Acts 19 - Paul Stay in Ephesus 2 Years Teaching and Doing Signs and Wonders. Artemis the Goddess Creates a Mob Scene!

Click Here To Read or Listen to Acts 19

Paul in Ephesus

As Paul arrived in Ephesus, he comes to a startling realization when he asked the disciples there, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?' This question in itself raises a lot of theological eyebrows. But their answer is even more curious. They say, "We have not even heard there is a Holy Spirit!" Wow! 

My worst fear as a pastor is that someone who is a part of our congregation would say, "We have not even heard there is a Holy Spirit?" Though sadly many Christians may have heard about the Holy Spirit, they have not been taught who the Holy Spirit is, or how they can be filled with the Holy Spirit. Finally, how can they live in the power of the Holy Spirit every day. 

Paul then distinguishes between John's baptism, which was one of water for repentance, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Again this has caused quite a bit of confusion in the church. Someone said that the Holy Spirit is "messy". Meaning the Holy Spirit works in different ways for different people in different contexts. This is why it is important to not try and build a theology of the Holy Spirit around one bible verse. 

The men (12 of them) were following Jesus at some level, but they had not become born again. This is evidenced by the fact that Paul baptized them in the name of Jesus. Paul also placed his hands them, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit, as evidenced by speaking in tongues.

As usual Paul went to the synagogue and argued persuasively about "the kingdom of God". Notice how the "kingdom of God" is synonymous with the "Good News about Jesus". Jesus' mission was to teach about how the kingdom of God works, and then show how it worked through his signs and wonders. Jesus himself was the key to the kingdom, and the way into it.  

Paul taught in the hall of Tyrannus. 

He then resumed his teaching in the hall of a Gentile teacher named Tyrannus (reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus). One ancient, though not inspired, writing says that Paul held his meetings at the school of Tyrannus from eleven in the morning to four in the afternoon. This was the time most people rested from work, including Paul, who worked to support himself while in Ephesus (Acts 20:34-35). These also may have been the “off hours” for the school of Tyrannus.  - Guzik

Paul taught in Ephesus for two whole years. Amazingly it says, "All the Jews and Gentiles heard the word of God." 

Jesus' kingdom flowed powerfully through Paul as well. There was so much power flowing through him that even the handkerchiefs and aprons that touched him healed and delivered people from demons. Now that's some power! 

When seven of the sons of the Jewish chief priest saw what Paul was doing in Jesus' name, they thought they could mimic him. But apparently they weren't believers or  filled with the Holy Spirit. When they invoked Jesus' name, an evil spirit responded audibly by saying, "Jesus I know. Paul I know, but I don't know you!" 

The man with the evil spirit jumped on the seven sons and beat them up and left them bloody and naked. This story illustrates several things. First, demonic power is real. Second, we shouldn't confront demons unless we have a real relationship with Jesus and operating in the power of His Holy Spirit. 

We could say that the sons of Sceva did not have the right to use the name of Jesus, because they had no real personal connection to Him. In the same pattern, there are many people – many churchgoers – who will perish in hell because they have no personal relationship with Jesus Christ. They only know “the Jesus the pastor preaches” or “the Jesus my spouse believes in” instead of the Jesus of their own salvation.

We know that Paul teaches in Ephesians that our battle as Christ followers is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers of this present darkness. 

When this story circulated, the people became very respectful of the name of Jesus. Wouldn't it be great if we could say this today? Jesus' name is used most often as a curse name in our culture today. The power Jesus' name caused many who came to believer who had practiced sorcery to burn their books and trinkets. As you can see, Ephesus was a place full of strongholds for the enemy. This is why it was so important for Paul to teach there for two whole years. 

It is significant that these practitioners of magic came confessing and telling their deeds. It was thought that the power of these magic spells was in their secrecy, which was renounced in the telling.

These books and scrolls full of magic charms, amulets and incantations were well known in Ephesus, and they were valuable. The value of fifty thousand pieces of silver today has been estimated at anywhere between $1 million and $5 million.

Christians must do this also today, removing books, images, computer files, statues, charms, games, or whatever else might have connection with demonic spirits. They should also destroy them so they are of no use to others.

After this Paul decided to go back to Jerusalem going through Philippi and Corinth. His ultimate goal and desire was to visit Rome. 

The Riot in Ephesus

One of the unintended consequences of these men turning from idolatry was that the silver shrines and idols were not in high demand anymore. This caused people like Demetrius, who was a silversmith, to resent Paul's ministry.  So Demetrius called together some others who practiced this trade with him.  He stirred them up by relating how Paul and his disciples were taking away their income by their preaching against their idols, which were dedicated to Artemis, the goddess. 

"When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 Soon the whole city was in an uproar."

This tremendous temple to Diana (also known as Artemis) in Ephesus was regarded as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It was supported by 127 pillars, each 60 feet high, and was decorated with great sculptures. It was lost to history until it was discovered in 1869, and its main altar was unearthed in 1965. - Guzik 

“The epicenter of Artemis worship was a black meteorite that either resembled or had been fashioned into a grotesque image of a woman. The lower part was wrapped like a mummy…the idol was covered with breasts, symbolizing fertility.” (Hughes)

The crowd in the theater was whipped into a frenzy. Paul wanted to go into the theater but the disciples talked him out of it, which might have saved his life. The city clerk went in and talked some sense into the people arguing that nobody had intentionally attacked the statues or blasphemed the goddess' name. He dismissed the crowd with no further event. 

 “This chapter teaches us all a permanent lesson: that when disciples have a true revival, society gets a revolution. When the Spirit moves mightily upon children of God we may look for other mighty movements among unbelievers, and need not be surprised if the devil himself comes down, having great wrath, as though he knew that his time were short.” (Pierson)

As we seek to have the same kind of impact on the cities around us, as Paul and his disciples had on the city of Ephesus, we are bound to face similar opposition. It is only as we move out in the power of God and in Jesus' kingdom that we will raise the ire of the evil one. He is perfectly happy to leave sleepy Christians alone. He loves it when the church gets comfortable and does nothing of consequence in the community around it! 

Amidst this though remember we must approach the powers of darkness naively. They are real, yet if we have a real relationship with our Savior, we need not be afraid.