Answers for a Study in the Book of Acts: Chapter 19

“Answers For A Study in the Book of Acts” is a weekly post in addition to the regular “Case for Christianity, Person of Interest” posts on the weekend. The original questions can be found at the bottom of the “Case for Christianity, Person of Interest” study the weekend before, and the answers appear here mid-week. This gives you time to do your own research, and then check your answers here. Keep in mind these will be basic answers with a little depth, but you can go much deeper for discussion if you’d like.

Note: The answers will focus on what the text of the Bible says, and commentaries and speculative answers will be noted as such. There are many scholarly commentaries out there but it will be important, as students of the Bible, to keep the text of the Bible as our first source. Commentaries can be used, keeping in mind that they are human thoughts about God’s Word.

The Goal for the notes, questions and answers: Share and reuse to lead your own Bible study!

Bible Study

Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us when we commit to growing closer to the LORD.

Read Acts Chapter 19:11-41: Then, to the best of your ability, answer the following questions.

NOTE: The New American Standard Version (NASB) is the Bible being used here, unless otherwise noted. Questions are taken directly from the chapters, and answers should be found and cited from the Scripture text in order to be Biblically accurate (unless asked to summarize in your own words). Study Bibles, commentaries and your own thoughts can be used for “Discussion” or “Going Deeper” questions. Cite sources to share with your group.

Paul at Ephesus

1. Read Chapter 19:11-20 with your table group

In the second part of this chapter, the name of Jesus is magnified through miracles in Ephesus:

a. What happened with Paul, compared to the Jewish exorcists, concerning evil spirits?

“God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.”  Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”  Acts 19:11-16

• Because of Paul’s relationship with the one true LORD, and his commission by Jesus, even the cloths from his body caused the evil spirits to depart from those they were afflicting.
• In contrast, the Jewish exorcists who tried to copy Paul and use the name of Jesus, had no power over the evil spirits, but were instead overpowered and beaten up by them.
• It is interesting that the evil spirit knew Jesus, and who Paul was, but did not know these Jewish exorcists.

b. What was the result of what happened among both Jews and Greeks who lived in Ephesus?

“This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.”   Acts 19:17-20

• Miracles, and the defeat of demons in this manner, are always recorded in Scripture to give evidence of the one true God and His power over the natural and spiritual realm through the name of Jesus.
• The result of these incidents in Ephesus caused the people, both Jew and Greek, to believe, and to confess and repent of their demonic activities including the burning of their demonic books.
• The Word of the Lord grew mighty and prevailed in Ephesus – history shows that Ephesus became a foundational location for the early church.

c. Discuss: Are there people today who hold on to objects of occult practices, maybe unknowingly? How do we recognize this and what can we do to help?

• Answers will vary here based on personal experience…
• As Christians it is important to know that we cannot be possessed (because we have the Holy Spirit living in us), but we can still be oppressed by evil spirits (spiritual warfare) and we should do all that we can to not have any strongholds of this realm in our homes or lives. Objects of the occult, including those of new age and other pagan practices, should not occupy our living areas as they can attract demonic activity. As Christians we cannot ignore the power of the spiritual realm, but at the same time we should not fear it because we can call on, and take comfort in, the Holy Spirit: “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4

2. Read Chapter 19:21-41 with your table group

In the last part of this chapter, Paul’s Gospel presentation gets the local disciples in trouble:

a. Who was Demetrius, and what did he say about Paul that got the people in an uproar?

“About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen; these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this business.  You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all. Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence.””  Acts 19:23-27

• Demetrius was a silversmith who, along with others in the idol making businesses, were outraged at Paul because people were now turning away from pagan worship of idols to worshipping the one true God, and this of course would hurt the idol making trade that was strong in this city.
• Note: Artemis was one of the most important gods in this city, and a google search tells us…

“Artemis, in Greek religion, was the goddess of wild animals, the hunt, and vegetation and of chastity and childbirth; she was identified by the Romans with Diana. Artemis was the daughter of Zeus and Leto and the twin sister of Apollo. Among the rural populace, Artemis was the favorite goddess.”

b. Who was taken to the theatre center and why? How did the town clerk stop this near riot?

“The 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. And when Paul wanted to go into the assembly, the disciples would not let him. Also some of the Asiarchs who were friends of his sent to him and repeatedly urged him not to venture into the theater. So 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. Some 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. But 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!” After 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? So, since these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and to do nothing rash. For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess. So 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. But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the lawful assembly. For 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.” After saying this he dismissed the assembly.”  Acts 19:29-41

• Because Demetrius had stirred up the people, they grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia – and even though Paul wanted to go too, his other companions and friends would not let him (as they knew he would be attacked).
• The town clerk appealed to the people’s knowledge of the cultural myth concerning Artemis as being an “undeniable fact,” and that complaints should go through the court system (just as we do today). He also pointed out that if they were accused of a riot it would be a greater threat to their city (because Roman authorities would get involved) – and this seemed to calm them down for the time being.
• Note: It is interesting to see, as we do today, that once a person in power suggests that something is an “undeniable fact” there is not an option of debating because contrary arguments are then seen as ignorant, uneducated or evil in some way. We see this today, for example, in the teaching of evolution (vs. creation); Jesus Mythers’ claims; or the accusation that Christians are science deniers.

c. Discuss: In verse 32 we see an example of mob mentality: “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.” Do we see “mob mentality” happen still today, and if so, can we do anything to stop it?

• Answer will vary in discussion… however, truth is important, and making sure a person has all of the facts (investigating all sides of a situation) before discerning truth, and as Christians this mean checking Scripture. Christians should especially be mindful of following Jesus’ teachings and act accordingly, “giving to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” We are to live humbly together, and remember that even though we are in this world, we are not of this world – our kingdom is a Heavenly one, it is with Jesus, our LORD and King – and our purpose here is to share His good news (the Gospel) with everyone, first and foremost!

d. Review and discuss: Write down and share two or three things that you think are important to remember about chapters eighteen and nineteen:

• We met Priscilla and Aquila (chapter 18) and saw their example of a husband and wife team who were willing to take in Paul and his companions, help in missionary needs, and teach others (as exampled in their teaching of Apollos) – what a great model for Christian couples today!
• We saw a great example of the use of “apologetics” by Apollos, who was also humbly willing to learn from more mature Christians.
• We learned the importance of understanding the reality of a spiritual realm of demonic activity and idol worship, and the importance of understanding spiritual warfare as a Christian still today.