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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_19:28-41
28When they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" 29The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia. 30And when Paul wanted to go into the assembly, the disciples would not let him. 31Also some of the Asiarchs who were friends of his sent to him and repeatedly urged him not to venture into the theater. 32So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know for what reason they had come together. 33Some of the crowd concluded it was Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward; and having motioned with his hand, Alexander was intending to make a defense to the assembly. 34But when they recognized that he was a Jew, a single outcry arose from them all as they shouted for about two hours, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" 35After quieting the crowd, the town clerk said, "Men of Ephesus, what man is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of the image which fell down from heaven? 36So, since these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and to do nothing rash. 37For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38So then, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against any man, the courts are in session and proconsuls are available; let them bring charges against one another. 39But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the lawful assembly. 40For indeed we are in danger of being accused of a riot in connection with today's events, since there is no real cause for it, and in this connection we will be unable to account for this disorderly gathering." 41After saying this he dismissed the assembly.
Act_19:28 This verse shows how closely the ancient world held religion and local traditions. Many people made their daily living in ways connected to the local pagan temples.
▣ "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians" This fertility goddess was often called "the Great." This may have been the temple's worship slogan.
Act_19:29 "rushed. . .into the theater" The ruins of this very large Roman amphitheater still remain today. It held between 25 and 56 thousand people (estimates differ).
▣ "with one accord" Acts often uses the phrase "one accord" to describe the unity and fellowship of believers (cf. Act_1:14; Act_2:1; Act_2:46; Act_4:24; Act_5:12; Act_8:6; Act_15:25), but also of how evil can unite (cf. Act_7:57; Act_12:20; Act_18:12). Unity itself is not the goal. It is the purpose of the unity which is crucial!
▣ "Gaius" He was from Derbe (cf. Act_20:4). This was a very common name, so definite identification is difficult (cf. 1Co_1:14; 3Jn_1:3).
▣ "Aristarchus" He was from Thessalonica (cf. Act_20:4; Act_27:2; Col_4:10-11; Php_2:4).
Act_19:30 "the disciples would not let him" Paul was a strong-willed man! However, he allowed other believers to influence some decisions (cf. Act_19:31).
Act_19:31 "some of the Asiarchs" This term means "local elected officials," but was used in several senses. This is another technical term for local political officials used so accurately by Luke. Apparently they had become believers also, or at least friends of Paul. Again Luke shows that Christianity was not a threat to the local governmental authorities. It is verses like this one that cause some commentators to surmise that Acts was written to be read at Paul's trial in Rome. Again and again the church came into conflict with Jews, but not with government!
Act_19:32 "the assembly" This is the same Greek word (ekklesia) used for the church. In Act_19:32; Act_19:39; Act_19:41 it refers to an assembly of townspeople.
The early church chose this term because of its use in the Septuagint for "the assembly of Israel." See Special Topic: Church (ekklesia) at Act_5:11.
▣ "the majority did not know for what reason they had come together" It was a typical mob scene.
Act_19:33 "Alexander" The local Jews wanted it to be understood that they were a separate group from these itinerant Christian missionaries, but it backfired on them. Whether this is the same man mentioned in 2Ti_4:14 is uncertain, but 1Ti_1:20 makes it doubtful.
▣ "having motioned with his hand" This was a cultural way of seeking silence so that one could speak (cf. Act_12:17; Act_13:16; Act_19:33; Act_21:40).
▣ "a defense" We get the English term "apology" from this Greek term, which referred to a legal defense. Luke used this verb often (cf. Luk_12:11; Luk_21:14; Act_19:32; Act_24:10; Act_25:8; Act_26:1-2; Act_26:24) and the noun in Act_22:1; Act_25:16.
Act_19:34 This shows either (1) the anti-Semitism of the Greco-Roman world or (2) this crowd's anger at Paul's ministry.
Act_19:35 "the town clerk" This was the chief civil official, who acted as liaison with the Roman government in these cities with famous temples. The term is grammateus. It is used most often in Acts for Jewish scribes (cf. Act_4:5; Act_6:12; Act_23:9). In the Septuagint it referred to Egyptian leaders who submitted records to higher authorities (cf. Exo_5:6) and to Jewish officers (cf. Deu_20:5).
▣ "city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple" The word for guardian is literally "temple sweeper" (neôkos, temple warden). This had become an honorific title, although originally it referred to the lowest temple servants.
▣ "the image which fell down from heaven" It was apparently a meteor shaped like a woman with many breasts. This was a perfect idol for a fertility cult. The term "heaven" is literally "which fell from Zeus (dios)."
Act_19:37 The cause of the riot had no true basis and, therefore, was liable for Roman judicial discipline (cf. Act_19:40).
Act_19:38-39 "let them bring charges against one another" Let them go through the proper channels provided for complaints. These two verses also have two first class conditional sentences.
Act_19:38 "proconsuls" There were two kinds of Roman provinces, those controlled by the Emperor and those controlled by the Senate (Augustus, Acts of Settlement, 27 b.c.). The Roman provinces were governed by
1. senatorial provinces governed by proconsuls or propraetors
2. imperial provinces governed by legatus pro proetors
3. other lesser or problem provinces governed by praefectus
4. free cities governed by local leaders, but under Roman guidelines
5. client states like Palestine governed by local leaders, but with limits and restrictions
Ephesus was in a Senatorial province and thereby had a "proconsul." Proconsuls are mentioned three times:
1. Sergius Paulus, Cyprus, Act_13:7-8; Act_13:12
2. Annaeus Gallio, Achaia, Act_18:12
3. no specific name, but the category, Ephesus, Act_19:38
Act_19:39-41 "assembly" This is the word ekklesia, which was used by the Greek city-states for a town assembly. It came to be used for the gathered church because in the Septuagint it translated the Hebrew term for "assembly" (Qahal).
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