Acts 19:30-41 meaning

In Acts 19:30-41, the riot of Ephesus is stopped by a city clerk.

We learned from prior sections of this Acts 19 commentary that during Paul’s two years of preaching the gospel and performing miracles in Ephesus, a significant number of Ephesians have turned away from sorcery and idolatry to faith in Jesus Christ.

But the local silversmiths and craftsmen suddenly rally to drive Paul out of town. Because so many people in the region believe in Jesus, they are no longer buying the idols which the smiths sell, so profits are plummeting for these workmen. This mob tears through the city and enters the Ephesian theater where they attack two known friends of Paul.

Paul hears about the commotion and wants to help his friends:

And when Paul wanted to go into the assembly, the disciples would not let him (v. 30).

Apparently other disciples are at the scene of this riot. As the situation has developed and escalated, other believers who were either at the theater already or accompanied Paul are now standing outside. While Paul wanted to go into the assembly of the workmen who have seized his friends, the other disciples would not let him enter the theater. The assembly has grown into a confused crowd of more than just the workmen. It is a clear danger to Paul to go in. The disciples probably fear he would be killed there and then.

It is interesting to note that the Greek word translated assembly is “ekklesia” which is often translated “church” when context indicates an assembly or gathering of believers is taking place. An example is Paul’s reference to the “ekklesia” that meets or assembles in the house of Priscilla and Aquila (Romans 16:5). We can take from this that the church of Jesus is the gathering of people, rather than the building in which they meet or any supporting institution they might form.

Luke, the author of Acts, informs us there were others present too who knew Paul and stood in his way in order to protect him from being harmed by the mob:

Also some of the Asiarchs who were friends of his sent to him and repeatedly urged him not to venture into the theater (v. 31).

The Asiarchs were leaders from various cities in Asia  (modern-day western Turkey) who managed festivals and games. There was possibly some kind of sporting event happening at the theater that day with many people there beyond the mob of smiths. These Asiarchs were friends of Paul. Having spent two years in Ephesus and Asia, Paul had established good-natured relationships with these people of influence.

The Asiarchs do not seem to be believers in Jesus, as Luke distinguishes them from the disciples mentioned in verse 30. But they apparently respected Paul and did not want to see him destroyed. Or perhaps they simply wanted to be able to testify to the Roman authorities that they did what they could to prevent a riot, which was illegal under Roman law.

 Somehow they heard word that Paul was outside the theater, and they sent messengers to him and urged him not to venture into the theater. The fervor of the mob inside is so out of control that to venture into the theater might lead to Paul’s death.

It is inspiring to consider that Paul is so willing to venture into harm’s way. We can read the list of persecution he had endured for his testimony to the gospel in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28. In his own words, the ways he had suffered include:

• “…far more labors,
• far more imprisonments,
• beaten times without number,
• often in danger of death.
• Five times receiving from the Jews thirty-nine lashes.
• Three times I was beaten with rods,
• once I was stoned,
• three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep.
• frequent journeys,
• in dangers from rivers,
• dangers from robbers,
• dangers from my countrymen,
• dangers from the Gentiles,
• dangers in the city,
• dangers in the wilderness,
• dangers on the sea,
• dangers among false brethren;
• In labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
• the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.”

One would think that after a time Paul would get a sort of persecution post-traumatic syndrome and start navigating away from dangerous situations. But here he is ready to go in and face a mob.

The chaotic scene intensifies with the combination of the mob of craftsmen who had charged into the theater and the large crowd of theater-goers who were already there:

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 (v. 32).

It is possible that the mob of craftsmen had attracted other followers earlier as they marched through the city to find Paul. The whole purpose of this riot has been lost to the size and noise of the crowd gathered there.

There were some people shouting one thing, making some declaration or accusation, while some people shouted another thing, probably irrelevant to the original intent of the angry craftsmen. The theater of Ephesus could seat 24,000 attendees, so this assembly may have been in the tens of thousands. The crowd of people was in such confusion that most of them, the majority, had no idea what was happening. They did not know for what reason they had come together with so much outrage and show of force.

But apparently they are happy to participate in the endeavor. Perhaps they are just enjoying being part of something, with a “Never miss out on a good riot” sort of attitude.

A false accusation emerges:

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 (v. 33).

A Jewish man named Alexander is put forward by the Jews present in the theater. He may have been a synagogue leader or some other man of influence. He motioned with his hand for the crowd to listen to him, because he was intending to make a defense to the assembly of rioters. It is not totally clear why the Jews had put this man forward to make a defense. Alexander and the Jews with him may have been believers in Jesus.

