Request your free, three-month trial to Tabletalk magazine. You’ll receive the print issue monthly and gain immediate digital access to decades of archives. This trial is risk-free. No credit card required.
Try Tabletalk NowAlready receive Tabletalk magazine every month?
Verify your email address to gain unlimited access.
Acts 19:35–41
“Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash” (v. 36).
The Ephesian mob, seeking to resist the gospel and its seeming affront to the honor of the city’s patron goddess, cried out repeatedly, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” (Acts 19:28–34). We know that much of the crowd did this in an unthinking manner, but the cries began with a group of craftsmen who chanted the greatness of Artemis out of conviction (vv. 23–28). We cannot affirm their false theology, but their bold support of the goddess has something to say to believers who may be lukewarm in the faith and to the wider church today. Dr. R.C. Sproul comments, “We need Christians today who are sold out, who believe the Christian faith and are committed to the truth of Christ and will say, ‘Great is Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God!’ and compromise that with no one.”
For two hours, the crowd in Ephesus cried out regarding Artemis as they attempted to silence the ministry of the gospel in the city (v. 34). Eventually, the town clerk had had enough, and he stood to quiet the mob (v. 35). The town clerk occupied a leading role in the city. He served as the city manager, and he kept track of the funds of the temple of Artemis. This town clerk also worked as the liaison between the governing authorities of the city and the seat of the Roman provincial government in Ephesus. The city had many privileges to govern its own affairs with very little Roman oversight. Rome, however, did not take kindly to mobs, riots, or anything else that might look like an uprising. If the crowd got out of hand, Rome would blame the town clerk and potentially revoke some of the city’s privileges. Naturally, the clerk would not want to see this happen, so he stood forth as the voice of reason during the episode at the theater.
Making a careful argument, the clerk appealed to the religious devotion of the people, noting that it was inarguable that Artemis was powerful and did not really need any defenders (v. 36). He also stated that Paul and the Christians were not guilty of blasphemy or sacrilege, meaning that they had not vandalized the temple (v. 37). He told the rioters to stop their agitating because it was without cause and said that if Demetrius and the craftsmen had a real complaint, they should bring charges in the appropriate manner so that everything could be dealt with properly (vv. 38–40). God used this reasonable pagan to calm the crowd, getting it to disperse (v. 41).
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
The church can sometimes be too timid, failing to speak to the authorities or to make a bold proclamation of the gospel to call people to freedom from sin and death. We need a holy courage to speak the truth of Christ even in difficult circumstances. Let us pray that the Lord would give such courage to us and to our leaders.
For further study
- Joshua 1:9
- Psalm 31:24
- Acts 23:11
- 2 Corinthians 5:1–10
The bible in a year
- Psalms 142–144
- 1 Cor. 10:23–11:1