AP

Studies in Acts

Gospel Advances in Ephesus (Acts 19:13 – 22)

The healings were not the only amazing happenings in Ephesus. Some of the non-believing Jews had seen the miracles done in the name of Jesus. They thought they could drive out demons by this method. Occult practices were strictly forbidden in the Torah (Deuteronomy 18:10-14), but these Jews were involved in it. Earlier we read about Simon the sorcerer and Bar-Jesus who were also Jewish magicians (Acts 8:4-25; 13:6-7; cf. Luke 11:19). A pair of such Jewish exorcists were going around trying to imitate Paul’s remarkable demon expulsions.

Although they were not Christians, they ventured to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over people who were in bondage to demons, as though that name was a magical power whereby one could practise sorcery (Matthew 7:22-23). They told the evil spirits: “I adjure you by Jesus, who is proclaimed by Paul.” With this new sorcery formula, they thought they could increase their profits considerably. In this way, Satan was trying to present the gospel of Jesus Christ as a new form of occultism, so that it would be swallowed up by syncretism. Satan did this by enlisting the seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish high priest. But the result was not a success! When they wanted to expel an evil spirit, the spirit responded with: “Jesus I know and I know who Paul is, but who are you?” The spirit recognized Jesus as Son of the Most High God, who could destroy him (Mark 1:24; Luke 4:41). And he was no match for Paul, Jesus’ ambassador. But the evil spirit clearly saw the distinction between Jesus’ apostle and those now misusing that name. In the kingdom of Satan, they apparently know whether someone genuinely belongs to Jesus or is not one of his followers.

As fearful as devils are before Jesus, so harshly do they now react against this unbelieving exorcism. If Paul had commanded them in Jesus’ name, they would have departed, but now that name was ineffective against them. The demon drove his victim to pounce on the exorcists and supplied him with so much superhuman strength that all by himself (!) he overpowered all seven exorcists (cf. Luke 8:29). He tackled them so roughly that they fled down the street “naked” and bloodied. It is a warning not to pretend to have apostolic power.

This news spread to all the Jews and Greeks: “Did you hear about the seven exorcists who abused the name of Jesus?” By means of their ignominious punishment, everyone was filled with awe. People understood the event very well, for they saw in Paul not a super magician, so they praised the name of the Lord Jesus! In general, they were acknowledging that Jesus is stronger than the fearsome evil powers against which people in Ephesus called upon.

The beating received by the seven exorcists made a deep impression especially on the Ephesians who had already come to faith. Many of these newly converted believers were still “children in the Christian faith.” They had not yet broken radically with superstitious customs and magic practices from their pagan past. But now they realized that they too must repent from every form of sorcery and devilry, because God despised these. They came humbly confessing their sins and owning up to their occult practices.

A sizeable number of Christians who had stopped practising their black art before their conversion showed publicly that they were now making a radical break with those practices. They still had their sorcery scrolls in their homes. These were expensive magic books, containing various secret oath formulas and magic techniques. The pagan people were dismayed, for secret sorcery formulas were in great demand and very expensive. This scroll burning was simultaneously an impressive sermon for superstitious Ephesus: Christians were not going to participate in this any longer. They had found rest in Jesus (Matt. 11:28).

This is how the Word of the Lord triumphed. Everything Satan had thrown against it could not succeed. Paul’s courageous gospel preaching, the miraculous signs with which God confirmed it, the defeat of the exorcists, the universal respect for the name of Jesus, and the public burning of magic books all demonstrated the power of God’s Word. The church grew through all of these, both in number and in the power of faith. Increasingly, outsiders gave God’s Word a hearing. Ephesus came more and more under the claim of the gospel.

Paul’s plans (Acts 19:21-22)

When the apostle had laboured for about two years in Ephesus and its surroundings, he decided to conclude his work there and formulated new travel plans. Luke discusses that briefly in these verses.

We can supplement this with what Paul himself tells us in his letters to the Corinthians and Romans. Paul wanted to visit the churches in Macedonia and Achaia (i.e., Greece) once again – the churches in Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, and Corinth, to strengthen the believers. At the same time, he wanted to organize a collection for the poor believers in Jerusalem. He was also entertaining plans to bring the amount to Jerusalem himself. Then he would also be able to make a report of his labours to James and the elders. If possible, he wanted to be there for Pentecost. This plan can be inferred from several passages in Acts and various epistles (Acts 20:16; Acts 21:18-19; Romans 15:26-27; 1 Corinthians 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8).

However, he explained, “After I have been there, I must visit Rome also.” The Spirit had apparently made this known to him already. Meanwhile he was also dreaming about a trip to Spain, the westernmost outpost of Roman civilization! Later, during his second stay in Corinth, he writes in his letter to the Romans: “I have longed for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain . . .” (Romans 15:23-24; cf. 1:11-12). But first the collection from Macedonia and Achaia had to be brought to Jerusalem. Then “I will leave for Spain by way of you” (Romans 15:28).

Initially Paul had planned to travel in a straight line from Ephesus by sea to Corinth, and from there to Macedonia, returning once more to Corinth (2 Corinthians 1:15-16). But he gave up that plan. He decided instead to travel by land via Macedonia to Corinth, taking a wide detour through the north. Timothy and Erastus, two of his co-workers, were sent on ahead to Macedonia to prepare the Greek churches for the Jerusalem collection. This would then be ready when Paul arrived (1 Corinthians 16:1-4). He himself stayed for a time in Asia, for two reasons.

The first reason involved the problems in the church in Corinth. He had already written this church a couple of letters (including our 1 Corinthians) and had recently sent Titus there to reconcile the parties. With intense curiosity Paul was awaiting his return and report (2 Corinthians 7:6-7). The second reason involved new opportunities for the gospel. Perhaps on account of the flood of pilgrims and tourists for the great feast of the goddess Artemis in May? In any case, he wrote to the Corinthians: “I will visit you after passing through Macedonia,” and if possible, I may “even spend the winter . . .  but I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Corinthians 16:5-6, 8-9).

In Acts 20-28, Luke reports that Paul’s travel plans were indeed carried out, but along a far different route than he had proposed in Ephesus. He would enter Rome as a prisoner. But this would happen three years later. Through the alteration of his plans, he would be temporarily involved in the massive demonstration that the silversmith Demetrius organized against him.

Questions:

Can you think of some advantages of meeting in a school, as opposed to a church building?

When Paul made his plans, he no doubt wanted to follow God’s leading, but then he had to change. What does that tell us? (See James 4:13-17).

Ephesian Christians had to relinquish the ways of magic – what might contemporary Christians need to relinquish?

In Revelation (2:1-7), Ephesus is commended for some good things but then is criticized for having “forsaken [their] first love.” How can we continue to be zealous for the LORD in love?

– Alida Sewell