返回Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Acts 19:1–5. While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus and, finding some disciples there, said to them: did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? And they said to him: we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit. He said to them: into what then were you baptized? They answered: into John's baptism. Paul said: John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Christ Jesus. Having heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
These, from among "certain disciples," who did not even know that there is a Holy Spirit, differed greatly from the other disciples, because from the words "that they should believe in Him who was coming after him" it is evident that they did not believe in Christ either. He did not say that the baptism of John was nothing, but that it was incomplete. How then, being in Ephesus, did they receive the baptism of John? Perhaps they were traveling to Jerusalem at that time and returned from there without even receiving information about Christ. He does not say to them, "Do you believe in Jesus?" But what does he say? "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" Paul knew that they did not have the Holy Spirit, but he had the desire to speak in such a way that, having learned what they were lacking, they themselves would request it.
Acts 19:6–7. And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in other tongues and to prophesy. And they were in all about twelve men.
They did not see the Spirit, because He is invisible; but a certain sensible proof of His presence was offered by the gift of tongues: one spoke in Persian, another in Roman, a third in some other language; and by these outward signs it was evident that the Spirit was speaking in each one.
Acts 19:8. Having come to the synagogue, he preached boldly for three months, discoursing and persuading concerning the Kingdom of God.
What does "boldly" mean? He exposed himself to dangers or began to speak even more clearly, without obscuring his teaching. Look: everywhere Paul enters the synagogues and always comes out the same way, since everywhere he wished to take advantage of the opportunity.
Acts 19:9–10. But when some were hardened and did not believe, speaking evil of the way of the Lord before the people, he left them and separated the disciples, and preached daily in the school of a certain Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the inhabitants of Asia heard the preaching about the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
Luke calls Christ "the Way," of Whom it is also said that He is the way (see John 14:6). Or else he calls "the way" the true faith which Paul preached. And by the words "he separated the disciples," the instruction is given that those who believe in the Son of God should withdraw from those who revile Him.
Acts 19:11–12. And God wrought no few miracles by the hands of Paul, so that upon the sick were laid handkerchiefs and aprons from his body, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
Not only at the time when Paul wore "handkerchiefs and aprons" did people touch them, but they also took them away and laid them on the sick. But pay attention to the hardness of heart of the Jews. They were not moved by the fact that the garments of Christ's disciples produced miracles, even though the miracles from the handkerchiefs and aprons and from the shadows of the disciples are greater than those miracles which Christ performed. The handkerchiefs, headbands, and towels were made of linen; the headbands were thrown over the head, while the towels were held in the hands by those who could not wear headbands; the purpose of both was to wipe sweat, saliva, tears, and other things from the face.
Acts 19:13. Even some of the wandering Jewish exorcists began to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying: we adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preaches.
They did not wish to believe, yet desired to cast out demons in the name of Jesus, because these words clearly reveal that these exorcists adjured the unclean spirits in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ not as those who believed in Jesus, but as those who were testing Him. And the expression "began to use" shows that, although they did not hope for success, they nevertheless laid on hands in order to achieve the purpose of their test. Therefore, shortly after, they paid the penalty for their recklessness.
Acts 19:14–17. This was done by certain seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest. But the evil spirit answered and said: Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with, but who are you? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and having overpowered them, prevailed against them with such force that they fled out of that house naked and beaten. And this became known to all the Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus, and fear fell on all of them, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
Although the sons of Sceva did this secretly, their powerlessness is exposed. What is worthy of wonder is the circumstance that the evil spirit did not aid in the deception of these exorcists, but rather exposed and revealed their fraud. It seems to me that he was greatly irritated, just as someone who, being pressed in extreme danger by some wretched and insignificant creature, wants to pour out all his wrath upon that creature.
Acts 19:18. And many of those who had believed came, confessing and revealing their deeds.
Every believer ought to confess his sins and, by accusing himself, resolve never to commit the same sins again, so as to receive justification by virtue of what is said in Scripture: "Declare… that you may be justified" (Isa. 43:26).
Acts 19:19–21. And a good many of those who practiced sorcery, having gathered their books together, burned them before all, and they counted up the prices of them, and it came to fifty thousand drachmas. So mightily grew the word of the Lord and prevailed. Now after these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the spirit, having passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying: after I have been there, I must also see Rome.
Seeing that these books were no longer of any use for anything, those who had practiced sorcery "burned them before all." So devoted were the Ephesians to idols and magic that they valued books of sorcery very highly as containing the very best things in life. Having believed in Christ, they did not sell these books but burned them, first, so that no one would be infected by their soul-destroying plague, and also so as not to acquire anything from their sale. Since money obtained for a dog or income from idolatry was forbidden to be brought to God, they did not consider it a righteous deed to cast at the feet of the apostles silver obtained by such means either.
