"When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor."
Acts 19:17
Throughout my ministry tenure, one person has garnered my admiration like few others. I will refrain from using his name because his humble spirit would resist drawing attention or commendation to himself. This man has served in ministry faithfully for nearly fifty years. Well-schooled, including a doctoral degree from a prestigious seminary, he has held many notable appointments: music pastor, interim preacher, and a denominational executive leader focused on church and family equipping. He has conducted choirs overseas for evangelistic crusades, as well as directed thousands of youth in worship for one of the largest summer Christian camps in the country. Although this individual possesses impeccable religious education and qualification, perhaps his most distinguished trait is the exhibition and preservation of a broken, contrite heart.
I was first introduced to this saint not long after I was called into bivocational music ministry, when my pastor and I experienced discord regarding the direction of the worship program. Being a freshman to staff conflict, I was in desperate need of guidance. I contacted the man I have since come to revere a great deal after I was referred to him. At the time, he was a senior administrative director for our state’s denominational convention. In the hierarchy of ecclesiastical responsibilities, I was on the bottom rung of the ladder; he was near the top. Remarkably, he was genuinely approachable. We arranged to meet in his office shortly after I initially spoke with him on the phone.
When we convened face-to-face, I was struck by the gentleman’s positive demeanor and hopeful disposition. Even though I was riddled with panic because of my predicament, the man displayed a bold confidence throughout our exchange. His confidence was not directed towards me; it was directed towards God. He encouraged me repeatedly to take the matter before the throne of grace. He shared practical information about how to cope with church strife, much of which had been gleaned from his own personal travails. He underscored how God had carried him through so many hardships. When I left the gentleman’s office, I had no discernible solution to my crisis, but thanks to the exhortation-filled conference, I was certain that God would provide me the patience and wisdom that I required. The discussion was a catalyst to me, reminding me that life’s dilemmas are best placed at the feet of God.
Ten years later, I received a call from a youth minister seemingly out-of-the-blue. He and I worked together at an Oklahoma City church for almost two years before he went to serve in a rural town over two hundred miles away. The youth minister informed me that he was still on staff in the countryside fellowship and that his congregation was planning a four day long revival. He wanted to know if I would be available to lead worship for it. I told him I needed to pray about my involvement, as well as verify a short term work leave request could be approved. Out of curiosity, I inquired about who would be preaching for the revival services. His response filled me with profound joy. The gentleman with whom I had voiced my ministry struggles with several years earlier was going to be the speaker for the event. Not long after I conversed with the youth pastor, my work leave request was granted. But more importantly, through supplication, God made it abundantly clear that He endorsed my desire to participate in the revival services. I accepted the invitation with much excitement and anticipation.
The moment I was reunited with the gentleman I revered I was reminded how noble his conduct is. An example from that week supports why this saint has inspired me. He and I went with the youth minister to the rural city’s school one morning. With the administration’s permission, the three of us greeted students as they walked through the hallways during a class changeover period. I marveled at the gentleman’s transparent affection for the young people. He had a comforting presence that emitted authenticity and warmth. He was personal with the students. As the young people passed him, he found a doorway into a discussion. He commented on the kids’ shoes, backpacks, demeanor, and a host of other topics in an effort to draw the students into conversation. The teenagers that demonstrated apprehension or timidity as they neared him softened their rigid stances when the verbal exchanges transpired and prolonged.
Within seconds, the gentleman transitioned into a motivational word for the students to strive for excellence in all that they did, an excellence consequently that can only be found in a relationship with Christ. He spurred them to not settle for anything less than God’s best because the worldly standard will only result in disappointment and despair. This saint’s sincere, straightforward style of evangelism reinforced why this man has merited my respect and appreciation. Time after time, he has shown a deep concern for others. He has consistently revealed he cares enough about people to inquire about their hurts and needs in order to help them grow closer to Jesus, just as he did with me when I first surrendered to the ministry. Suffice to say, reverence is not easily earned. It requires steadfastness, loyalty, and humility, which are just a few of the qualities the aforementioned man has produced for the majority of his life.
