Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 19:35

And when the town clerk had appeased the people, he said, [Ye] men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshiper of the great goddess Diana, and of the [image ]which fell down from Jupiter?

35. And when the townclerk ] It is not easy to find an English word which comes at all near the significance of this title. “Recorder” has been proposed, because he had charge of the city archives, and Luther calls him “chancellor.” He was a most important personage, and his title is found at times on the coinage, and he gave name in some places to the year, like the Archon at Athens. Through him all public communications were made to the city, and in his name replies were given. It is this part of his duty which has led to the rendering “town-clerk.”

had appeased the people ] Better (with the Rev. Ver.) had quieted the crowd. The appeasing was done afterwards by his speech. All that he could effect at first, was by the influence of his presence, to induce the assembled mob to mitigate their clamour and give him a hearing.

he said ] Gk. he saith. The speech is full of ability, and shews that the man was fitted for his eminent position. It seems to shew also that the higher classes (as has been noticed in the case of the Asiarchs) were not so devoted to the service of the goddess as were the common people.

Ye men of Ephesus is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana ] The oldest MSS. omit “goddess” and only read “the great Artemis.” The word rendered “worshipper” is literally “temple-sweeper.” The name no doubt was first used to imply that any office in the service of so magnificent a goddess was a grand distinction; and not in Ephesus only did the worshippers of a special divinity apply this title to themselves. The Rev. Ver. gives “temple-keeper.”

and of the image which fell down from Jupiter ] The same was said of the Palladium of the Trojans (Verg. Aen. ii. 183). The first clause of the speech is directed to point out how uncalled for their uproar is. There is no need for them to shout about the greatness of the Ephesian goddess. Everybody in the world is aware how devoted the city is to her worship and how glorious is her temple.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

And when the town-clerk – ho grammateus. The scribe; the secretary. This word is often used in the Bible, and is commonly translated scribe, and is applied to public notaries in the synagogues; to clerks; to those who transcribed books, and hence, to men skilled in the law or in any kind of learning. Compare 2Sa 8:17; 2Ki 12:11; Ezr 7:6, Ezr 7:11-12; Mat 5:20; Mat 12:38; Mat 13:52; Mat 15:1; Mat 23:34; 1Co 1:20. It is, however, nowhere else applied to a pagan magistrate. It probably denoted a recorder; or a transcriber of the laws; or a chancellor (Kuinoel, Doddridge). This officer had a seat in their deliberative assemblies, and on him it seems to have devolved to keep the peace. The Syriac, Prince of the city. The Vulgate and Arabic, Scribe.

Had appeased the people – katasteilas. Having restrained, quieted, tranquillized, so as to be able to address them.

What man is there – Who is there that can deny this? It is universally known and admitted. This is the language of strong confidence, of reproof, and of indignation. It implied that the worship of Diana was so well established that there was no danger that it could be destroyed by a few Jews, and he therefore reproved them for what he deemed their unreasonable fears. But he little knew the power of that religion which had been the innocent cause of all this tumult; nor that, at no very distant period, this despised religion would overturn not only the worship of Diana at Ephesus, but the splendid idolatry of the mighty Roman empire.

Is a worshipper – neokoron. Margin, temple-keeper. The word used here does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. It is derived from neos, for naos, a temple, and koreo, to sweep, to cleanse. But among the ancients, the office of keeping their temples was by no means as humble as that of sexton is with us. It was regarded as an office of honor and dignity to have charge of the temples of the gods, and to keep them in order. The term was also given to the cities that were regarded as the special patrons or worshippers of certain gods and goddesses. They esteemed it an honor to be regarded as the special keepers of their temples and images, or as having adopted them as their tutelar divinities. Such was Ephesus in regard to Diana. It was considered to be a high honor that the city was everywhere regarded as being entrusted with the worship of Diana, or with keeping the temple regarded by the whole world as especially her own. See Schleusner on this word.

And of the image – A special guardian of the image, or statue of Diana.

Which fell down … – Which was reigned or believed to have been sent down from heaven. See the notes on Act 19:27. It is probable that the image was so ancient that the maker of it was unknown, and it was therefore reigned to have fallen from heaven. It was for the interest of the priest to keep up this impression. Many cities pretended to have been favored in a similar manner with images or statues of the gods, sent directly from heaven. The safety of Troy was supposed to depend on the Palladium, or image of Pallas Minerva, which was believed to have fallen from heaven. Numa pretended that the ancilia, or sacred shields, had descended from heaven. Herodian expressly affirms that the Phoenicians had no statue of the sun polished by the hand, but only a certain large stone, circular below, and terminated acutely above in the figure of a cone, of a black color, and that they believed it to have fallen from heaven. The same thing was affirmed of the ancient Minerva of the Athenian Acropolis (Paus., Att. 26); of the Paphian Venus, and the Ceres of Sicily (Cic. in Verr., v. 187). It has been supposed by some that this image at Ephesus was merely a conical or pyramidal stone which fell from the clouds – a meteorite – and that it was regarded with superstitious reverence, as having been sent from heaven. See the Edinburgh Encyclopedias article, Meteorites.

From Jupiter – See the notes on Act 14:12.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 35. When the town – clerk] , Literally, the scribe. The Syriac has [Syriac] reisha damedinato, the chief or prince of the city. The later Syriac has, the scribe of the city. Some think that the word recorder would do better here than town-clerk; and indeed it is evident that a magistrate of considerable authority and influence is intended-the mayor or sovereign of the city.

