Notes and Jottings

Acts 19

(19:1). Paul’s third missionary journey begins.

(19:2). received the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is received at the moment of conversation.

(19:10). It was an amazing achievement that the gospel reached the ears of everyone in Asia Minor, although not everyone necessarily accepted it. This was largely due to believers sharing their faith while conducting their daily activities across the area. During this two to three-year period, congregations in Colossae, Laodicea, Hierapolis, and possibly a few mentioned in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 were formed.

(19:11). ordinary miracles. At times, Paul lacked this ability (2 Cor. 12:8; Phil. 2:27; 2 Tim. 4:20).

(19:13). exorcists. These exorcists were sorcerers capable of expelling demons. The moral of this tale (vv. 13–17) is that to invoke the name of Jesus successfully during an exorcism, one must be fully committed to Him. Unlike the beliefs about magic prevalent at the time, the name alone held no power; this improper application ultimately boomeranged (v. 16).

(19:14). Sceva. The Book of Acts is the sole reference that mentions this individual. While some writers contest whether he was a chief priest, it’s noteworthy that there was no high priest in Jerusalem by that name. Some scholars suggest that it was relatively common for certain members of the Zadokite family (Sons of Zadok) to assume an unofficial high-priestly position, which could clarify this title. Nevertheless, it seems more probable that he was a traveling exorcist.

(19:19). fifty thousand pieces of silver. May refer to drachmas or denarii, which are two distinct types of silver coins. Since both were used as a labourers daily pay, this sum would be roughly equivalent to 135 years of earnings.

(19:27). Artemis or Diana. This is the Latin name of one of the main goddesses worshipped by the Greeks and Romans: her Greek name is Artemis. It was believed that an image of her either descended from the sky or was crafted from wood or ebony that came from the clouds. She was venerated throughout Asia. Her temple, constructed from exquisite marble, was located in Ephesus. A Roman coin displayed in the British Museum features a depiction of the temple with the goddess’s image at its centre. Although Ephesus was otherwise an enlightened city, it lacked religious understanding, with the frenzied crowd able to shout for two hours, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians.”

(19:27). The gospel posed a threat to the trade of the idol-makers. To incite resistance against the Christians, the artisans invoked the civic pride of the Ephesians. The temple of Artemis, recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, was an impressive edifice featuring 127 columns, each 60 feet tall, and covering a space of 425 feet in length and 220 feet in width. The Temple of Artemis, also referred to as Artemision or the Temple of Diana, was a Greek structure dedicated to an ancient, localized version of the goddess Artemis, who is aligned with the Roman goddess Diana. It was situated in Ephesus, close to the current town of Selçuk in modern Turkey. It is believed to have been able to host about 25,000 people. It is thought to have been damaged or demolished by AD 401. Today, only the foundations and remnants of the final temple are present at the location.

(19:29). theatre. This construction was carved into the flank of Mount Pion and oriented westward, overlooking the harbour. The remaining structures suggest that it had the capacity to accommodate approximately 24,000 people. As it underwent expansion during the first century, its capacity might have been slightly less during Paul’s time.