Ephesus was a large and important city on the west coast of Asia Minor, where the apostle Paul founded a church. And there were a number of factors which contributed to the importance of Ephesus. The first factor was economics, Ephesus was the most favourable seaport in the province of Asia and the most important trade centre west of Tarsus.
Another factor was size; Ephesus was the largest city in the province, having a population of perhaps three hundred thousand people. A third factor was culture; Ephesus contained a theatre that seated an estimated twenty-five thousand people.
The fourth, and perhaps most significant, reason for the importance of Ephesus was religion. The Temple of Artemis or Diana, at Ephesus, ranked as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
If you were around in Biblical times and thought of Ephesus, your mind would automatically think about the city where you would find the ‘temple of Diana.’
In Acts 19, we find in Ephesus, a silversmith by the name of Demetrius who made a living out of idol making, and he was causing all sorts of trouble for Paul and the other disciples.
And we have recorded in Acts 19:27 that Diana was loved and worshipped by people from all over the world. The original temple of Diana crumbled into dust many centuries ago, but when it was rebuilt, it became one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
And it was to this temple that Alexander the Great came too. He wanted his name carved on one of the one hundred and twenty-seven pillars, and so he offered all the riches of his eastern campaign for the privilege, but the city fathers turned down the offer.
And so even the mightiest mortal on earth of the time couldn’t even buy the privilege to have his name on a pillar in the temple of a god. No wonder years later the apostle Paul would write to the Ephesian church and tell them in Ephesians 2:19-22, that they were the temple, not of any old god but of Almighty God Himself.
The history of Christianity at Ephesus began around A.D. 50, perhaps as a result of the efforts of Priscilla and Aquila, as we read in Acts 18:18. Paul came to Ephesus in about A.D. 52, establishing the church and staying there for at least three years, as Acts 20:31 tells us. Paul wrote the letters of 1 and 2 Corinthians during his stay in the city of Ephesus at this time
When it comes to the Holy Spirit and identifying if a person possesses Him or not, apart from the fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23, there is no physical way of knowing. And so, what Luke records here is Paul asking that very question, do you possess the Holy Spirit?
Luke tells us that while Apollo was in Corinth, Paul went to Ephesus, Acts 18:21, where he met a group of disciples and asked them if they had received the Holy Spirit, Acts 19:1-2.
Remember, Apollos knew a lot about the Scriptures; he taught about Jesus, but he hadn’t been taught about this new baptism for the forgiveness of sins. And so Priscilla and Aquila took him to their home and taught him the way of the Lord more clearly, Acts 18:24-26.
Here in Ephesus, we find some people who had been taught by Apollos prior to the time he had been taught the way of the Lord more perfectly. Luke calls them ‘disciples of Christ’, Acts 19:1, simply because Apollos ‘taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John,’ Acts 18:25.
Kent, in his commentary, says the following.
‘It is difficult to determine whether the ‘disciples’ whom Paul found in Ephesus were Christians or not. They seem quite similar to Apollos, Acts 18:25-26, and some students of Acts believe they were either Old Testament saints or untaught Christians.’
Paul asked them if they had received the Holy Spirit, and they answered by saying they did not even know there was a Holy Spirit, Acts 19:2.
Spurgeon, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Give a man an electric shock, and I warrant you he will know it; but if he has the Holy Ghost, he will know it much more.’
Hervey, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Nothing can mark more strongly the connection between baptism and the reception of the Holy Spirit than this question does. For it implies, how could you be ignorant of the giving of the Holy Spirit if you were duly baptised?’
A failure to know anything about the Holy Spirit whatsoever would truly point out a flaw in the instructions they had received. Paul goes ahead and asks another question, ‘what baptism did they receive?’ Acts 19:3. The KJV says, ‘into what then were you baptised?’ and they replied John’s baptism, Acts 19:3.
Paul had to ask that question because they had been baptised in John’s baptism, which would have presented a problem when that baptism was valid ‘prior’ to the death of the Lord.
John told people to repent, be baptised, and believe in Christ, who would follow him, Acts 19:4 / Acts 1:5 / Acts 11:16 / Acts 13:25 / Acts 18:25, and as we all know, Jesus did come, died, was buried, and then resurrected.
But before He ascended back to heaven, He clearly commanded everyone to believe and be baptised, Matthew 28:19-20 / Mark 16:16-17. And in Acts 2, we see people being obedient to those commands, Acts 2:38.