The fact that Alexander hoped to make a defense to the assembly means he thought he knew what their outrage was about, and could calm them down if they would listen to him. But the general mood of this scene—shouting and confusion and the ignorance of the majority of the people—could mean that Alexander and the Jews there were just as mistaken as the rioters, and thought they had been accused of something which that had not.

Whatever case Alexander meant to make, the crowd turns on him immediately. Seeing that he motioned with his hand to speak, the crowd concluded it was Alexander who was the reason of the rioters’ unrest.

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!” (v. 34).

Simply because of Alexander’s ethnicity—that he was a Jew—the mob unifies in drowning out his voice. They recognized that he was not one of them, not a Greek or a Roman, but a Jew, so they shouted him down. The Jews were foreigners and did not worship Artemis of the Ephesians. So many Ephesians were being turned away from worshipping Artemis of the Ephesians because of the Jew called Paul who taught that the Jew Jesus Christ was the Son of God. A single outcry arose from them all—thousands of people, possibly—as they scream Demetrius’s pagan chant for about two hours.

This was the chant which the rioting workmen had shouted as they entered the theater. Demetrius and his fellow tradesmen probably started it up again to stir loyalty to Artemis and Ephesus in the hearts of the Ephesians who were attending the theater that day. It is also likely that the celebration or event in the theater was in honor of Artemis, especially given the presence of the Asiarchs (v. 31) whose job it was to supervise religious festivals.

Demetrius’s goal was to stoke opposition to Paul and the growing number of believers in Christ because it was ruining his prosperity as a silversmith. Now he has a crowd of thousands of people shouting for nearly two hours a declaration against Paul and his Messiah. Over and over, the crowd shouts:

Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!

Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!

Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!

This sentiment elevates both Artemis and Ephesus. It promotes worship of the goddess as well as the importance of her temple in Ephesus. If the Christians can be driven out of town, business will return to the temple of Artemis and the Ephesians will go on buying silver idols, filling Demetrius’s pockets.

The scene, while not fully described, appears to be something of a hostage situation. Paul’s friends Aristarchus and Gaius are still captives of the mob of craftsmen (Acts 19:29). The two men have been held there in the theater against their will for nearly two hours. Whatever sporting event or festival was meant to happen in the theater that day has probably been cancelled due to this disruption.

At last the town clerk arrives and is able to put a stop to the riot. This is a high-ranking official in the government over Ephesus. He may have come with soldiers to help control the crowd.

His appearance silences the continual shout of “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? (v. 35).

After quieting the crowd, he makes a wise, shrewd case for why this riot is ridiculous and needs to stop immediately. Everyone listens to him in silence because of the authority he wields.

He addresses his audience as Men of Ephesus, and challenges their need to noisily shout how Artemis is great among the Ephesians. What they are shouting is common knowledge; it does not need to be repeated again and again.

The clerk asks them 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? All Men of Ephesus know this. They are not educating anyone there. The city of the Ephesians is famous for being guardian of the great goddess Artemis’s temple. It as though the clerk is telling the mob that they are preaching to the converted. Everyone in Ephesus knows and loves Artemis and her temple. It is obvious and does not require a rampage.

The town clerk also references the image which fell down from heaven. This phrase is translated from the Greek word “diopetēs” which could also be translated “fell down from Zeus.” This is believed to be a reference to something that possibly fell from the sky which the Ephesians celebrated and worshipped as being from the gods to honor Artemis. It may have been a sacred stone kept in reverence of Artemis, as an image is a likeness or a statue of something. There are many legends throughout Greek history and geography of special images falling from heaven in honor of various gods and goddesses.

The town clerk rebukes the chaos and violence of the riot:

“So, since these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and to do nothing rash” (v. 36).

He has mentioned these so-called undeniable facts that everyone knows that Artemis is special to Ephesus. The temple of Artemis was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, described by the poet Antipater of Sidon as more beautiful than the other six. The town clerk is shaming the rioters for making such a fuss about how Great is Artemis of the Ephesians. All Ephesians know that Artemis is Great.

While Demetrius’s initial fear was that Artemis was losing popularity among the Ephesians, the town clerk is making the opposite argument. Artemis’s fame is intact, she does not need anyone defending her or panicking that she is no longer revered. She isn’t going anywhere.

Demetrius obviously disagrees, based on how he is making less money than he used to before Paul came to Ephesus. The town clerk then directs the craftsmen to keep calm and to do nothing rash, because they have two innocent men (Aristarchus and Gaius) in their custody. The clerk is trying to protect the two disciples from the rioters harming them. He argues that the shouting and the hostage-taking is pointless. There is no threat to Artemis.

The town clerk goes on to point out that Aristarchus and Gaius have committed no crime:

 “For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess” (v. 37).

These men they have taken prisoner in the theater are not robbers of temples. Aristarchus and Gaius have not stolen anything. Nor are they blasphemers of the goddess Artemis; they have not insulted or cursed her or sought to harm her.

