The early church · Acts 19
The Riot of the Silversmiths at Ephesus
At Ephesus, no small disturbance breaks out about the Way of the Lord. Demetrius, a silversmith, makes silver shrines of Diana and brings his workmen considerable profit. He gathers them together: Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people by saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all. The danger: their trade will be discredited, and the temple of the great goddess will be counted as nothing. Filled with rage, they shout: “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” The whole city rushes to the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s companions. Paul wants to go in, but the disciples and some of the Asiarchs (provincial officials), who are his friends, will not let him. When the crowd realizes that Alexander is a Jew, they shout for nearly two hours. The town clerk calms them down: the city risks being charged with rioting. He dismisses the assembly.
What happens
- Demetrius, a silversmith, gathers his workmen: their profits are threatened Acts 19:24–25
- “Gods made with hands are no gods” Acts 19:26–27
- “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”: the city rushes to the theater Acts 19:28–29
- Paul wants to speak, but the disciples and some Asiarchs will not let him Acts 19:30–31
- Recognized as a Jew, Alexander cannot speak: nearly two hours of shouting Acts 19:33–34
- The town clerk calms the crowd and dismisses it Acts 19:35–38
Who is in this story
The lesson
Where the gospel shakes idols and the profits that live off them, anger erupts, often without the crowd even knowing why they are shouting. But God watches over his own: Paul is held back by his friends, and the uproar dies down.
Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
Quick quiz on this story
What is the trade of Demetrius, who sparks the riot at Ephesus?
Demetrius, a silversmith, made silver shrines for Diana and brought his workmen no small gain. Acts 19:24
What does the angry crowd at Ephesus shout?
Filled with rage by Demetrius’s words, the workmen began to cry out: “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” Acts 19:28
Who sends word to Paul begging him not to go into the theater?
Paul wanted to go in to the people; but certain of the Asiarchs, who were his friends, sent to him, urging him not to venture into the theater. Acts 19:30–31
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