In other words, for those who would be Christians, belief in Jesus would come ‘before’ they have repented and been baptised under the authority of His name for the remission of sins.
I know of some groups who only baptise in Jesus’ Name and not in ‘the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit’ as Jesus commanded, Matthew 28:19; however, when we look at the footnote for that verse, we discover the word ‘into’.
In other words, we are baptised in the Name of Jesus, that is, by His authority, but we are baptised into the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, that is, we are baptised into a relationship with the Godhead, Romans 6:1-3.
There are not many baptisms for a person to receive to be saved; the Bible only knows of one, Ephesians 4:4-6. People need to ask themselves if their baptism is the one baptism which Paul speaks of here. Because if it’s not, they need to do what these people did next.
Luke tells us that these disciples were re-baptised under the authority of Christ, Acts 19:5 / Mark 16:16. They would have received the forgiveness of their sins and the gift of the indwelling Spirit at this point, Acts 2:38 / Romans 8:9 / 1 Corinthians 12:13.
True baptism reflects a person’s understanding that this ordinance pictures the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Romans 6:3-4 / Colossians 2:12. In other words, the sinner is buried in and raised from the water, just as the Lord was buried and then raised from the dead.
If a person has submitted to baptism for some purpose other than that which is supplied in the Bible, then in reality, they have not obeyed the Lord. Baptism is never defined as ‘an outward sign of an inward grace’ as some like to say.
Baptism is not a mere representation of redemption for those already received. The purpose of baptism is for the forgiveness of sins, Acts 2:38, or as Luke tells us ‘to have sins washed away’, Acts 22:16.
Baptism, according to Romans 6:3-4, and Galatians 3:26-27, places a person ‘into Christ’ or His ‘body,’ 1 Corinthians 12:13. And it is at this point that a person is saved according to Mark 16:16 / 1 Peter 3:21.
The apostle Paul then laid his hands on the twelve of them, and they received miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit, which enabled them to speak in languages they had never studied, and they prophesied, that is, they proclaimed God’s will, Acts 19:6-7.
Although they would have received the ‘gift’ of the Holy Spirit at their baptism and the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit, Acts 2:38, here they received the ‘gifts’ of the Holy Spirit.
Marshall, in his commentary, says the following.
‘It is safe to say that the New Testament does not recognise the possibility of being a Christian apart from possession of the Spirit, John 3:5 / Acts 11:17 / Romans 8:9 / 1 Corinthians 12:3 / Galatians 3:2 / 1 Thessalonians 1:5 / Titus 3:5 / Hebrews 6:4 / 1 Peter 1:2 / 1 John 3:24 / 1 John 4:13.’
As we have seen time and time again throughout the Book of Acts, these twelve men could only speak in tongues, that is, known languages that they had never studied or learned, Acts 19:6 / Acts 2:4 / Acts 10:46 / 1 Corinthians 12:10 / 1 Corinthians 12:28 / 1 Corinthians 12:30 / 1 Corinthians 13:1 / 1 Corinthians 13:8 / 1 Corinthians 14.
They also had the gift of prophecy, which involves speaking forth the Word of God, Acts 19:6 / Acts 21:11 / 1 Corinthians 12:10 / 1 Corinthians 14:3 / 1 Corinthians 13:8-12.
They only had these gifts because Paul, being an apostle, laid his hands on them to bestow the gifts upon them, Acts 6:5-6 / Acts 8:14-17 / 1 Timothy 4:14 / 2 Timothy 1:6. After re-baptising the twelve men and passing on the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, Paul leaves them and goes into a synagogue.
Luke tells us that Paul entered the synagogue to boldly teach the Jews about the kingdom of God and the Gospel, Acts 19:8 / Acts 1:3 / Acts 1:6 / Acts 8:12 / Acts 14:22 / Acts 20:25 / Acts 28:23 / Acts 28:31.
Remember, Paul had already taught in this synagogue in Ephesus and had been urged to teach further in Acts 18:19-21. But he left for the feast in Jerusalem, and he promised to return and teach some more if it was God’s will, Acts 18:21. And so what we see here is that it was God’s will for him to return and teach some more.
