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Two Hours (Paul in Ephesus)

Ephesus nearly riots and gathers in the Theater to protest Paul’s ministry

Acts 19:28-41; 2 Timothy 4:5-8; Philippians 1:20-24; 1 Corinthians 15:30-31

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The relentless howling deafens any attempt to quash it. Like a primitive group of warriors who parade themselves along the front line in a field of battle and taunt their adversaries before their attack, the crowd refuses to cease from its endless cries of Ephesian solidarity. “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.” It chants in unison. “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.”

Standing by the stairwell leading up into the theater’s massive seating section, Dimitrius’ lips curl upwards ever so slightly. With appreciated satisfaction, he observes the young city official, that Jewish representative, lower his head in defeat and begin to walk towards the side of the proscenium stage. “Run along, Jew.” He snarks. “Run along.”

…

Helplessly raising his head between the two larger soldiers flanked on either side and firmly gripping both of his arms, Gaius begins to feel the weight of the ear-rattling jeers from the thousands of angry Ephesians now assembled in the theater. He then tilts his head back and stares out above the velarium that shades the theater’s uppermost seats. “Lord, we just showed up in this town. What is happening?” He prays. He then leans slightly forward to see Aristarchus trembling uncontrollably. “Aristarchus!” He tries to yell above the crowd.”

“Quiet!” Commands an Avocati who tightens his grip around Gaius’ much smaller arms.

Barely hearing Gaius, Aristarchus leans forward to spot his counterpart and betrays a look of utter terror.

“Pray!” Gaius mouths several times and gestures upwards with his head.

Aristarchus nods his understanding and desperately tries to refocus. “Faith. Not fear, but faith. Oh Lord…” He mouths.

Momentarily relieved, Gaius breathes out a long sigh. Out of the corner of his eyes, he notices the young Jewish town official walking off the side of the platform. His eyes follow over to the Jewish contingency taking up four rows of seats off to his right. He then observes the discomfort of those seated and watches them immediately regroup by forming several small huddles amongst themselves.

…

As Alexander reaches the side of the stage, he discovers how his situation hasn’t improved. He’s met with a sneer of disgust from the man who… has set him up to fail? 

A disapproving Elam wags his head in contempt. “I thought you actually had talent, boy!” He accuses. “One… simple… job.”

“Are you kidding me?” Alexander tries to object. “There are thousands here shouting me down. I’m no match…” 

Elam coldly interrupts. “You have no right to be our representative to this city.”

Alexander grows redder with each fleeting moment, as he tries to formulate a rational reply. “I don’t wish to sound disrespectful…” He manages to get out before being interrupted once again.

“I suggest you make no sound at all.” Elam parries. “You had a moment to say the right thing at the right time… and you failed. You are worthless to us. Now,” Elam snubs, “Remove yourself from my sight!”

Though on the verge of tears, Alexander coldly stares back at his accuser, refusing to give him any further satisfaction. He turns and marches off.

… 

Unable to keep up with Paul’s brisk stride, the two officials trail the determined diminutive man who races towards the theater.

Out of the corner of his eye, Karpos watches a smaller man making a beeline towards the platform with three other familiar faces waving from behind to get his attention. Identifying his subordinates and, “Who is that with… Aquila. What’s going on?” He asks himself. It suddenly comes to him, and he runs to intercept the surprisingly fit older man. In time, Karpos grabs Paul by the shoulders and tries to redirect. “Wo, wo, wo, woah!” He warns. “You can’t go out there, my friend. They’ll kill you.”

“Better me…” Paul hastily retorts as he fights to break loose from Karpos’ firm grip.

Karpos centers in front of Paul with both hands firmly grabbing his shoulders. “Then they will kill many others in the process.”

“What else am I supposed to do?” Paul helplessly laments. “I can’t just stand here.”

Karpos shakes his head. “No. We’re taking care of it.” He points over at a number of Lictors surrounding the Secretary who makes his way out onto the stage. “You, my friend.” Karpos shares. “Are a compelling individual. But in this setting, they will be far more convincing than you could ever be. Do you understand?”

Paul shuts his eyes and tries to keep himself from hyperventilating. 

“Do you understand?” Karpos repeats firmly. 

“Yes.” Paul relents and relaxes his resistance. “I get it.”

Karpos softens and replies. “Now, just… just watch and see what our Lord does here.”

Finally catching up, Aquila receives a warning from Karpos to remain quiet and observe. He nods while placing his arms around Paul’s shoulders. The men nervously observe from the sides of the platform, as the Secretary of Ephesus calmly waits for the crowd to settle down.

The noise subsides, yielding only to the sounds made by a few gusts of wind.

“What… is… this?” The Secretary reprimands the crowd. “We are not barbarians.” He says with a shaming tone. “Men of Ephesus, what person 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 the sky?” He smirks before continuing. “Who is it here that would deny this? Well? Okay then. 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 temple robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess.”

Spotting the man responsible for precipitating the portending riot, the Secretary walks over towards the edge of the platform and glares at Dimitrius. 

Feeling the weight of every eye in the theater, Dimitrius stiffins.

“People of Ephesus.” The Secretary yells out without taking his eyes off of the chief offender. “We have laws in this city to protect one another from false complaints. We have the appropriate processes in place to provide a fair hearing to all of you. That’s why we have judges, and that’s why we have the courts of law.”

Addressing the larger crowd, the Secretary appeals. “So then… if Demetrius and the other trade-guild members who are with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts and judges are available to hear the cases. Let them file an official complaint and bring up charges against one another. Let this be settled in a court of law. Would you not wish to be afforded the same right to a hearing if you were the ones being accused?” He asks rhetorically. “I should say you would.”

Thousands of men stare back at the Secretary without a word.

Out of desperation, Gaius and Aristarchus quietly mouth out their prayers.

“I’ll tell you what the real problem is here, men.” The Secretary continues, as he slowly moves towards a wary Demetrius and looks directly at him. “Do you want to know what the real danger is here? Want to know the real threat? I’ll tell you.” He warns as he points towards the harbor not far behind him. “The real threat is what Rome would do should they hear about our… gathering here.”

The Secretary eyes his Primus Lictor who then nods at two subordinates to flank Demetrius on both sides. The Secretary then points back at the audience and stoically asks. “What happens when Rome accuses us of having a riot in connection with this little soiree? Would you like to see Rome govern us more ruthlessly than they already do, hmmmm? Do you know what would happen to us if Rome chooses to see this disorderly gathering as an uprising?”

The Secretary then ominously chuckles, as he personally runs through the scenario knowing he would be seen as the one responsible for such a revolt. “Let me assure you, Rome has laid waste to independent cities that have acted out in defiance in the past. Be certain, they will do it again and again, and Ephesus is no exception.”

He frowns and glares back at Demetrius. “You… you sir have endangered our city. You have sought to incite a mob to carry out vigilante justice, which is not just at all. We shall deal with you soon enough.” He then turns back to the audience. “Well… what are the rest of you still doing here? Away with you all. Go to your families and peacefully go about your day.”

Hundreds of men stand to take their leave, and conversations emerge throughout the theater. 

Turning around, the Secretary briskly leaves the stage with two of his lictors in tow. “What the hell was that?” He rants to several staffers standing just off the stage. “This close!” He says, as he measures with his fingers. “We’re this close to having to answer to a merciless Rome, and I have no idea what Nero might do to us.”

His staff reluctantly gather around their boss, in fear of the impending retribution to come. “I know Dimitrius and the stunted slime ball that he can be… But I also know he has been provoked. I want to know who has irritated him and why?”

Hesitant to speak out, the faces of the staffers fall upon Karpos. Following their eyes, the Secretary sets himself only inches away from Karpos’ face and gruffly inquires. “What… do… you… know?”

…

Seated on the stage, Gaius finds himself gently rubbing his freshly bruised upper arms. He looks over at Aristarchus who sits with his arms clasped over his knees, rocking slowly back and forth and seemingly absent to the sudden change of events.

Hearing the drum of several footsteps closing in and suddenly fearing the worst, Gaius covers his head with both arms.

Seeing Gaius protecting his head, Paul slows himself and calls out, “Gaius! It’s me. What have they done to you?”

Hearing his voice, Gaius looks up to see a familiar and concerned face looking down at his own. Shaking his head, Gaius nods over at Aristarchus who hasn’t stopped rocking back and forth. “Check Aristarchus. He’s not doing well.” He lets out.

“Okay.” Paul affirms, as he nods over at Aquila to follow up with Gaius. He steps over to Aristarchus and reaches out to comfort him. “Aristarchus,” he says. “It’s me… Paul.” He waits for a moment to see what happens. 

No response.

“Aristarchus,” Paul tries again, as he sits himself next to him and places his arm gently around his back. “Hey buddy, you’re okay. We need to get you out of here.”

…

Well, we’re going to stop here for today.

Two hours of frenzied protest, with so many things happening all at once.

Dimitrius has nearly incited the city of Ephesus to riot in response to an enormous cultural shift that has taken place within the past two to three years since Paul’s arrival. Along with Aquila, Priscilla, and several others, Paul has ministered to and trained hundreds of disciples to forsake their allegiance to Artemis and to align themselves with Jesus, the Jewish Messiah. This effort shook the bedrock of Ephesian society and financially affected the existing business community and the multiple trade guilds that benefited from the worship of Artemis. Artemis was not only the city’s patron hero, this goddess was also big business and the reason for putting Ephesus on the map for being one of Rome’s wealthiest cities.

Meanwhile, Alexander is shamed and shunned by his own, when he fails to disassociate the Jews from the rapidly amassing assembly of Christ followers. The Greeks didn’t exactly see eye-to-eye with the fairly large Jewish community living in Ephesus. For the most part, the Jews lived among their own, did business with their own, and avoided fraternizing with their Greek counterparts. So, the Greeks saw them as uncooperative, unsupportive, aloof, and even snobbish towards them. 

In this instance, Paul muddied the waters among the Greeks. Some Greeks found his bridge-building approach to be supportive and refreshing; whereas, many lumped Paul among the other Jewish contingents and blamed him for their economic woes. From the perspective of a sizable percentage of Greeks, Paul was an evangelistic Jew who created a ruckus, which is why the Jewish community wished to separate themselves from any dealings with the rogue Paul and his followers. They wanted no affiliation with the church so as to remain in the somewhat good graces of the community at large. 

As for the city officials, some favored Paul and even sat under his tutelage. Whereas, other officials were simply trying to keep peace, order and overall economic well being. While Ephesus was a key city of Rome–Strabo regarded Ephesus to be second to only Rome itself–it was governed independently. This means, Ephesus was shown some latitude to govern itself without Rome sticking its nose in the city’s business. However, Ephesus was an important city to Rome for economic and regionally influential reasons. Any hint of riotous gatherings would result in an overwhelmingly harsh military response. To add, Ephesus would potentially be seen as incapable of governing itself and would invite further Roman involvement, much like Jerusalem had been feeling at this time. 

Most nations fear instability during a transition of governing power, and that was no exception during the transition from Claudius to Nero after Claudius’ sudden death in AD 54. 

With the young Emperor Nero taking the helm, the known Roman world simply didn’t know what kind of Emperor he would be. He was young when he became Emperor. Taught by the Stoic, Seneca the Younger–who incidentally happened to be the brother of Gallio who had dealings with Paul in Corinth–Nero carried out his duties as emperor in a fair manner. We know that changed dramatically later on, but the first five or so years were pretty even keel for the young ruler.

