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“And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: so that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them” (Acts 19:11-12).
“And greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father” (John 14:12).
The city of Ephesus was a well-known center for false religion and idol worship, and the temple to the goddess Diana is still regarded as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. But God was going to save many in that city. He used Paul especially to show that God’s power was far greater than Satan’s. Some things he did were even greater works than the Lord Jesus did while He was on earth, for we never read of handkerchiefs or other pieces of cloth belonging to the Lord Jesus being used for healing, or casting out of demons.
God was clearly demonstrating the power of a risen Christ in glory, after He had completed the work on the cross, and was triumphant over Satan. Now Satan was clearly a defeated enemy, and those who followed the Lord were able to perform wonderful miracles, to prove that what they said was from God Himself. As a result, a great number came to know the Lord in Ephesus, where many people had previously followed Satan and worshiped idols.
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