It boasted a number of major public buildings, including gymnasiums, theaters and a triumphal arch constructed in 3 bc. But many more detailsthe immense temple commemorating the artemis cult, the artemis figure peculiar to ephesus who was believed to have. Paul in ephesus the synagogue, school, evangelism, and riot. Evidence from ephesus for the reliability of scripture. Acts 19 is the nineteenth chapter of the acts of the apostles in the new testament of the christian bible. Pauls 3rd missionary journey ephesus scripture reference. Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade.
Pauls 3rd missionary journey ephesus mission bible class. If it is the same alexander, and if he is also linked to acts 19, then his history would be something like this. They answered, no, we have not even heard that there is a holy spirit. The travels of apollos after he left ephesus took him eventually to corinth, where he continued his ministry of proving from. Besides having two epistles written to it ephesians. According to clint arnold, jewish magic was famous in the ancient world acts, 193. The story of the evangelization of ephesus does not begin in chapter 19, or even in chapter 18 of the book of acts. Scripture describes pauls journey from corinth to ephesus this way. The book of acts is the record of that commission beingcarried out. The church at ephesus receives ample attention in the scriptures. Paul in ephesus while apollos was at corinth, paul took the road through the interior and.
This part covers pauls long stay almost 3 years in ephesus, where he encountered some. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, did you receive the holy spirit when you believed. On pauls second mission tour, he visited ephesus after leaving corinth, and evidently planted the church there acts 18. The phrase, purposed in the spirit is like several others in the book of acts acts 18. Kjv the book of acts is the historical link between the. Yet he experiences intense persecution and pressure, and perhaps imprisonment. While apollos was at corinth, paul took the road through the interior and arrived at ephesus.
Prior to writing his epistle to the ephesians in 6061 ad, paul had an established ministry in ephesus. Merchants go berserk with the preaching of the gospel. Pauls extended work at ephesus for about three years was done in connection with this tour. The artemis mentioned in the book of acts was a different deitya localized goddess of the ephesiansbut she bore the same name latinized as diana as the goddess of greek mythology. Interesting biblical facts about ephesus from archaeologous. First, he laid hands on some disciples who received the holy spirit with power 19. It records part of the third missionary journey of paul. Ephesus is mentioned multiple times in the new testament, and the biblical book of ephesians, written around 60 a. The book burning at ephesus is an incident recorded in the book of acts in which christian converts at ephesus, influenced by saint paul, burned their books of. Two of pauls companions, trophimus and tychicus, were probably natives of ephesus acts 20. This building was raised on immense substructions, in consequence of the swampy nature of the ground.
Generally paul and his team which often varied in both numbers and membership stayed in a place only a short time. Paul in ephesus while apollos was at corinth, paul took the road through the interior and arrived. This uproar was led by a certain silversmith named demetrius, who was less concerned about theological matters. Therefore, it is reasonable to include lukes purpose for acts as falling under his purpose for the book of luke. Ephesus permitted, the capital of the roman province of asia, and an illustrious city in the district of ionia, nearly opposite the island of samos. When the missionaries came to town, alexander the coppersmith got to know them and was seemingly open to the gospel. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.
Yes, it was the headline in ephesus over 2000 years ago. Acts 19, and this passage dealing with the riot runs from verses 21 through verse 41. A eunuch was on his way home from jerusalem when philip taught and baptized him. Alexander was an influential jewish metalworker in ephesus. But ephesus is arguably one of the most important of cities. Bible study quiz questions set 2 acts facts book of acts. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver v. It started with the ministry of john the baptist, whose teaching had produced a number of converts, men and women who looked for the messiah, promised by the old testament prophets, who was his forerunner. Actus apostolorum, often referred to simply as acts, or formally the book of acts, is the fifth book of the new testament. We learn how paul deals with such struggles acts 18.
On his arrival at ephesus, paul found twelve brethren, who, like apollos, had. The epistle to the ephesians, also called the letter to the ephesians and often shortened to ephesians, is the tenth book of the new testament. Its narrative supplies a bridge connecting the life and ministry of jesus to the life of the church and the witness of the earliest believers. The author of the book of ephesus was the apostle paul. The book of acts tells of the spread of christianity and the adventures of the first christians. Next, he presented the message of the kingdom of god in.
