The Riot In Ephesus
THE RIOT IN EPHESUS
ACTS 19:21-41
Think of some of the things that would change if the good news really touched our country.
Verses 21-22 are an intimation of Paul’s future plans, including the expression of his desire, which henceforward runs like a thread through the rest of the book of Acts, to visit the imperial city, Rome.
The evidence for opposition here is partly factual (like the story here of the riot in the amphitheater), and partly inferential (eg the hints of a terrible danger to his life in 1 Corinthians 15:32; 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 and, probably, Philippians 1:30; 2:17).
Paul’s preaching (19:26), as in the report of his Athenian sermon (17:24,29), was seen as a danger to the silversmiths and a second occasion of Demetrius’ protest may very well have been a period of social anarchy and unrest, following the assassination of Junius Silanus in AD 54. The murder of this proconsul of Asia at the instigation of Agrippina may possibly have been carried out by two men who afterwards stayed on in Asia to oversee the imperial business until a successor to Silanus was appointed. G.S. Duncan makes this interesting suggestion in his book on St. Paul’s Ephesian Ministry, and so explains (a) the reference to proconsuls (plural) in 19:38; and (b) Paul’s grave danger in which his Roman citizenship failed to protect him from the venom of the mob and the authorities.
In God’s providence, however, the apostle was able to call upon local influential friends (19:31). A moderating voice was raised by the Ephesian “town-clerk” (19:35-40). Luke did not fail to note the irony of the situation (19:32), though it may have been an ugly scene for a time until reason prevailed (19:41).
Notes 19:25,27: “business is business” was Demetrius’ ruling motto. 19:29: the Ephesian theater has been excavated; it seated 25,000 persons in its day. Gaius may not have been a Macedonian (so the textual authorities grant) in view of 20:4, where he is called a man of Derbe. Possibly, however, there were two men of this common name. See comment on the later verse. 19:32: the Greek word translated “assembly” is the regular word for “church” (so 19:41). 19:35: the image of Artemis was supposed to have fallen (like a meteorite?) from the sky.