April 23, 2014: Acts Chapter 19

The Book of Acts Chapter 19

Originally posted Wednesday, May 28, 2008

General Comment: This chapter contains two examples of how a few loud voices can lead astray the many. In vss. 8-10 a few members of the Synagogue rejected Paul's overtures on the Christian Way. Rather than having a reasoned debate of the issues where two sides can examine differing points of view, one side chose to "speak evil of the Way." In vss. 23-41 a few artisans, acting out of a threat to their livelihood, brought a theater full of people to a near riot even though many of the attendees had no idea what the issues were. All they heard were the inflammatory words - something about a threat to Artemis. It took a levelheaded, knowledgeable member of the community to bring a semblance of sanity to the crowd and avoid an unwelcome Roman intervention. Go to the courts he said, and lay your issues on the table. In our political environment there are many loud voices. Do we follow the last attack ad; the loudest talk show host or Cable TV pundit? Do we accept the promises politicians lay before us or their characterizations of one another's positions or associations? To what degree do we make an effort to "fact check" for ourselves what we are being told rather than accept the words we hear as truth?

There is a spillover in religious speech. Often what passes as dialog on issues that divide is not much more than one side talking past the other without much open-minded listening. The airways are full of religious experts. Some tell us if we have enough faith we can be healed, or live the life of prosperity. Others curse the very existence of certain faith communities, and many are perfectly willing to consign entire categories of people to not so nice a fate. How did we reach such a conclusion? Who told us this was how we should believe? Did we question the authority or the basis for such assertions? John Wesley encouraged the early Methodists to examine preaching and teaching through the multiple lenses of Scripture, tradition, experience and reason. The lesson from our spiritual founder has served us well for more than two hundred and fifty years. There doesn't seem to be any reason to abandon it now. 

Acts Chapter 19:1-10 Paul in Ephesus

With a strong team of evangelists continuing Paul's mission in Corinth, he traveled to the western extreme of Asia Minor, returning to Ephesus as he had promised (18:18-21). Luke writes that Paul found twelve Jewish disciples in Ephesus. They had been baptized by John the Baptist - a baptism of repentance in water, but had not received the Holy Spirit. In fact, as with Apollos, they had not heard of the Holy Spirit, at least not in the sense that Paul meant. As Jews they were quite aware of the Holy Spirit of God as the power of God speaking through the Judges of old and the prophets of Israel. In Paul's usage (and Luke's) the Holy Spirit was given as a second baptism to individual believers. This was understood as a continuing presence of the Spirit, not just for special occasions. As we read in John, there is an identification of the Holy Spirit with the abiding spiritual presence of Christ in the life of the disciple and the church. Paul would be at home with this connection as we will see in his letters.

It might be difficult to think of these disciples in their small gatherings spread throughout the Roman Empire having received only John's baptism which was not carried out in Jesus' name. By the time of Paul's mission to Ephesus, John the Baptist had been dead for more than two decades. He had many disciples, many whom he had baptized in preparation for the one who was to come to usher in God's reign. Like other Jews in Palestine these disciples of John became followers of Jesus but were not part of the founding group of disciples in Jerusalem at the time of Pentecost. In their travels they formed small communities and probably carried out limited mission work. We have no idea what their level of understanding was regarding the meaning of Jesus' death and resurrection. If Apollos was any indication of the incompleteness of these disciples' understanding, there would be a need for further instruction. In this case Paul will be their teacher.  

Paul instructs these disciples of the intent of John's baptism. It is a baptism of repentance in anticipation of Jesus as the one in whom they must believe as God's risen Messiah who brings God's Holy Spirit and salvation. Paul then baptizes them in Jesus' name and with the Holy Spirit resulting in their speaking in tongues and prophesying. Reading Acts 2:4 in the context of the Pentecost pilgrims who were of the Jewish Diaspora and did not understood Aramaic we interpreted speaking in tongues as speaking in foreign languages. In Paul's case there are no pilgrims to hear the twelve speak. If there had been an audience they would have understood Greek, a language the twelve certainly would have known, being members of the Diaspora themselves.

While in Ephesus, Paul made an effort to persuade members of the Synagogue that it was through Jesus that they would participate in God's kingdom. A number refused to believe and rejected the entire notion that being a follower of or believer in Jesus brought any special advantage they did not already possess as pious Jews obedient to Torah. This was the same resistance Paul had been experiencing with an increasing frequency. He spent three months among them and that was enough. He would do what he had done in Athens and speak to the Gentiles in the open forum. In this case Paul took the disciples with him and moved to the lecture hall (school) of Tyrannus where he argued his case before Jew and Gentile alike for two years.

