ACTS SERIES: PAUL’S MINISTRY IN EPHESUS AND ASIA – CHAPTER 19

As Acts 19 opens, Paul is on his third missionary journey, and he arrives in Ephesus, where he meets a group of twelve disciples who were baptized under John the Baptist teaching. After questioning them, Paul discovers they had not received the baptism of the Holy Spirit., nor were they baptized in the name of Jesus; therefore, Paul shares the gospel of Jesus with them. Upon hearing Paul’s teaching, these disciples were baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking with tongues and prophesying when Paul laid his hands on them.

For three months Paul was able to go into the synagogue and vehemently speak about the kingdom of God until opposition arose and people rejected Paul’s ministry. Consequently, taking those who believed Paul daily met at Tyrannus’s school, sharing the gospel for the next two years, which resulted in both Jews and Greeks who lived in Asia hearing about the Lord Jesus. Furthermore, when Paul’s handkerchiefs or aprons were placed on the sick, they were healed, and those who were demon-possessed were delivered.

Impressed with the power that Paul displayed, some Jewish itinerant exorcists attempted to cast out the demons of a man like Paul. Included in this group were the seven sons of the Jewish chief priest named Sceva. The evil spirit responded, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?” He then leaped on them and successfully attacked them, and when he finished, they ran out of the house naked and wounded. This event was made public to the Jews and Greeks at Ephesus, causing all the populace to fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

New converts came forward and confessed their involvement in the occult. Many brought their literature on divination and magic, made a pile of them, and burnt them. The estimated value of the burnt literature was fifty thousand pieces of silver. Also, the word of God expanded and prevailed.

After spending years in Ephesus, Paul left, passing Macedonia and Achaia to Jerusalem with the intention of going to Rome. While he was in Asia, Paul sent Timotheus and Erastus to Macedonia.

Demetrius, a silversmith who employed many artisans to manufacture silver shrines of the Greek goddess Diana, had a meeting with those involved in similar manufacturing. He discussed with them the negative effect of Paul’s ministry on their trade throughout Ephesus and Asia. Furthermore, he was concerned that the goddess Diana and her temple would no longer be highly esteemed, recognized, and revered throughout Turkey and around the world. Demetrius’s words incited the hearers, and they started shouting, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians,” and as people gathered, confusion ensued. Grabbing Paul’s Macedonian companions Gaius and Aristarchus, the people dragged them to the amphitheater. When Paul wanted to join his companions in the amphitheater, his fellow believers and the city officials advised him to stay away.

Meanwhile, adding to the confusion in the amphitheater, the crowd shouted different things. Alexander, who was recognized in the crowd by some of the Jews, was dragged upfront. When he tried to speak, realizing his nationality for several hours, the crowd hindered him from doing so by shouting, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”

Finally, the mayor was able to silence the crowd and address them. He reminded them that Ephesus was known to house the great goddess Diana, and no one could hinder the worship of Diana, so there was no need to fret and cause a disturbance. If the artisans had a complaint, they needed to address the courts properly, for their present complaint was false. Finally, the riotous crowd’s behavior that just took place could jeopardize them with the Roman officials. The mayor then dismissed the crowd, and after understanding the implications of what the mayor said, they went home and so ended this chapter.

Here are the nuggets I gleaned from Acts 19:

When in doubt, ask questions about a person’s conversion.

Many people on this earth have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Man’s religious knowledge is often limited to what they have been taught.

When you don’t know something, ask questions.

Willingly share truths with others.

When you receive knowledge, act on it.

When people believe they receive.

Demons recognize who has power.

Trying to exorcise a demon without the power to do so can be dangerous.

God will expose counterfeiters for all to see.

God will cause the name of Jesus to be magnified.

When people are genuinely convicted, they will repent and relinquish their sinful practices.

When signs and wonders happen, people with occult practices can be swayed.