ON TO OTHER PLACES: CORINTH AND EPHESUS P/9

 

                                                                                    Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                  PART XIX - V 

"It has been so wonderful for me, Paul, to see the church in Ephesus blossom.... And for believers to grow in spiritual maturity.... That made me begin to consider whether it was time for me to move on....I wondered whether I should start making my way to Jerusalem.... As far as I could detect the church was not in danger of being attacked.... So I could leave her in the hands of some spiritually mature elders I had appointed.... Unfortunately, as soon as I began to make prepararations for my trip to Jerusalem something happened that delayed my departure... It all happened quite innocently.... A silversmith named Demetrius called for a meeting with other workers in related trades... I had heard of their meeting... But did not think anything of it... Of course it is true that many of the people in Ephesus who have turned to Christ, are no longer worshipping the goddess Artemis.... And, consequently, they are no longer buying articles related to her worship....Would their meeting have anything to do with the fact that the sales of such items have possibly gone down?... Perhaps they are meeting to consider other ways of earning a living."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of the meeting of Demetrius with other workers....

 

                       ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                                  PART XIX -V               

The believers in Ephesus had realised they needed to give up items that dishonoured the Lord and had done so. At that time Paul decided that he should start making plans to travel back to Jerusalem as you can know from Acts 19:21-22

After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. "After I have been there," he said, "I must visit Rome also." He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.

Unfortunately, problems arose once again in Ephesus, this time caused by a silversmith named Demetrius as you can read in Acts 19:24

A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemus, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there.

The main goddess who was worshipped in Ephesus was the goddess Artemis. She was believed to have the power to bring new life into the world and to take life away. She was believed to be a midwife.... It was thought she helped women and animals in labour. Ephesian women would call on Artemis to speed up labour and ease the pain, or in dire circumstances, they would call on her to bring about a quick death to end their suffering. Artemis was also the champoin and protector of virgins, both male and female.                                                                                                                                                    However, since the arrival of Paul many inhabitants of Ephesus had started to follow the Lord Jesus and were no longer worshipping the goddess Artemis.... Consequently, they were no longer buying items related to her worship... The number of believers had, in fact, so grown that it had begun to affect the businesses of the silversmith Demetrius and other workers in Ephesus. So he called together a meeting as you can read in Ephesians 19:25-27

He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said, "You know my friends, that we receive a good income from this business."

It was time to discuss with everyone involved in making articles related to the worship of Artemis in Ephesus how to deal with the present crisis they were facing.

Read Part Ten HERE