Luke closes the passage with the report that Paul spent two years of his three year mission to Ephesus in open preaching. That it was a productive mission is evident in Ephesus' importance as one of the most significant centers of early Christianity. It was the location of the community portrayed in John's Gospel, and the source of many of the earliest Christian writings.

Acts Chapter 19:11-20 The Sons of Sceva

As with other Apostles, Paul is empowered by the Spirit to heal and cast out evil spirits. Similar to the apocryphal stories about Jesus' infancy and childhood, even Paul's handkerchiefs and work clothing could effect healing for those who touched them.

This passage offers our first view of Jewish exorcists doing their work outside of Palestine. Jesus mentioned such exorcists in his debate with Pharisees who claimed he cast out demons only by the power of the devil. Here Luke has used a legend of an unknown person as the basis for the story. There was no High Priest in Jerusalem named Sceva. However, that there were Jewish exorcists of Levitical lineage in the Diaspora is probable. This would especially be so in such a major city as Ephesus with its large Jewish population.

In Luke's story these itinerant seven sons of Sceva were trying to cast out demons in the name of "the Jesus whom Paul proclaims." However they seem to have overlooked the early understanding that demons were cosmically interconnected through the mind of Satan and had a special, albeit evil, omniscience. This demon knew who Jesus and Paul were but not these seven "wannabes."  In a scene reminiscent of the best Vaudeville slapstick, the possessed man jumped on them, and so thoroughly thrashed them that they were forced to flee for their lives naked and bruised. News of this fracas spread among the population causing quite a stir. Many praised the name of Jesus as one that carried such power and many others became believers. Among them were a number of practitioners of magic who publically burned fifty thousand dinarii (about seven thousand dollars) worth of their books.

Acts Chapter 19:21-41 The Artemis Riot

Paul has laid out his plans to pass through Macedonia, Achaia, return to Jerusalem and from there he "must" (the divine imperative) see Rome. Timothy and Erastus, his "helpers," are sent ahead to prepare the churches for a visit. In the mean time Paul remained in the Ephesus area (Asia was the term for western Asia Minor or Turkey). One of the Seven Wonders of the World, the huge Temple of the Greek goddess Artemis (the Roman Diana), was located in Ephesus. It was a masterpiece of a structure, some 377 feet long and 180 feet wide, adorned with the statues of the greatest Greek sculptors of the time. Visitors, devotees and worshippers came from all over the Empire to participate in the pagan rites of Artemis the virgin goddess of the hunt. Its popularity created a need for artisans to make the various souvenirs that were sold around the temple court. One of the favorites was the small silver shrine of Artemis. These items brought significant income to their manufacturers who had begun to feel threatened by Paul. Not only was he having great success in converting the Gentiles, he was teaching that there was only one God and these idols made with human hands were no gods at all, Artemis included. Such a proclamation was a threat to business as well as to the willingness of people to be devoted to Artemis. The Temple was in jeopardy of becoming a mere tourist attraction. 

One of the artisans, Demetrius, gathered his fellow tradesmen and they began a public demonstration in the city to promote their grievances. As the crowds grew restive, two of Paul's companions from Macedonia were grabbed and hauled off to the amphitheater where the people were gathering (seated about 25,000). Paul wanted to go into the theater but was prevented by the disciples. Even a few of the city officials warned him of the danger of going into the midst of the mob. Many people had no idea why they were there; they had just followed the crowd. When Alexander, a Jew, was urged to speak in defense of Paul he was shouted down with an increasing crescendo of chanting "Great is Artemis of Ephesus."

The chant continued for about two hours until an official, the city clerk, succeeded in calming the people down. He took a reasoned approach to what had become an explosive issue. He reminded them that there wasn't anyone anywhere who did not know that their city was the keeper of the temple of Artemis and of the images that fell from heaven (meteorites). In effect he was telling them that nothing had happened or had been taught which would jeopardize the popularity either of their city or their temple. As for the men that had been dragged to the theater, they were no threat to anyone. They had done nothing unlawful or in blasphemy against Artemis. If there was some charge that Demetrius and his friends wanted to bring against them there were courts and proconsuls for that purpose. Take your charges to the regular assembly, the Clerk said. There is no justifiable cause for the commotion. With that he dismissed the crowd.