Reverence denotes a very profound sense that a person commands a character worthy of recognition. A character worthy of commemoration. Akin to honor, reverence is a very deep-seated admiration for another, as evidenced through actions, thoughts, and expressions. From a biblical standpoint, reverence should be rendered unto God, the Creator, first and foremost. Those who have an earnest yearning to revere God will exalt Him (Revelation 4:8-9). Secondly, reverence should be extended to Scripture, the written, passionate revelation of God’s existence (Proverbs 30:5). Thirdly, reverence should be offered to parents, the individuals God ordained to usher the next generation into this world (Deuteronomy 5:16). Fourthly, reverence should be rendered to a spouse (Hebrews 13:4). Marriage is a sacred institution that God designed to help combat the loneliness and adversity that the earthly life can often bring about. Fifthly, reverence should be given to those who maintain a vibrant walk with Christ and dedicate themselves to bringing glory to His name (Psalms 15:4). Lastly, reverence should be presented to civil authorities, the people God has furnished with governing powers (Romans 13:1).
Paul heralded a reverence for Jesus. He solemnly sought to help the world find a life-altering connection with God’s only begotten Son. The apostle’s forthright, faith-elicited message was very effective. Some communities developed a reverence for Christ as a result of Paul’s Holy Spirit-advocated statements, as was the case with Ephesus in Acts 19. After serving in Corinth for roughly eighteen months, Paul began encouraging believers and evangelizing en route to Antioch. On his way to Syria, the apostle stopped momentarily in Ephesus, where he witnessed in the city’s synagogue. He made such a strong impression on the Hebrew community that several people implored him to stay with them longer. Paul refused (likely because of a compelling need to present an offering in Jerusalem in correlation with a vow he had taken), but told the people in Ephesus that if God wanted him to return then he would. After Paul visited Jerusalem, he traveled to Antioch where he ministered for a time. Thereafter, he launched his third missionary trip. He passed through Asia Minor, building up the believers in Galatia and Phrygia. Ultimately, Paul made good on his pledge and went back to Ephesus, which led to a most remarkable ministry.When Paul arrived in Ephesus, it was one of the principal cities commercially and politically in Asia Minor. Like Corinth, Ephesus had a rich past. Inhabited as far back as 1,000 B.C., the city endured a fair share of battles and conquests. Despite changing power bases numerous times and undergoing assorted cultural assimilations, one legacy in Ephesus that survived many decades was the worship of the Greek goddess Artemis (Diana being the Roman goddess equivalent), who pagans believed was the sanctioning source of fertility (both in humanity and in agriculture). So widespread was the adulation of Artemis in Ephesus that a grand temple was built for her not far from the metropolis. The original structure was damaged by a flood. A rebuilt edifice stood tall for around two hundred years until an act of arson destroyed it in 356 B.C. Yet another reconstructed temple was later erected and survived for around six hundred years. It earned acclaim as one of the seven ancient wonders of the world.
Ephesus expanded in size and scope prior to the New Testament era. Archeological excavations reveal that the city, at one time, enjoyed gymnasiums, public baths, a library, and a theater that could seat over twenty thousand people. It was a very densely populated city, but also an important thoroughfare for tourism (perhaps in part because of the stately temple dedicated to Artemis). Ephesus, therefore, provided a critical opportunity for Paul to reach a sizeable segment of the world and turn them to the saving truth of the gospel.
On his way to the synagogue in Ephesus, Paul met some disciples and asked if they had received the Holy Spirit upon their confession of Christ’s lordship. The disciples responded that they had never heard of the Holy Spirit. Paul pressed the matter further and raised the issue of baptism. The disciples said that they were baptized into belief through John’s message of repentance, somewhat resembling Apollos’s account in Acts 18. By John’s own admission, his appeal for atonement was a preparatory measure for Jesus’ coming (Matthew 3:11). It was incomplete for it was a temporary, sin-purging process that served to help people discover the permanent salvation that only Christ can yield. When Paul explained this to the disciples, they confessed Jesus is the Messiah and were baptized in His name. Immediately thereafter, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples.
When Paul reappeared at the synagogue in Ephesus, he argued persuasively about the kingdom of God for three months before his teaching was sternly turned away. Scripture indicates the objection in Ephesus was a severe criticism, which was aired in a derogatory, public fashion. When the apostle perceived that his witness was bringing about a negative view of Christ within the Hebrew community, he pulled away so that Jesus’ name might not be disrespected any more, a move that was in line with Jesus’ directive in Luke 9:5. Afterward, Paul and his disciples began assembling in the lecture hall of Tyrannus, a place of learning and debate. This forum exposed a substantial number of both Jewish and Gentile citizens to the gospel on a daily basis, which was a better prospect afforded to the apostle than the once-a-week Sabbath worship in the synagogue. The ministry at the lecture hall of Tyrannus was so impactful Acts 19:10 states that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord during the two years Paul labored in Ephesus.
