Tuesday, November 27, 2012

The riot in Ephesus (Acts 19:21-41)


After completing the first epistle to the Corinthians, Paul sent Timothy and Erastus to Macedonia.  This was referred to in the letter, so we can infer that Timothy hand-delivered the epistle of 1st Corinthians to the church of Corinth.

Paul's preaching in Ephesus causes problems.  The city thrives on the idol-manufacturing industry and one local silversmith, Demetrius, gets really angry.  He incites a mob to take hold of Gaius and Aristarchus and took them to a theater.  (note, some translations say that "they rushed in one accord", which other people find funnier than I ever did)

Gaius and Aristarchus are a few traveling companions of Paul, but they did not seize Paul himself.  Meanwhile, the local church members at Ephesus urge Paul not to go to the theater.

Things look bleak that Gaius and Aristarchus might be lynched.  However, the local city clerk emerges to quiet down the crowd.

His speech to appease the crowd is interesting.  He basically argues that it is an undeniable fact that Artemis descended from heaven and now Ephesus guards her.  Likewise, if Demetrius had a problem with Paul or his friends, they could take it up in the civil courts.

I think this is the first time that Paul has directly stirred up trouble with Gentiles.  Before this, it seemed to be the leaders of the Jewish community who either directed their followers to harass Paul or incited the Gentiles to harass Paul.  

Also, the fact that the clerk suggested taking this up in the civil courts might give some indicate that people used the civil courts to adjudicate religious matters.  This is clearly in speculation, but perhaps this is what happened with the church in Corinth as referred to in in first Corinthians.



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