Acts 19:22. And having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed for a time in Asia.
He sent disciples to Macedonia to announce that he would come, and to instill in the Macedonians a stronger desire to see him. As for the fact that he himself remained for a time in Asia, this was necessary because in Asia there was a tyranny of philosophers.
Acts 19:23–24. At that time there arose no small disturbance against the Way of the Lord, for a certain silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis and brought no small profit to the craftsmen,
By silver temples are perhaps meant small shrines. Notice: everywhere idol-worship was defended on account of money. And this Demetrius was agitating on account of money. He was agitating not because their impious religion was in danger, but because he was being deprived of the means of gain; because he knew that he was deceiving people by making them silver gods and silver shrines, and he was afraid that his craft might be exposed by the true teaching of Paul; he was also afraid that the temple of Artemis, which was in Ephesus, might disappear altogether, and thus he was predicting the disappearance of the temple, which indeed came to pass.
Acts 19:25–27. Having gathered them together and other similar craftsmen, he said: Friends! You know that our prosperity depends on this craft. Meanwhile you see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul by his persuasions has led astray a considerable number of people, saying that those made by human hands are not gods. And this threatens us not only with our craft falling into disrepute, but also with the temple of the great goddess Artemis coming to mean nothing, and the majesty of her whom all Asia and the world worships will be overthrown.
He drew their attention to the danger: we, he says, are in danger of falling into hunger from our trade. However, what he said could have led them to true worship of God. If, as he says, this man (Paul) is so powerful that there is a danger he might convert everyone, and if from him there is a threat to what belongs to the gods, then one should consider what kind of God his is. Everywhere this Demetrius brings his speech back to the trade.
"By his persuasions he has led astray a considerable number of people." Not by violence, but precisely in this way one ought to persuade. It is sufficient that Paul said "they are not gods." If the falsity of this cult is so easily exposed, then it should have been rejected long ago; but if it has power in itself, then it is impossible to uproot it so quickly.
Acts 19:28–29. Having heard this, they were filled with rage and began to cry out, saying: Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! And the whole city was filled with confusion. Having seized the Macedonians Gaius and Aristarchus, travel companions of Paul, they rushed with one accord to the theater.
They became enraged upon hearing about Artemis and the undermining of their craft, because it is characteristic of the rabble to become agitated and inflamed by any matter, even a trivial one. They had gods in the city; and they assumed a threatening posture, so as to somehow restore respect for the gods by their shouting and to drown out what had happened. They kept shouting without ceasing, as if fearing that the veneration of the gods might be extinguished altogether.
Acts 19:30–32. When Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples did not allow him. And also some of the chiefs of Asia, being his friends, sent to him, asking him not to show himself at the theater. Meanwhile, some cried one thing and others another, for the assembly was disorderly, and the greater part of those gathered did not know why they had gathered.
The disciples did not allow Paul to rush into the agitated crowd — so much did all the believers love him. And Paul listens to them, since he was not ambitious.
"Most of those who had gathered did not know why they had gathered." Such is the nature of a crowd: it rushes here or there without reason, like fire thrown into a forest.
Acts 19:33–34. At the suggestion of the Jews, Alexander was brought forward from the crowd. Motioning with his hand, Alexander wanted to speak to the people. But when they recognized that he was a Jew, they all cried out with one voice, and for about two hours they cried out: Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!
Why did Alexander want "to speak to the people" in his defense? After all, he was not being accused? In order to seize the moment, give everything a different turn, and calm the anger of the people.
Acts 19:35–36. Then the town clerk, having quieted the crowd, said: Men of Ephesus! What man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the servant of the great goddess Artemis and of the Diopetes? Since therefore these things cannot be denied, you ought to be calm and do nothing rash.
The town clerk answers justly and with reproach; he did not say "what person does not know of Artemis?" but rather "who does not know that our city is a servant of the great goddess Artemis?" So why are you making an uproar, as though this were something unknown? The word "servant" means, properly speaking, an attendant who sweeps or cleanses the temple. By "Diopetes" he refers to the domed temple of Zeus, or the image of Athena Pallas called the Palladium, concerning which there existed a myth among the Greeks that it had been cast down by Zeus from heaven and was not made by human hands — this was meant to astonish naive people.
Acts 19:37–40. But you have brought these men, who have neither robbed the temple of Artemis nor blasphemed your goddess. If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, there are court sessions and there are proconsuls: let them bring charges against one another. But if you seek anything further, it shall be resolved in a lawful assembly. For we are in danger of being accused of riot for what has happened today, since there is no cause by which we could justify such a gathering. And having said this, he dismissed the assembly.
He gently rebukes them, showing that they acted rashly and that it was not proper to hold a public assembly for private reasons.
