The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-08-19
Continuation of
Paul's Third Journey
Sunday School Lessen for August y, 1903
Specially Arranged for This Paper

Cor. l2.9
TINE.-A. D. Sc or +. near the close
Of PauIs work at Ephesus. =
PLACE--The city Of EpheSus ]
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
Some Things with Which the Cos
pei Interferes The Results.
business Interests versus the Cos
pel.-Vs. 21-2S.
Pauls Plans for the Future For at
least two years and three months Paul
had been working in Ephesus and
was about ready to go on extending
Christianity even to Rome (see Rom.
/: 12; IS: 23), and on to Spain from.
Is: pa, after visiting and strengthen
ening the churches in Macedonia and
Greece, and bearing the gifts OF PHI
lippi, Thessalonica. Berea, Corinth
and other Gentle churches Rom. IS:
2G) to the poor in Jerusalem.
In Corinth he expected to receive
contributions for the poor in Jsrusa-
lem Il Cor 16: Ia.
He sent two of his helpers, Timothy
and Erastus q Tim. 4. POI, through
Macedonia to Corinth q Cor. 4. 1919
to prepare that church for his ap-
preaching visit Paul succeeded in all
these plans, but some OF them we're
accomplished in a very different man
ner,
Paul stayed in Asia for season"
CV 22). Apparently for several weeks
or months From the fact that Asia
is mentioned rather than Ephesus. it's
capital, it has been inferred that he
did not remain in the city all the
time. but Iahored in the outlying dis
tricts
a Contrast In our last lesson we
saw how Christians voluntarily gave
UP bad business, at great cost to
themselves, for Christs sake Now
we find some men who tried TO de-
stroy the Gospel because it was injur-
ing their bad business
There arose no small stir" cOmmo-
ton, like the sea in storm. "A Ger.
tain man named Demetrius" Proba-
bly, the head of the whole guild Of
shrine makers.
Diana" The Ephesan Diana was
a distinct goddess from the Greek Di.
ana tthe Latinized form of Artemis),
who was a virgin. a huntress, a per-
sonification Of the moon, as Apollo
was of the sun She was worshiped
with the viIest debaucheries, as many
Of the heather idols were, incorpor-
at;ng the lusts of the flesh in the very
ritual Of worship.
Our craft is in danger" because
this Paul hath persuaded and turned
away much people, saying that they.
be no gods, which are made VIII
hands" and this throughout ali
Asia the Roman province of that
name. Of which Ephesus was the CAPT
tai All the blessings of the Gospel,
the uplift, the renovated character,
the happiness and prosperity, and
eternal salvation Of the great mass
of the people, weighed nothing against
the money gains of a few men in
bad business.
This was in direct contrast with the
character of the Christians, who made
great sacrifices in burning their own
mot other people's) bad books which
were injuring the people
The Mob in the Coliseum.-Vs 30
Al The whole city was filled with
confusion" The mob of Ephesus
made for the house of Aquila, with
whom Paul was lodging They missed
their prey; but as Paul tells us that
Aquila and Priscilla had for his life
laid down their own necks Rom. 16:
A. it is likely that these faithful
friends, in shielding the apostle,
brought themselves into the most i'm.
minent peril. The mob. though BAT.
fed of their principal aim, seized on
Gaius and Aristarchus, two of Pauls
associates, and dragged them away as
criminals. Rushed with one accord
into the theater," the Colosseum, ca
pable of holding $4,000 people
Alexander the Jew. The Jews we're
always especially exposed to perse-
cution, and as the mob would be like
ly to make no distinction between
Jews and Christians, particularly as
Paul was a Jew, they put forward a
prominent Jew, named Alexander, to
defend them.
The Mob Quelled THE townclerk"
at length interfered and argued with
the excited people.
l. The worship Of Diana was so
settled in Ephesus that no company of
Jews could overthrow it. You have
no real cause for violence. The i'm.
age" of Diana which fell down from
Jupiter" their chief god, as meteoric
stones fall from the sky.
Thus was peace and quiet restored
The signs of these times meant
that it was best for Paul to leave i'm
mediately for another field of labor,
while Ephesus was settling down int
quiet peace, and the church continued
to grow in character and numbers.
Therefore Paul bade the beloved
church good-by and departed foI to
go into Macedonia" acts 20: ~.
2. Paul had not committed thV
wrong with which he was charged.
His converts had been very careful
not to blaspheme the goddess. His
method of overcoming idolatry is
quite noticeable. The contrast be-
tween them and the teachings and
II