Conspicuous at the head of the harbor of ephesus was the great temple of diana or artemis, the tutelary divinity of the city. She was depicted as a grotesque, multibreasted woman. Includes pauls miracles and the burning of magic books. For the first three months, where did paul preach in ephesus. Pauls teaching starts riot in ephesus living passages. But we have, in his last address to the elders of ephesus at miletus, an affecting picture of pauls labors. On the surface, it is ambiguous, with possible reference either to a persons own spirit or the holy spirit. It is wrong to practice things like sorcery, magic, witchcraft, horoscopes or anything else that acknowledges and gives importance to a power other than god. Acts 19 records how a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. Most people in the ancient world believed in the power of protective magic. It was probably written in the early 60s, perhaps from antioch, rome or ephesus. Satan as an angel of light, paul writes to the corinthians, 2nd corinthians 2. Acts facts the spread of christianity the six parts of. This phrase is often a shorthand expression in acts for the whole message about jesus christ, namely.
The acts of the apostlesephesus wikisource, the free online library. Although paul wrote the book of ephesians, it gives us no personal or incidental details. So surely as god is god, your work shall not be wasted. In fact, pauls time in ephesus might be his most successful ministry described in the book of acts. Acts 19 new international version niv paul in ephesus. Bruce, the book of acts, revised edition, the new international commentary on the new testament, page 374 artemis of ephesus latin, diana was the mothergoddess of fertility. Speaking to the men who had become the leaders of the ephesian church, acts 20. Paul baptizes disciples of john the baptist, teaches for two years, and sees extraordinary miracles. Under the shadow of her temples, criminals of every grade found shelter, and the most degrading vices flourished. What did you like best or what caught your attention. Athens appears in the new testament as the place where paul preached his famous sermon on the areopagus mars hill, acts 17. The riot in ephesus introduction of luke jesus taken up into heaven matthias chosen to replace judas the holy spirit comes at pentecost. Demetrius the silversmith of ephesus who instigated the riot.
The book of acts provides a detailed, orderly, eyewitness account of the birth and growth of the early church and the spread of the gospel immediately after the resurrection of jesus christ. The great temple of artemis was located there and was as familiar to the people of that day as the golden gate bridge is to us. Acts 1921 niv paul in ephesus while apollos was at bible. In his monograph magic in ephesus he details magical practices in the ephesus as well as jewish use of magic and talismans to ward off evil.
In the new testament book of acts its recorded that the lord caused a riot to break out among those who sold idols and pagan works of the goddess artemis. Ephesus is not again mentioned till near the close of pauls life, when he writes to timothy exhorting him to abide still at ephesus 1 timothy 1. As was stated, acts is the second part of what was originally a twopart, single volume i. Paul came to asia on his second missionary journey so called, but the holy spirit forbade them from proclaiming the gospel acts 16. Look in a mirror, paul writes to the corinthians, 1 corinthians 12. But when they realized that he was a jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours. But undoubtedly this, at least paul found in ephesus a healthy hunger for gods word, among the believers, that is. From the little mission school you have organised at ephesus mighty christianising influences may perchance steal out by ways unknown to you into the great outlying wicked christless asia. Ephesus was an ancient port city whose wellpreserved ruins are in. This rather mundane detail provides a geographical marker and actually allows the. Chapter 19 in the book of acts tells of a riot started by a man named. Ephesus means desirable, and in many ways it was a desirable place to live. Acts 19 niv paul in ephesus while apollos was at bible gateway.
Ephesus was not only the most magnificent, but the most corrupt, of the cities of asia. The author of the book containing this chapter is anonymous but early. Its authorship has traditionally been attributed to paul the apostle but starting in 1792, this has been challenged as deuteropauline, that is, written in pauls name by a later author strongly influenced by pauls thought, probably by a loyal disciple to sum up pauls teaching and to apply it to a new situation fifteen to twentyfive years after. That paul meets several important jewish christians in ephesus aquila and priscilla, apollos, as well as some disciples of john indicates the importance of ephesus to the jews.
In the book of acts chapter 19, that was the location that the riot took place in, when paul was preaching and the ephesians opposed him, and he was almost lynched, because he was coverting the ephesians to christianity. It was thought to have been founded by the amazons about 2000 b. Here ends our study of all the places mentioned in the book of acts. Of course these dates are merely the best estimates available. Acts 19 paul in ephesus while apollos was at bible. The book of acts is the second book written for theophilus by luke, and takes up the story where lukes gospel account finished luke 1. When paul came to ephesus he found the city in the grip of superstition, fear, demonism, and darkness. Edwards, lukes account of the riot at ephesus in acts contains a wealth of historical detail, some of whichproconsuls, standing courts and a city secretarywere common throughout the roman empire. White unto harvest the establishment of the church at. Superstition and sensual pleasure held sway over her teeming population. And, lord willing, well get at least a good running start and maybe even al.
It was a city devoted to sex and to religion in other words it was the san francisco of the roman empire. The cityfolk opposed him because the guys who made statues for the main goddess of ephesus called artemis same as diana. Her temple in ephesus was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. As we have come to expect by this point in acts, ephesus had a large jewish population as well josephus, antiq. King james bible dictionary reference list ephesus.
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