Christ and Culture: When Two Worlds Collide

Gospel Preaching often brings conflict (21-27)

Paul begins to chart his course toward Jerusalem

After the incident with the seven sons of Sceva, Paul planned his trip

Passing through Macedonia and Achaia, then to Jerusalem and Rome

He was staying in Asia for awhile after sending Timothy & Erastus into Macedonia

“Once again we are reminded that the Pauline mission was a team effort. Priscilla and Aquila played a special role in Corinth and Ephesus (18:1–3, 18–28), and Gaius and Aristarchus are soon to be mentioned as travelling companions from Macedonia, who were arrested in Ephesus (v. 29). Timothy and Erastus are described as two of his helpers. These personal assistants had important pastoral and practical responsibilities” [Peterson, PNTC].

A conflict arose because of Paul’s gospel preaching

“The Way re-emerges here as a term used to describe the distinctive beliefs and practices of Christians” [Peterson, PNTC].

“It was inevitable that sooner or later the kingly authority of Jesus would challenge Diana’s evil sway” [Stott, Message of Acts].

A silversmith named Demetrius was engaged in a lucrative business

He made silver shrines of Artemis [Latin, Diana]

He provided a lot of business to the craftsmen in Ephesus

Demetrius gathered all the craftsmen and workmen of similar trades

“He appears as a man with a nice sense of what would appeal to his fellow tradesmen, and so he put before them as the first consideration the fact that their trade, which was no doubt as profitable as the modern production of souvenirs for tourists, was in danger of going into decline” [Marshall, TNTC].

“Luke declares that the disturbance arose ‘about the Way’ (NEB, ‘the Christian movement’). At root its cause was neither doctrinal, nor ethical, but economic” [Stott, Message of Acts].

He reminded them their paycheck came from this business

He argued Paul was persuading people to forsake idolatry in favor Christianity

He scared them into thinking their business would “fall into disrepute”

He scared them into thinking the reputation of the goddess Artemis was at stake

Artemis would “be regarded as worthless”

Artemis would “even be dethroned from her magnificence”

Gospel Conflicts often reveal sinfulness (28-34)

Demetrius was successful in stirring up a mob of angry workmen

They were filled with rage

They were chanting a mantra of nonsense

The city was filled with the same confusion realized by the workmen

They rushed together into the theater

They dragged along Gaius and Aristarchus; they traveled with Paul from Macedonia

“This was probably the Arcadian Way, the main thoroughfare of Ephesus, eleven metres wide, marble-paved and colonnaded, leading from the harbour to the theatre. The theatre itself, still in a fine state of preservation, nestling at the foot of Mount Pion and nearly 500 feet in diameter, could accommodate at least 25,000 people” [Stott, Message of Acts].

Paul wanted to defend himself and make his own argument

The disciples would not allow Paul to enter the theater

Some political/religious leaders in the area, who were friends of Paul, urged him not to “give himself to the theater”

People in the angry mob were shouting various nonsense

The assembly of people was in confusion

Most of the people there had no idea why they had come together in the first place

“This further mention of confusion suggests that ‘these proceedings can hardly be taken seriously’. Indeed, most of the people did not even know why they were there” [Peterson, PNTC].

“The actual meeting in the theatre was somewhat disorganized and showed none of the orderly procedure of a Greek democratic city. Luke waxes sarcastic over the fact that many of the crowd did not know why they were there at all; mobs often show the same disorder and confusion” [Marshall, TNTC].

A Jew named Alexander tried to make an argument but was shouted down by the mob

“The crowd as a whole, however, was by now in a hysterical mood, unwilling to listen to a Jew, and they shouted him down with their cultic cry for a couple of hours. If this seems incredible, we might recollect how long angry crowds today can shout abuse when somebody tries to engage in rational argument with them” [Marshall, TNTC].

Gospel Conflicts often reveal heresy (35-41)

The town clerk quieted the crowd in order to speak to them

Everybody knows Ephesus is guardian of the temple “of the great Artemis”

Artemis is a goddess whose image fell down from heaven; ALLEGEDLY

They believed these things were indisputable truths; HERESY

The only indisputable truth is that people actually believed this nonsense

“The city clerk asserted that these claims about the city and its heaven-sent image were ‘undeniable’, though Paul would doubtless have challenged them if he had been given an opportunity. So there was every reason to ‘calm down and not do anything rash’. In effect, the clerk was saying that nothing should disturb the self-confidence of a city dedicated by divine visitation to the worship of Artemis” [Peterson, PNTC].

The town clerk urged the angry mob to stay calm and “to do nothing rash”

These men had committed no sacrilege

These men had committed no blasphemy against their precious goddess

If Demetrius and the others have a problem with these men, then they should go through the proper legal channels and handle it in a court of law like civilized people

“In saying this the clerk appeared not as an advocate for Christianity (far from it, in fact!) but as a defender of law and order, anxious that the city should not get a reputation for disorderliness and illegal action” [Marshall, TNTC].

The town clerk was afraid of bringing legal troubles on the Ephesian people

They didn’t want to be accused of causing a riot

They didn’t have a legitimate reason for acting they way they did

They had no grounds to defend their “disorderly gathering” of people

The town clerk dismissed all the people

“Demetrius claimed that his business and the worship of Artemis were in danger because of Paul’s teaching. The city clerk claimed that the real danger was the possibility of being charged with rioting, based on the events of the day. Rioting in support of their religion was provocative and potentially self-destructive” [Peterson, PNTC].

“The story is in effect a statement that Christians do not constitute a danger to the state and a plea that they be treated with toleration in a pluralistic society; only when properly defined criminal charges can be preferred against them should they be summoned before the courts” [Marshall, TNTC].

“Luke’s purpose in recounting this incident was clearly apologetic or political. He wanted to show that Rome had no case against Christianity in general or Paul in particular. In Corinth the proconsul Gallio had refused even to hear the Jews’ charge. In Ephesus the town clerk implied that the opposition was purely emotional and that the Christians, being innocent, had nothing to fear from duly constituted legal processes” [Stott, Message of Acts].

Conclusion: “This chapter, then, shows the potential of the gospel to transform the life and culture of a city and its surrounding region. Paul’s three-year ministry of teaching the word of the Lord in Ephesus touched people at every level of society and began to transform the religious practices and lifestyle of many. However, Luke shows the need to be realistic about the opposition that will arise when the practical effect of such change is experienced by unbelievers. The self-interest of religious, social, and economic groups may be so intense that the lives of Christians may be threatened. Spiritual opposition may manifest itself in a variety of ways, but the name of Jesus is powerful to overcome even demonic forces and to allow the gospel to prevail. In many cultures today, those who profess to be believers hold on to animistic or magical beliefs and practices. In some situations, this syncretism or folk religion is overlooked or disregarded by church leaders. However, as in ancient Ephesus, there can be no spiritual advance or growth of the church unless such ties are broken and supernatural forces of evil are renounced” [Peterson, PNTC].