In my Mechanical Engineering classes in college, the measurement of mechanical “work” can be calculated as force multiplied by distance. This sort of work is required to move an object over a distance when there is resistance to that movement. In the mechanical world, this requirement might be due to friction or air resistance. However, opposition to progress occurs in other parts of life, as well.
In Acts 19, while things seem to be going well for the church, something is working against it. This is not unexpected when we understand that evil forces don’t want the good news to be spread.
About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.
Acts 19:23 NIV
So, what is the thing that disturbed “the Way” (i.e., the movement of Christ-followers in the first century)? At this point, I encourage you to read verses 24-27 for more about this account, whether at the supplied link or in your own Bible. Otherwise, the rest of this article may not make much sense, unless you’re already pretty familiar with this chapter of Acts.
Have you ever heard a pastor say that he is about to step on someone’s toes? Usually, this is followed by a reminder about something that we need to improve in our spiritual lives, but in this case (i.e., in first-century Ephesus), the good news about Jesus could have a potential impact on a group’s financial condition. Uh oh!
A commentator makes the case that this event occurred during a special annual event when worshipers of Artemis would make a pilgrimage to Ephesus, during a month that their calendar called “Artemision” [Reese, p.686]. We can imagine the businessmen counting their money and finding that their sales of Artemis-related merchandise were falling short, then looking for someone to blame (and perhaps correctly so, as people followed Jesus based on Paul’s teaching).
So, we have this guy named Demetrius, who might be some sort of business coordinator among various craftsmen. He pulls in some other tradesmen, and makes a pitch at something a commentator likened to a trade union meeting.
Note how he goes about his speech. It is – unfortunately – a pattern that we can find today: appealing to what will sway people, regardless of whether or not it is true, and regardless of whether or not the person trying to persuade others actually believes everything that they are saying.
First, Demetrius reminds the group that they are making good money from their work. [See verse 25] Wikipedia says, “The temple became an important attraction, visited by merchants, kings, and sightseers, many of whom paid homage to Artemis in the form of jewelry and various goods”.
For Demetrius, the silver items that he made could have been little idols of Artemis. I remember when I visited Washington D.C. as a kid, and got a little souvenir of the Jefferson Memorial, encased in acrylic. I imagine these silver shrines of the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus – along with other jewelry, trinkets, and souvenirs – as being a similar business (although I don’t think that anyone expected me to pray to the Jefferson Memorial!)
Regardless of the nature of the “shrines” that Demetrius made, like the money-changers that Jesus drove out of the Temple in Jerusalem, people will find ways to make a buck (or denarius, I suppose) off of others’ good work.
Next, Demetrius points out to the group that this guy Paul is preaching something different from Artemis worship. The Bible – and probably Paul – made it clear that it doesn’t make sense to worship an idol in the first place (see Isaiah 44:9-20, for instance).
To be clear, I’m not entirely certain that Demetrius cared about worshiping Artemis (versus lining his own pockets), but regardless of his own beliefs, he seems to be “working the crowd”. Demetrius suggests that Paul “has convinced and led astray large numbers of people” [see verse 26].
And, Demetrius appeals to any in the crowd who are sincere about their belief in Artemis (rather than merely a belief in profit), by suggesting that this false goddess would lose her glory. Let’s think about that for a moment, though: If false gods require us to give them glory, in order to maintain their status, are they really true gods, or just human constructs?
The actual God does not need us to acknowledge who He is, in order to be who He is. While we are obliged to give Him worship, praise, and glory, the reality of His existence and His nature are not dependent upon whether or not we acknowledge that.
So, the truth that Paul is speaking is on a collision course with the (probably) financially motivated arguments of Demetrius here. If we’re in that same situation, though, may we – like Paul – still speak the good news about Jesus boldly. However, sharing the good news is expected to be met with resistance, especially when it encroaches on those who have been profiting or otherwise benefiting from false teachings. It may not be popular to share the message of Jesus Christ today where there are people who have built billion-dollar companies on false pretenses that His teaching refutes. Still, when we know what is at stake with the truth, we must press forward to share it.
From Sunday School lesson prepared for November 19, 2023
References:
- The Lookout, November 19, 2023, © 2023 Christian Standard Media.
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- New Testament History: A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Acts, by Gareth L. Reese. © 1976, College Press Publishing Company.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – Acts, by Dennis Gaertner. © 1993 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 