The governors of Ephesus simply didn’t know how Nero would respond should he get wind of this unofficial gathering, so reasoning with the Ephesians would definitely be the right course of action for the Secretary to take. Get them settled down so that Rome would not intervene. 

As for Paul, he was most concerned for the well being of Gaius and Aristarchus, who found themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time. Repeatedly, Paul would place himself in the line of fire, especially if it meant protecting those under his mentorship. So, when Paul saw them being arrested and potentially subjected to a public flogging, he tried his hardest to get to the theater in order to address the crowd. While Aquila and Karpos wouldn’t let him, Paul did whatever he could to put himself in their place. He didn’t care if he lived or died. He would share this sentiment throughout his writings. Death was not to be feared, and life was to be lived in pursuit of Jesus. Here’s what Paul had to say:

Why are we also in danger every hour? I affirm, brothers and sisters, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, that I die daily. 

– 1 Corinthians 15:30-31

With all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sakes.

– Philippians 1:20-24

But as for you, use self-restraint in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

– 2 Timothy 4:5-8

Well we’re going to wrap things up for today. The two hours of protest was a response to Paul’s relentless preoccupation with disciple making in Ephesus. Paul simply proclaimed something that many in the city did not wish to hear. Jesus was God’s solution to humanity’s problem, and even death could not keep him down. Resurrection was Paul’s endgame. 

Death is not the enemy, especially when your life is lived for Jesus. Even as we celebrate Easter today, please remember that Jesus’ resurrection is the game changer that would defeat the permanence of death. To live for Jesus is to live as God intends. Death is just a temporary hiccup to be overcome when God raises His own from the dead. In other words, to live is Christ; to die is gain.

May you live for Jesus, and may you look forward to the moment when God raises you from the dead. With that, let’s move forward together.

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Marked (Paul in Ephesus)

Dimitrius hosts a banquet for his trade guild, where he motivates his colleagues to arrest Paul and his followers.

Acts 19:23-34; Matthew 11:11-14, 18-19

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“Good afternoon, my most esteemed colleagues!” The emcee announces with a broad smile. He raises himself on his tiptoes to peer over into a cup held by a man standing nearby. “I see your cups are overflowing!”

Over fifty men, many of whom are nearing the brink of their own inebriation, hover around the emcee and eagerly await the lavish meal set before them. As if readying themselves for the kill, the wolves refuse to be distracted by this emcee’s preamble. Only the social pressure of being shamed as savages keeps them from violently defacing the mouth watering roasted pig.

Observing their feigned interest, the emcee smiles over at Dimitrius who smirks in return and sidles up next to him. He then calls for the room’s attention. 

“My fellow silversmiths.” Dimitrius begins. “Surely you know our being here together is a sacred time, yes?”

Heads shift away from the table and back over at Dimitrius. Guilt spreads across the faces of the wolves who are otherwise ready to pounce.

“You gave your allegiance… your homage to our beloved mother as you stepped into this room.” Dimitrius inflects with a critical tone. He then points to the meal and continues, “This fattened pig has been offered to our benefactor, the one responsible for our livelihoods.” He then softens his eyes and laughs. “Gentlemen, are we but vultures who circle around their prey and instantly swoop in upon their demise?”

The men laugh along with him and hoist their cups in revelry. “Hurrah!”

“Not so fast!” Dimitrius grows serious once more. “We are not the pigs here, so refrain yourselves from acting as such.” He jabs.

The laughter dies quickly.

He continues. “Gentlemen, I want you to eat and carouse to your fill, but before doing so, I need you to promise me here and now that I will gain your undivided and sober attention once we have been satisfied. Can I count on you for this?”

Nods are exchanged between the nervous men around the buffet table.

“That means if you’re currently drunk, as I suspect many of you are.” He says.

The room erupts with laughter.

Dimitrius continues. “That you will stop drinking at this point. I need you sober enough to understand how important this is. Agreed?”

The men agree.

“Well then, you territorial savages.” He revels. “Now that you’ve marked your possessions like wolves, go and plunder this delicious meal.”

The men whoop in celebration.

…

“Wow!” Paul exclaims to Aristarchus who inhales a course of olives, dates and bread. “You are hungry.” He playfully shoves against Gaius’ shoulder and says, “Have you even eaten since you’ve got here?” 

Gaius smiles while trying to keep the food in his mouth to chew further.

Shaking his head, Paul then laughs at the two who ravenously turn back to devour their plates. He turns to “people watch” as a melange of residents, merchants and tourists alike stroll while exploring the diverse offerings made available in the agora. “Okay, one of you is going to come up for air soon, I know it.” He laughs, as he hears shouting somewhere nearby. “When you do, I need one of you to tell me what is happening in Macedo….” Paul doesn’t finish his sentence. “I’ll be right back, guys.” He says as he abruptly stands from the table and briskly walks across the street towards the center of the agora. 

“You’re one of them.” An accusing voice bellows, wagging his sausage-like finger in front of the offender. A crowd quickly forms around the rapidly heating argument. “And so are you!” The deep voice points at the woman next to him. “You! You’ve demonized our Great Mother, and you’ve ripped our town to shreds. You have divided us, pinning families against one another.”

Unable to see above the crowd, Paul weaves through it and comes behind the husky figure of a man leaning over to threaten… “Priscilla… Aquila!” He panics. “Aquila! What is happening here?”

The burly man turns around to see a diminutive Paul standing in front of him. “You!” The man reproachfully blurts out to the surrounding crowd. “This is the one who has brought down the wrath of Artemis upon us.” He bellows. “This is the Jew from Syria who has turned our city upside down.” He looks down at Paul and says, “I should rip off your limbs right here and now. You have destroyed all that is dear to us.”

Paul looks around and sees the crowd’s faces scowl back at him.

…

Dimitrius carefully observes the room. The men slow their eating, some of whom continue to pick at the remaining morsels while others breath out sighs of contentment.

“Men of Artemis. Keeper of all things that are sacred to us.” Dimitrius calls out. “Now that you have eaten to your fill. Are you not satisfied?”

Smiles trace across several faces of those in the hall. 

“Finish with whatever you wish, men.” Dimitrius follows. “Whatever isn’t eaten here will be sold in the market next door tomorrow. But please wrap things up and give me your attention.” He steps up onto a platform and begins. “Gentlemen, this is the moment where I need your closest attention.” He stops and waits for conversations to subside. “Do… I… Have… It?” He whispers. 

Several men lick their fingers and wipe them on their garments.

Silence ensues for what seems like an eternity. Refusing to be upstaged, Dimitrius glares out at the room until all eyes are upon him. 

“Men…” He starts. “I have warned many of you before, but we must now be men of action. Today, we must move swiftly. You know our wealth comes from our businesses. We are indebted to Artemis herself for our financial well being. Without her, we’re broke. Our families, our homes, our livelihoods… will all be lost without Artemis at the center of what we do. You know that throughout Asia and especially here in Ephesus, Paul has persuaded and turned away tourists and locals alike, saying that the gods that we make with our hands are not gods at all. Our trades, our work, is greatly at risk and is likely to fall to ruin. Moreover, the temple of our Divine Mother, Artemis herself, will become the enemy of the people and regarded as worthless.”

“No!” Shout several out from the room. 

“Yes!” Dimitrius counters. “Yes it will happen, and it’s happening right now as I speak. Men, I have seen it with my own eyes. This single man has made his mark on our land and threatens to change it forevermore. Even Linus over here has betrayed our beloved mother by showing himself to be soft among these anarchists.”

All eyes angrily look over at Linus who startles at the idea of being called out.

“What?” Linus asks in surprise. “What are you talking…”

Dimitrius interrupts, “She, the one we worship and adore. She, the one the world comes to worship, will be dethroned from her magnificence.” 

“No.” Several voices call out. “Kill the Syrian Jew!” Another says, which ignites several others to whoop in support. “Kill the Syrian!”

“We have laws here, gentlemen,” Dimitrius calms. “We cannot just go around killing those we despise. However…” He takes a moment to think. “We can help them see the light.”

“I say get rid of them.” One of the men nearby yells.

“Get rid of all of them.” Another shouts. “Yeah!”

Dimitrius follows, “We must show these miscreants that Artemis, our beloved mother, is greatest over all gods. Yes, the whole city must tell them that they are not wanted here, for great is Artemis of the Ephesians.”

“Great is Artemis.” Another echoes.

Several cheer in response. “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians. Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.”

Dimitrius holds both hands high in the air to silence the deafening shouts. “Men!” He yells. “Men, we must round up those who are responsible for taking our city hostage and have our city rightfully punish them. Take one more swig of wine, right now!” He commands.

The men smile as they quickly oblige.

With a militant voice, Dimitrius barks. “Now! Go to the agora, go by their meeting places, and find their leaders. Once you find them, drag their sorry butts to the theater without delay. Our city will respond swiftly and harshly. Are you ready?

“Yeah!” The men beat their chests. 

“Men, you are Champions of Artemis.” He rallies. “Now go and meet me at the theater. Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.”

The crowd of men whoop and chant as they hastefully exit the room. “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians. Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

…

As a monsoon storm rapidly overwhelms an unaware land, the whooping thunder of fifty raucous men can be heard throughout the compact Ephesian cityscape. Knowing where to find the troublemakers, the men split up into several smaller ranks to hunt them down, ever gathering the momentum of the merchants and people milling about. Even those who are otherwise trying to mind their own business get caught up in the whirlwind of pent up emotionalism that suddenly bursts into the streets. 

As the heated exchange from several men reverberates off of the stony walls, Paul, Pricilla and Aquila turn away from their rotund accuser to identify the ruckus. All heads shift towards the portending threats coming from up the street, getting louder with each passing moment.

“What the…” The burly merchant asks, as the crowd opens up to see several men pummel two men seated at a table across the street. Knocking them to the ground, the brute squad hurls insults and accusations alike at the two younger men and begin dragging them away.

Paul gasps. “Aristarchus! Gaius!” He begins to shove his way forward when Aquila grabs him from behind. “Let me go!” He snaps and yells out to the men. “Stop! What are you…” 

“Slam!” Aquila brings Paul to the ground, refusing to let go of his garment.

The burly merchant then turns to look back at Paul and laughs. “Serves you right, you dog!” He smiles when he hears the clamorous chanting of the parading city and joins in “Great is Artemis. Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.” He yells, as he rushes off to join them. 

“You would have been killed.” Aquila says.

Angrily, Paul retorts. “Better me than them, Aquila. Now let me go!”

“No… way!” Aquila replies as he struggles to keep Paul pinned to the ground. He looks up to see the tail end of the parade and identifies several town officials frantically running towards… “The theater.” He says. “Oh no. The mob is dragging them to the theater.”

“Over my dead…” Paul wrestles away from Aquila’s grip and to his knees. “Body.” He then looks up to see two town officials pointing at him.

“There he is!” One of them says.

“Oh no.” Aquila dreads. “Can you run?”

“Hey!” An official yells out, as the two start to run towards them.  “Stop right there!”

Aquila and Pricilla both begin to run before turning around to see that Paul doesn’t join them. “Paul!” He yells. “Get out of…”

The two men stop before Paul, who recognizes one of them and says, “I have to go and rescue those guys.”

“No… way!” The familiar official warns.

“We’re just glad we found you in time.” The other replies. 

