PAUL’S THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY

          A pleasant day to you, and welcome back once again to Daily Bread. Today’s study takes us along with Paul on his third missionary journey to reach the Gentiles for Jesus. Keep in mind that he does try and reach any Jewish people that are around at the same time, they are just a lil more hardened of heart than the Gentiles cuz they believe in the Old Covenant only. If they did believe in the New Covenant, they would have to admit they crucified their Lord. So it was quite a task for Paul to reach them, but he did share the TRUTH with many and some Jewish people accepted it.

          This became known to all the Jewish and Greeks also living in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds. Many of them also, who practiced curious arts (witchcraft and the like) brought their books together, and burned them in front of everyone. They counted what they were worth, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. Soooooo they trashed  fifty thousand pieces of silver's worth of witchcraft books. That is just awesome ... They BELIEVED.

          The Word of God spread mightily and prevailed. After that, Paul was determined that when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome. It looks like there’s gonna be a fourth journey for Paul, doesn’t it? So he sent Timotheus and Erastus (who assisted him) into Macedonia, but he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

          At the time, a big debate arose about the new way (doctrine), because a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines for Diana (the goddess of the moon, wild animals and hunting in Roman mythology), brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen. He had a meeting with the other tradesmen of the same occupation, and said, Sirs, you know that by this business we make our money. In addition, you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but almost all throughout Asia, this Paul, has convinced and turned away many people, saying that they aren’t gods that are made by hands, so that not only our business is in danger to be brought to nothing, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worships. (In other words these fellas were seeing Paul spreading the TRUTH and feared losing their primary income of making statues of a wanna be goddess named Diana)

          Well, when they heard these things, they were very angry, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians! The whole city was filled with confusion, and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's traveling companions, they rushed in all together into the theatre. When Paul wanted to go talk to the people, the disciples wouldn’t allow him to, and certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent messages to him, pleading with him not to risk going into the theatre.
Some cried one thing, and some another, because the people were confused. The majority of them didn’t even know why they were gathered together. They brought Alexander (one of the brethren) out of the crowd, and the Jewish people set him in front of them. Alexander beckoned with his hand, and wanted to make his defense to the people, but when they found out that he was Jewish, they all shouted together, Great is Diana of the Ephesians, and they continued to repeat it for two hours.

          When the town clerk had quieted the people, he said, Men of Ephesus, who doesn’t know that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image that fell down from Jupiter? Seeing then that these things can’t be disputed, you ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly. You’ve brought these men here that aren’t robbers of churches, or blasphemers of your goddess. So, if Demetrius, and the craftsmen that are with him, have a complaint against any man, the law is open (courts are open), and there are deputies: let them accuse one another. But if you wish to debate any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly. We’re in danger to be called for an explanation (By the ruling Romans) for this day’s uproar, and there’s no reason we can see for this meeting. And after saying that, he dismissed the assembly of people.