(མཛད་པ། 19:1-10)

 

And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. There were about twelve men in all.

And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. (Acts 19:1-10)

 

When Paul did return to Ephesus he met a group who seemed to be disciples, but he found out that they also, like Apollos, had not been taught the full gospel of the way of salvation. They had repented of sin as John the Baptist had urged, but did not know Jesus’ promise to enter them in the form of his Spirit.

So when they were baptized in the name of Jesus, they could follow ‘The Way’*, that is, having his Spirit inwardly to help them in their changed lives and in their worship and in their speaking.

* ‘People-of-the-The Way’ was a name given to ‘Christ- men’. At Antioch they were known as ‘Christians’ ( see Acts 11:26).

(མཛད་པ། 19:11-20)

 

And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily. (Acts 19:11-20)

 

These Jews were not servants of the Lord Jesus, as the evil spirit knew. But they wanted to have the power of the ‘name of Jesus’, using it just like a mantra. That was their first mistake.

There are witchdoctors in Nepal who take care to find out the power of the spirit in a devil-possessed man, which might otherwise tear or kill them. These Jewish sorcerers commanded the demon to leave without first enquiring whether it were stronger than their own spirit. That was their second mistake. Nepalese soldiers have told me that it takes the strength of ten men to hold down one demonised man.

News of the incident led to many believers in Jesus confessing their own secret use of magic and mantras. So they repented wholeheartedly. And consequently the good news spread greatly.

Don’t play with spiritism. Let Jesus cleanse you, and have joy and His strength.

 

(མཛད་པ། 19:21-27)

 

Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.” (Acts 19:21-27)

 

Once again as in Philippi (Chapter 26 verses 16-24) there was a threat to wealthy business. It was not the worshippers of idol gods who felt threatened, but silversmiths and other tradespeople who feared a fall in their profits. This was because so many people were repenting of idol-worship and following the Way of Jesus.

With great success Demetrius stirred up the craftsmen. Read on to find out what happened next.