Ye men of Ephesus] The speech of this man may be thus analyzed:

1. He states that there was no need of a public declaration that the Ephesians were worshippers of Diana; this every person knew, and nobody attempted to contest it, Ac 19:35-36.

2. That the persons accused were not guilty of any public offence, nor of any breach of the laws of the city, Ac 19:37.

3. That, if they were, this was not a legal method of prosecuting them, Ac 19:38-39; Acts 19:39.

4. That they themselves, by this tumultuous meeting, had exposed themselves to the censure of the law, and were in danger of being called into question for it, Ac 19:40. See Dodd.

Is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana] The word , neocoros, which we translate worshipper, signified at first, among the ancient Greeks, no more than sweeper of the temple, and answered nearly to our sexton: in process of time, the care of the temple was intrusted to this person: at length the neocori became persons of great consequence, and were those who offered sacrifices for the life of the emperor. Whole cities took this appellation, as appears on many ancient coins and medals; and Ephesus is supposed to have been the first that assumed this title. At this time, it was commonly known as belonging to this city. “What man is there that knoweth not that the city of the Ephesians is the Neocoros of the great goddess Diana?” As if he had said: “The whole city is devoted to her worship: it is reputed an honour to our highest characters even to sweep her temple, and open and shut her doors. Besides, we offer to her the highest sacrifices; and are intrusted with the religious service that pertains to the emperor’s safety.”

Of the image which fell down from Jupiter?] The original image of the Ephesian Diana (See Clarke on Ac 19:27) was supposed to have descended from heaven; which intimates that it was so old that no person knew either its maker or the time in which it was formed, and it was the interest of the priests to persuade the people that this image had been sent to them as a present from Jupiter himself. Several images and sacred things were supposed, among the heathens, to be presents immediately from heaven. Euripides states the image of Diana of Tauri to be of this kind; and calls it , the image fallen from Jupiter. Numa pretended that the ancilia, or sacred shields, had come from heaven. In imitation of these, many of the Italian papists believe that the shrine of our lady of Loretto was also a Divine gift to their country. St. Isidore, of Damietta, says that the heathen, in order to induce the people to believe that such images came from heaven, either banished or slew the artists that had formed them, that there might be no evidence of the time in which, or the persons by whom, they were made: this point secured, it was easy to persuade the credulous multitude that they had been sent from heaven. The story of the Palladium, on which the safety of Troy was said to depend, is well known. It was an image of Minerva, and also supposed to have descended from Jupiter.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Town clerk, or secretary, who registered their acts, and intervened in all their meetings.

Is a worshipper; each country and city had their peculiar gods, which they worshipped, and took for their patrons, as Ephesus did this goddess Diana. But the word here signifies a sacrist, or one that looks to the temple to keep it clean; especially that hath the charge of more solemn shows or sports in honour of any supposed deity: and these Ephesians took it to be their no small glory, that they were employed in such as belonged to Diana.

The image which fell down from Jupiter; though the makers name (Canetias) is upon record, yet it having lasted whilst the temple was six or seven times repaired, at least, if not renewed, and none ever remembering when it first was brought in amongst them, the crafty priests persuaded the credulous people that it was fallen from heaven, thereby getting more honour unto it, and profit to themselves.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

35-41. when the town-clerkkeeperof the public archives, and a magistrate of great authority.

had appeased“calmed.”

the people“themultitude,” which the very presence of such an officer would gofar to do.

he said . . . what man . . .knoweth not that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of thegreat goddess Dianaliterally, the neocoros or “warden.”The word means “temple-sweeper”; then, “temple-guardian.”Thirteen cities of Asia had an interest in the temple, but Ephesuswas honored with the charge of it. (Various cities have claimed thistitle with reference to the Virgin or certain saints)[WEBSTER and WILKINSON].

and of the imagewhich fell down from Jupiter“from the sky” or “fromheaven.” See on Ac 19:27.”With this we may compare various legends concerning images andpictures in the Romish Church, such as the traditional likenesses ofChrist, which were said to be “not made with hands””[WEBSTER and WILKINSON].

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And when the town clerk had appeased the people,…. Caused them to cease their loud outcry, so as that he could be heard. This person seems to have been more than a “town clerk”, as we render it; or a common “scribe”, as the Vulgate Latin, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions render it; rather as the Syriac version, “a chief man of the city”; the Septuagint interpreters in Ex 5:6 use the word for the Egyptian officers that were over the Israelites; and the Babylonians used to call the priest of a Isis by this name; and according to some learned men, this man’s office was to register the conquerors’ names, and their rewards in the theatre; and who was chosen into this office by the people, and was a man of some considerable authority, as it is very apparent by what follows that this man was:

he said, ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana? the word “Neocorus”, translated “worshipper”, signifies an officer in the temple, one that looked after it, beautified and adorned it; for “Neocorus” is from , which signifies to beautify b; though some etymologists would have the word to signify to sweep and clean, as if this officer was a sexton; rather, he answered to a churchwarden, and to this agrees the Syriac version; though this office belonged not to a single person, but to a city. Now to be a worshipper of Diana, was not peculiar to the city of Ephesus, as appears from Ac 19:27 but to be Neocorus, a sacrist to the goddess, was a favour granted to some cities, and accounted a great honour; some had it twice, some thrice, some four times:

and of the image which fell down from Jupiter; or “of Diopetes”; so the Palladium, or image of Pallas, was called, because it was supposed to fall down from heaven, which Diomedes and Ulysses are said to take away from Troy; and here it seems to be something distinct from the goddess Diana, and her image, and may design another deity worshipped along with her, and by them, since they make mention of more gods, Ac 19:26. The Vulgate Latin version takes it to be the same with Diana, reading the words in connection with the preceding, “and the offspring of Jupiter”; she being said to be his daughter by Latona, as before observed; and the Ethiopic version understands it of her image, rendering them thus, “and of that molten image which was sent from Jupiter the great god”; and more expressly the Syriac version, which reads, “and of her image which fell from heaven”; and so was not made with the hands of men, and could not be objected to on that account, or denied to be a deity; and this the people might be the rather induced to believe, since it had been in the temple before the memory of any man. The Arabic version, reading these words in connection with the beginning of the next verse, gives a very different sense, “but neither indeed they that fell from heaven contradict the faith of this thing”; as if it was to be understood of the fallen angels, of which it can hardly be thought Demetrius had any knowledge. This image, Pliny says c, it was doubted of what it was made; some said of the vine tree, others of ebony; but Athenagoras says, the old image of Diana of the Ephesians was made of olive d.

a Alex. ab Alex. l. 2. c. 8. b Scholiast. Aristoph ad Nubes, p. 125. col. 2. c Nat. Hist. l. 16. c. 40. d Legatis pro Christianis, p. 17.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

The town-clerk ( ). Ephesus was a free city and elected its own officers and the recorder or secretary was the chief magistrate of the city, though the proconsul of the province of Asia resided there. This officer is not a mere secretary of another officer or like the copyists and students of the law among the Jews, but the most influential person in Ephesus who drafted decrees with the aid of the , had charge of the city’s money, was the power in control of the assembly, and communicated directly with the proconsul. Inscriptions at Ephesus give frequently this very title for their chief officer and the papyri have it also. The precise function varied in different cities. His name appeared on the coin at Ephesus issued in his year of office.

Had quieted the multitude ( ). First aorist active participle of , to send down, arrange dress (Euripides), lower (Plutarch), restrain (papyrus example), only twice in the N.T. (here and verse 36, be quiet), but in LXX and Josephus. He evidently took the rostrum and his very presence as the city’s chief officer had a quieting effect on the billowy turmoil and a semblance of order came. He waited, however, till the hubbub had nearly exhausted itself (two hours) and did not speak till there was a chance to be heard.

Saith (). Historical present for vividness.

How that . Merely participle and accusative in indirect discourse, no conjunction at all (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 1040ff.), common idiom after , to know.

Temple-keeper (). Old word from (), temple, and , to sweep. Warden, verger, cleaner of the temple, a sacristan. So in Xenophon and Plato. Inscriptions so describe Ephesus as as Luke has it here and also applied to the imperial cultus which finally had several such temples in Ephesus. Other cities claimed the same honour of being , but it was the peculiar boast of Ephesus because of the great temple of Artemis. A coin of A.D. 65 describes Ephesus as . There are papyri examples of the term applied to individuals, one to Priene as of the temple in Ephesus (Moulton and Milligan, Vocabulary).

And of the image which fell down from Jupiter ( ). Supply (image), “the from heaven-fallen image.” From Zeus () and (, ), to fall. Zeus (Jupiter) was considered lord of the sky or heaven and that is the idea in here. The legend about a statue fallen from heaven occurs concerning the statue of Artemis at Tauris, Minerva at Athens, etc. Thus the recorder soothed the vanity (Rackham) of the crowd by appeal to the world-wide fame of Ephesus as sacristan of Artemis and of her heaven-fallen image.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

The town – clerk. Or recorder, who had charge of the city – archives, and whose duty it was to draw up official decrees and present them to assemblies of the people. Next to the commander, he was the most important personage in the Greek free cities.

Worshipper [] . Lit., a temple – sweeper. See on verse 27. This title, originally applied to the lowest menials of the temple, became a title of honor, and was eagerly appropriated by the most famous cities.

Alexander says, “The city of Ephesus is the sacristan of the great goddess Artemis.” 25

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

THE TOWNCLERK BROUGHT THE ASSEMBLED THEATRE TO ORDER V. 35-40

1) “And when the town clerk had appeased the people,” (katasteilas de ho grammateus ton ochlon) “And when the town clerk had quieted, or quieted the crowd,” had secured an intelligent hearing from the multitude of the disorderly gathering. The town clerk was keeper of the city archives, and was the public reader of civil decrees, and correspondent between the city and the imperial government.

2) “He said, Ye men of Ephesus,” (phesin andres Ephesioi) “He said, ye responsible, accountable men, Ephesians.”

3) “What man is there that knoweth not,” (tis gar estin anthropon hos ou ginoskei) “Who indeed is there of men (of human beings) who does not know,”

4) “How that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper,” (ten Ephesion polin neokoron) “That the city of the Ephesians is a temple warden,” a city worshipper, as a whole, a guardian, literally temple-keeper, Act 17:21. Thirteen cities of Asia had an interest in the temple, but Ephesus was honored with the charge.

5) “Of the great goddess Diana,” (ousan tes megales Artemidos) “Being or existing of the great Artemis, the goddess Diana,” of Asia, comparable to the goddess Artemis of Greece.

