The Yale expositor., 1909-08-20
Continuation of
Paul's Third Journey
Sunday School Lesson for August u, 1909
Specially Arranged for This Paper
Specially Arranged for This Paper

L
strength is made perfect in Weakness
9 Cor. 1919.
TIME.-A. D. Sc or 81, near the close
OF Pau's 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.
1: 10; 10: 23), and on to Spain (Rom.
10: 24). after visiting and strengthen.
ening the churches in Macedonia and
Greece, and hearing the gifts of Phi
lippi Thessalonica, Berea, Corinth
and other Gentle churches from. Is:
26) to the poor in Jerusalem.
In Corinth he expected to receive
contributions for the poor in Jerusa.
lem q Cor. 16: la.
He sent two of his helpers, Timothy
and Erastus G. Tim. 4: 20). through
Macedonia to Corinth q Cor. 4: 1919
to prepare that church for his ap.
preaching visit. Paul succeeded in all
these plans, but ssme of them were
accomplished in a very different man.
ner,
Paul stayed in Asia for a season"
(V. 22). Apparently for several weeks
or months. From the fact that Asia
is mentioned rather than Ephesus, its
capital, it has been inferred that he
did not remain in the city all the
time, but labored in the outlying dis.
tricts.
A Contrast. In our last lesson we
saw how Christians voluntarily gave
up bad business, at great cost tc
themselves, for Christ's 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 Ephesian Diana was
distinct goddess from the Greek Di
ana (the Latinized form of Artemis)
who was a virgin, huntress, a per.
sonification of the moon, as Apollo
was of the sun. She was worshipec
with the vilest debaucheries, as many
of the heather idols were, incorpor
ating 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 with
hands," and this throughout al
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 few men in q
bad business.
This was in direct contrast with the
character of the Christians. who made
great sacrifices in burning their OWE
mot other peoples) bad books which
were injuring the people.
The Mob in the Coliseum.-Vs. 20
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., il is likely that these faithful
friends, in shielding the apostle,
brought themselves into the most i'm
minent peril. The mob, though baf
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 were
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, tc
defend them.
The Mob Quelled. The townclerk'
at length interfered and argued with
the excited people.
1. The worship of Diana was SC
settled in Ephesus that no company OF
Jews could overthrow IL. You have
no real cause for violence. THE inn
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 into
quiet peace, and the church continued
to grow in character and numbers
Therefore Paul babe the beloved
church good-by and departed for tc
go into Macedonia" (Acts 20: ~.
2. Paul had not committed the
wrong with which he was charged.
-