On this occasion, he reasoned with them for three months and persuaded them about matters concerning the kingdom of God, Acts 19:8. And as usual, we have those who will listen and those who won’t, Acts 19:8 / Romans 1:25.
It’s all about free will; God is not going to make a person believe. People need to realise that our Lord never destroys the will, but sweetly inclines us, and makes us willing in the day of His power, Revelation 22:17. It’s not that God is not willing to save us; it’s because people are not willing to come to Him to accept that salvation, Matthew 23:37 / John 5:40.
These Jews whom Paul is preaching to are the very same. Some of them became hard-hearted and chose against the Way of salvation, and so Paul withdrew with the disciples to continue teaching in the school of Tyrannus, Acts 19:9. And that is where he continued to instruct anyone who would listen over the space of some two years, Acts 19:10 / Ephesians 4:11-12.
What some do at a Bible school is very similar to what Paul was doing because the effects of Paul’s teaching radiated out throughout all of Asia, Acts 19:10 / 1 Corinthians 16:8-9.
Paul, who had previously been forbidden to preach in Asia, Acts 16:6, now got to see much fruit born for God in that region. In fact, many believe his teaching helped to establish the seven churches to whom Christ wrote, Revelation 2-3.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘As a result of this three years of work, the local Christians preached the gospel and established churches all over the province of Asia. Among these were the churches of Colosse, Laodicea, and Hierapolis in the Lycus Valley, Colossians 4:13, though evidently Paul did not personally plant them, Colossians 2:1 / Colossians 4:13. Perhaps the other churches mentioned in Revelation 2, 3 (i.e., Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, and Philadelphia) got their start at this time too.’
Even though Paul was a great preacher of the word of God, He always remembered whose Name holds the power, the Name of Jesus. And what Luke records next is a powerful lesson that we must never forget.
Luke says that God caused some great miracles to be worked through Paul. Even to the point where pieces of cloth, like a handkerchief or apron, which had touched his body, could be placed on the body of the sick and diseases or evil spirits went out, Acts 19:11-12 / Matthew 14:36 / Acts 5:15.
Bruce, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The pieces of material were presumably those which Paul used in his tentmaking or leather-working, the sweat-rags for tying around his head and the aprons for tying around his waist.’
Luke says that there were some wandering Jewish exorcists, who apparently had previously been unsuccessful in casting out demons, who tried to capitalise on the power of God they had seen at work through Paul. Particularly, the seven sons of Sceva who attempted to cast out an evil spirit by calling on the name of Jesus, whom Paul preached, Acts 19:13-14.
Bruce, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Sceva may have been a chief priest or the head of a priestly family, Acts 5:24, or he may have only claimed to be one.’
Morgan, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The atmosphere of the city was electric with sorcery and incantations, with exorcists, with all kinds of magical impostors.’
This was Paul’s third contact with demonic powers that Luke recorded, Acts 13:6-12 / Acts 16:16-18. The spirit recognised both Jesus and Paul and asked, ‘Who are you?’ And then the spirit caused the possessed man to leap on, overpower and strip them so that they ran away wounded and naked, Acts 19:15-16.
Bruce, in his commentary, says the following.
‘They employed the name of Jesus in an attempt to imitate Paul’s exorcism; but when they tried to use it, like an unfamiliar weapon wrongly handled, it exploded in their hands.’
That’s a powerful lesson we can learn right here: our name cannot save anyone, our name doesn’t frighten people or demons. But make no mistake about it, all hell is terribly afraid of Jesus’ Name, and that’s because our name hasn’t been exalted; Jesus’ Name has.
Our name isn’t above all other names; Jesus’ Name is. People are not going to bow down when they see us, but they will bow down to Jesus. People are not going to confess our name before the Father, but they will confess Jesus’ Name before Him, Philippians 2:9-11.
There is another important point we need to raise here. The use of Jesus’ Name in our prayers and our words is not some magic formula that God acts upon. It’s not the ‘name’ of Jesus that works mechanically over the powers; the name is not the ‘key’ of some sort.
It is not because we know His Name but because we know Him and, more importantly, we are known by Him, John 10:27. Many people only know the Name of Jesus; they don’t know Jesus as a person, Matthew 7:22-23. All they are interested in is the power and not the relationship.
Everyone, both present and past, will have to conclude that there really is only One King and His Name is Jesus. He’s the One who is ruler over all. He’s the one who possesses authority overall.