6) “And of the image that fell down from Jupiter?” (kai tou diapetous) “And (even) of the image that exists, as having fallen down from the sky,” even Jupiter. There is a similar tradition of the statue of Diana in Tauris and Minerva at Athens.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

−

35. Luke showeth in this place that the tumult was so appeased, that yet, notwithstanding, superstition prevailed with the mad people, and the truth of God was not heard. For the town-clerk, as politic men use to do, counteth it sufficient for him if he can by any means appease the outrageous multitude. Nevertheless, the cause itself is oppressed. He saw undoubtedly Demetrius’ malice, and how he had troubled the city, abusing the pretense of religion for his own private gain; but he toucheth not that wound which he knew to be unknown to the unskillful. Nevertheless, to the end he may stay the uproar and contention, he extolleth the reigned power of Diana, and maintaineth her superstitious worship. If Paul had been in the common place − (398) at that time, he would rather have suffered death an hundred times than have suffered himself to be delivered from danger paying so dear for it. For though the town-clerk had not been by him commanded to speak thus, yet it should have been treacherous dissimulation in a public witness and preacher of heavenly doctrine. The scribe affirmeth that the image which the Ephesians did worship came down from heaven, and that Paul and his companions spake no blasphemy against their goddess. Could he have holden his peace, but he must needs by his silence have allowed his false excuse? And this had been to shake hands with idolatry. Therefore, it was not without cause that Luke said before that Paul was kept back by the brethren, and not suffered to enter into the common place [theater]. −

(398) −

“

In theatro,” in the theatre.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(35) And when the townclerk had appeased the people . . .The Greek word is the same as the scribe of the Gospels, and the familiar English expresses his function with adequate correctness. He was the keeper of the records and archives of the city. The title appears in many of the inscriptions in Mr. Woods volume, often in conjunction with those of the Asiarchs and the proconsul. If, as is probable, his office was a permanent one, he was likely to have more weight with the people than the Asiarchs, who were elected only for a year, and who were not all of Ephesus. The language of the public officer is as characteristic in its grave caution as that of Demetrius had been in its brutal frankness. He, like the Asiarchs, obviously looks on St. Paul and his companions with respect. He has no feeling of fanaticism, and would not willingly be a persecutor. He dares not oppose the multitude, but he will try and soothe them with the loud profession of his attachment to the religion of his country. He was, if we may so speak, the Gamaliel of Ephesus, not without parallels among the princes and statesmen and prelates who have lived in the critical times of political and religious changes, and have endeavoured to hold the balance between contending parties.

A worshipper of the great goddess Diana.The substantive as well as the adjective belonged to the local vocabulary. Its literal meaning is temple sweeper, or sacristanone consecrated to the service of the goddess. The Greek word (nekoros) is found on coins and inscriptions of Ephesus as applied to the inhabitants, sometimes in relation to the Emperor, sometimes to the goddess. They looked to her as their guardian and protector. One inscription claims for the city the honour of being the nurse of the great goddess (Boeckh. 2954, ut supra). She was, as it were, to borrow a phraseology which presents only too painful an analogy, Our Lady of Ephesus. It is a curious fact that the same month was consecrated to Flora in Rome, and is now the Mois de Marie in France and Italy. The omission of the word goddess in nearly all the best MSS. is significant. She was, even without that word, emphatically Artemis the Great In some of the inscriptions of Ephesus she is described as the greatest, the most High.

The image which fell down from Jupiter.The name was often given to old pre-historic imagesas, e.g., to that of Athen Polias at Athens. It may have been merely a legendary way of stating that no one knew what artist had sculptured the image, or when it had been first worshipped. Possibly, however, the word may have had a more literal meaning as applied to a meteoric stone which had been employed by the sculptor, or was worshipped in its original form. The many-breasted image of Aitemis described in the Note on Act. 19:24 is, however, reported to have been made of olive-wood. The word image is not in the Greek, and one familiar word (diopetes) was sufficient to express what requires seven in the English paraphrase.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

35. Townclerk The keeper of the city records city recorder. Coins exist, associating the title with that of the proconsul, and so indicating a high rank. The townclerk here performs the duties of a modern mayor.

He said The tact, moderation, and good sense of the townclerk’s speech have been much applauded since its delivery. But perhaps his administration would have been more commendable had his interference taken place two or three hours earlier.

Worshipper Literally, temple-sweeper, expressing a servile office. But so great a goddess was Artemis that it was a proud prerogative for Ephesus, among the cities of Asia, to be her humble servitor, and wear the title as a badge of honour.

Fell down from Jupiter Literally, the Jove-fallen. Pliny says that there was a modern image of Artemis at Ephesus which had outlasted seven rebuildings of the temple. The pretence of having fallen from heaven was made in favour of other idols of antiquity, as the Palladium of Troy, the ancile at Rome, and the image of Cybele at Pessinus. The notion may have arisen from the descent of meteoric stones; but in fact this image of Artemis seems to have been of wood. It bore more resemblance to the rude images of Hindooism than to Greek statuary, and was probably a remnant of an old eastern idolatry found by the Greeks when they colonized Ionia.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘And when the city clerk had quietened the crowd, he says, “You men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of Artemis (Diana) the Great, and of the image which fell down from heaven (or ‘from Zeus’)?” ’

Then the city clerk hushed the crowd and spoke to them. With the Asiarchs there, and the city clerk, the meeting had become quasi-official, exactly the kind of unofficial meeting not approved of by the Romans who kept an eye out for such things. He pointed out that he was on their side, but that they were making a fuss about nothing, for everyone knew that the city of Ephesus was the temple-keeper of ‘Artemis the Great (a title found on inscriptions) and that its image ‘fell down from heaven’. This was probably a meteorite which happened to have protuberances on it which suggested breasts, the whole possibly even having been manually shaped to suit her reputation. Meteorites are know to have been worshipped in other great cities. They were naturally seen by the ignorant as from the world of the gods.

