Act 19:23 | KingComments | STEP | While Paul was preparing for his trip to Macedonia, a great disturbance arose in Ephesus. As in Philippi, this disturbance did not originate from Jewish sources, but from pagan sources. Luke describes the course of it in detail and vividly. He may do this to show that there is not only an inner urge to go to Jerusalem whereby Ephesus is to be left, but also an outer cause. The disturbance arises about “the Way”. By the Way is meant the Christian faith that is propagated by those who have come to faith in the Lord Jesus. This manifestation of faith is not so much in words as in deeds, in walking the Way of faith. The consistent imitation of the Lord Jesus has completely changed the life of many in Ephesus. Demetrius notices this in his wallet. Because of the many conversions, his business is no longer doing well. The demand for his silver temples drops dramatically. This manifests his deep-rooted hatred against the gospel. The whole system by which he made his fortune is faltering, as is the prestige his profession brings him. The temples he makes are dedicated to Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. This mother goddess is the great opposite of the Father God of the Bible. We see here the great contrast between the Way of Christian faith, and paganism. Behind the idols are demonic powers. Behind the idolatry is also Mammon, the god of money. In Demetrius money and religion go hand in hand. When he sees his profits dwindling, he responds to the economic decline as a business that affects everyone in the company and also the supplying companies. People of the world cannot be hit harder than when they are deprived of prosperity and the luxury that goes with it. If that happens, there will be uproar. Demetrius appoints Paul as the culprit because he dares to claim that their gods are not gods. The temples are therefore not merely souvenirs, but articles of religious significance. Paul’s message makes an end to this. Without being aware of it, Demetrius acknowledges in what he means as an accusation to the power of the gospel. The gospel must have been accepted by many if Demetrius can say that the industry is under threat – although he may have exaggerated it – because his images are no longer so popular. Then he cunningly brings forward the waning tribute to “the great goddess Artemis”. In this way he shifts the attack from the economic to the religious field. There is nothing in which a man is more fanatic than in his religion. If you touch him in that, he becomes out of his mind and is no longer susceptible to any reason. That becomes apparent immediately after his words. They all become furious and deliriously crying out they declare their solidarity with the Artemis of the Ephesians. The whole city becomes full of confusion. But the confusion is not that great, or their anger seeks a way out in tracking down the insulters of their great Artemis. It seems that they cannot find Paul. That is why they drag just two of Paul’s travelling companions along to the theater that is also used for holding a public assembly. Paul wants to go among the people for the sake of his friends who have been dragged along because of him. The disciples prevent him from doing so by stopping him. It would not have been wise to do so. Some Asiarchs, i.e. political or religious officials of the province of Asia, who are friends of Paul underline the correctness of the disciples’ actions. They send a message in which they insist that Paul should not go to the theater. It takes a lot to stop Paul, but in the end he doesn’t go. The fact that some officials are also in favor of Paul shows the enormous impact that Paul’s preaching has had under the blessing of the Lord. Whether these officials are believers is not clear. In any case they are on his side. In the general turmoil most do not even know what is at stake, but are carried away by the general mood. When a person is in a crowd, there is a great danger that he will lose his personality and then also the ability to make a personal judgment of the situation.

‏ Acts 19:23

Demétrius Instigates a Riot

While Paul was preparing for his trip to Macedonia, a great disturbance arose in Ephesus. As in Philippi, this disturbance did not originate from Jewish sources, but from pagan sources. Luke describes the course of it in detail and vividly. He may do this to show that there is not only an inner urge to go to Jerusalem whereby Ephesus is to be left, but also an outer cause. The disturbance arises about “the Way”. By the Way is meant the Christian faith that is propagated by those who have come to faith in the Lord Jesus. This manifestation of faith is not so much in words as in deeds, in walking the Way of faith.

The consistent imitation of the Lord Jesus has completely changed the life of many in Ephesus. Demetrius notices this in his wallet. Because of the many conversions, his business is no longer doing well. The demand for his silver temples drops dramatically. This manifests his deep-rooted hatred against the gospel. The whole system by which he made his fortune is faltering, as is the prestige his profession brings him.

The temples he makes are dedicated to Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. This mother goddess is the great opposite of the Father God of the Bible. We see here the great contrast between the Way of Christian faith, and paganism. Behind the idols are demonic powers. Behind the idolatry is also Mammon, the god of money. In Demetrius money and religion go hand in hand.

When he sees his profits dwindling, he responds to the economic decline as a business that affects everyone in the company and also the supplying companies. People of the world cannot be hit harder than when they are deprived of prosperity and the luxury that goes with it. If that happens, there will be uproar. Demetrius appoints Paul as the culprit because he dares to claim that their gods are not gods.

The temples are therefore not merely souvenirs, but articles of religious significance. Paul’s message makes an end to this. Without being aware of it, Demetrius acknowledges in what he means as an accusation to the power of the gospel. The gospel must have been accepted by many if Demetrius can say that the industry is under threat – although he may have exaggerated it – because his images are no longer so popular.

Then he cunningly brings forward the waning tribute to “the great goddess Artemis”. In this way he shifts the attack from the economic to the religious field. There is nothing in which a man is more fanatic than in his religion. If you touch him in that, he becomes out of his mind and is no longer susceptible to any reason. That becomes apparent immediately after his words. They all become furious and deliriously crying out they declare their solidarity with the Artemis of the Ephesians. The whole city becomes full of confusion.

But the confusion is not that great, or their anger seeks a way out in tracking down the insulters of their great Artemis. It seems that they cannot find Paul. That is why they drag just two of Paul’s travelling companions along to the theater that is also used for holding a public assembly.

Paul wants to go among the people for the sake of his friends who have been dragged along because of him. The disciples prevent him from doing so by stopping him. It would not have been wise to do so. Some Asiarchs, i.e. political or religious officials of the province of Asia, who are friends of Paul underline the correctness of the disciples’ actions. They send a message in which they insist that Paul should not go to the theater. It takes a lot to stop Paul, but in the end he doesn’t go.

The fact that some officials are also in favor of Paul shows the enormous impact that Paul’s preaching has had under the blessing of the Lord. Whether these officials are believers is not clear. In any case they are on his side.

In the general turmoil most do not even know what is at stake, but are carried away by the general mood. When a person is in a crowd, there is a great danger that he will lose his personality and then also the ability to make a personal judgment of the situation.