Bad for Business
In these verses, Luke describes in great detail a huge riot at the end of Paul's three-year stay in Ephesus. Anytime a biblical author spills much ink over one event or topic, it must be of great importance. The interesting thing here is that the good doctor does not give us the reason why he goes to great length to record the Ephesian riot. It simply seems to be to let us know why Paul and the boys eventually made their way back to Europe. Let's examine the background of the uprising in v23-27.
The smoke of the great Ephesian bonfire was still in the air (Acts 19:18-20). Observers estimated the cost of the burned magic books at 50,000 pieces of silver. That's about 140 years of wages for a common laborer. A stunning figure. Believers in Ephesus are paying a huge financial cost for following Jesus.
The head of the silversmiths local realizes that Paul and his followers are going to be bad for business. Luke tells us that this was "no little disturbance concerning the Way" (v23). This is to say that this was a really big deal. REALLY big. Remember, Ephesus is city of 300,000 plus, a Roman provincial capital, a key seaport and center of trade and culture. The Way (Gr. hodos, meaning road or journey, see Jn 14:6) is impacting the way of life in this metropolis.
Demetrius gathers the rest of the Ephesian silversmiths as well as the other craftsmen and rallies the troops (v24-25). The bottom line: this dude Paul is bad for business. Ephesus was also the center of the worship of Artemis (the Roman goddess Diana). The great Temple of Artemis was in the city, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Much of the trade and business centered on pilgrims coming to worship at the temple. A huge part of that were idols of Artemis crafted by silversmiths for people's homes. It was easy to see that Paul's preaching of Jesus was going to hit their bottom line.
The chamber of commerce has to put a stop to this. Many times in the Bible we can see great truth spoken by opponents of God. Here is another great example. Demetrius says, "You see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods" (v26). The head of the silversmiths union made it clear that the man from Tarsus is changing how people live not just in the city but the entire region.
In three years, God used Paul in an amazing way in Ephesus. The apostle had not only preached of of the one true God of Israel but of the salvation found only in Jesus. Both Jews and Gentiles renounced their sin, their idolatry and way of life. Demetrius accuses that Paul of not only persuaded but "turned away much people" (v26). The Greek verb here is mephistemi. In a positive sense, it means to cause someone to move or change, to transfer or exchange something for another. It indicates the changing of an opinion or the renouncing of a position for a better way. In a negative sense, the word can mean to mislead someone. That is certainly how Demetrius meant to use it.
Clearly, the local chamber of commerce is feeling the impact of the Gospel on Ephesian business. Remember that much of Paul's mission on this third expedition was to collect an offering for the church in Jerusalem. It's very possible that local believers were now saving and giving their money to help their brothers and sisters back in Israel.
This is a reminder that Jesus wants all of us. Every bit of our lives. That includes our bank accounts, our paychecks, our purses and our 401ks. It's been said that the last thing to get sanctified is our wallet. Have we given Him everything...including our money? We need to remember that it's all His anyway. He has only asked us to manage it for Him. Does the way I manage and spend my money bring Him glory?
That's exactly what was going on in Ephesus. When it comes to idolatry, Jesus is definitely bad for business.
Created 4 months ago