His argument was subtle. These people were declaiming because Paul had taught that idols made with hands could not be true gods. Well, in this case that was irrelevant. Was it not known to all that the image of Artemis had fallen from heaven? It was thus not made with hands! Therefore Paul’s words had not been spoken against Artemis.

He was not, of course, aware of what had been the original grievance, the trading losses of the silversmiths. For by being transformed into a religious quarrel the initial complaint had been lost sight of. Demetrius had probably not expected such a swift intervention by the authorities. He had possibly hoped that he and his colleagues would find Paul and ensure that he was ‘accidentally’ severely beaten up, or died in the riot, before any hearing actually took place.

‘Temple-keeper (literally ‘temple-sweeper’).’ This was an official title indicative of connection with the Imperial cult. Thus by the use of this phrase the Temple of Artemis is seen as directly connected with the Imperial cult. A later Ephesian coin shows that at some later stage there were four official temple-keepers in Ephesus, the temple-keeper of Artemis, and the temple-keepers of the three Imperial cult temples. But at this stage there were probably only the Temple of Artemis and two Imperial cult temples, the Temples of Dea Roma and Divus Julius, established with the permission of the Emperor Augustus. These latter were Imperial Cult temples erected with the permission of Augustus in honour of his adoptive father Julius Caesar and of the goddess Roma who signified Rome. The cult of Artemis and the cult of Roma and the Emperor are thus seen to go hand in hand, as related to the Imperial cult. Rome and the goddess ruled together. Depicted by Luke in terms of the Temple of Artemis (as it had to be. The Imperial cult Temples were best not mentioned in a negative way) they were the very antithesis of the Kingly Rule of God.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

The end of the riot:

v. 35. And when the town clerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshiper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?

v. 36. Seeing, then, that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.

v. 37. For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.

v. 38. Wherefore, if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies; let them implead one another.

v. 39. But if ye enquire anything concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.

v. 40. for we are in danger to be called in question for this day’s uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.

v. 41. And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

With two hours’ continuous yelling, the fury of the mob had spent itself, its members were exhausted. And now the secretary of the city had no difficulty in quieting the people. “He was the most influential person in Ephesus, for not only were the decrees to be proposed drafted by him and the Strategoi [the magistrates], and money left to the city was committed to his charge, but as the power of the Ecclesia, the public assembly, declined under imperial rule, the importance of the secretary’s office was enhanced, because he was in closer touch with the court of the proconsul than the other city magistrates, and acted as a medium of communication between the imperial and municipal government. ” Addressing the assembly as citizens of Ephesus, he asks whether there is really any man that does not know the city of Ephesus to be the temple-keeper of the great Artemis and of the figure that fell down from heaven. The image of Artemis the Fruitful, a figure representing the goddess as life-giver and nourisher, was said to have fallen down from the sky, having been thrown down from the throne of Zeus, or Jupiter, their highest God. The speaker represented these things as facts, as self-evident, as unchallenged by any one, with the implication, of course, that there was no need of all this excitement, since all that they had said about their goddess was universally acknowledged. Now, he argued, since these things were without contradiction, since no one had publicly attacked these statements, the obvious duty of every one there present was to keep the peace and not to do anything rash. As for Gaius and Aristarchus, the two men whom they had accused indirectly, even if they did not bring a direct charge against them, they were neither robbers of the temple, nor had they blasphemed their goddess. The speaker here ignores the real charge against the disciples, that of denying that images made with hands are gods. He did not state the whole truth, being perhaps not even acquainted with it, but simply judged from the case as it appeared before him. Paul and his companions had never, as later fanatical missionaries and iconoclasts did, thrown down and destroyed heathen images, nor had they attempted to gain their point by abuse and bluster, but they had simply taught the truth and tried to convince the heathen of the vanity of their idols. If therefore Demetrius and his fellow-craftsmen felt that they had a case against any one, the court-meetings were going on at that very moment, sessions of the court were being held and the judges were present, the proconsul was on duty; let them therefore bring their charge. These simple rules, which must obtain in a well ordered state, should be followed, then there would be justice for all. But if the assembly desired to have any resolution passed concerning the future conduct of citizens or of residents of the city, such things were to be decided in a legal meeting, called in a legal manner and empowered to pass such resolutions, the present meeting not coming under this heading. He finally reminded the people of the possible consequences of their foolish acts. They all were in danger of being called to account for the riot of that day, in itself a serious matter, since it would not be possible for them to show any reason for this tumult. And the crowning bit of tactful diplomacy was the action of the secretary in dismissing the assembly. The words imply the usual formal dismissal, a motion to adjourn having been called for by the moderator and duly passed by the assembly. This trick would tend to give the meeting a lawful aspect and help to shield the people in case of an investigation. It was thus a skillful device of the secretary both to make the people still more heartily ashamed of themselves, and to make them feel indebted to him for keeping them out of greater difficulties. Note: The riot at Ephesus has its parallels in contemporary church history. The true preachers of the Gospel are no robbers of churches, no iconoclasts, no senseless blasphemers; but their duty is to show the heathen of our days the vanity of the modern idols, of the lust of the flesh, of the lust of the eyes, of the pride of life. And this position is bitterly resented by those that feel their guilt. Whenever they have an opportunity, therefore, they incite thoughtless people against the Church. The days of mob-rule are evidently not past yet. Since, however, an infuriated mob has no reason, the Christians will quietly wait and place their cause into the hands of God until they may confess the Word once more and build their Lord’s kingdom. The exalted Christ watches over His own in the midst of all dangers.

