“Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
Daily Reading: Exodus 13, Psalm 63, Acts 19, Proverbs 4
About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. 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. And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”
When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theater together. Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.
The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there. The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people. But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: “Fellow Ephesians, doesn’t all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to calm down and not do anything rash. You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess. If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They can press charges. If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of what happened today. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it.” After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.
Acts 19:23-41
Sometimes it is wise to follow the money.
There is no shortage of people like Demetrius in today’s world. Prominent figures in our society that are always out there stoking the flames of outrage through their words and actions.
Causing riots, like the one we see in Ephesus today.
Sometimes these are actual riots in our cities. However, in today’s world we also see a multitude of online riots where a group of people is stirred up into a frenzy.
Frequently these people come in the name of “Artemis” like we see in Acts today.
Influencers, media members, and politicians will use the name of Jesus, Allah, and other religious figures to rally support for themselves. They will pit people against each other and foster outrage.
As an angry mob we end up chanting our own version of, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
And frequently it was always about the silver.
So often, these prominent figures in our world are purely seeking to get rich by profiting off of the outrage they are generating. They are looking to consolidate power, grow their following, and watch their bank account rise.
So, next time you catch yourself getting worked up based on something you see online, take a step back and bring it to God in prayer.
It is entirely possible that this might be a very real issue worthy of our outrage.
However, it is also possible we are being manipulated by a modern day “Demertrius” purely looking to protect his silver business.
Don’t be afraid to question motives. Don’t be afraid to follow the money.
There is a natural tendency to want to find those charismatic leaders in our society that we can throw in our lot with and fully trust. The truth is that we do not know their hearts.
Turn back to God’s word.
Are we allowing prominent voices to keep our hearts and minds focused on grievance, fear, and outrage?
Or are we focused on loving God and loving our neighbors as ourselves?
There will always be a Demetrius looking to start a riot.
Let’s be diligent in turning our minds back to Jesus.
Daily Reflection & Dialogue
What are some recent examples you have seen in our world of leaders seeking to stir up outrage, while profiting from their position of power and influence?