Even the evil spirit knew this, and they only feared the Name of Jesus. And so after asking, ‘Who are you?’ The evil spirit beat up some Jewish men who were trying to misuse the power of Christ, Acts 19:16.
Luke tells us that since an irreverent use of the name of Jesus brought on this attack by the evil spirit, both Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus were moved to reverent awe for the authority of Jesus, Acts 19:17.
When we see Jesus in His proper light, we can’t help but be in awe, in awe of His holiness and His righteousness. When we see Jesus like that, then we are going to bow down and recognise His authority.
Notice what they did when they submitted to Christ, they repented and their repentance is very visible in the fact that many Christians, along with others who submitted to the authority of Christ, confessed their previous evil deeds, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, and involvement in the magical arts, Acts 19:18 / Ephesians 4:31 / Colossians 3:7-8 / 1 Peter 2:1 / 1 John 1:9.
Their repentance was further illustrated in the fact that books costing some fifty thousand pieces of silver were publicly thrown into a pile and burned, Acts 19:19. And so from that point forward, the Gospel grew in a great way and conquered the hearts of many in the region, Acts 19:20.
It was at the end of this great period of growth that Luke tells us that Paul mapped out plans to go through Macedonia and Achaia on the way to Jerusalem, Acts 19:21.
Paul eventually wants to go to Rome, Acts 19:21 / Romans 1:8-15 / Romans 15:25-31 / 1 Corinthians 16:1-4, and so he sent Timothy, Acts 17:16-17 / 1 Corinthians 4:17, and Erastus, 2 Timothy 4:20, on to Macedonia, Acts 18:5 / 1 Corinthians 4:17 / 1 Corinthians 16:10-11, while he personally stayed in Asia, Acts 19:22.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Paul wanted to collect money for the poor Judean saints from the more prosperous Christians in the Aegean region and then deliver it to them in Jerusalem, Acts 24:17 / 1 Corinthians 16:1-4. He realised that returning to Jerusalem would be dangerous for him, Romans 15:30-32, but he determined to go nonetheless. Paul never let the possibility of danger to his person turn him away from doing God’s will.’
Luke continues his report to Theophilus, and he tells us that while all that confessing and repentance is taking place, while the church is growing, he goes on to tell us about a riot in the city of Ephesus.
Luke tells us that while Timothy and Erastus were away, a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made shrines of Diana, or Artemis, began to stir people up against the Way, Acts 19:23 / Acts 19:9 / Acts 9:2 / Acts 16:17 / Acts 18:25-26 / Acts 22:4 / Acts 24:14 / Acts 24:22.
He called together the other members of his craft, reminding them that their wealth came from making silver idols, Acts 19:24-25. He truthfully reported that Paul’s preaching had impacted people in Ephesus and throughout Asia, Acts 19:26.
He said that Paul had declared idols made with hands were not gods, Acts 19:26, to the point of destroying their business and causing Diana to fall into disrepute, Acts 19:27.
Longenecker, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The Temple of Artemis was also a major treasury and bank of the ancient world, where merchants, kings, and even cities made deposits, and where their money could be kept safe under the protection of deity.’
His words enraged the mob, and they began to shout, ‘Great is Diana of the Ephesians!’ Acts 19:28 / 1 Kings 18:26 / Acts 19:34. We can understand why these people were upset. Imagine if you had a successful business and someone came along and more or less put your business at risk?
However, his business was more precious than truth; his business was more precious than his soul. When push comes to shove, it’s only when we seriously search our hearts that we will find out what is more important in our lives, Matthew 19:16-24.
These idol makers were more concerned about their temporary riches than they were concerned about the true eternal riches which can only be found in Christ Jesus.
Paul said to the church in Philippi, ‘For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain,’ Philippians 1:21. These idol makers said, ‘for them to live is making money from idols and to die is tragic’.
Barclay, in his commentary, says the following.
‘When pilgrims came to Ephesus, they liked to take a souvenir home. These silversmiths were makers of little silver model shrines which were bought and sold as souvenirs.’
And so everyone in Ephesus is upset that this apostle named Paul, whom they thought was trying to ruin their business, but in reality, he was trying to save their souls.