Again, Demetrius would probably disagree with both of these defenses. The disciples who follow Jesus Christ have indirectly decreased profits for the temples and the shrine-makers, like Demetrius himself. The teaching that there is only one God has turned people away from worshipping the goddess Artemis. But the town clerk is right in that neither of these men have committed visible crimes.

The town clerk then gives the rioters a brief lesson in civics, reminding them how things work in a civilized city such as Ephesus:

 “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 (v. 38-39).

Verse 38 implies pretty strongly that although there was confusion earlier about what the riot was really all about, since then Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him took control of the assembly again and were key to stirring up the anger of the crowd and the shout that Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! (v. 24).

Demetrius is the obvious instigator here, and the town clerk knows it. The clerk tells the craftsmen that if they want to prosecute Aristarchus and Gaius, they have to do it in court. If they have a complaint against any man, the courts are in session. The courts are not closed for holiday. They are ready and waiting to mete out justice. The proconsuls—judges—are available.

This is the foundation of a court system. Instead of mob justice in the streets, men may legally and non-violently bring charges against one another in a designated location. The proconsuls are standing by to perform their job.

But the theater of Ephesus is not the courts. This is not the place for charges or any complaint. The clerk has already dismissed the idea that Aristarchus and Gaius are criminals, but if Demetrius really thinks he can prove wrongdoing, he must take them to court.

The clerk concludes his speech by warning the rioters that what they have done could bring trouble to Ephesus, likely from Rome:

 “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” (v. 40).

There was no real cause for Demetrius and the craftsmen to storm the theater and capture two innocent men, then keep them there for hours while chanting and disrupting the theater’s planned event. The situation was totally inappropriate and irrational. It did indeed present the danger of calling down the authority of Rome. Riots were forbidden under Roman law. Only the Romans were allowed to use brute force. The clerk is suggesting what everyone knew—“We do not want to come under the gaze of Rome and end up with troops in our city.”

If the Ephesians were accused of starting a riot in connection with the events of that day, Rome might multiply their military presence in Ephesus. Rome did not tolerate riots, unrest, or disorder. Rome was all about controlling its subjects. If the Ephesians were accused of starting a riot, there really was no defense, since the storming of the theater had no real cause.

The clerk is telling the crowd that they are all culpable for their connection with what has happened. They were all here at this riot and they would be unable to account for the disorderly gathering which had no legal basis, no legitimate accusations, and was merely an exercise in chaos. He is saying, “Dismiss now and I do not believe you will be in trouble; continue on and you might cause us all to fall under the heavy hand of Roman discipline.”

The clerk then orders everyone to go home:

After saying this he dismissed the assembly (v. 41).

The situation was resolved thanks to the prudence and good judgment of a city official, a man who, just like Demetrius and the smiths, held Artemis and the Ephesian temple in high regard. The clerk appealed to the mob’s respect for Roman authority, motivating them to disperse rather than have to answer for their rioting.

The town clerk defended his false goddess and his city while also dealing justly with the wrongly accused Aristarchus and Gaius. In some scenarios during Paul’s ministry, the city officials side with the mob and allow injustice to occur (Acts 16:22). In others, such as here and with the proconsul in Corinth (Acts 18:12-16), justice reigns and the mob is shut down.

The book of Proverbs tells us that Wisdom is an eternal truth, existing before creation:

“From everlasting I [Wisdom] was established,
From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.
When there were no depths I was brought forth…
While He had not yet made the earth and the fields,
Nor the first dust of the world…”
(Proverbs 8:23-24, 26)

Verse 34 says simply, “Blessed is the man who listens to [Wisdom].” God’s wisdom is available to anyone willing to see, since God embedded His wisdom within His creation (Psalm 19:1-4, Romans 1:19-20). The town clerk displayed wisdom in his intervention and saved the lives of two innocent men, as well as spared his city from being exposed to Roman discipline.

Thoroughly rebuked, it would seem Demetrius and his craftsmen gave up. Luke does not say it, but it is implied that the mob dispersed and Aristarchus and Gaius were released. The next chapter (Acts 20) begins, “After the uproar had ceased…” affirming that the riot stopped then and there. We know from other writings that Aristarchus continued to be Paul’s friend, co-minister, and even co-prisoner (Acts 20:4, Philemon 1:24, Colossians 4:10).

Paul, all the while, was kept outside the theater against his will and was unable to help his friends. He had already been planning to depart Ephesus and Asia after his two years of teaching there. It was obviously a good time now to go ahead and leave the city. First, he planned to visit the churches in Macedonia, then Achaia (Greece), before returning to Jerusalem and the great danger waiting for him there.