Confused, Aquila cautiously walks closer to the three and asks, “In time? In time for what?”

“In time for a lynching.” Paul calmly replies. “Except that it should be me in there, not them.”

“Karpos sent us to warn you not to go in there.” The first official warns.

Recognizing the name, Aquila realizes these men have been sent to keep Paul from harm.

The other affirms. “Yes, the mob is unruly, and you wouldn’t make it out alive.”

“What’s to happen with Gaius and Aristarchus?” Paul pleads.

“We’re on it!” The first official replies. “Karpos is already there with the Secretary himself and figuring out a game plan.”

…

“Kill them all!” A boisterous man yells from the higher theater seats.

Aristarchus cowers with the looming threat of being struck by either of the veteran Roman soldiers on both sides of him. He looks over at Gaius who appears as nervous as he is. “What’s happening?” He asks.

“Quiet!” The Avocati commands with a threatening motion of his right hand.

Gaius, who is also flanked by two soldiers, stares wide-eyed out into the rapidly filling theater of angry townspeople. 

“Don’t you dare touch them.” Another voice warns from another part of the theater.

“They deserve to die.” A voice calls in response.

The theater explodes with cheers and cries alike.

Aristarchus begins to quake uncontrollably, as one of the soldiers shakes his head in disgust. 

“Be a man, young one.” He says. “You signed up for this.”

Whispering into the ears of another official, Karpos says, “Why isn’t he doing anything?” He looks at the Secretary and quietly urges. “C’mon, go out there and do something.” 

Assessing the increasingly unruliness of the crowd, Gaius spots several Jewish individuals sneering back at him. “No help from them, I suppose.” He mutters to himself. He sighs and quietly chuckles. “Why should I expect anything different, Lord?” He replays several similar incidents in his mind. “What else is new when you hang out with Paul?”

The crowd becomes more unruly, as many voices shout out what should be done with the offenders. 

To the side of the stage, Elam huddles with several of his Jewish colleagues. He leans over to Alexander and asks, “What will the officials do next?”

Alexander shrugs and replies, “I don’t exactly know. I don’t think they’re even sure what to do here.”

Elam leans back to catch the ear of the man behind him. “This would be an opportune time for us to be exonerated from all of this.”

The man nods his approval.

Bringing Alexander’s ear close to him, Elam privately says. “This is your moment.”

“What?” Alexander asks in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“You are an official, yes?” Elam confirms.

Alexander nods.

Elam continues: “Your men are doing nothing to quell the moment. Like Esther before Xerxes, this is your opportunity to shine. This is your moment to make the people know that we are not part of this factious group. We are Jewish Ephesians and we are on the side of Ephesus.”

“I don’t think…” Alexander hesitates.

“No.” Elam sternly responds. “Thinking is not for you to do right now. Your job is not to think but to go and explain.” He then pushes Alexander towards the stage. “For such a time as this, Alexander. For such a time as this!”

Shaking, Alexander regretfully moves towards the stage, wondering how best to address the unruly crowd. He begins waving to flag their attention. 

Anxiously awaiting to hear from an official, the crowd calms itself. 

Observing the new development Karpos looks at his fellow official and asks, “What’s happening now?”

As the two stand and watch, the other official replies, “I have no idea, but judging by the way Alexander is dressed, I don’t think…” He points to the thousands in the crowd, “they will be too interested in what he has to say.”

Gaining the mob’s attention, Alexander clears his throat. “Men and women of Ephesus.” He starts. “These men before you… We…”

Watching Alexander begin to stumble over his words, Elam slowly shakes his head.

“We…” Alexander continues. “I mean… They are not affiliated with us.”

A voice screams from the crowd. “Shut up! You’re Jewish.”

The crowd erupts.

“No.” Alexander starts. “Yes, I’m Jewish, but we are not…”

“Get rid of the Jews!” Another voice cries out.

The mob spontaneously resounds in cheers.

“Down with the Jews. Kill the Jews.” Several voices respond.

“Great is Artemis!” A heavy voice bellows.

Whipping itself into an immediate frenzy, the crowd runs with the chant and endlessly repeats: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians. Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

…

We’re going to stop here for today:

Ephesus erupts, and Paul is the target once again. I suspect that if you have listened to this podcast for any length of time, you’re seeing a pattern. Paul places his mark on a city by proclaiming Christ and rigorously training disciples. Eventually, many within the city convert and the culture begins to change. While from my perspective, this transformative change reflects the goodness of God. But, it is still change and will potentially have a downside for those who enjoy their livelihoods and status. 

Paul’s marking of Ephesus was little different than what Jesus did in Judea and the Galilee. He trained many disciples about the Kingdom of Heaven and upset the cultural and economic power structures that were in place at the time. For those with much to lose, the acceptance of Jesus or Paul’s teachings was unlikely. Moreover, the retaliation needed to maintain the economic and social order at the time was both fierce and harsh.

Both Jesus and Paul knew this going into each city where they preached and trained. Both would also sacrifice their lives accordingly. For those who were living comfortably within the existing social orders that governed a city, Jesus and Paul alike were regarded as insurrectionists. They were major threats to governments and social orders alike. To those not doing well… which happened to be most of a city’s citizenry… the Kingdom of Heaven and personal change were warmly welcomed. 

Jesus identified this tension between the goals of the Kingdom of Heaven versus the goals of the governing social and religious forces in Judea at the time. He explained how John the Baptizer and all of God’s representatives who were trying to usher in the Kingdom of Heaven, were being outright rejected and even killed by those in power at the time. What’s even more interesting here is that those doing the rejecting were religious leaders waiting for God to show up. Yet, the messengers God did send, those religious leaders in power utterly rejected and destroyed. For those messengers, their lives were acquainted with hostility and shame. Yet, God smiled upon them. Here’s a sample of such tension found in Matthew 11:

“I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is! And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been suffering from violence,  and violent people are attacking it. For before John came, all the prophets and the law of Moses looked forward to this present time… (namely of Messiah’s coming).

For John didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.”

– Matthew 11:11-14, 18-19

The devout religious people in power at this time rejected the very God they were sworn to serve. They rejected the prophets. They rejected the Messiah that the prophets were proclaiming. In the end, the Kingdom of Heaven will be proven right, and God himself will see to it.

Why make such a mark? You may ask. The Kingdom of Heaven, God’s Kingdom, requires it. How else will the Kingdom of Heaven be known, especially when the kingdoms and social orders of this day, even the religious ones, work so hard to reject it? The kings and governments of this world will continue to rise and fall as they always have, and at the right time, God’s Kingdom will come and be thrust upon us.

As you can imagine, this affects every last one of us. We work hard to improve our own situations within the guidelines of the social structures that surround us. But these efforts can get in the way of our pursuit after the Kingdom of Heaven. Perhaps the most relevant question we should be asking is this: Who do we align ourselves with? Do we advance our own situations within the current governing structures at the risk of rejecting the Kingdom of Heaven? Or, do we align ourselves with God who is far more permanent?

Thank you for considering this question, and may you find yourselves aligned with God and His Kingdom’s Agenda. With that, let’s move forward… together.

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Jesus Is Offensive

Acts 19:22-28; Matthew 28:18-20; Matthew 21:40-45; Philippians 2:9-11

Jewish leaders send Alexander as their representative to the city officials in an effort to separate themselves from the rapidly growing church. Dimitrius begins to beat the war drums against the Teacher from Syria. Timothy and Erastus arrive in Macedonia and remain there while sending Gaius and Aristarchus with an update to Paul.

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Slamming his hand down upon the table in front of him, a high pitched nasally voice yells out: “It’s treason! That’s what this is. Treason! He has turned against us and…”

“Eliezer is of no concern to us.” Elam weighs in pensively. “No… It’s the Syrian, the one who calls himself a former Pharisee. He has turned our city against us, Hillel.”

As if slowly wading through a muddied marsh, Hillel quietly ponders the various suggestions for their collective course of action. He thoughtfully assesses the others as they pace the floor and offer their opinions. He doesn’t yet offer a word.

Eventually, the pacing slows, and the men exhaust their vitriol. Like a father waiting for his children to settle down, Hillel finally stands and walks over to a younger man seated a few feet away. 

“Alexander.” Hillel says. 

Without realizing who is standing above him, the younger man looks up to see Hillel staring back at him. He comes to attention and asks, “Yes sir?”

Hillel gently smiles and says. “You are a clerk and have influence among the Asiarchs, yes?”

“Yes, teacher.” Alexander responds. “I know many of them.” 

Hillel turns to face the others in the room and says, “My brothers, we understand that this Paul fellow has had quite an influence in this city since his arrival.”

“He’s destroyed everything we’ve tried to establish.” The nasally pitched voice blurts out.

Hillel raises a hand to quiet the man and continues. “No. He has not. However, we would do well to disassociate ourselves from him and his disciples. Our problem, you see, is one of perception by the authorities. The Greeks incorrectly lump us together as one group. At this juncture, we would do well to clearly communicate to these city officials that we are supportive of Ephesus, its commerce… its goals.”

“What?” Elam sneers as he raises a fist. “We are not them!”

“No.” Hillel calmly replies. “We are not. However, we are not with the Way or this Syrian advocate either. And, he is the more pressing issue, yes?”

The room stays quiet.

Hillel slowly walks among the elders. “My brothers, for this matter, the Greeks need to see that we are not associated with this heretical movement. They need to see that we live in this community as supportive to its efforts. They need to know that we are on their side.” He then looks over at Alexander and continues. “And, we need the young Alexander here to lead our public relations campaign.”

…

The marble column climbs some 60 feet upwards to the cedar ceiling above. Dimitrius tilts his head back to follow the column to its Ionic cap which hoists a large interconnected frame of beams that are then supported by more than 100 similar columns. He then pans to the right to take in the sheer grandeur of one the greatest edicifices ever constructed. 

“Gentlemen.” Dimitrius calls out. 

The thirty or so craftsmen who have joined him for his impromptu tour gather around. 

“What does Athens, Alexandria or even Rome have that compares to our lady?” Dimitrius asks with an enthusiastic wave of his arms. “There is nothing else in the world as magnificent as this temple and the Goddess who graces it. Many lay claim to Artemis, but we know… no, the whole world knows, this is her home. She is the reason why pilgrims travel from miles away to be here. She is also the reason we have our enterprises. Our beloved Artemis has commanded worshipers from all over the world to come to us, to give homage to her and to receive from us.” Dimitrius says. “We are her privileged stewards to the millions who travel here. We are blessed because of her.”

Dimitrius pauses to look around at the expansive farmland that surrounds the temple. “Everything that happens in Ephesus is because of our divine mother. Should something or someone besmirch our beloved, would we not rise to protect her at all costs? Is she not worth fighting for? Yet, someone has come in our midst and has gained the favorable attention of many within our city. Even some of our city officials have relented to his persistent teachings. I have warned you over and over again against the nature of what this man has done to our people. He has caused great damage to the thinking of the commoners of this city, and he has turned them against us.”

Linus begins shaking his head at the idea.

“What, Linus?” Dimitrius comments. “Has your vision become blurred as well?” 

Linus objects, “You act as if Paul has sought to destroy us. Well, he…”

Interrupting with a hand, Dimistrius fires back, “Have you been swayed by Paul as well? You have obviously become chummy with the foreigner within a short amount of time. Has he fed you a line to satisfy your most inner needs as well?”

