Bible Commentaries
Acts 19

Verses 1-41

XIX 1-7 St Paul and the Disciples of John at Ephesus —1. St Paul ’passed through the upper country’, the high inland plateau of Asia Minor. Ephesus, the capital of the province of Asia, which abounded in flourishing cities, was the richest and most magnificent of them all, with a population of a third of a million. See too on 24. It was the meeting place of traders from east and west, and Seneca describes it as one of the most beautiful cities of the world.

2. St Paul assumes that these disciples have been baptized and wishes to make sure that they have also received the Holy Spirit, as in the case of the Samaritans, 8:14. They either did not know all John’s teaching, or perhaps meant ’We have not heard that the Holy Spirit is now given’.

3. They seem, like Apollos, to have been disciples of Jews who had left Palestine after hearing only the preaching of John. They had evidently not been instructed by Apollos, before his departure for Corinth. John 1:6 and 15 ff. and 3:23 ff. suggest the existence in Ephesus at the end of the century, of followers of the Baptist, more or less opposed to Christians. 4. cf.John 1:26ff . 5-6. See 2:38. See § 820b. For an almost contemporary description of the speaking with tongues (Glossolalia), see 1 Cor 14.

8-12 The Preaching and Miracles at Ephesus —8. The account of the 18 months devoted to the successful founding of the church at Corinth was compressed into a few lines, and now the long apostolate at Ephesus a.d. 54 to 57 is even more briefly related, and even more successful.

9. On ’the way’ see 9:2. The multitude is the assembly in the Synagogue. Tyrannus was perhaps a Rhetor who gave lessons in eloquence or a philosopher. D adds at the end, ’from the fifth to the tenth hour’, from 10 am.. to 4 p.m., which was certainly the time when the Hall would be free for St Paul to use.

10 is a pregnant summary of St Paul’s activity during the three years, 20:31, that he spent at Ephesus; cf. too 20:18-21. Besides earning his living and preaching in the school of Tyrannus, there were the continual relations with the other cities of the province. There were also letters to be written, e.g. to Galatia where Judaizers were causing havoc, and to Corinth, including 1 Cor which gives an idea of his labours. At Ephesus ’a great door was opened and many adversaries’, 1 Corinthians 16:8-9. See also 4:9-13; 15:30-33. Apoc 1-3 throws light on these flourishing churches. The burning of the books, the account of the riot, e.g. 26, and the friendship of the Asiarchs reveal the extent and depth of St Paul’s work. He founded the church in Asia, Aquila and Priscilla only passed through, Romans 16:5.

11-12. Miracles played their part, as the next verses show. On the warrant for the cult of relics cf. 5:15.

13-17 The Jewish Exorcists —13. Luke 11:19.16. The Gk word tr. ’both’ can also have the sense of ’all’. See too KNT note. 17 describes the effect on unbelievers, 18 that on the faithful.

18-20 The Burning of the Books —18. Magic was so ingrained that even many Christians had not given it up.

19. They had practised ’magical arts’. The treatises were no doubt sufficiently rare to be of great value. Ephesus was one of the centres that produced them. Livy records a similar burning of magical books, XL, 29.

21-22 St Paul’s Plans —After two years and more he proposed to leave Ephesus. The immediate cause of his departure was the riot some months later. One purpose of the visit to Macedonia and Achaia was to collect alms for Jesusalem, 1 Cor 16. Judging the Church to be now firmly established around the Aegean, St Paul wished to go to Rome, but not to remain there, Romans 1:11-15; Romans 15:20, Romans 15:23, In all such matters he was guided by the Holy Spirit, although ’purposed in spirit’ could be taken of his own mind. On the voyages to Corinth see § 866g-h. Timothy was sent to Corinth, 1 Corinthians 4:17. This was perhaps a second errand. On Erastus see Romans 16:23; 2 Timothy 4:20.

23-40 The Riot of the Silversmiths —An eyewitness’s account enlivened by humour. 24. Ephesus was the sacred city of the fertility goddess Diana. Her temple was about two-thirds of the size of St Peter’s, Rome, and contained 127 pillars, 60 feet high. Demetrius and the corporation of silversmiths made miniature copies of the temple containing a statue of the goddess.

28. If Demetrius had been speaking in the forum, the shouts would soon attract attention.

29. The theatre is the largest known, and could hold 25,000 people.

30. St Paul wished to save his friends. Aristarchus accompanied him to Rome 27:2.

31. The Asiarchs were the priests responsible for the cult of the emperor. They were very exalted magistrates. They can hardly have been Christians, but it is clear that St Paul had friends in the highest places.

33. Alexander perhaps wished to disclaim Jewish responsibility.

35. The town clerk was ’the Scribe of the People’, who presided over the Assembly and ruled the city. His importance ’is attested by inscriptions, and he was the city’s link with the imperial authorities. His able speech saved the situation. He too was evidently a friend of St Paul. ’The city of the Ephesians is the temple keeper of the great Diana and of the statue that fell from heaven’. Such was the legend, due perhaps to an aerolith.

37. St Paul had attacked idolatry, but his arguments were adapted to the mentality of his hearers, and he avoided offensive words.

40. An unauthorized assembly, a fortiori a riot, might lead to the loss of the privileges of a free city, since only the Roman authorities could sanction a ’city’ assembly of this kind.