“About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the craftsmen. He called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: ‘Men, you know we receive a good income from this business. And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited, and the goddess herself, who is worshipped throughout the province of Asia and the world will be robbed of her divine majesty.’”
Acts 19:23-27

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MAY 1, 2025

Paul had been in Ephesus for over two years, engaging in discussions daily. Both Jews and Greeks throughout the city and in the surrounding province of Asia heard the word of the Lord as a result. This was amazing gospel saturation in this area of the Roman Empire. Christianity was on the rise!

The episode that terminated Paul’s stay in Ephesus was a collision of Christianity and the worship of Artemis, the primary deity. Thousands of worshippers traveled each year to Ephesus to pay homage at her temple, many of whom purchased silver shrines of the goddess produced by local artisans.

One of these craftsmen, Demetrius, became alarmed by the number of people turning from devotion to the goddess and beginning to follow Jesus. This was an insult to her “divine majesty” but also a concerning decrease in sales. His livelihood, and those of the other local tradesmen whom he gathered, were in jeopardy.

The gospel—and Paul—was creating notable economic, religious, and cultural upheaval. Similar to his situation at Corinth, Paul did not have an opportunity to defend himself. His colleagues and friends wisely advised him to refrain from addressing the crowd; shortly thereafter Paul departed from the city, leaving an established church behind.

Demetrius was correct in his assessment that Christianity endangered the worship of Artemis. But while we are unlikely to find Greek and Roman gods and goddesses worshipped today, we are just as likely to cling to those things which give us economic, religious, or cultural status and security—even if they are in opposition to what Jesus taught and asked of us. Thus today we must be rigorous students of the Bible in order to weigh what we believe and how we behave, for consistency with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Questions for reflection and discussion:

  • In what ways has following Christ disrupted your ability to be economically, culturally, and religiously successful in your country?
  • How does Jesus’s Kingdom contrast with the Roman Empire…and American values?

 

Church Reading Plan: Numbers 8; Psalm 44