They were so offended by such a message that Luke says the whole city came together to see what was happening, Acts 19:27. Along the way, they seized two Macedonian travel companions of Paul, Gaius and Aristarchus, Acts 27:2 / Colossians 4:10 / Philemon 1:24, but Paul wanted to go to the people; however, the brethren wouldn’t allow it, Acts 19:29-30.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Gaius was a common Greek name. This Gaius seems to have been different from the men with the same name mentioned in Acts 20:4, Romans 16:23, and 1 Corinthians 1:14, since this one was a Macedonian. Some Greek manuscripts, however, indicate that it was only Aristarchus who was a Macedonian, in which case this Gaius may have been the resident of Derbe mentioned in Acts 20:4. Aristarchus does appear later in Acts, Acts 20:4 / Acts 27:2. He came from Thessalonica.’
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘A Gaius, Acts 20:4, was Paul’s companion, but was there said to have been of Derbe; Paul baptized a Gaius in Corinth with his own hands, 1 Corinthians 1:14; and a Gaius was Paul’s host in Corinth when Romans was written, Romans 16:23; and the apostle John addressed his Third Epistle to Gaius, 3 John 1:1. This was a common name, however; and any certain identification of all or any of these as the same person is precarious.’
Even some of the Asian officials who were his friends also pleaded with him not to enter the theatre, Acts 19:31. Interestingly, Luke says, ‘the assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another, Acts 19:32.
The Greek word translated ‘assembly’, Acts 19:39 / Acts 19:41, is ekklesia, the normal translation of which is ‘church’. Luke also says that many in the crowd didn’t even know why they were there,’ Acts 19:32.
It’s also interesting when we speak to some who profess to be Christians about why they attend a certain ‘church’, some say that they like the preacher, and some say they have always gone to ‘church’. Some say they enjoy listening to the band that helps them in their worship.
Worship that is accepted by God is a privilege, unique to the Christian. Peter tells us that it’s not a right to worship God because we are permitted to offer acceptable worship only by the grace of God, 1 Peter 2:4-5.
It is disheartening when children of God deliberately reject this privilege and stay away from the public assembly, which God has ordained for His glory and our good.
Some people in Ephesus didn’t even know why they were in that theatre, and now Ephesus is in an uproar. When some Jews singled out Alexander to make a defence, and the people found out he was a Jew, the crowd shouted, ‘Great is Diana of the Ephesians! once more, Acts 19:33-34 / Acts 19:28 / 1 Kings 18:26.
Josephus says the following.
‘This Alexander may be the one Paul warned Timothy about, 1 Timothy 1:19-20 / 2 Timothy 4:14, but he may have been someone different since Alexander was a common name among both Jews and Gentiles.’
Williams, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The noise must have been deafening. The acoustics of the theatre are excellent even today, and at that time were even better because of bronze and clay sounding vessels placed throughout the auditorium.’
After two hours of shouting, Luke says that the city clerk silenced the crowd and appealed for a reason and a lawful approach to the matter, Acts 19:35. Here was a man who knew how to reason even with a mob, he said, no one could deny Ephesus was the guardian of Diana, and he proposed that Demetrius and his colleagues make their case before the authorities, Acts 19:35-36. That is, if they had a case in the first place.
When the facts were presented, he recognised that the disciples didn’t steal from the temples and they didn’t blaspheme their goddess, Acts 19:37. When he realised they had done nothing wrong, he warned the mob that such an assembly might be questioned by the Roman government and had no choice but to quietly dismiss the crowd, Acts 19:38-41 / 1 Corinthians 15:32 / 2 Corinthians 1:8-11.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘In context, that town-clerk’s actions bore the stamp of genius. Once more, the providence of God had preserved the life of the dauntless apostle, saving him and protecting him, without his so much as opening his mouth. How wonderful are the ways of the Lord.’
It’s amazing just how quickly a chaotic situation can be made calm when people are willing to reason together, Ephesians 6:10-20. So many church fights and splits and personal agendas would be laid to rest if people would only reason together, Isaiah 1:18.
Reasoning together involves more than one person; reasoning together means just that, we reason together. In other words, we respectfully listen to what each other is saying, think about what we are both saying and weigh it up with what the Scriptures teach, that’s reasoning together. And when we do that, the result will always be the same; we can part company quietly and without any further fuss.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘One wonders if the cooling of the Ephesian Christians’ love for Jesus Christ that took place in later years connects to the zeal for Artemis that characterised this community, Revelation 2:1-7.’