The Holy Spirit not only enhanced Paul’s message, the Holy Spirit enhanced the apostle’s supernatural gifts. Paul performed many miracles during his Ephesian ministry. His divinely-bestowed powers were so potent that even clothing garments he had contacted could heal the sick and remove evil spirits from the afflicted. Some within the Jewish populace were attracted to this influence. Because they craved Paul’s ability to send Satan’s minions fleeing from tormented souls (presumably for monetary gain or notoriety), the would-be exorcists searched Ephesus for demon-possessed people. When they encountered those who were overcome with evil spirits, they insisted the demon, or demons, leave in the name of Jesus, citing Paul as the reference point for their proclamation.
The group of power seekers included seven sons of a Jewish chief priest. One day, the young men confronted a dark spirit, bidding it to release its grip on a man it had inhabited. The demon knew the seven sons had not surrendered their hearts to Jesus through faith and therefore had no remnant of Christ’s authority to exorcize evil spirits. Attune to the spiritual voids and vulnerabilities of the young men, the demon manipulated the human frame it was controlling, causing its host to attack the seven sons, overwhelm them, tear off their clothes, and batter them repeatedly. The young men, humiliated, injured, and bloodied, ran away naked. This was a supreme sign of dishonor since the Jewish people maintained an unfavorable view of public nudity. This perspective was a longstanding one, tracing as far back as the patriarchal figure of Noah (Genesis 9:23).
When the incident surrounding the demon-spawned beating of the seven young men was shared throughout Ephesus, the city was seized with fear and held the name of Jesus in high honor. The people became aware that the pronouncement of the Messiah’s God-given designation should not be profaned or used for nefarious purposes. Jesus’ name, like Jesus Himself, is mighty and esteemed. The widespread reverence for Jesus’ name in Ephesus offers us three important considerations. One, Jesus’ name is hallowed. It is set apart. It trumps all other titles. In the echelon of names, Jesus stands alone atop the apex. His name deserves and demands reverence. God established Jesus’ name as part of Christ’s glorious mission: to redeem creation. God specifically chose the name Jesus because, as an angel informed Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father, Jesus would save people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). Jesus, the Greek form of the Aramaic name “Yeshua” (which itself derives from the Hebrew name “Joshua”), literally means “the Lord saves.” The connotation being that only in Jesus is the eternal forgiveness of disobedience made possible.
Sadly, we live in a society that has carelessly embraced the utterance of Jesus Christ as an expletive, which is an appalling perversion. Jesus embodies love, mercy, and grace. And yet so many callously profane His name in a way that reeks of depravity. This flippant idiom, which may seem trivial in the modern culture, is not trivial to God. He gave His Son the name that is above all other names because His Son is like no other son. Jesus is the Almighty Prince of heaven. His enduring heritage speaks to the benevolence of God. We would do well to recognize it and revere His hallowed name.
Two, Jesus’ name is holy. Holiness denotes that Jesus and His name are set apart. To believers, this consideration is underscored by way of Jesus’ superior earthly example. Jesus led a blameless life. His behavior is synonymous with integrity, obedience, and sacrifice. He demonstrated absolute reign of moral behavior, total mastery of spiritual conduct, and a transcendent identity. Jesus, having the holy nature of God, bears the goodness of God, the pureness of God, and the perfect constitution of God, all of which validate Christ’s distinguished character.
The contrast between God’s righteousness and the inability of man to reproduce it immediately became apparent after man was formed. Adam and Eve, the inaugural man and woman, ignored the decree of God and refused to submit to His rule by eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which God had explicitly instructed Adam not to do (Genesis 2:17). Adam and Eve’s immoral temperament has affected every subsequent member of the human race. This reality should compel God’s followers to marvel at Jesus, Who temporarily donned the skin of man without giving in to the sin of man. If we desire to revere Christ, our Rescuer, then we will habitually aspire to magnify His holy name.
Three, Jesus’ name is honorable. That is to say, His name is worthy of honor. In Romans 10:9, Paul wrote that those who acknowledge Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised Him to life after His death at Calvary will be saved. Jesus’ name is so profound that the very confession of His name opens up the gate to redemption. Truly, Jesus’ name is worthy of honor.
