Acts 19 records Paul’s longest recorded stay in one city — more than two years in Ephesus. He finds about twelve disciples who know only John’s baptism; after instruction they are baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit comes upon them. Paul reasons in the synagogue for three months, then moves to the school of Tyrannus for two years, so that all who lived in Asia hear the word of the Lord. God works special miracles through Paul. The name of the Lord Jesus is magnified after the seven sons of Sceva are overpowered by an evil spirit. Many believers confess and burn their magic books, valued at fifty thousand pieces of silver. The word of the Lord grows and becomes mighty. Later a silversmith named Demetrius, whose trade in silver shrines of Artemis is threatened, stirs up a riot. The city is filled with confusion. The town clerk finally quiets the crowd and dismisses the assembly, noting that the men have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed the goddess. The gospel continues to advance, exposing both incomplete understanding and entrenched idolatry, while the Temple in Jerusalem still stands.
1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples. 2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They said to him, “No, we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 He said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 Paul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Christ Jesus.” 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke with other languages and prophesied. 7 They were about twelve men in all.
8 He entered into the synagogue and spoke boldly for a period of three months, reasoning and persuading about the things concerning God’s Kingdom. 9 But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10 This continued for two years, so that all those who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
11 God worked special miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out. 13 But some of the itinerant Jews, exorcists, took on themselves to invoke over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did this. 15 The evil spirit answered, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?” 16 The man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 Many also of those who had believed came, confessing and declaring their deeds. 19 Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. They counted their price, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord was growing and becoming mighty.
21 Now after these things had ended, Paul determined in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 22 Having sent into Macedonia two of those who served him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
23 About that time there arose no small disturbance concerning the Way. 24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen, 25 whom he gathered together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, “Sirs, you know that by this business we have our wealth. 26 You see and hear that not at Ephesus alone, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are no gods that are made with hands. 27 Not only is there danger that this our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be counted as nothing and her majesty destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worships.”
28 When they heard this they were filled with anger, and cried out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 The whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel. 30 When Paul wanted to enter in to the people, the disciples didn’t allow him. 31 Certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent to him and begged him not to venture into the theater. 32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another, for the assembly was in confusion. Most of them didn’t know why they had come together. 33 They brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. Alexander beckoned with his hand, and would have made a defense to the people. 34 But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice for a time of about two hours cried out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
35 When the town clerk had quieted the multitude, he said, “You men of Ephesus, what man is there who doesn’t know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great goddess Artemis, and of the image which fell down from Zeus? 36 Seeing then that these things can’t be denied, you ought to be quiet and to do nothing rash. 37 For you have brought these men here, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess. 38 If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a matter against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them press charges against one another. 39 But if you seek anything about other matters, it will be settled in the regular assembly. 40 For indeed we are in danger of being accused concerning today’s riot, there being no cause. Concerning it, we wouldn’t be able to give an account of this commotion.” 41 When he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
Source: ebible.org
Paul finds disciples in Ephesus who have received John’s baptism of repentance but have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. He explains that John pointed forward to the One who was to come — Jesus. They are baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, and when Paul lays hands on them the Holy Spirit comes, and they speak in other languages and prophesy. Incomplete preparation is brought into the full New Covenant experience of baptism into Christ and the gift of the Spirit. The same pattern of Spirit-reception that marked Pentecost and the household of Cornelius continues.
After three months in the synagogue, opposition hardens and Paul separates the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. This continues for two years. The result is that all who lived in Asia — both Jews and Greeks — hear the word of the Lord Jesus. The sustained, public teaching of the word produces regional impact. God also works special miracles through Paul, so that even cloths that had touched him are used in healing and deliverance. The name of Jesus is magnified after the public humiliation of those who tried to use it as a magical formula.
Many who had believed come confessing and declaring their deeds. Those who practiced magical arts bring their books and burn them publicly. The value is calculated at fifty thousand pieces of silver. The word of the Lord grows and becomes mighty. True faith produces visible, costly break with the occult practices that had characterized life in Ephesus. The New Covenant community is marked by repentance that renounces former sources of power and profit.
The advance of the gospel threatens the economic system built around the worship of Artemis. Demetrius the silversmith gathers the craftsmen and points out the danger: Paul has persuaded many that gods made with hands are not gods. Trade is threatened; the temple and the majesty of the goddess are at risk. The city erupts in confusion. The crowd rushes into the theater. For about two hours they cry, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” Most do not even know why they have gathered. The town clerk finally restores order, notes that the accused men are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of the goddess, and warns of the danger of being charged with rioting. The assembly is dismissed. The gospel has exposed the economic roots of idolatry, yet the civil authority finds no legal cause against the messengers.
Acts 19 shows the word of the Lord growing and becoming mighty in a major center of pagan religion and commerce. Incomplete disciples are brought into the full experience of the Spirit. Magic is renounced at great cost. The name of Jesus is magnified. An entire province hears the word. The economic system built on handmade gods feels the threat. All of this occurs while the Temple in Jerusalem still stands. The light continues to expose the darkness of the nations before the end of the old covenant age.
Acts 19 displays the New Creation word advancing with power in a stronghold of pagan religion and magic. Disciples who knew only a preparatory baptism are brought into the full gift of the Spirit. Daily reasoning in a public hall causes the word of the Lord to reach an entire province. The name of Jesus is magnified when false users of that name are exposed. Believers renounce their magic books at great financial cost. The economic system built on handmade gods feels the threat and erupts in riot, yet the civil authority finds no legal charge against the messengers. The word of the Lord grows and becomes mighty. This is the light of the New Covenant shining into the darkness of the nations while the Temple still stands, preparing the way for the fullness of the Gentiles to come in before the end of the age.
The believers in Ephesus burned their magic books in public, even though the value was enormous. What does this costly renunciation teach us about the nature of true repentance? How does the town clerk’s observation that the Christians were neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of the goddess challenge the ways the gospel is sometimes presented or perceived today?