Each was the uproar which pervaded the crowd in the theater at Ephesus.
“Different ones therefore kept crying somewhat different things; for the assembly was in confusion, and the mass knew not wherefore they were come together. And from the crowd they instructed (or drew together) Alexander, the Jews putting him forward; and Alexander waving his hand wished to make defense to the people. But when they came to know he was a Jew, one shout arose from all, crying for about two hours, Great [is] Artemis of [the] Ephesians. And the town-clerk after stilling the crowd, says, Ephesians, which of men is he who knoweth not that the city of [the] Ephesians is temple-keeper of the great Artemis and of what fell from the sky? Since then these things cannot be gainsaid, you must be quiet and do nothing rash. For ye have brought these men, neither temple-robbers nor blasphemers of our (or your) goddess. If then Demetrius and the artisans with him have a matter against any one, court-days are going on, and there are pro-consuls: let them accuse each other; but if you make any inquiry about other things, it will be settled in the lawful assembly. For indeed we are in danger of being accused of riot to-day, there being no cause concerning which we shall be able to render an account of this concourse. And having said thus he dismissed the assembly” (ver. 32-41).
In this book we have already had the Holy Spirit's account of religions excitement among the Jews, not only when it issued in the death of Stephen, but on other occasions where they were the chief instigators of the heathen against the gospel and its messengers. It was meet that we should have a living picture of a quasi-religions tumult among the heathen themselves, and this in the most capacious theater of which there are remains to the present day. Assuredly the Gentiles were rather more senseless than the Jews, though their convictions were in no way so deep. “Some, therefore, cried one thing and some another, for the assembly was tumultuous, and the most knew not wherefore they were come together.” Whatever the selfish motives underneath, their expression of wrath was about the great Artemis, of whom Ephesians boasted. Nevertheless, as we have seen, God wrought providentially through wiser men of high station among them; for the Asiarchs, whose chief or chiefs lived at Ephesus, had the easiest means and best position in the state, and by their very office would be expected most to resent any dishonor done to their religion. But kind feeling, if not conscience, made them tender the prudent advice to Paul, that he should not adventure himself into the theater. God need them to shelter His servant, where zeal and courage would have been unavailing, and might have exposed him to danger.
Here again we find the Jews putting forward Alexander. This, nevertheless, was a move, which, however craftily devised, did not benefit themselves, but rather inflamed the multitude so much the more. The instincts of the heathen resented such an apologist. Was it possible in common honesty that the Jews would have more respect than the Christians for their great goddess?
It was in vain, therefore, for Alexander to beckon with his hand, in the desire to make a defense to the people. It was enough that they perceived him to be a Jew, and therefore hostile to their idolatry. There was one voice from all, about the space of two hours, as they cried out, Great [is] Artemis of [the] Ephesians. What a true reflection of the world governed by prejudice and feeling in what is of all moment, not only for the life that now is, but for that which is to come! God, the true God, is not in their thoughts, which are therefore open to any and every delusion.
The town-clerk, or recorder, now appears on the scene; a much more important person in that age and country than in most others, as we learn from ancient inscriptions and otherwise. He was a heathen like the rest; but his common sense was shocked by their objectless excesses; and his speech sets forth in plain and pointed terms their own folly and wrong, not as to God but as among men, and more particularly before their Roman governors. Having stilled the crowd, he says, “Ephesians; who is there of men that knoweth not that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of the great Artemis, and of that which fell down from Zeus (or the sky)? As these things cannot be gainsaid, ye ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. For ye have brought these men neither temple-robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess. If, therefore, Demetrius and the artisans that are with him have a matter against anyone, court days are going on, and there are pro-consuls: let them accuse (or prosecute) one another. But if you make any inquiry about other things it will be settled in the regular assembly. For indeed we are in danger of being accused for the riot of to day, there being no ground concerning which we shall be able to give account of this concourse. And, having said thus, he dismissed the assembly.”
Thus is man beguiled. He assumes as unquestionable what is a mere delusion of the enemy. No intelligence secures against the lie of Satan, nothing but the truth brought home by the Spirit of God! For this man; otherwise sensible, the great Artemis and the stone that fell from the sky, were things which could. not be gainsaid. On this supposition he insists on calmness as the only state of mind befitting his co-religionists. He urge that those concerned were neither temple-robbers nor revilers of their goddess. Why, therefore, should such men be brought before them? But he is more precise also, and sets before Demetrius and the artisans in company with him, that their procedure was irregular and dangerous for all. A charge must be laid at a proper time and place, and before the suited judge. There alone could there be a lawful result, Any other inquiry must be settled in the lawful assembly, which the present was not. More than that “we are in danger,” not they only, but “we,” of being accused of riot for this day's proceedings, no cause existing for which they could render an account of this concourse. The Romans, it is well known, were most jealous of such disorderly assemblages; which they often punished with bloodshed without measure. As his speech thus closed with a most significant hint, he had no difficulty thereon in dismissing the assembly.