“Well…” Linus starts.

“You disgust me.” Dimitrius rebuts with a wave. “Can’t you people see what is happening. This Paul, for whom Linus here has such a new affection, has discredited our businesses, our crafts, and our calling as stewards to our mother. He speaks against us, men. He persuades our own people and the hundreds of thousands that come to our fair city by teaching that Artemis is no goddess at all. He discredits the household gods we create by saying they are nothing but metal. He clearly teaches that there is no other god but the one he serves.”

Confronting Linus within inches of his face, Dimitrius says, “Tell me I’m wrong, Linus. Tell me! C’mon tell these other men that I am wrong.”

Linus looks back at his accuser and says nothing.

“Do you understand now, men?” Dimitrius says while shoving Linus out of the way. “Even in our midst we have a pathetic excuse of a defector. Our mother is at risk, our trade is at risk. Artemis will be dethroned from her magnificence, and we will be left to sweep up the rubble of our own demise.”

Seeing the multiple furrowed brows around him, Dimitrius continues, “But this doesn’t need to happen. We can stop this now. We can, no we must, stop Paul now. This is a call to war, men. We must keep our blessed mother at the helm where she belongs. The mighty Ephesus is what it is because of her. If she goes, so… will… you. Do you wish to see her fall?”

“No!” A number of men shout out in unison. “No way!” many continue.

Dimitrius continues, “When Bouphogos strategized to rape our mother for his own sinful gain, what did she do? Knowing his intentions, she struck him down at the opportune time on Mount Foloi. Our mother is a skillful hunter. She has always resolved to preserve what is hers. As her stewards, are we not called to do the same? Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” He chants. “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

The men cry out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

…

Shouts are heard up the road from the Hall of Tyrannus. Hearing them, Paul looks away from the two men in front of him to see what the skirmish might be about. He smirks and lets out a breath. The two men then turn around to observe as well. Together, all three of them watch one man berate two younger men who seem to be coming their way. 

“That, my friends…” Paul says as he points over to the tussle, “has become more commonplace as of late.”

“Yes,” One of the men agrees. “I suspect it has.”

Paul then curiously looks back at the man and says, “Tell me what you know. What is being talked about among you and your official colleagues?”

The two look at each other in resignation when one of them finally speaks up. “Look, this is not for us to share.”

“Let alone even for us to be here talking with you.” The other interrupts as the first one nods.

“Tell me.” Paul says.

“Your being here…” One of them begins.

The other interjects: “And your amassing of disciples from all walks of life.”

The first one continues, “Is sounding some alarms in our circles. Here in Ephesus, we have been permitted to rule ourselves without Rome’s interference. When tension continues to mount, then we will have to act at some point.”

“Act.” Paul asks. “What do you mean by act?”

“Look.” One of the men says. “We personally support what is happening here, but officially…”

“Officially,” The other adds, “We cannot condone any sort of instability in our community.”

The shouting match gets louder, as Paul shakes his head. “Instability?” He argues. “We’re the stable answer to the instability that has wrought this city for years.” He peers over the Asiarch’s shoulder and his jaw falls open. “Oh my Lord.” He says. “Those guys… they look so familiar to me. 

“Who?” One of the Asiarchs turns around.

Paul points and exclaims. “Those two over there being yelled at by the merchant. The guy accusing them looks really steamed. But, those two…” Paul suddenly realizes. He then grabs the shoulders of the man in front of him. “Oh my… I think I know who they are. Come with me right now.”

The three briskly walk closer to the men shouting at one another, as Paul raises his voice to get their attention. “Hey!” He yells out.

The three turn towards him.

“What is…” Paul yells out. “Gaius? Is that?” He looks deeper at the young man.

“Paulus!” Gaius returns a smile.

Paul smiles back and tries to identify the other younger man. “Aristarchus? What are…” Paul lunges in to hug both of the men and turns them away from the irate merchant who now watches in confusion. 

With his arms around each of their shoulders, Paul asks, “What are you two doing here? Did you come to seek me out?”

“Yes!” Gaius replies. “Timothy sent us.”

The man then turns to look at the shrugging officials standing behind Paul and remarks, “Hey, what are you doing? I’m not done here.”

“Oh, I’m afraid you are, my friend.” One of the Asiarchs replies as he steps in front of the merchant. “Go back to your booth and get back to work. Cool off.”

“Work? Are you kidding? What work?” The man yells out while pointing at Paul. “They are the reason I have no work. They’re with him, and you’re okay with that? What? Are you one of his followers too?”

“Oh, thank you, Lord. Thank you!!!” Paul replies upward. He then looks at Aristarchus and asks. “Are you two hungry? C’mon, let’s get some food and you can catch me up. I’ll eat. You talk. I want to hear everything that’s going on.”

…

We’re going to stop here for today:

If you have been listening to this podcast for a while, then it’s likely that you’re seeing a pattern here. Paul goes into a city like Ephesus, begins teaching about Messiah’s coming at a synagogue service, only to eventually get thrown out of the synagogue and begins to assemble disciples from both Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds. Over time, he teaches them about God’s plans and commissions them to go out and do as he has shown them. 

This happened in Corinth, Berea, Thessalonica, and throughout Asia Minor. While Athens and Philippi were a little different, in most cases, the strategy has remained the same. Go, preach within the synagogue, reason among the Jewish leaders as well as the local philosophers, and build a following of those wishing to learn under your teaching. This following will eventually emerge as a group of faithful disciples who will go and do likewise within their own spheres of influence. 

In essence, we understand this as the “Great Commission” uttered by Jesus at the end of Matthew’s gospel: 

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

– Matthew 28:18-20 

What started out as a beachhead strategy upon Paul’s arrival with Priscilla and Aquila has become a full-on base camp for training and sending ministry. Ephesus would grow to become a ministry hub for all types of future ministry activity throughout the known world, much like Antioch of Orantes and Alexandria in Egypt. Some of the surviving original apostles would make their way here, such as the apostle John and possibly Peter as well. It is likely that Barnabas and Mark showed up at some point to encourage those throughout Roman Phrygia, which would have included Colossae where Baranabas and Mark are later mentioned in Colossians 4:10, and Ionia which is the larger province surrounding Ephesus.

As with any advancement effort, there is likely to be opposition from those not wishing to see change. Here in Ephesus, we see two groups are at odds with Paul and his followers. On one hand we have the Jewish contingency aiming to separate themselves from the Christ followers. During Caligula, Claudius and Nero’s reigns over Imperial Rome, the Christ followers were lumped together with the Jewish community at large and seen as one in the same. What policies and provisions were made for the Jews would apply to the Christ followers as well… for a time. By AD 150, the widely spread-out Jewish community as a whole had successfully divorced itself from the assembly of Christ followers, that is, the church. But this effort took much time and was generally the reason why Paul and others were met with such hostility. The Jews were not interested in incurring the wrath of Rome if they could help it. Having a surge in evangelistic activity did not help the Jewish situation. Consequently, they were in a hurry to purge any Christ activity out from among them. 

We get a taste of this hostility even here in Ephesus when the Jewish leaders assign Alexander as their liaison in front of the city authorities. They wanted to be sure that the city officials would not confuse them for this problem child named Paul who happened to be amassing an army of followers down the street.

The fact that the Jews were already disliked by many within the city didn’t help. As mentioned in the narrative, Ephesus’ primary economic engine revolved around Artemis and the worship of her. The Jews would’ve stayed clear of any involvement with Artemis and formed their own fairly large exclusive community. Similarly to Alexandria, those who were of Greek culture did not appreciate a growing subculture of people moving into their city and snubbing their heritage. So, when Paul, a self-proclaiming Jewish teacher, opens up a disciple making factory down the street… Well, let’s just say the Ephesians were not excited about that prospect. Most thought that he was not only a pushy and outspoken Jew, but that he was deliberately trying to ruin their city. 

Can you feel the tension here? Moreover, if things get out of hand, and they will, the Ephesian authorities would be deeply worried about being seen as insurrectionists in the eyes of Rome. Rome left Ephesus alone for the most part. Any thought of forming an army that went against Roman policy would mean bad news for the city that has long enjoyed its independence. If given the attention of Rome, Ephesus would have been commandeered by the giant to the West and the city’s landscape would have been forever changed. 

If you want to know how the Gospel was offensive, it was seen by outsiders as a threat to all that had been established and built by them. Livelihoods were threatened, families were split, and those in authority were challenged. Established systems crumbled and those in positions of authority within these existing organized systems crumbled with them. As you might imagine, the Gospel’s spread required significant sacrifice in the face of such systemic opposition.

Jesus predicted this larger reality at several points in his ministry. One such example is found in a heated discussion between Jesus and some of Jerusalem’s chief priests and Pharisees. Jesus shared a story, a parable, about a wealthy landowner who leased out his farm to some tenants who failed to provide tribute and wrongly assumed ownership of the farm. The story continues with the landowner’s efforts to collect on a bill. He sends messengers, but the tenants treat them with hostility. He even sends his son to collect, but they kill him thinking they would replace him as the heir to the property. So, the landowner prepares for his return to rightfully deal with the abusive tenants. Upon his return with a brute squad in tow, he would rightfully evict the arrogant tenants, remove them from their positions and execute them. He would then lease out the farm to other tenants who would carry out their agreement. 

Seeing how the parable was directed at them, the chief priests and Pharisees did not take kindly to Jesus’ story. The threat of removing them from their authoritative positions did not sit well and stirred them to strategize for his arrest and execution. Here’s how this part of the passage reads: 

“When the owner of the vineyard returns,” Jesus asked, “what do you think he will do to those farmers?” The religious leaders replied, “He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest.”

Then Jesus asked them, “Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the LORD’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.’ I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit. Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.”

When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, who considered Jesus to be a prophet.

– Matthew 21:40-45

Here Jesus was promising a whole new world fashioned by the Kingdom of Heaven and that those who were in existing positions of authority were like the abusive tenants and would be permanently removed. Ouch, right?

Yes, much like Jesus, the message Paul brought was a message of the arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven and how God was about to permanently change the current system of authority. You might imagine that this message wasn’t well received by those in positions of authority, so they would fight to preserve what they already had in place. 

We need to wrap things up for today, but I hope this gives you a sense of how Paul and Jesus were seen by those in authority and how the Gospel message would be opposed. One last thought from the perspective of Paul here is about the alignment that you and I have. Do we side with the current systemic establishment of authority, or do we side with the Kingdom of Heaven?

Paul wonderfully expresses this challenge in Philippians 2:9-11:

For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

– Philippians 2:9-11

Where is your alignment? May you be aligned with the Kingdom of Heaven, and while that may be offensive to some, may you know that God has your back when you align yourselves with him. With that, let’s move forward together.

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It’s Jesus that Matters

Eliezer turns away from his magical practices; Paul and Sosthanes begin writing First Corinthians; Ephesus turns away from its magic practices.

Acts 19:17-20; Matthew 10:34-39; James 3:1-5; James 3:13-18

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As morning light emerges, Eliezer footslogs among the numerous alleyways that run between the apartment buildings. On one particular alleyway, he identifies the familiar row of dilapidated doors adjacent to the narrowly paved road. Splintered by both time and the climate, the row of doors are spaced somewhat evenly and stretch for several blocks. “Behind one of those doors…” Eliezer muses, “sits an apartment within whose resident holds the keys to a portal into the demonic world.” 

