man named Demetrius, a
silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. 25These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. 26And 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. 27And 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.”
28When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29So 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. 30But when Paul wished to go in
among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. 31And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not
to venture into the theater. 32Now 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. 33Some 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. 34But 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!”
35And 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? 36Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. 37For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious
nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38If 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. 39But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular
assembly. 40For we really are in danger of being
charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can
give to justify this commotion.” 41And when he had said these
things, he dismissed the assembly.
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- Demetrius’s concern was not really with theology but economics. Explain.
- What threat did Demetrius bring to Paul’s ministry at Ephesus?
- Why were the Ephesian silversmiths against Paul?
- Why would Demetrius rally people against Paul in Acts 19:25-27 (see 17:24-29)? Since this temple was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, what businesses would Paul be affecting?
- Consider the crowd in Acts 19:32-34. What do they see and hear? Why are they there? Why are the Jews trying to get a speaker to represent them? Why would Alexander be shouted down?
- Do you think economic issues ever drive religion in our times? Can you cite an example?
- Compare the spiritual motives of Paul and Demetrius. How did Paul keep himself free of allowing money to become a central issue?
- Why would Paul want to “appear before the crowd”?
- How do the concerns of the city clerk and Demetrius compare?
- Why do you think the gospel so often conflicts with people’s economic interests? What kind of businesses does it threaten? How should Christians deal with people whose livelihoods are threatened by the gospel?
- In light of this episode and the one in Corinth (18:12-17), explain why Paul and Peter considered it so important that Christians carefully obey the civil laws (Romans 13:1-7, 1 Peter 2:13-17).
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
- Success, money and independence are some cultural idols. What others come to mind? How has your faith affected your relationship to idols?
- How do people you know attempt to gain health, money, love, success, and security? Are any of these methods similar to magic?
- Could Demetrius have become a Christian and kept his business? Can you think of situations today where someone in a respectable trade would be forced to choose between that trade and Christ? How have your business dealings been affected by your faith?
- Many people, even believers, would find it difficult to do what Paul did. Do you think Paul was happy? Why or why not?
- What began as Artemis worship became Artemis-business. How can Christians fall into the same trap and make Jesus-worship into Jesus-business?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.
PAUL VERSUS THE GODDESS DIANA — In Acts 19:24–28 we read about opposition to the gospel. In the great cosmic conflict for the souls of men, every intrusion of good is met by the fierce resistance of evil. Such was the case in Ephesus. A silversmith named Demetrius, who manufactured small idols of the Greek goddess Artemis, became alarmed by the mass conversion of Ephesians to Christianity.
The Ephesian silversmith incited a riot against Paul at the city's amphitheater for preaching in Ephesus that gods “made with hands” are not really gods (Acts 19:26). Gathering his fellow tradesmen, he convinced them that Paul and his message were a serious threat to their livelihood.
Ephesus had as many as a quarter million inhabitants, making it the largest city in the province of Asia. Its size was reason enough for Paul to found a church in Ephesus, but another significant factor was religion: Ephesus was the cult center for the worship of Artemis or Diana.
Artemis was a very popular Greek goddess. In Greek religion she was the virgin goddess of the hunt and the moon, and the daughter of the Greek god Zeus. In Roman religion she was identified as the goddess Diana.
Part of what made Artemis important to Ephesus was her temple. It was the largest temple in Asia Minor (modern Turkey). The top of the platform it was built on (that would be the floor of the temple) was 168 feet, 9 inches wide by 365 feet, 9 inches long. The columns were 6 feet in diameter and almost 58 feet tall. By comparison, the floor of the Parthenon at Athens was only about two-thirds the size of the temple at Ephesus, and the Parthenon’s columns were only a little more than 34 feet high.
The temple of Artemis was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Its size and magnificence made it an attraction for tourists and pilgrims. For Ephesus, it was a place for worship, but also a treasury and a storehouse.
Paul stood up to a sizeable opponent in Diana or Artemis. She had become the guardian deity of Ephesus. She influenced the politics, culture, and economy of the city. The people of Ephesus were prepared to defend Artemis against any who would threaten her, and Paul’s proclamation of God’s good news threatened to destroy the profit of the craftsmen who made silver shrines of the goddess.
At the riot, it took a soothing plea from the mayor to rescue Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions.
Hashtags
# the Spirit
#Paul
#Timothy
#Erastus
#Demetrius, a silversmith (craftsmen)
#Artemis
#Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s companions
#the crowd
#the disciples
#Asiarchs
#Alexander
#town clerk
#proconsuls
#the assembly
#the Way (23)
#gods made with hands are not gods (26)
#temple
Other Resources:
Getting Involved in our Communities Acts 19
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