The fact that the Ephesian people treated Jesus’ name as sacred is nothing short of astounding. The city soon became a central location for the transmission of the Christian message. Several residents entered into faith. Some even freely confessed their wicked acts as a sign of their desire to pursue a spiritual purity. Many who were addicted to witchcraft and sorcery abandoned the practice of it. To show there was no going back to the observance of the dark arts, several individuals compiled their magic spells and enchantments and torched them in a city square. This occurrence was so dramatic that the value of the scrolls that were burned was tabulated. According to Acts 19:19, the cost of the material was estimated to be some fifty thousand drachmas. The drachma was a Greek silver coin that was similar to the Roman denarius, which typically equated to a day’s wage. Clearly, transformed lives remove the hindrances that prevent them from honoring God, even if it comes at an extravagant price.
After this happening, the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. Once again, Paul longed to journey to Jerusalem (maybe because he had a collective offering from the Asia Minor churches to take to the city of David). Luke records that it was at this time that Paul acquired a yearning to visit Rome. Apparently, Paul believed his missionary efforts in the eastern portions of the Roman Empire were complete. His gaze was directed westward (Spain in particular). Before Paul set out for Jerusalem, he sent two of his helpers ahead of him (one of which was Timothy who was discussed at length in Acts 16) while the apostle stayed a little longer in the province of Asia.
A disturbance later arose in Ephesus regarding Christianity. Per Acts 19:24, a man known as Demetrius, a silversmith, began to suffer financially from the Ephesian faith conversions. His salary, or at least a significant sum of it, was dependent upon the manufacture and sale of shrines memorializing Artemis. As the people of Ephesus (as Asia abroad) surrendered belief in Christ, they systematically discarded their idols, which correspondingly reduced the artifact procurements from the temple of Artemis. Demetrius was so enraged that his earnings had decreased that he gathered fellow silversmiths and tradesmen. He told the people of irreverent industry that if they allowed Paul’s evangelistic efforts to continue not only would their businesses collapse but the temple of Artemis would be discredited. Relinquishing a supposedly comfortable, materialistic life has been an impediment to salvation and discipleship for many people (Matthew 19: 20-24). The craftsmen became furious at the conclusion of Demetrius’s fear-based, emotion-provoking speech.
An uprising broke out in Ephesus. Mobsters grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, two of Paul’s traveling companions and forced them into the central theater. If the crowd could not nab Paul then they would accept the next best thing: his friends. Although anger and hostility were rampant, there was also mass confusion for not everyone knew what the primary issue was (Acts 19:32). Paul was ready to make a defense before the protestors and intended to brave the fray, but he was implored by disciples and officials of the province not to go into the enraged environment. Acts 19:31 documents some of the city’s civic leaders were friends of Paul, signifying the respectability and credibility the apostle had pioneered.
The disciples and provincial representatives knew Paul was the chief transgressor in the eyes of the scoundrels, not Gaius or Aristarchus. Paul’s confrontation of the mob’s grievances, therefore, would surely result in the apostle’s assassination. Although Paul would eventually lay down his life for the cause of Christ, there was no sense in wasting it. His death in Ephesus would be premature since God had more work for Paul to accomplish still. Paul accepted the advice of his spiritual brothers and stayed away from the theater. To corroborate how inflamed the atmosphere was in Ephesus, Acts 19:33 conveys the Jewish attendees shamefully pushed one of their own, Alexander (likely a Hellenist Jew), to the front of the horde to conceivably absorb the brunt of the peoples’ fury. The involuntary propitiation of a kinsmen does not speak well of the community’s mindset. If anything, it portrays the Ephesian Hebrew populace as a body who lacked loyalty or family devotion.
The commotion was finally quieted down by a city clerk, who reminded the citizens of Ephesus that they should not take justice into their own hands. Instead, they should bring the matter before a court of law. If Demetrius, or the other craftsmen, had a legitimate case against Paul and the disciples then the dispute could be settled in a legal setting. As it stood, the residents were on the verge of being charged with rioting, which carried with it severe penalties. As reason set in, the peoples’ rage ignited by Demetrius subsided. The city clerk’s rationale and capacity to restore order and civility proved that the Christians in Ephesus had not violated any Roman regulations. It is remarkable to discover how God can communicate and employ heathen hearts to accomplish His will (as He did with Gamaliel in Acts 5).
Although there were some in Ephesus who did not revere the name of Jesus, like Demetrius, Acts 19 confirms many did. Such reverence for Christ stemmed from a consciousness of the Messiah’s high standing: at the right hand of God. Jesus is preeminent and sovereign. The disciples in Ephesus preserved this mindset and appropriately ascribed the Lord awe, praise, and reverence. In an age that tempts us to belittle and depreciate the soul-saving name of Jesus, the Ephesian church’s veneration for Christ affirms the Savior’s name is laudable in every era. 
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