Finding his door, Eliezer boldly centers himself in front of it and begins to pound. “Wake up!” He yells out. “Wake up and open this door!” He continues to pound. 

Neighboring doors open with the angry faces of those standing to see what might be the problem. “Shut up!” Some yell out. “Stop making all that racquet!” 

Unflinching at the wafting criticisms, Eliezer continues to relentlessly pound… until the door finally creaks open. 

“What!?!” A voice yells out while the door opens only a sliver. “What do you…” The raspy voice stops upon recognition of the man standing in front of it. “Eliezer? What is the meaning…”

Without waiting for an invitation, Eliezer thrusts the door open and marches directly at the resident who begins to back pedal. “You!” He yells out without stopping his stride. “You are directly responsible for my ruin.”

“Me?” The voice replies. “You accuse me? How dare you! It was you who sought me out.” He steps towards Eliezer and comes toe to toe with the man. “It was you who employed me, not the other way around!”

“Big mistake.” Eliezer replies. “A mistake I will not make again.”

“What is the meaning of this?” The raspy voiced man defends. “You hire me to curse the Syrian evangelist. Your Jewish friends turn their backs on you after things don’t work out quite like they wanted. And now you barge through my door without an invitation and accuse me of wrongdoing? I did what I was commissioned to do. The results were up to the spirits, not me. What don’t you understand about this?”

“That’s just it!” Eliezer replies. “I think I understand all too well now.”

“You understand?” The voice escalates. “You understand what?”

“You’re a fraud!” Eliezer bluntly blurts out. “You’re dabbling with evil spirits who promise you everything and deliver nothing.”

“What!?!” The voice replies. “Get out!”

“Oh believe me…” Eliezer shouts as he begins to make his exit. “I will. But know this. I have met the true God who has defeated death and the grave, the one who rules over all, and the one who is unscathed by your pathetic dabbling with the demonic world.” With a look of satisfaction, Eliezer opens the door and then turns around. “You are but a pawn, a worm in the demonic world… and they shutter at the thought of being confronted by the living God. You would do well to do the same.”

…

“No.” Paul says in a ‘matter of fact’ voice. “It really shouldn’t be about parading oneself around as a disciple of yours or Crispus’ or Timothy’s or Apollos’. For that matter, I’m glad I didn’t baptize any of the Corinthians.”

“But you did.” Sosthanes replies.

“What?” Paul asks. “Who?”

“Crispus…” Sosthanes says. “Does that ring a bell?”

“Oh that’s right. How could I be so forgetful?” Paul replies. He then takes a deep breath as the memories begin to reappear in his mind. “And Gaius.”

“Yes.” Sosthanes says. “And…”

Paul scrambles to remember. As if now able to focus, he blurts out. “Stephanas. You’re right! Oh my goodness. I baptized his whole family.”

Sosthanes smiles. “Yes, which brings us back to our problem. Some of Crispus’ disciples seem to be gloating to the disciples of other faith mentors. They are in essence bragging about how they are being taught by the former synagogue leader who was baptized by Paul.

In disgust, Paul exhales and slams a hand down on the table. “What the heck do they think any of that means?”

“Well, that is the conundrum.” Sosthanes ponders. “Here, they are leveraging their connections with your involvement with Crispus’ baptism as a means of superiority. They are making everyone else feel as if they are inferior disciples because of it.”

“Cliques?” Paul asks.

Thinking for a moment longer, Sosthanes then nods his head. “Yes.” He says. “Cliques.”

“Apollos and his friend Zenas.” Paul says. “They’re still around, aren’t they?”

“Oh yes,” Sosthanes replies. “They have quite a following, those two.”

Paul nods. “I see. So, are their disciples doing the same kind of thing–trying to strut their superiority?”

Collecting his thoughts, Sosthanes then lets out. “Yes… now that you ask, I do suppose there is some of that. You know how a disciple takes on the mannerisms of his mentor, right?”

“Sure.” Paul replies. “It happens.”

“Well.” Sosthanes thinks aloud. “Those who follow Apollos have a certain look and feel about them. He attracts men that are similar to himself. They’re all nice guys… but they are definitely the “go-getter, looking-to-debate” types.”

“Okay.” Paul replies.

“I mean… they don’t necessarily parade themselves around, bragging about how wonderful their mentor is…” Sosthanes muses. “But… they do like to challenge people and see themselves as God’s special agents, as if they have been assigned to hold everyone accountable to the standards they have laid out.”

Now laughing, Paul looks over at Sosthanes and buries his head in his hands. “This is absolutely absurd! Do you realize this? We’re breeding a new version of Pharisee. Was I crucified for Timothy? May it never be seen that way! Did Apollos or… or… Crispus die for the sins of the world? What possibly can these disciples brag about? What godliness in their own right can they possibly point to? If they’re to brag, let them brag about the Lord, Sosthanes. We’re all in this boat together, and we are nothing apart from Christ who has made our redemption, our right standing with God possible. Don’t you see it? By not doing anything to stop this, we’re paving the way for a far more destructive version of self-righteous pharisaism.” 

“It’s partly the reason why I have come here.” Sosthanes replies. “Paul, we don’t know what to do with this. Furthermore, we are beginning to implode with all of the concerns that are taking us in several destructive directions. If we’re to continue, we need to hammer this out.”

“Self-righteous pharisaism… That was me! And, I have given all of that up to follow Christ.” Paul sighs. Suddenly remembering, Paul then asks: “My young Timothy, my son in the faith. What is he doing to address all of this?”

“Timothy is doing what he can.” Sosthanes replies. “In fact, I’ve seen him struggle over this probably more than any one of us.”

“Yes.” Paul says. “But… What is he doing to deal with these matters?”

Sosthanes smirks. “Timothy is not you, my friend. He is not a strong personality like you are, so he leads alongside the rest of us as best as he can… But, it’s not uncommon for us to get stuck and not know how to proceed. Which brings us back to you and needing your unique clarity as God’s chosen vessel.”

Paul nods and becomes quiet. Finally, he responds. “Okay… So then let’s work through all of the issues. We can put our responses in writing for you to take back and share with the church in Corinth.” 

…

The door swings wide open, and a number of men walk out into the synagogue’s courtyard. A solitary figure stands boldly in the middle of the courtyard.

A high-pitched and nasally voice cries out, “What are you doing here? You know you are no longer welcome in the house of God.”

Eliezer doesn’t flinch and ignores the annoyance altogether. He looks directly at Elam, the puppetmaster who had turned the other leaders against him.

Staring back at him, Elam gives a slight smile and says. “Hmmmm. You seem to possess an impertinent spirit, my friend. I suggest you heed the counsel that has just been offered to you. Magicians and those who associate with demons are by no means welcome in the house of the Lord. The Law requires us to kill anyone who runs after other gods. Fortunately for you, Ephesus is not governed by the Law of Moses. But I wouldn’t test our patience if I were you.”

Smirking at the men just feet away, Eliezer shakes his head and replies. “Isn’t that rich! You commissioned me and even gave me money to consult with the magician to get rid of the Syrian Jew. And here you are now, disbanding me from fellowship to tidy up your own guilt.”

Elam smiles as he looks around at the others. “I assure you, my friend. Nothing of what you claim is true. Even such allegations of false witness can be worthy of death according to the Law. I recommend you leave, never to return or to bring your witchcraft among the people of God. To show your face here again… well, even the laws of Ephesus may not be enough to keep you safe.”

…

The bonfire pops and crackles behind Paul, producing a vibrant glow behind his silhouetted figure. A larger crowd continues to press in as he teaches. 

“Do you not know,” Paul continues as he looks directly at Immer, “to tamper with sorcery is to invite the presence of evil into your worlds? To work magic is to become a slave to the demons you seek to entreat. You have no idea what you’re up against. You don’t control them. You invite them to control you. They’re playing with you, telling you what you want to know or hear, only to move you to do their bidding, to become their agents.”

Directly in front of Paul sits Immer and Yedaiah, two of Sceva’s seven sons. Immer looks back at Yedaiah. “That’s not what we were trying to do though.” He whispers.

Overhearing, Paul smiles and replies. “No, but you were aiming to confront a demon without the power of God working within you. Yes?”

The brothers look at each other and shrug in concession.

Paul laughs then catches himself. “Sorry. I don’t mean to make light of this, but seven of you were savagely overcome by one demon possessed man. Do I have that right?”

Gasps are heard throughout the crowd, as many try to get a look at the young men seated in the front.

Paul then asks. “Is it okay if I ask you to stand up?”

Immer and Yedaiah both stand and dozens of murmured conversations erupt.

Waving his arms to quiet the crowd, Paul continues. “Gentlemen, I don’t wish to embarrass you here. But, like you, I know that many here in this crowd have consulted with the demonic world and do so on a regular basis. While some have heard your story, there are still many who need to know what happened to you. You and your brothers have sought to become professional exorcists, going from place to place and removing demons from individuals for a fee.”

Embarrassed by the picture Paul just painted, the two nod their heads and say in unison, “Yes.”

“But the tables then turned.” Paul goes on. “When you met up with a possessed man who turned out to be much more than you bargained for.”

They nod, and more conversations flair up.

Paul continues. “You were simply outmatched by a spirit that was much more powerful than you. This demon possessed man shredded all of you and would have killed you had you not gotten out in time. No, you were not consulting magicians necessarily, but you were messing around with something much stronger than the seven of you.”

Paul then looks back to the crowd and asks. “Don’t you get it? When you mess with incantations, with spells, with mind-altering substances, with amulets, with curse tablets, with bones, with any sort of magician or tool that seeks to summon a spirit, you are inviting the world of the demonic into your lives and you are asking them to control your fates. What benefit is there to gain the world and forfeit your own soul in the process?”  

Conversations light up throughout the crowd. “What are we to do?” A voice yells out.

Not wanting to wait, Paul yells over the crowd. “Stop messing around with magic and stop inviting the kingdom of darkness into your lives. Instead, turn to the Most High God who will protect you from the darkness. Turn to God who will guard you with the sacrifice of Jesus, the Son of God who became human and died for your sins. If you want the power of God in your lives… If you wish to rid yourselves of dark torment… give up your demonic practices and let God do a permanent work within you.”

“He’s right!” A voice immediately yells out.

Paul looks back along with the rest of the crowd to see who just said those words. He then smiles when he makes out the face of Eliezer who begins to move towards the front.

Arriving at the front, Eliezer stands next to Paul and yells out to the shadowed crowd. “I’m telling you he’s right.” He says with fatigue in his voice. “Look, I know many of you from synagogue and I may even know some of you who aren’t Jewish. I have a confession I need to make in front of you. Moreover, I need to come clean with God.”

Paul glances over to see Aquila’s eyes fixed on the man standing next to him.

“I have consulted a sorcerer.” Eliezer admits.

A flurry of conversations emerge as Eliezer continues. “I have consulted a magician that I paid to get rid of this man. Together, we summoned spirits to rid us of this problem child. I won’t give you their names, but I can assure you there were others involved. It doesn’t matter though. I was a part of it, and I saw to destroy this man, this good man who has risked his own life to travel here to teach us.” Nearly laughing at himself, Eliezer takes a moment before continuing. “But it backfired and blew up in my face. No matter what we did to confront and remove him, we couldn’t successfully do it. Every scheme we devised… every step we took was countered by something much bigger than us.” 

