Acts 19:29

And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre. AND THE [WHOLE] CITY (PROBABLY "WHOLE" IS NOT GENUINE) WAS FILLED WITH CONFUSION: AND HAVING CAUGHT GAIUS AND ARISTARCHUS, MEN OF MACEDONIA, PAUL'S COMPANIONS IN TRAVEL - being disappointed of Paul himself; just as at Thessalonica they laid hands on Jason (Acts 17:5). The fellow-travelers of the apostle here named are also mentioned in ; ; ; ; and probably in 3 J...

− 29.Luke setteth down in this place the nature of the people, as if it were depainted in a table. − (395) Like as if a thousand houses should be set on fire at a sudden, so all the city was on an uproar in one moment; and when such a tempest is once raised, it is not easily stayed. And forasmuch as the servants of Christ cannot avoid this mischief, they must be armed with invincible constancy, that they may boldly suffer the tumults raised among the people, and that they may not be troubled as with some new and strange matter, when they see that the people is unquiet. So Paul himself doth elsewhere triumph that he went valiantly through the midst of sedition ( 2 Corinthians 6:5). Nevertheless, the Lord doth uphold the ministers of his word with an excellent comfort, when as they be tossed amidst diverse storms and garboils, and with excellent boldn

21-31 Persons who came from afar to pay their devotions at the temple of Ephesus, bought little silver shrines, or models of the temple, to carry home with them. See how craftsmen make advantage to themselves of people's superstition, and serve their worldly ends by it. Men are jealous for that by which they get their wealth; and many set themselves against the gospel of Christ, because it calls men from all unlawful crafts, however much wealth is to be gotten by them. There are persons who will stickle for what is most grossly absurd, unreasonable, and false; as this, that those are gods which are made with hands, if it has but worldly interest on its side. The whole city was full of confusion, the common and natural effect of zeal for false religion. Zeal for the honour of Christ, and love to the brethren, encourage zealous believers to venture into danger. Friends will often be raise...

Verse 29. _THE WHOLE CITY WAS FILLED WITH CONFUSION_] Thus we find the peace of the whole city was disturbed, not by an _apostle_ preaching the Gospel of Christ, but by one interested, unprincipled knave, who did not even plead _conscience_ for what he was doing; but that it was by this craft he and his fellows got their wealth, and he was afraid to lose it. _RUSHED - INTO THE THEATRE._] The theatres, being very spacious and convenient places, were often used for _popular_ assemblies and public deliberation, especially in matters which regarded the safety of the state. There are several proofs of this in ancient authors. So _Tacitus_, Hist. ii. 80, speaking concerning Vespasian, says: _Antiochensium theatrum ingressus, ubi illis consultare mos_ _est, concurrentes et in adulationem effusos alloquitur_. "Having entered into the theatre of the Antiochians, where it was the custom to hold...

CONFUSION - Tumult; disorder. GAIUS - He had lived at Corinth, and had kinky entertained Paul at his house, 1 Corinthians 1:14; Romans 16:23. ARISTARCHUS - He attended Paul to Rome, and was there a prisoner with him, Colossians 4:10. WITH ONE ACCORD - Tumultuously; or with one mind or purpose. INTO THE THEATRE - The theaters of the Greeks were not only places for public exhibitions, but also for holding assemblies, and often for courts, elections, etc. The people, therefore, naturally rushed there, as bei

EXPOSITION ACTS 19:1 _Country _for _coasts, _A.V.; _found _for _finding, _A.V. and T.R. THE UPPER COUNTRY (τὰ ἀνωτερικὰ μέρη); the inland districts of Galatia and Phrygia, through which St. Paul journeyed on his way to Ephesus, as distinguished from the seacoast on which Ephesus stood. DISCIPLES. They were like Apollos, believers in the Lord Jesus through the preaching of John the Baptist. It looks as if they were companions of Apollos, and had come with him from Alexandria, perhaps for some purpose of trade or Commerce. ACTS 19:2 _And he said _for _he said, _A.V. and T.R.; _did ye receive _for _have ye received, _A.V.; _when _for _since, _A.V.

AND THE WHOLE CITY WAS FILLED WITH CONFUSION,.... For the workmen that made the silver shrines very likely ran up and down in the city, crying out, great is Diana of the Ephesians, which brought the people out of their houses to inquire what was the matter; and the mob gathering and increasing, as they went along, threw the whole city into confusion and disorder: AND HAVING CAUGHT GAIUS AND ARISTARCHUS, MEN OF MACEDONIA; the latter of these was of Thessalonica in Macedonia, as appears from Acts 20:4 but of what place the former was, is not certain; however, being a Macedonian, he could not be the Gaius of Derbe, mentioned in the same place, nor the Gaius of Corinth, 1 Corinthians 1:14 but some third person. They are both Greek names; Aristarchus signifies the chief of pr

CHAPTER 19 _ 1. The second visit of Paul to Ephesus. The twelve disciples of John (Acts 19:1)._ 2. The Apostle's continued labors. The separation of the disciples. The Province Asia evangelized (Acts 19:8). 3. The Power of God and the Power of Satan (Acts 19:11). 4. Paul plans to go to Jerusalem and to visit Rome (Acts 19:21). 5. The opposition and riot at Ephesus (Acts 19:23). The disciples whom Paul found at Ephesus were disciples of John. The question the Apostle asked them has often been made the foundation of wrong teach

TUMULT AT EPHESUS. A change of religion (for the Way, _cf. Acts 9:2_) bears hardly on certain trades. In ch. 16 the Gospel interfered with the trade of soothsaying; here the art of the silversmith suffers. This opens a large chapter in the early history of Christianity (_cf._ Tertullian, _On the Public Games; The Soldier's Crown)._ Demetrius, to judge from his speech, is rather an employer than a craftsman. His business has been falling off, or he fears it may do so. The silver shrines would be used as mementoes of travel, but people would not purchase them if they ceased to believe in Artemis, and this was the evident outcome of Paul's teaching. The silversmiths and allied trades are therefore called together, and it is pointed out that not only the trade but the goddess herself must suffer if the preaching goes on. The audience fully agrees, works itself up, and vents its feelings in

IN EPHESUS (Acts 19:1-7) Acts 19:1-41 is mainly concerned with Paul's work in Ephesus. He stayed longer there than anywhere else, almost three years. (i) Ephesus (G2181) was the market of Asia Minor. In those days trade followed the river valleys. Ephesus stood at the mouth of the Cayster and therefore commanded the richest hinterland in Asia Minor. Revelation 18:12-13 gives a description of the trade of Ephesus. She was known as "The Treasure House of Asia" and someone has called her, "The Vanity Fair of Asia Minor." (ii) She was an Assize Town. That is to say, at specified times the Roman governor came there and great cases of justice were tried. S