Summary. Paul labors at Ephesus for almost three years with great success, although the opponents try to harm the cause of Christ by inciting a tumult.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Act 19:35. The town clerk The word literally signifies a scribe, or secretary; but as this person appears to have been of some authority as well as learning, the word chancellor, or recorder, seems to be very properly used by several learned translators. Mr. Biscoe endeavours to prove that the office referred not to the city of Ephesus, but to the games; and that the person who bore it, represented Apollo, one of the chief of their deities, and the supposed brother of Diana; which, if itwere indeed the case, would give great weight to his interpretation. He appears, by this speech, a person of considerable prudence and abilities; for he urged in a few words that there was no need of a public declaration that they were votaries of Diana, since every body knew it; Act 19:35-36 that the persons accused were not guilty of any breach of the law, or any public offence, Act 19:37 that if they were, this was not a legal method of prosecuting them, Act 19:38-39 and that they were themselves liable toprosecution for such a tumultuous proceeding, Act 19:40. The word , here rendered a worshipper, properly signifies a priest or priestess devoted to some particular idol deity; whose business it was to look after the temple, and see that it was not only kept in good repair, but also neat and clean, and beautified in a proper manner. It appears by ancient inscriptions on marbles and coins, and by other authentic testimonies, that there were some particular persons at Ephesus who bore this office. As for the tradition of this image’s failing down from Jupiter, there was the like legend concerning several other images among the heathens; as there is likewise concerning some pictures of the Virgin Mary in popish churches. The reader will find many learned quotations on these images in Biscoe, p. 307.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

35 And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?

Ver. 35. Great goddess Diana ] Who yet, as great as she was, being busy at Alexander’s birth (as he said), could not be at leisure to save her temple at Ephesus from burning. Like as Baal was so hot in the pursuit of his enemies, that he could not be at hand to help his friends, 1Ki 18:27 .

And of the image that fell ] A very ancient image made by Canetias a certain artificer, and for the antiquity of it, said by the covetous priests to have fallen down from Jupiter, that it might be the more venerable. By a like craft the Popish priests now show some shivers of the cross whereon our Saviour suffered, yea, some shreds of the tail of that ass whereupon he rode to Jerusalem.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

35. .] When he had quieted, lulled, the crowd.

] the town-clerk is the nearest English office corresponding to it. He was the keeper of the archives and public reader of decrees, &c., in the assemblies. Thucyd. vii. 10, . ‘Among the Ephesian inscriptions in Boeckh, we find the following: . . . . . . No. 2990.’ C. and H. ii. 96.

gives a reason for the . See Herm. on Viger, p. 829.

] Probably a virger or adorner (Suidas says, not a sweeper : . , ) of the temple: here used as implying that Ephesus had the charge and keeping of the temple. The title is found (Wetst.) on inscriptions as belonging to Ephesus: . . (Boeckh, No. 2966); and seems to have been specially granted by the emperors to particular cities: thus we have , : and on coins of Hadrian, , &c.: and similarly of Elagabalus, : of Maximin [101] , . See also C. and H. ii. p. 89, where will be found an engraving of a coin exhibiting both the words and ( Act 19:38 ).

[101] Maximin, the Arian, cited by Aug .

. ] To give peculiar sanctity to various images, it was given out that they had fallen from heaven; so Euripides of the statue of Artemis at Tauris, , | | . Iph. Taur. 86, and 977, he calls it , . So also Pausan. Att. 26, , .

The image is described by Pliny, xvi. 72: ‘de ipso simulacro De ambigitur. Cteri ex ebeno esse tradunt: Mucianus ter consul ex his qui, proxime viso eo, scripsere, vitigineum, et nunquam mutatum, septies restituto templo.’