Eliezer looks over at Paul and shakes his head. “Man, I don’t even think you know what we were up to.”

Paul shrugs and mouths, “No.”

Eliezer then laughs and says, “He was just here continuing to do what God called him to do and trusting that God would take care of him. And you know what? That’s exactly what happened. God met him every step of the way and walked him through every problem we threw at him. God has protected him from the relentless barrage of problems we’ve tried to cause, problems he didn’t even know about. What did he do? He just trusted God and kept on doing what he was supposed to do.” He scoffs at himself. “I tried to break him, but God broke me. Do you know what it’s like to go against the wishes of the living God?”

The fire pops, causing both Paul and Eliezer to turn and see what might have caused it. Two individuals raise their empty hands, and the fire consumes the contents just dumped upon it. 

“We’re done.” says one of the men standing there. 

“No more magic. No more sorcery.” Says the other. 

Paul looks around to see several among the crowd run away. He then looks over at Aquila and says, “Well that didn’t seem to go well. We scared them off.”

Aquila looks behind Paul to see three others approach the fire with their hands filled with an assortment of items. He smiles back at Paul and nods for him to turn around. “Oh, I wouldn’t be too sure of that.”

…

We’re going to stop here for today.

The seeds of Paul’s teaching have germinated into something much more and have now taken root among many here in Ephesus. Jews and non-Jews alike are regularly attending Paul’s sessions and have begun to see how their common interests in dabbling with the occult are being confronted by something far more powerful–namely a trust relationship with God. Magic was a profitable and widespread industry here in Ephesus. Luke even estimates how a large monetary amount, spent on the resources devoted to magic, was dumped into the fire. Fifty thousand drachmas worth of magic resources–a drachma for most was worth a day’s wage–was forfeited into the flames. Talk about putting your money where your mouth is! Those feeding the fire with their spell books, their incantations, their drug interests, their potions, their amulets, etc… were in essence saying, “Enough is enough. I’m tired of living this way and I want the Most High God to come into my life.”

This was true of many in the crowd, and it was especially true of Eliezer who had been scorned from just about everyone he previously thought were his allies. While Eliezer is a fictional character in this narrative, those with Jewish backgrounds were often confronted with having to make a decision to either stay in the synagogue or to move towards the church. Up until this time, many did both, but along with greater evangelism efforts by the early church missionaries came the greater resistance from those who were leading in the synagogues. A decision would have to be made and the division would be felt among a number of Jewish families. Jesus counted on this and said as much in Matthew 10. 

“Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to turn a man against his father and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter in law against her mother in law; and a person’s enemies will be the members of his own household. 

“The one who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and the one who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And the one who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. The one who has found his life will lose it, and the one who has lost his life on My account will find it.

– Matthew 10:34-39

Meanwhile, Paul is discovering how severe some of the issues are in Corinth, as Sosthanes gradually reveals them to him. One such issue was the self-serving nature of elevating certain mentors over others. Disciples of these mentors were bragging about the superiority of their own education and even their own godliness because they had a “celebrity” mentor. This problem was nothing new in this culture, and celebrity worship still remains a sore spot in our culture today. Even within the church, we boast about how wonderful our own teachers are and we feel better about ourselves when everyone else knows it.

James gives us an apt warning about being teachers. In fact, he discourages it by warning us of stricter judgment to come should our lives not reflect our words. 

Do not become teachers in large numbers, my brothers, since you know that we who are teachers will incur a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to rein in the whole body as well. Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their whole body as well. Look at the ships too: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are nevertheless directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot determines. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.

– James 3:1-5

It is interesting to me how James relates teaching to exhibiting self-control. The words coming out of my mouth can bring healing or harm. Those teaching others would do well to realize this. In fact, as this chapter continues, James goes on to explain how our words, and our teaching, can be incredibly destructive if used for personal gain. 

Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and goodfruits, impartial, free of hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

– James 3:13-18

As teachers, we would do well to remember our place. It’s Jesus that matters. Not me. Like Paul, Peter, James, and the others, we are simply conduits of God’s work, so to think more highly of ourselves is to diminish God’s work in our lives and in the lives of others. While each individual is responsible for her own faith development, teachers have influence… significant influence. Consequently, our words need to be thoughtfully considered and so should our lives. In doing so, we will avoid all hypocrisy and not incur greater judgment upon ourselves. 

I should also point out that while both good teaching and godliness are highly influential in the lives of others, they are by no means automatic. My faith does not automatically grow just because you’re teaching me, no matter how exceptional you might be. My faith grows when I trust God throughout the day more than I trust myself. 

Of course, there is much more I can share here, but our time is up for this episode. Thank you for listening in, and may God use his teachers to positively influence you to demonstrate more faith in your lives. With that, let’s move forward together.

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Wielding God’s Power (Paul in Ephesus)

The Seven Sons of Sceva underestimate a demon possessed man and come to realize a world much larger than they’ve known. 

Acts 19:11-15; Matthew 16:24-28; John 3:18-21; Colossians 1:11-14; James 5:13-16

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Adrenaline relentlessly courses through his veins, as Harim labors to slow his breathing.  Refusing to take his eyes off of the lone, darkened figure fidgeting in front of him, Harim’s mind transports him back to an unsuspecting moment. A vision of himself as a much younger boy seated at a table with his father who stares deeply into his eyes. 

While the threat directly in front of him does not move, Harim cannot get his mind off of his own father’s pupils peering back at him from just inches away. Feeling the air from his father’s breath, he tries to erase the moment. But it lingers, and it haunts him.“

Harim shakes his head so as to jolt the moment away. “Why this vision?” He wonders to himself. “Why here? Why now?”

But the memory does not go away, as he sees his father open his larger palm to reveal a pentagram etched ring. “You think you’re ready for this moment, boy?” He pushes the ring closer to Harim’s young face and taunts him. “You think you can possess the power of this ring and use it as a force for good?” As if removed from his own body, Harim looks back at his younger face and sees a frightened boy mustering whatever courage possible so as to not back down from his father’s judgmental gaze. “You have no idea what you’re up against, boy.” He utters. “The demons you pose to wrestle with will eat you alive.” Suddenly clenching his fist in front of his face, his father looks back into Harim’s fear stricken eyes and says, “You aren’t ready for this, boy… And you never will be!”

“Why are you here?” A menacingly gravel voice haunts.

Jarred from his vision, Harim stands feet away from the figure. 

The man… or… whatever it is slowly raises its gashed and bloodstained head upon seeing movement from behind Harim. 

Stepping out from behind his older brother, Immer doesn’t see the fragmented pottery pieces strewn across the floor and stumbles to the ground. Catching himself before his face hits the floor, his right hand comes in contact with a pottery shard and cuts open. Undeterred, Immer continues to plank over something foul, something putrid. Unable to identify the smell and unwilling to stay in that position, Immer quickly pushes himself up from the floor, stands and comes into full view of the naked man. Watching him slowly rise from his seat, Immer notices the man’s body begin to tremor as if betraying an ominous agitation… as if his presence has awakened it.

The room’s rancid stench no longer registers, as Yedaiah also courageously steps into the naked man’s direct line of sight. Mustering whatever bravery he has and forcefully burying any internal drive that would otherwise run in the opposite direction, Yedaiah begins to shake uncontrollably. And yet, he finds some semblance of a voice and calls out. “Who… are you?”

Shifting his gaze upon Yedaiah, the man’s lips curl upwards ever so slightly. He then crouches forward and salivates like a predator before pouncing upon its soft, fleshy prey. “I am of no concern to you if you turn around and leave… right… now.” He whispers condescendingly.

Surprising even himself with a new found boldness, Yehaiah exclaims. “No! We will not leave you here to…” He begins to shake uncontrollably but wills himself to go on. “To… devour this man.”

With a cat-like response, the man perches himself on the tips of his toes and leans forward on his mangled fingers.

Seeing their adversary poised for an attack, Immer slowly walks towards the man with arms raised peacefully. “In the name of Jesus, of whom Paul preaches.” He states.

As if confused, the man tilts his head to one side.

Emboldened by the mere fact that the man has not learched at him, Immer takes one step closer. “I order you in the name of Jesus, of whom Paul preaches to come out from this man.” He says more forcefully.

Still crouched, the man reveals a disfigured looking hand. Rolling his fingers tipped with sharpened nails that are caked with dirt, he then peers at the young men and calmly asks. “You what?”

“I order you in the name of Jesus, of whom Paul preaches to come out from him.” Immer states again.

A smile registers across the man’s face. He then gazes at the others for several moments and finally centers upon Immer once more. He then spits in Immer’s direction and says, “Jesus, I know. Paul, I know.” His smile suddenly turns into a look of purpose. “But… who… are… you?”

Without waiting for a response, the man lunges at Immer and levels him to the ground.

…

Hearing a cacophony of violent thuds drumming from one of the upper apartments, the older women from earlier gather in the front courtyard, craning upwards to get a glimpse of what might be happening.

“You showed them the hallway?” One of the women asks another who is holding a broom.

“I did.” She responds. “All seven of them went down the dark hallway. I led them as far as the stairwell.” She shrugs. “But that’s as far as I was going. From that point, they were on their own.”

“You should go up there and see.” Another hints.

The woman holding the broom turns to her neighbor, and shakes her head. “I wasn’t born yesterday.” She wryly shoots back. “I have a better idea… Why don’t you go up and check things out. I’ll keep watch down here.”

Disturbed by relentless bass-ladened pounding coming from way upstairs, others begin to pour out of their apartments and into the courtyard, asking one another what’s happening. Before long a steady stream of neighbors exit the building and courtyard and fan out into the street. 

Finally, the pounding shifts to heavy footsteps that stomp across an upper hallway to the stairwell. While nothing is seen from the courtyard or the street, heads curiously follow the direction of the racing footsteps towards what is presumed to be the exit.

“Here they come!” An indiscernible voice cries out. “Get out of their way!”

A flurry of young, dark haired men stumble out of the apartment, bruised and bloodied with deep penetrating scratch marks running in every direction across their torsos, limbs and backs.

Watching them frantically limp through the spontaneously formed parade route, the woman with a broom leans over and asks a neighbor. “Do you think they know they’re naked?”

The neighbor guffaws with a loud snort, which sets off an eruption of laughter along the parade route. Pointing at the physically wounded brothers, the crowd lets out a concert of jeers to generously humiliate them.

Both physically and emotionally wounded, a newly limping Harim fiercely smacks Immer across the shoulder.

With the sudden sting of Harim’s fist, Immer forgets his other wounds and looks back at his scolding brother. “What the heck was that for?”

Harim looks back at the laughing crowd and replies. “Are you that dumb? Figure it out!”

…

The afternoon wanes, as Paul, Sosthanes, Priscilla and Aquila continue to teach in their breakout groups scattered throughout the larger hall.

Priscilla takes a few moments to stretch and cannot help but notice how the size of her women’s group is larger than other groups combined. She chuckles while wondering if women simply have a greater interest in spiritual matters than men. “Or maybe…” She continues to think. “The guys are too distracted by earning a living.” She then looks over at Aquila who is actively teaching his own group of men and shakes her head. “Nope.” She continues to wonder. “I don’t think that’s it. He did his work this morning, and now he’s here this afternoon. But… maybe he’s just a dreamy exception.”

She turns back and realizes that all eyes are looking directly at her, smiling as if they know something she doesn’t. “What?” She asks. 

The women laugh.

