Regarded As Nothing (part 2 of 2)

There were those in the synagogue in Ephesus who, as usual, rejected Paul’s preaching of “the Way” (19:9), so eventually Paul left the synagogue and took up his teaching “every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.  This went on for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the Word of the Lord” (19:9b-10).  Again, this Word of the Lord, as can be construed from the record of Paul’s preaching (as provided by Acts) and from his writing, would have been that Jesus is Lord.  That was the message of the Gospel, and that alone, as it seems according to Paul’s thinking, represents the message that would grow in power and prevail.  If one desires consistency with the text of the New Testament, there would need to be some level of agreement that there is no other message that could be described in such a way.    

Due to the apparent effectiveness of the preaching of the message of the Gospel, as it grew in power and prevailed, the previously mentioned Demetrius’ business was most likely suffering.  So he called a meeting of the craftsmen, “along with the workmen in similar trades, and said, ‘Men, you know that our prosperity comes from this business.  And you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded and turned away a large crowd, not only in Ephesus but in practically all of the province of Asia, by saying that gods made by hands are not gods at all” (19:25b-26).  This is where one comes upon his statement that “There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be regarded as nothing” (19:27a).  He concludes his statement with “and she whom all the province of Asia and the world worship will suffer the loss of her greatness” (19:27b).

In that day, this temple, which was considered to be one of the wonders of the ancient world, had been in place for over five-hundred years.  As a significant place of worship, it drew thousands of pilgrims from all over the world.  It seems that the devotees of Artemis, as the goddess of Ephesus (whose temple was the source of much wealth and influence), could quickly fill a fifty-thousand seat theater, and when prodded, gladly shout “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” (19:34b) for two solid hours.  Nevertheless, the tireless preaching of the Gospel, of the foolish and confounding message of a crucified man that had been raised from the dead by the Creator God of Israel, was believed to be a threat to the temple and its goddess, with that threat thought to be able to reach the point that both would be “regarded as nothing,” and that the world would suffer the loss of her (Artemis) greatness. 

Surely, that speaks directly to the inherent, transformative, and world-shaping power of the preaching of the message of Jesus.  There is no message besides the message of Jesus Christ crucified and raised that has such power.  It is this message that goes forth by the Holy Spirit and transforms hearts and minds.  It is the message that Paul preached.  It was the message that Jesus’ disciples took into the world.  It is the message, supreme above anything else that could ever be preached or taught, that the devotees of the Jesus cult should be carrying into this world on a daily basis.  All other messages are secondary, and if the secondary message is not rooted in the Gospel proclamation (Jesus is Lord of all) and appended with the message of the cross and an empty tomb, then, at least according to the example of the Apostle, it may be considered to be rather frivolous.        

Regarded As Nothing (part 1 of 2)

There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be regarded as nothing – Acts 19:27a  (NET)

The words above are reported to have been spoken by a man named Demetrius.  He lived and worked in the city of Ephesus.  According to Acts, his trade was that of “a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis” (19:24b).  With the way that his story is presented, it appears to be the case that Demetrius was quite the influential man in the city of Ephesus, as it was his instigating words that would nearly bring the whole of the city (using hyperbole) to the point of riot.  This influence, if it was indeed what it appears to be, was gained from the fact that he “brought a great deal of business to the craftsmen” (19:24c).  While also being a man of influence, he was also a man of awareness.  Like any good businessman, he kept abreast of current events that could have an effect on his business, whether for good or for ill.  Quite recently, as the story goes, an event had occurred in Ephesus that was of considerable concern to Demetrius.

Backing up a bit in the nineteenth chapter of Acts, one discovers the report that “God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul’s hands, so that even when handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body were brought to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them” (19:11-12).  These things are taking place in Ephesus.  As would be imagined, such events would make quite the impression on those that were their witnesses. 

Apparently, these things that were taking place at the hands of the apostle Paul also served as something of an inspiration, as Luke reports that “some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were possessed by evil spirits, saying, ‘I sternly warn you by Jesus Whom Paul preaches’.” (19:13)  The reader can go on to learn, in fact, that it was seven brothers that were doing this very thing.  Fascinatingly, “the evil spirit replied to them, ‘I know about Jesus and I am acquainted with Paul, but who are you?’  Then the man who was possessed by the evil spirit jumped on them and beat them all into submission.  He prevailed against them so that they fled from that house naked and wounded” (19:16). 

What happened following this rather interesting event?  Again, not surprisingly, “This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks; fear came over them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised” (19:17).  Though the aspiring exorcists had failed in their invocation of the name of Jesus in order to cast out the evil spirit, the subsequent occurrences of their being overpowered still, oddly, seeing as how it was the voice of the evil spirit itself, had the result of bringing praise to Jesus.  This provoked a response on the part of the people which enables one to go on to find that “the Word of the Lord continued to grow in power and to prevail” (19:20b).  Naturally, this leads to the question, which must be answered according to the context of the narrative of Acts and Paul’s over-arching message, was what “Word of the Lord” was it that was growing in power and prevailing? 

That seems to be a rather simple question to answer, as it was obviously the Gospel that Paul was preaching.  The Lordship of Jesus was the sum and substance of Paul’s message, and it was highlighted by talk of the crucifixion (which would militate against Lordship) and Resurrection (which would aid in vindicating that Lordship).  Earlier in this same chapter, it is said that “Paul entered the synagogue and spoke out fearlessly for three months, addressing and convincing them about the kingdom of God” (19:8).  Paul’s preaching of the kingdom could not possibly be disconnected with His preaching of Jesus as the crucified and resurrected Messiah of Israel, Who was the Son of God, Lord and King of the world (the Gospel).  Paul would not be preaching a kingdom without its King, that being Jesus; and apart from His crucifixion and Resurrection, Jesus could not be spoken of as King.