Acts 19:1–5. While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus and, finding some disciples there, said to them: did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? And they said to him: we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit. He said to them: into what then were you baptized? They answered: into John's baptism. Paul said: John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Christ Jesus. Having heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
These, from among "certain disciples," who did not even know that there is a Holy Spirit, differed greatly from the other disciples, because from the words "that they should believe in Him who was coming after him" it is evident that they did not believe in Christ either. He did not say that the baptism of John was nothing, but that it was incomplete. How then, being in Ephesus, did they receive the baptism of John? Perhaps they were traveling to Jerusalem at that time and returned from there without even receiving information about Christ. He does not say to them, "Do you believe in Jesus?" But what does he say? "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" Paul knew that they did not have the Holy Spirit, but he had the desire to speak in such a way that, having learned what they were lacking, they themselves would request it.
Acts 19:6–7. And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in other tongues and to prophesy. And they were in all about twelve men.
They did not see the Spirit, because He is invisible; but a certain sensible proof of His presence was offered by the gift of tongues: one spoke in Persian, another in Roman, a third in some other language; and by these outward signs it was evident that the Spirit was speaking in each one.
Acts 19:8. Having come to the synagogue, he preached boldly for three months, discoursing and persuading concerning the Kingdom of God.
What does "boldly" mean? He exposed himself to dangers or began to speak even more clearly, without obscuring his teaching. Look: everywhere Paul enters the synagogues and always comes out the same way, since everywhere he wished to take advantage of the opportunity.
Acts 19:9–10. But when some were hardened and did not believe, speaking evil of the way of the Lord before the people, he left them and separated the disciples, and preached daily in the school of a certain Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the inhabitants of Asia heard the preaching about the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
Luke calls Christ "the Way," of Whom it is also said that He is the way (see John 14:6). Or else he calls "the way" the true faith which Paul preached. And by the words "he separated the disciples," the instruction is given that those who believe in the Son of God should withdraw from those who revile Him.
Acts 19:11–12. And God wrought no few miracles by the hands of Paul, so that upon the sick were laid handkerchiefs and aprons from his body, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
Not only at the time when Paul wore "handkerchiefs and aprons" did people touch them, but they also took them away and laid them on the sick. But pay attention to the hardness of heart of the Jews. They were not moved by the fact that the garments of Christ's disciples produced miracles, even though the miracles from the handkerchiefs and aprons and from the shadows of the disciples are greater than those miracles which Christ performed. The handkerchiefs, headbands, and towels were made of linen; the headbands were thrown over the head, while the towels were held in the hands by those who could not wear headbands; the purpose of both was to wipe sweat, saliva, tears, and other things from the face.
Acts 19:13. Even some of the wandering Jewish exorcists began to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying: we adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preaches.
They did not wish to believe, yet desired to cast out demons in the name of Jesus, because these words clearly reveal that these exorcists adjured the unclean spirits in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ not as those who believed in Jesus, but as those who were testing Him. And the expression "began to use" shows that, although they did not hope for success, they nevertheless laid on hands in order to achieve the purpose of their test. Therefore, shortly after, they paid the penalty for their recklessness.
Acts 19:14–17. This was done by certain seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest. But the evil spirit answered and said: Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with, but who are you? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and having overpowered them, prevailed against them with such force that they fled out of that house naked and beaten. And this became known to all the Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus, and fear fell on all of them, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
Although the sons of Sceva did this secretly, their powerlessness is exposed. What is worthy of wonder is the circumstance that the evil spirit did not aid in the deception of these exorcists, but rather exposed and revealed their fraud. It seems to me that he was greatly irritated, just as someone who, being pressed in extreme danger by some wretched and insignificant creature, wants to pour out all his wrath upon that creature.
Acts 19:18. And many of those who had believed came, confessing and revealing their deeds.
Every believer ought to confess his sins and, by accusing himself, resolve never to commit the same sins again, so as to receive justification by virtue of what is said in Scripture: "Declare… that you may be justified" (Isa. 43:26).
Acts 19:19–21. And a good many of those who practiced sorcery, having gathered their books together, burned them before all, and they counted up the prices of them, and it came to fifty thousand drachmas. So mightily grew the word of the Lord and prevailed. Now after these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the spirit, having passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying: after I have been there, I must also see Rome.
Seeing that these books were no longer of any use for anything, those who had practiced sorcery "burned them before all." So devoted were the Ephesians to idols and magic that they valued books of sorcery very highly as containing the very best things in life. Having believed in Christ, they did not sell these books but burned them, first, so that no one would be infected by their soul-destroying plague, and also so as not to acquire anything from their sale. Since money obtained for a dog or income from idolatry was forbidden to be brought to God, they did not consider it a righteous deed to cast at the feet of the apostles silver obtained by such means either.