Priscilla sighs and grows redder with each passing moment. “Okay… Let’s focus, ladies.” She blurts out.

“Yes.” A nearby woman replies. “Let’s.”

The women laugh even harder.

Priscilla lets out a deep breath, shakes her head, and announces. “Alright… get it out of your systems.”

Hearing the roar of laughter, the other groups stop and turn their heads to learn what has just happened. Aquila then turns his head to see an embarrassed Priscilla looking directly at him. He raises an eyebrow and suddenly looks down at his garments to see if there’s anything amiss, which of course causes the women to laugh that much harder.

He looks over at Sosthanes who shrugs back at him.

Priscilla starts laughing herself and begins to explain, which causes even more laughter. Placing her hand over her mouth, she catches herself and waves Aquila off to resume what he was doing. 

Aquila shrugs at the whole exchange and mutters. “I’ll never understand them.”

Suddenly, the door to the hall swings wide to reveal two disheveled young men. Instantaneously, the room grows serious, as the groups of men and women look over at the young men and then back at Paul. 

Immer winces as he takes a step and stops to scan the room. Seeing Paul, he nudges Yedaiah to walk with him over to the man standing on the other side of the room. The men and women alike watch, as some recognize the two from synagogue. Nudging one another, they ask, “That’s Immer, right? Aren’t they Sceva’s sons?”

Watching them hobble towards him, Paul patiently awaits what might happen next.

Aquila winks at his group and quips. “Guess this is just one of those days when I am completely clueless.”

In front of the four groups of men and women, Immer approaches Paul, lowers himself down to his knees and bows in reverence. Yedaiah sees this as his cue to also give homage to the puzzled man in front of them.

The crowd marvels at the scene. Whispers of curiosity swarm like scouting bees throughout the room. Sosthanes and Aquila both grow wide-eyed at the sight, wondering what Paul will do with this breach of etiquette.

Paul breathes a heavy sigh and says. “Gentlemen, I don’t know what is happening here, but I’m not one to receive any sort of reverence. You shall worship the Lord your God alone with your heart, your mind and your will. Get up, my friends, and tell… well, I guess all of us here what this might be all about.”

…

We’re going to stop here for today

Things don’t quite go as planned for the seven sons of Sceva, as they barely escape with their lives from a demon possessed individual who seemed to appreciate neither their message nor their approach. With their tails between their legs, the sons are humiliated before a crowd of people after failing to exorcise a demon, or many, out of a man in his home.

Curiously, the demon did not seem intimidated by the posturing young men. It did not recognize these inexperienced exorcists as any sort of serious threat. Whatever chants, rituals, or adjurings these brothers used to confront said demon(s) were seen as inconsequential. Jesus, the demon knew him. The demon also knew of Paul by reputation. But, these guys? Who did they think they were, coming onto his claimed turf and bullying him out?

Jesus and Paul? The Demon knew of them and even seemed to have a healthy fear of them. But these yahoos? Nope. Nothing. Not a threat. Of course, this begs us to question… “Why”? Why were Jesus and Paul feared and these guys… well, not? 

This takes us down an important road, a road of having a right relationship with God. There are a number of passages we can look at that speak to this idea. Yes, the weeds get thick here, insomuch as not only identifying the characteristics of a righteous person but also separating genuine Godliness from… well… imposter syndrome. To be fair, it gets quite tricky in this arena. Furthermore, we can give only a little glimpse into this world here in our time together. That said, let’s get into it.

First, believing that the Kingdom of Heaven exists and is as real as the empirical world we live in is key. Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of Heaven more than anyone. In fact, the entire Gospel of Matthew is thematically shaped by the Kingdom of Heaven. Here’s a snippet:  

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”

— Matthew 16:24-28

Along with the Kingdom of Heaven is another reality called the Kingdom of Darkness that continues to obstruct the world around us to the things of God. If we’re cool with the Kingdom of Heaven, then we need to address the “elephant in the room” that speaks to a false kingdom of darkness. Jesus spoke much about this false kingdom, so if we believe him about the Kingdom of Heaven, why shouldn’t we believe him about the false kingdom of darkness as well?

“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.

— John 3:18-21

There are many passages that address the false kingdom of darkness, but we would do well to describe what this kingdom is like, which brings us to our second truth. 

This false Kingdom of Darkness is pervasive and unyielding. It stops at nothing to ensnare humanity and keep it from knowing God. For those who seek God out, they will experience an emotional and challenging set of obstacles as they aim to break free from their blindness amongst a dark world. While Jesus, Peter and Paul alike describe the nature of this difficult and alternative journey–there are many passages that describe how challenging this really is–Paul describes a persistent focus on gratitude for those who have been transferred out of the Kingdom of Darkness and into the Kingdom of Heaven (God) as a reminder of what God has done for the people he rescued.

May you be filled with joy,  always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

— Colossians 1:11-14

There is so much backstory needed here, right? Yet, this backstory gives us the framework of those who operate within the false Kingdom of Darkness and why it’s so difficult to get out of it. Which brings us to our next point:

Third, yes, there are demons. No, they are not nice. These angelic beings are bent on one thing: carrying out the agenda of Satan himself, the ruler of this false kingdom. So many questions likely will flood out of your minds when we talk about this other world. Yet, this other world dwells within our world and works behind the scenes to influence our world’s outcomes.

Paul speaks of this other world and describes it as a world that influences and shapes even the empirical world in which we know and live.

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

— Ephesians 6:10-12

With the understanding that there are demons lurking about and influencing humanity, we then might be wondering… how does one overcome a demon? Well, in the passage I just read, Paul just described the need to “put on” all of the armor of God so as to withstand the strategies of the worldly principles that attack the agenda of God. 

Those who know God, understand His agenda, and want what He wants will be best suited to stand up against these forces of evil. But, please note that while these things in and of themselves do not make an individual righteous, they are an indicator that God is near to the person who highly regards them. God hasn’t necessarily placed his stamp of approval on these people and will not necessarily empower them accordingly. But it’s a good start.

That said, it is the “righteous person” who contains a capacity to carry out the agenda of God, simply because God has placed his stamp of approval upon him or her. This person is the real deal. 

James gives us a glimpse into how this works:

Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. 

— James 5:13-16

So the larger issue at hand then… drumroll please… is how does one transmit the power of God? How does one become righteous before God so as to be granted both His stamp of approval as well as the authority of wielding His power?

I think this is the mother of all spiritual questions, and I’m fairly sure that the demon who felt threatened by the likes of Jesus and Paul and not the sons of Sceva was very clear about this subject matter as well.

In a word… Faith. Faith that begins with belief in the person as well as the activities of Jesus. Being made right (righteous) before God requires a work of trust (faith) in Jesus and what He has accomplished on our behalf. Paul points to a “divine transaction” that was made possible when God offered Jesus to be the sin-substitute for humanity. In Romans, Paul describes humanity as “positionally” or “transactionally” righteous with God when people believe in Jesus. 

We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

— Romans 3:22-26

In this divine transaction, God awakens us to the Kingdom of Heaven and his overarching agenda for good to prevail. He also ushers us out from the false Kingdom of Darkness and into the Kingdom of Heaven, in which our entrance is only made possible through the self-sacrificing work of Jesus who would bear the punishment of God on behalf of humanity. There is sooooo much more here, but we have to move on.

I need to point out, however, that faith does not end with this divine transaction. While it begins here, our right standing with God that is made possible by faith goes much deeper than this and begins to take root in all aspects of our lives. Paul describes the faith journey as follows:

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord (through faith), you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

— Colossians 2:6-7

Living a life based on faith also shapes everyday decision making. Choices made today are based upon the trust, the faith, the belief (all the same word in the original language) we possess at any given moment. When we trust God’s ways to be best, we make choices based upon that trust. 

It is this life of faith made through our decisions, our responses to whatever might be happening, our interactions with others, our concerns about situations, etc, that shapes not only who we are becoming but our ability to be used by God. 

Faith continues on without end… to discover and absorb the character and desires of God himself with the goal of becoming one with God. Jesus described this process in John 17.

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.”

“I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!”

— John 17:20-24

So who is able to wield the power of God? It is those who are fully one with God. Those who live fully by faith are the ones God uses to shape and change the world for good. Those who are united with God are the righteous ones of God who benefit the Kingdom of Heaven.

Let’s wrap this up by going back to James 5:16. James gives us a glimpse of those who are right standing with God–those who are righteous before God himself because of their consistent faith–as the ones who bear the power of God and usher in the Kingdom of Heaven within their spheres of influence. 

The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. 

— James 5:16

May you be a person of consistent faith–faith in not only the work of God in Jesus, but faith in the evershaping work of God… in you. With that… let’s move forward… together.

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Unforced Rhythms

Acts 19:1-10; Titus 3:13-14; Revelation 2:1-7

Paul gets settled in Ephesus and begins his ministry; Apollos reconnects with Zenas in Corinth; Demetrius the silversmith celebrates with his fellow silversmiths

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…

Located towards the eastern side of the city, the banquet hall sits adjacent to several apartment clusters. As guests ascend the marble steps leading up to its doors, they are greeted by the Collegia’s leaders who warmly embrace them and thank them for coming.

“Thank you, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” A guild member replies. “Am I early?”

“Not at all.” The guild’s presiding leader responds. “You are right on time, my fellow silversmith. The food has just been laid out, and I think you’re going to like it!”

“Oh,” The president goes on. “Sometime tonight, I want to hear more about some of your casting designs. I’ve heard you’re building quite the repertoire.”

The member smiles and nods. “About 150 unique casts as of now.”

Slapping the member on the back and pushing him towards the inside of the hall, another key leader jokingly cajoles, “Better get in there. The wine is still good right now.”

The president laughs as he pokes fun. “You should know, Nicholas. You have been imbibing since you got here.”

“When a king enjoys his wine, does his cupbearer not pave the way?” Nicholas responds.

“As long as he has wine to enjoy, my friend.” The president quickly retorts. “Let our members get in there first and enjoy before you start carting home the amphoras. They’re the ones paying for this little soiree.” 

…

Carefully making his way down the gangplank, the thick-bearded man takes a moment to stop and survey the people greeting one another along the pier. He smiles when he recognizes the familiar face of his dear friend jumping and waving in his direction. Waving, he continues down the plank and plants both feet firmly on the ground. 

Like a wind gust, his friend swoops him up and gives him a long hug. “Zenas! My long friend.” He says. “So good to finally see you.”

Zenas laughs and jokes. “Apollos, my brother, these feet were just touching land for the first time in several days, and here you detain them longer, ever in suspense of what the ground must feel like.”

Apollos holds Zenas at arm’s length and says, “Let me look at you, my friend. You haven’t aged a moment since we last saw each other. What is your secret?”

“Evidently, I become timeless when I’m not on land.” He quips.

“Come, come.” Apollos replies. “I have so much to share with you about where I’ve been and who I’ve met along the way.” He looks down at a satchel and says, “Here, let me take this.”

…

Clapping his hands together in a rhythmically slow tempo, Demetrius stirs up an already lively crowd that is anxious to join in. The room quickly adapts and begins clapping in uniform. The tempo increases, and the battle cries begin. What began as a trickling brook is now a treacherous river of warriors screaming out as if in the heat of battle.