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Act 19:35 . : only here in N.T. and in Act 19:36 , “had quieted,” R.V., cf. 2Ma 4:31 , 3Ma 6:1 , Aquila, Psa 64 (65):8, also in Josephus and Plutarch. : “the secretary of the city” Ramsay; Lightfoot was the first to point out the importance of the officer so named called also . or . ; he was the most influential person in Ephesus, for not only were the decrees to be proposed drafted by him and the Strategoi, and money left to the city was committed to his charge, but as the power of the Ecclesia, the public assembly, declined under imperial rule, the importance of the secretary’s office was enhanced, because he was in closer touch with the court of the proconsul than the other city magistrates, and acted as a medium of communication between the imperial and municipal government, “Ephesus” (Ramsay), Hastings’ B.D., p. 723, Cities and Bishoprics of Phrygia , i., 66; St. Paul , pp. 281, 304; Hicks, Greek Inscriptions in the British Museum , iii., p. 154, and Wood’s Ephesus, App. , p. 49, often with Asiarchs and proconsul; Lightfoot, Contemp. Review , p. 294, 1878. St. Luke’s picture therefore of the secretary as a man of influence and keenly alive to his responsibility is strikingly in accordance with what we might have expected. : “what man is there then?” etc. Rendall: the looks back to the action of the speaker in quieting the crowd, as if he would say that there is no need for this excitement, for all that you have said about your goddess is universally acknowledged. : “temple-keeper,” R.V., “a worshipper,” A.V., cultricem , Vulgate, lit [331] , “a temple-sweeper” (on derivation see Grimm-Thayer, sub v. ), and so found in classical Greek, a sacristan, a verger, Lat., dituus, cf. Jos., B. J. , v., 9, 4, where = worshippers , . The title “Warden of the Temple of Ephesus” was a boast of the city, just as other cities boasted of the same title in relation to other deities. It would seem that the title at Ephesus was generally used in connection with the imperial cultus; in the period of this narrative, Ephesus could claim the title as Warden of one Temple of this cultus , and later on she enjoyed the title of , , as the number of the temples of the imperial cultus increased. But there is ample justification from inscriptions for the mention of the title in the verse before us in connection with the Artemis worship. For references, Ramsay, “Ephesus,” Hastings’ B.D., p. 722; Cities and Bishoprics of Phrygia , i., 58; Wendt, Blass, in loco; Lightfoot, Cont. Rev. , p. 294, 1878; Wood, Ephesus, App. , p. 50. ., sc. , : or some such word; the image was believed to have fallen from the sky (heaven, R.V. margin), like that of the Tauric Artemis, cf. Eur., Iph. . , 977, 1384, where we find given as the equivalent and explanation of (Herod., i., 11). The worship of Diana of the Ephesians was entirely Asian and not Greek, although the Greek colonists attempted to establish an identification with their own Artemis on account of certain analogies between them. According to Jerome, Prfat. ad Ephesios , the Ephesian Artemis was represented as a figure with many breasts, multimammia (“quam Grci vocant”), symbolising the reproductive and nutritive powers of Nature which she personified. This description is fully borne out by the common representations of the goddess on coins and statues. No one could say for certain of what the was made: according to Petronius it was made of cedar wood, according to Pliny of the wood of the vine, according to Xen. of gold, and according to others of ebony. For a fuller description of the image, and for some account of the wide prevalence of worship of the goddess and its peculiar character, Ramsay, Cities and Bishoprics of Phrygia , “Diana of the Ephesians,” Hastings’ B.D., B.D. 2 ; Wendt, 1888, in loco; Farrar, St. Paul , ii., p. 13, and references in Wetstein.

[331] literal, literally.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

townelerk = recorder. Greek. grammateus. In all its other sixty-six occurances translated scribe.

appeased = quieted. Greek. katastello. Only here and Act 19:36.

Ye, &c. = Men, Ephesians. Compare Act 1:11.

what man. The texts read, “who of men. “

knoweth. Greek. ginosko. App-132.

worshipper. Greek. neokoros. Literally temple-sweeper. Only here. This very word occurs on coins of Ephesus.

great goddess Diana. The texts read “great Diana”.

the image, &c. Greek. Diopetes. Only here. Literally the fallen from Zeus. The lower part of the image in the shrine was a block of wood which was said to have fallen from the sky.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

35. .] When he had quieted, lulled, the crowd.

] the town-clerk is the nearest English office corresponding to it. He was the keeper of the archives and public reader of decrees, &c., in the assemblies. Thucyd. vii. 10, . Among the Ephesian inscriptions in Boeckh, we find the following: . . . . . . No. 2990. C. and H. ii. 96.

gives a reason for the . See Herm. on Viger, p. 829.

] Probably a virger or adorner (Suidas says, not a sweeper: . , ) of the temple: here used as implying that Ephesus had the charge and keeping of the temple. The title is found (Wetst.) on inscriptions as belonging to Ephesus: . . (Boeckh, No. 2966); and seems to have been specially granted by the emperors to particular cities: thus we have , : and on coins of Hadrian, , &c.: and similarly of Elagabalus, : of Maximin[101], . See also C. and H. ii. p. 89, where will be found an engraving of a coin exhibiting both the words and (Act 19:38).

[101] Maximin, the Arian, cited by Aug.

. ] To give peculiar sanctity to various images, it was given out that they had fallen from heaven; so Euripides of the statue of Artemis at Tauris, , | | . Iph. Taur. 86, and 977, he calls it , . So also Pausan. Att. 26, , .

The image is described by Pliny, xvi. 72: de ipso simulacro De ambigitur. Cteri ex ebeno esse tradunt: Mucianus ter consul ex his qui, proxime viso eo, scripsere, vitigineum, et nunquam mutatum, septies restituto templo.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Act 19:35. ) the town-clerk.- , for who is there, who then is there) Paul would have spoken otherwise. [But the raving (insane) multitude was unworthy of his preaching.-V. g.] However, the language of the clerk is ambiguous, and he may have spoken so, either because of (to suit) the exigency, or because he sincerely thought what he said: for even in Act 19:37 he says, Your goddess, not, Our goddess.-, of the Ephesians) By the repetition of the proper name, their celebrity is signified.-) The Perinthians were (worshippers, temple-worshippers) of Hercules; other peoples were worshippers of other gods; the Ephesians, of Diana. See J. H. A. Seelen Medit. Exeget., p. 523.-, is) At that very time the Ephesians were priding themselves on that distinction. See Gregorys Observ., ch. 10. There was therefore a great conflux of men to the sacred games to her in that city.-) They had supposed the image of Diana to have fallen down from heaven, from Jupiter.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

Ye men: Eph 2:12

a worshipper: Gr. the temple-keeper

and of: Act 19:26, 2Th 2:10, 2Th 2:11, 1Ti 4:2

Jupiter: Act 14:12, Act 14:13

Reciprocal: Job 12:9 – Who Psa 115:4 – Their idols Dan 3:3 – the princes Act 17:22 – I perceive Act 19:24 – Diana Act 19:28 – and cried Eph 2:2 – in time 1Pe 1:18 – received