Acts 19:22. And having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed for a time in Asia.
He sent disciples to Macedonia to announce that he would come, and to instill in the Macedonians a stronger desire to see him. As for the fact that he himself remained for a time in Asia, this was necessary because in Asia there was a tyranny of philosophers.
Acts 19:23–24. At that time there arose no small disturbance against the Way of the Lord, for a certain silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis and brought no small profit to the craftsmen,
By silver temples are perhaps meant small shrines. Notice: everywhere idol-worship was defended on account of money. And this Demetrius was agitating on account of money. He was agitating not because their impious religion was in danger, but because he was being deprived of the means of gain; because he knew that he was deceiving people by making them silver gods and silver shrines, and he was afraid that his craft might be exposed by the true teaching of Paul; he was also afraid that the temple of Artemis, which was in Ephesus, might disappear altogether, and thus he was predicting the disappearance of the temple, which indeed came to pass.
Acts 19:25–27. Having gathered them together and other similar craftsmen, he said: Friends! You know that our prosperity depends on this craft. Meanwhile you see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul by his persuasions has led astray a considerable number of people, saying that those made by human hands are not gods. And this threatens us not only with our craft falling into disrepute, but also with the temple of the great goddess Artemis coming to mean nothing, and the majesty of her whom all Asia and the world worships will be overthrown.
He drew their attention to the danger: we, he says, are in danger of falling into hunger from our trade. However, what he said could have led them to true worship of God. If, as he says, this man (Paul) is so powerful that there is a danger he might convert everyone, and if from him there is a threat to what belongs to the gods, then one should consider what kind of God his is. Everywhere this Demetrius brings his speech back to the trade.
"By his persuasions he has led astray a considerable number of people." Not by violence, but precisely in this way one ought to persuade. It is sufficient that Paul said "they are not gods." If the falsity of this cult is so easily exposed, then it should have been rejected long ago; but if it has power in itself, then it is impossible to uproot it so quickly.
Acts 19:28–29. Having heard this, they were filled with rage and began to cry out, saying: Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! And the whole city was filled with confusion. Having seized the Macedonians Gaius and Aristarchus, travel companions of Paul, they rushed with one accord to the theater.
They became enraged upon hearing about Artemis and the undermining of their craft, because it is characteristic of the rabble to become agitated and inflamed by any matter, even a trivial one. They had gods in the city; and they assumed a threatening posture, so as to somehow restore respect for the gods by their shouting and to drown out what had happened. They kept shouting without ceasing, as if fearing that the veneration of the gods might be extinguished altogether.
Acts 19:30–32. When Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples did not allow him. And also some of the chiefs of Asia, being his friends, sent to him, asking him not to show himself at the theater. Meanwhile, some cried one thing and others another, for the assembly was disorderly, and the greater part of those gathered did not know why they had gathered.
The disciples did not allow Paul to rush into the agitated crowd — so much did all the believers love him. And Paul listens to them, since he was not ambitious.
"Most of those who had gathered did not know why they had gathered." Such is the nature of a crowd: it rushes here or there without reason, like fire thrown into a forest.
Acts 19:33–34. At the suggestion of the Jews, Alexander was brought forward from the crowd. Motioning with his hand, Alexander wanted to speak to the people. But when they recognized that he was a Jew, they all cried out with one voice, and for about two hours they cried out: Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!
Why did Alexander want "to speak to the people" in his defense? After all, he was not being accused? In order to seize the moment, give everything a different turn, and calm the anger of the people.
Acts 19:35–36. Then the town clerk, having quieted the crowd, said: Men of Ephesus! What man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the servant of the great goddess Artemis and of the Diopetes? Since therefore these things cannot be denied, you ought to be calm and do nothing rash.
The town clerk answers justly and with reproach; he did not say "what person does not know of Artemis?" but rather "who does not know that our city is a servant of the great goddess Artemis?" So why are you making an uproar, as though this were something unknown? The word "servant" means, properly speaking, an attendant who sweeps or cleanses the temple. By "Diopetes" he refers to the domed temple of Zeus, or the image of Athena Pallas called the Palladium, concerning which there existed a myth among the Greeks that it had been cast down by Zeus from heaven and was not made by human hands — this was meant to astonish naive people.
Acts 19:37–40. But you have brought these men, who have neither robbed the temple of Artemis nor blasphemed your goddess. If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, there are court sessions and there are proconsuls: let them bring charges against one another. But if you seek anything further, it shall be resolved in a lawful assembly. For we are in danger of being accused of riot for what has happened today, since there is no cause by which we could justify such a gathering. And having said this, he dismissed the assembly.
He gently rebukes them, showing that they acted rashly and that it was not proper to hold a public assembly for private reasons.