Demetrius leaps up onto a podium as the mad rush of clapping, foot stomping and yelling continues. Within a flashing instant, Demetrius holds up his hands and makes fists to quiet the room. The room obeys and the room reverberates for seconds followed by complete silence. Demetrius smiles and with a grand gesture, he hoists up his hands for a final volcano-like eruption. The crowd does not disappoint.

Ever smiling, Demetrius takes a moment and begins to address the awaiting mob. 

“Business… is… booming! My friends.” He yells out.

The room hoists up their fists and yell out, “Hooorah!!!”

“Wine… is… flowing! My friends.” He offers.

“Hooorah!!!” They respond.

“Like a brilliant light millions can see from miles away… Artemis… is… shining!”

“Hooorah!!!”

With electricity permeating each man in the room, Demetrius stares out in silence for an interminably long time. Anticipating these next moments to be earmarked for the annals, Demetrius forcefully speaks out. “Pay attention to your craft, men. The quality of your metals. The care you give to your casts. The diligence you bestow upon your refinement. Do not skimp in your materials. Do not take shortcuts or you will undermine our reputation throughout the world. Do not make us look bad while we have the world at our feet.”

Nods are seen throughout the room.

“Smiths of Ephesus, hear me now.” Demetrius bellows. “The world is taking its cue from us. They come to us. The hoards buy from us in bulk. They cannot get enough of our work, and Artemis of Ephesus has become the singular point of focus throughout the empire. The way I see it… We have risen, and nothing will stand in our way!”

“Hooorah!!!”

…

With the city’s stadium and gymnasium behind him, Paul walks along a road that leads away from Ephesus. With a string of consistent foot traffic coming and going, Paul looks up to see a triangular capped building emerge from the taller brush in front of him. The road bends a bit and finally reveals the Temple of Artemis in all of its splendor. As he continues towards the edifice, he absorbs the sheer opulence of what seems to be a countless amount of ornate and gold-ladened columns propping up the oversized roof. He then stops to look around at the thousands of people milling about the temple and lets out a heavy sigh.

“Wow, Lord, that is… well, it’s something!” Paul utters to himself while out of the corner of his eye, he sees several younger men seated closely together, huddled and talking quietly amongst themselves. “That’s odd.” He thinks aloud.

He nears the group of men who take notice of his coming and begin to turn toward him. “Hey guys.” He says while trying his best to seem friendly.

The guys nod in return.

“I couldn’t help but notice that you’re hanging out in a curious spot.” Paul offers. He turns to see the temple behind him some distance away and then back to the group. “Have you seen it up close yet?”

The young men look at one another and stay silent.

Assessing their nervousness, Paul tilts his head and follows up with another question. “I’m guessing you’re staying this far away from it on purpose?”

“I told you this was a bad idea.” One of the young men blurts out while backhanding another in the chest. “Why did you even bring us out here?”

“C’mon.” The friend replies. “We’ve been talking about seeing this place for years. You’re just scared.”

“I’m not scared.” The first one shoots back. “I just don’t think we should be here.”

Paul smiles at the exchange, as a new thought occurs to him. “Jewish?” He asks.

The men suddenly grow wide-eyed and become even more nervous than before. One of them responds. “Sort of.” He says. 

“I see.” Paul nods. “You’ve converted to Judaism?”

The group of men look at one another again in hopes of having one of them speak on the group’s behalf. “Tell him.” One finally smacks another in the shoulder. “You brought us here. Tell him.”

“Fine, you gutless flower.” The other one says.

Paul places a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing at the exchange.

“Look.” The newly selected spokesman says. “We weren’t born Jews, but we’ve all been involved at the synagogue since we were kids.”

“Your parents then?” Paul asks.

“Yeah, they got involved when they were younger, and we have been a part of the synagogue for years.” The young man offers.

Paul looks at each of the faces and asks. “Is that true for all of you?” Paul starts counting heads. “What, are there twelve of you?” He asks.

The men look at one another again and start nodding. Another one of the men finally speaks up and asks. “Who are you? Are you Jewish?”

“I was wondering when you were going to ask.” Paul chuckles. “Yes. I am.”

“Wait.” The first spokesman interrupts. “What are you doing here then? You know even getting close to the temple isn’t allowed.”

Paul raises his eyebrows and laughs. “You raise an interesting point, though I suppose I could ask you the same question.”

“Have you heard of Apollos?” One of the others asks. 

Paul fully directs his attention to the one asking. Staring at the young man, Paul finally responds. “Why do you ask?”

Another interrupts. “Apollos was an amazing speaker!”

“Yeah.” Yet another says. “We’ve never heard anyone like him before.”

“Have you heard of John the Baptizer?” Yet another asks. 

“What about Jesus?” Another adds.

“Woah. Slow down guys.” Paul places his hands up. “You sound like you have a lot of questions here. It also sounds like this Apollos fellow has given you a lot to think about.”

The men excitedly talk amongst themselves about what they recall.

“That sounds very interesting indeed.” Paul says. “So, tell me… Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

This silences the group, as they look back and forth at one another with questioning faces. “What’s the Holy Spirit?” The men ask one another while shrugging in response. They look back at Paul and ask, “We don’t know. Yeah, we haven’t even heard of the Holy Spirit.”

“You were baptized though, yes?” Paul asks.

“Yes,” The group responds in unison. “Apollos offered baptism to those who were wanting to get right with God.”

“John’s baptism.” Paul asserts.

The men nod in affirmation.

“I see,” Paul replies. “Yes, you’re right. John baptized with a baptism of repentance, but John was telling people to believe in Jesus who came after him. John was preparing the way for the Messiah himself.”

“Messiah!?!” The men respond. “Jesus?”

“Yes.” Paul says. “The true heir to the throne of David and bringer of the New Covenant between God and anyone who believes upon him.”

The group sits in stunned silence. Finally one of the men asks, “What do we do with this information?”

Paul laughs and replies. “Well, you certainly don’t sit around and stay here. Get up. Tell me… where is the nearest river?”

…

Acts 19:1-10; Titus 3:13-14; Revelation 2:1-7

We’re going to stop here for today.

Paul meets up with several young men whose families had converted to Judaism at some earlier point. It is likely they heard the teachings of Apollos at some point before Priscilla and Aquila had personally discipled him. Under Apollos, these learners would have been familiar with the message and baptism of John. 

Shortly after his arrival in Ephesus, Aquila and Priscilla would have updated Paul with the apologetic ministry of Apollos, how his ‘John the Baptist’ repentance style message was impacting the synagogue, and that he was now with Timothy in Corinth. While Zenas the Lawyer shows up on the scene in Corinth at some point, Paul, Aquila and Priscilla were not yet familiar with him.  

Zenas the lawyer likely was a converted Jew himself and knew Apollos from Alexandria. Together, the two of them would make a dynamic preaching team in the synagogues in some of the larger Roman cities. In a letter written to Titus later on–Titus has known Paul since their days in Antioch and would be sent to Corinth, Crete, Ephesus and other cities throughout this part of the world–Paul would encourage Titus to remind his people to provide housing, food, and financial support to help these two continue in their synagogue related ministries. 

Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos with their trip. See that they are given everything they need. Our people must learn to do good by meeting the urgent needs of others; then they will not be unproductive.

— Titus 3:13-14

Meanwhile, we have set the stage with Demetrius and the silversmith trade guild here in Ephesus. Prior to the church communities that would take the Roman Empire by storm over the next 300 years, such dynamic social communities were found in ethnic communities, some religious communities (sometimes both, such as the Jewish synagogues), Rome was filled with other types of communities that don’t get much attention in our studies very often. 

The trade guilds were primary social communities for much of the world before the church came around. Trade guilds–or the Collegium–not only involved a professional association of tradesmen and women, they were also political and religious in nature too. Birthdays, holidays and burial services were often celebrated within the trade guilds where membership fees were required and social circles were formed. Banquet parties were occasional, based on the funds available from collections, where the incorporation of worship to a patron god was commonplace. With periodic events and regular meetings, we might say that the trade guilds functioned similarly to how the church has functioned here in America for the past 300 years. They functioned as the “tap root” for all of professional and personal life to stem. In most cases, trade guilds were seen as the norm within Roman society and as early as the first Century BC, they would require legal recognition and approval by the Roman government. 

While the 2nd century was regarded as the golden age of guilds, by the 5th century, these trade guilds were all but extinguished with funds confiscated by the state (church). These clubs were used for opportunistic political activism, especially when it would benefit their interests. There were waves when certain emperors, eg, Julius Caesar, would shut down the trade guilds and keep them from functioning for a time, lest they become subversive. Similarly, Emperor Trajan insisted that Pliny of Bythnia shut down the trade guilds that had threatened enough leverage to pose a threat.

Similarly to how FaceBook or Twitter might operate today, some Collegium were shut down due to their influence and outright opposition to various political entities. When in doubt, censorship would be the first way to hamstring a trade guild’s power.

As for the silversmiths here in Ephesus, naturally their patron goddess was Artemis. She oversaw the success of their business, as they profited greatly by crafting and selling effigies of her to tourists from all over. Paul’s message was a direct threat to the otherwise strong collegia. The church was a new community that threatened the existing one. Trade guilds were building much momentum by this time in the mid-1st century, so the threat of anyone interrupting its success was harshly dealt with. In part, the early church was regarded as an illegal trade guild and some of the justification for its persecution by Nero’s rule was in light of this illegitimate group and potential threat.

A new community had been born, and the trade guilds would suffer greatly for it. Later on, Rome would rightly see this as both a political and economic threat. And while the threat would become fully realized later on, and while the replacement of these communities would be vastly different from what the early church looked like, Ephesus, like Rome later on, had no idea of what was coming. Crazy, right?

Let’s wrap this up for today with one takeaway: 

Here we have Paul, introducing the Spirit of God into the world of Ephesus, and the community at this time would become the hallmark of what a genuine Christian community was designed to look like–though it would only last for so long.

What the Spirit begins here in Ephesus would later feel different, as if life was being governed by a set of rules versus a life earnestly seeking out God’s direction. It was only a matter of time before rules would clearly define what was permissible and what was not. Often in such cases where wide brushstrokes of policy making are painted, the Spirit becomes highly limited in what he will and will not do. 

When Paul first settled in Ephesus, God was wonderfully on the move and changing hearts to passionately follow him at all costs. However, by the time John wrote the Revelation letter to the seven churches including the church in Ephesus, he warned the church of losing their first love, namely their love of God himself.

In Revelation two, John writes these words of warning to the church in Ephesus:

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands:

“I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches. But this is in your favor: You hate the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans, just as I do. “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God.

— Revelation 2:1-7

It’s easy to define our Christianity as a list of what we are or are not allowed to do. Moreover, it’s especially easy to shame those who might not be following the same list of rules that you follow. Unfortunately, this act of shaming ends up becoming terribly divisive within a community, and furthermore, it distances a community from being truly sensitive to the Spirit’s leadings and often forfeits an individual’s walk with the Lord. Here we see the righteousness of God being poorly substituted by an individual’s (or a community’s) self-righteous behavior.

So… what is needed? Faith. Getting back to the basics of seeking God out and trusting Him with the results. That’s what started us in the faith. That is how we keep going.

May you walk in the same faith that you did when you first believed. May you carry out your Christianity as one who lets the Spirit of God guide you, just as He did when you first believed. May you, in all humility, subject yourselves to the Spirit’s unforced rhythms and promptings of grace. May you carry out your first love of Jesus once again. With that, let’s move forward… together.