Slides: Acts 18-20

Slide 1

Acts 18:13

Contrary to Law:

-       If Chr. not Jewish, then no religio licita

-       (Thessalonica: charge of maiestas, treason)

Paul claimed Chr. as true Judaism of biblical prophets

Gallio regarded it as a Jewish sect

Slide 2

Acts 18:14:

Jews condemned by Jewish courts could appeal to Rome

Gallio’s decision: not merely local, as in Thess., but governor, hence set precedent till Nero

Acts 18:16-17:

Domitian punished Josephus’ Jewish accusers; an emperor executed Samaritans who had brought charges against Jewish leaders

Greeks notably antiSem. (though less than Alex., cf. Flaccus)

But maybe Jewish community exercising synag.

Discipline?

Slide 3

18:24-19:7

Apollos vs. other followers of John

Slide 4

Why not baptize Apollos like the other followers of John?

18:25: he was “enthusiastic in the Spirit”

-       probably refers to the Holy Spirit

19:2: “We have not even heard whether the Holy Spirit is” (i.e., available already)

-       as John’s disciples they would have known John’s prophecy about baptism in the Spirit

John’s baptism counted retroactively for Apollos because he already had the Spirit

Not for them because they did not

Slide 5

v. 9: Philos. schools—

schola: could have been a guild hall, named for its patron

likelier: a lecture hall:

Tyrannus (or whoever lectured- T. could’ve just been landlord)

-       probably done before 11 AM, when public life in Ionian cities ended

-       Paul prob. did manual labor till 11AM

Slide 6

vv. 13-16: Jewish exorcists

Jewish exorcism techniques

-       By odor, etc.

-       By Name invocation (cf. also Eph 1:21)

Scaeva: Latin name

Jewish “chief priests”

-       Josephus used in plural

-       But genuinely aristocratic priestly family?

Syncret. And Jewish magic—cf. magical payri

-       (cf. even use of Jesus’ name in later texts)

-       Tertullian notes frequent exorcisms in his day

Slide 7

19:18-19. Confession

Divulging their spells?

-       Deprived magical spells of their power

Bookburning:

-       Used to openly repudiate books’ contents

50,000 drachmas (50,000 days’ wages)

“Ephesia grammata”:

-       Often associated with magical formulae- magical papyri rolled up in small cylinders or lockets worn around the neck or elsewhere—amulets

Slide 8

Artemis of Ephesus (19:24-27)

Fertility goddess? Some contrast with chaste Greek Artemis of Greeks

-       Bulbous appendages—breasts? Fertility eggs?

-       But literary sources: still virgin huntress

Statue from heaven (v. 35)

-       Maybe meteorite

-       But known statues not meteorites

-       But many supposed statues from heaven

Slide 9

Temple: among 7 wonders of ancient world

-       425 feet by 230 feet (130 meters by 70 meters)

-       about four times as large as Athens’ famous temple for Athena

-       1 ½ miles (2.4 km) NE of the city

Slide 10

“whom all Asia and the world worships”- 19:27

-       over 30 places in known world where Ephesian Artemis worshiped:

-       missionaries spread the cult

-       Jews around the Empire knew of it

Slide 11

Economics issues in riot

-       Demetrius: depicted as a demagogue

-       “silver shrines” (many terra cotta souvenir shrines of Artemis; silver more prestigious)

-       metal smiths (“similar trades,” 19:25)

-       gold and silver statuettes of Artemis (3-7 lbs; 1.4-3.2 kg)

-       cf. grain riots in Rome—livelihood involved

-       other examples of troubles in Ephesus due to economic pinch at this time

-       Cf. Acts 16:16-21

Slide 12

Easy spread of riots

Closeknit and public structure of urban society

Trade guilds

Theater:

-       Massive, visible from harbor (up main street)

-       Seating capacity over 20,000

-       Right by crowded market

-       Used for civic assemblies- regular and irregular

Slide 13

Asiarchs (19:31)

-       Many also were priests of imperial cult in Asia

. emperor cult major in Ephesus since Augustus

-       “Friends”:

. patrons of Paul’s teaching

-       Luke’s approach to culture:

. separatist or integrationists?

. contrast Rev. (Jn 15:18-25) – different situation

v. 35: City clerk (grammateus)

- same class as Asiarchs

Slide 14

Lawful assemblies (19:39-40)

Ephesus was a “free city” with its own senate and assembly,

But this is completely dependent on Roman goodwill;

Conflicts within a city sometimes- Roman intervention

Slide 15

Luke upbeat, positive

But like Josephus on anti- Jewish riots

City clerk humiliates Demetrius

But Asiarchs likely embarrassed

Paul circumvents Ephesus (20:16)

. To save time (obligations to accept hospitality)

. but unmentioned: probably also not as welcome

Slide 16

Eutychus

Sunday evening meeting- all night long

Windows often large, higher on wall

Lampstands

-       Oil smell or warmth put him to sleep?

-       Oil smell or warmth made window seat desirable?

-       Asleep despite light?

Paul raises him (in we material)

Slide 17

Paul’s farewell speech in Miletus (20:18-35)

Many parallels with Paul’s letters even in wording

Shepherds/overseers/elders

Innocent from blood (20:26), shepherds (20:28)

-       Ezek 33: 8-9 + Ezek 34

Lk 10:3: sent as lambs among wolves; Ac 20:29: wolves among them

The Holy Spirit testifies to him in every city (exemplified in Acts 21:4,11)

Much pathos (also weeping)

Their affection for Paul communicates

Kisses