21-22. “After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome. So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.”
Paul’s spirit of desire to visit Jerusalem was motivated by his deep heart-love of God’s earthly people. May our spirits also be guided by true heart affection for our Lord Jesus Christ.
23-24. “And the same time there arose no small stir about that way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen.”
The gospel Paul preached caused a large change in the lives of a large number of those previously sunk in heathen idolatry. Little wonder that those who reaped no small gain were aroused to cause no small stir against the truth of God.
25. “Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.”
Too often wealth is man’s measure of right and wrong, of acceptable or unacceptable conduct. Riches provide sufficient excuse for every kind of evil behavior.
What motivates our behavior as children of God? May it ever be love for the Lord Jesus Christ and obedience to our God and Father.
26. “Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands.”
How the world hates the truth! It will have wars, pestilences, famines, sorrow, sickness and death. But it will violently resist the truth of God and those who preach it truth that brings life and joy.
27. “So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at naught; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.”
Demetrius was concerned about the desecration of the heathen goddess only in the measure it affected his wealth. Blind superstition and foolish religious loyalties in the otherwise enlightened Ephesians were stirred when he suggested that the magnificence of their goddess—mere inanimate wood and meta—was belittled by Paul’s preaching.
The world will tolerate Christianity in some measure as long as it does not demean or deny its idols of wealth, fame, lust and power.
How vital that believers bear testimony by our lives that Christ, and Christ alone, brings satisfaction and life. Let us heed the words of the Apostle: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:2121Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. (1 John 5:21)).
28-29. “And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theater.”
Idolatry in any form (religious or material) reaps abundant wages of unrestrained anger and mindless confusion. In a later time, when Paul was accused of being mad (insane), he calmly replied that he spoke the words of “truth and soberness” (Acts 26:2525But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. (Acts 26:25)). Idolatry’s mindless, blind slavery of the heart rejects reason and integrity.
May we bow to the Word of God, walk in its truth and submit to its authority. Otherwise, even careers or some harmless natural joy will supplant Christ in our hearts, thus becoming an idol.
30-31. “And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not. And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theater.”
Paul’s desire to identify with the truth he had preached and with his brethren is commendable. But it wasn’t wise. Idolatry is as unreasonable as it is unholy. For Paul to seek to defend the faith in the midst of a mindless riot was to cast pearls before the swine. The brethren, in love for Paul, kept the truth he preached from being trampled and kept him from being rent by those who, through idolatry, had morally fallen to the level of swine.
32. “Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.”
“God is not the author of confusion,” rather of peace and comfort. All of the energy, zeal and wealth spent on idols only produced confusion, discontent and tumult. These very same things are sure to beset believers who allow objects of this world to become more important than the Lord Jesus Christ.
33. “And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defense unto the people.”
Jewish religious prejudice tried to profit from heathen anger at Paul’s preaching, hoping to add to his rejection in Ephesus. The gospel needs no defense. The Jews were as blinded in their religious animosity as the Ephesians were in their idolatry.
34. “But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.”
The mindlessness of idolatry is frightening. Their goddess took no more notice of their chanting than did Baal of his prophets’ blood (see 1 Kings 18:26-2926And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. 27And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. 28And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. 29And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. (1 Kings 18:26‑29)).
Ed.