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

5

Act 19:35. A townclerk was a secretary or public scribe; a man supposed to be informed in matters of law and order. After two hours he was able to get the uproar subdued so that he could speak to the people. His purpose was to state the legal and fair aspects of the situation. He proposed to show that there was no call for such a demonstration in defense of the temple of Diana. That it was common knowledge that the people were devoted worshipers of their goddess, which it was believed had come down from Jupiter, another god of the Greeks.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Act 19:35. And when the town-clerk had appeased the people. This official was a personage of great importance in these free Greek cities. He was a magistrate whose functions in some respects corresponded to those fulfilled by the recorder of modern times in England. His immediate duty consisted in the guardianship and tabulation of the state paper and archives of the city, and in drawing up the public records, and in sending them out to the public civic assemblies. This officer also was authorised to preside over public gatherings of the citizens. We find the name ; (recorder) engraved on marbles set up as memorials of some public ceremony. It seems probable that this office was a permanent one, unlike that of the Asiarch, which merely lasted a year. This would account for the town-clerk addressing and dismissing the people. His influence was no doubt greater than even the presiding Asiarch of the year. There is a strong contrast between the effect of his words on the people and that of Alexander the Jew. The people evidently listened with all attention to the harangue of the town-clerk, and seemed at once to have dispersed at his request.

The city of Ephesus is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana. The Greek word rendered worshipper is a remarkable one ( ). Its literal meaning is temple-sweeper (Lat. aedituus). It answers to the Christian Sacristan, originally a title of one employed in the lowest offices connected with a temple. Its connection with the divinity supposed to dwell within the hallowed walls of the fane, invested the appellation with an unearthly dignity; and the proudest cities became eager to appropriate a title which seemed to connect them in a peculiarly close relation with the deity of whose earthly house they were the recognised guardians. So in the case of great and magnificent Ephesus, the citys proudest title to honour was its loving care for the worship of the great Artemis (Diana). It assumed the title , paraphrased rather than translated by worshipper, and we find it constantly on the city coins. This singular title was assumed not unfrequently by individuals who claimed to have rendered special services to the goddess or her temple. So, for instance, the Roman Emperors Hadrian, Elagabalus, Caracal la, and Geta, each styled himself the neokoros of the Ephesian Artemis. The better MSS. omit the Greek equivalent for goddess, the great Artemis of Ephesus being so well known as to need no prefix of goddess. We find some Ephesian inscriptions in which she is described as the greatest, the most high.

The appeal of the town-clerk to his fellow-citizens to preserve order would at once conciliate every Ephesian heart by this ready and graceful allusion to the well-known favourite appellation of the city. It was as though he said, My fellow-citizens, why imperil your cherished privileges and affront Rome by an unseemly uproar about a question which after all no sensible man could ever entertain; for, does not all the civilised world know how loyal Ephesus is to her great protecting goddess? These strange menthese poor, shabby, homeless Jewscan never shake our allegiance to and the worlds belief in that mighty Artemis there, no doubt pointing to the proud and stately temple in full view of the crowded audience.

Of the image which fell down from Jupiter. Like many other venerated idols of the old Pagan world, the strange and hideous statue of the Ephesian Artemis was supposed to have fallen from the skies. In like manner tradition ascribed a heavenly origin to the Diana of Tauris, the Minerva (Athene), Polias of Athens, the Ceres of Sicily, the Cybele of Pessinus, and the Venus of Paphos; to these we may add the Palladium of Troy and the Ancile at Rome. It is not improbable that some of them may have been meteoric stones, possibly employed by the sculptor in ancient times, when he was shaping the idol.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Observe here, 1. The instrument which God stirs up to stem the tide, and to stop the stream, of this hair-brained assembly; and that is, the town-clerk, who was always present at their public meetings, and registered all their city acts. His presence and eloquence God made use of, to appease this tumult, to preserve the apostle, and to dismiss the assembly.

Observe, 2. The town-clerk’s oration was full of craft and policy, of fraud and fallacy; for he tells the multitude, that St. Paul and his friends are against images only that are made with hands; whereas theirs was not such, but one that fell down from Jupiter. It was his duty, by office, to appease the rabble’s rage, with reason and authority; he ought not to have done it fallaciously. But we must consider he was a Pagan, and his design was only to still the people; accordingly, he encourages the credulous multitude to believe what the crafty priests had insinuated into them, that the image which they worshipped was not made with hands; but fell immediately down from heaven; hoping thereby to gain more veneration to their idols, and get more pounds into their own purses. Thus God made use of the worldly and (somewhat) wicked eloquence of this heathen to preserve St. Paul.

Observe, 3. How God opens the mouth of this man to vindicate the apostle’s innocency and his companion’s also; These men, saith he, are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess. It is very likely, that the apostle and the Christians in Ephesus had in wisdom asserted Christianity, without saying much against Diana, which would have but enraged the multitude; much less did they offer any violence to her temple or her image.

Here note, That although the apostles were great enemies to these men’s idolatry, yet did they offer no outward violence ot their idol-temples, neither to demolish them, or deface any image on them: they well knew, that such a work of public reformation was not their business, but the magistrates’; therefore they endeavoured by preaching to cast idols out of the people’s hearts, but not by violence to throw them out of the temple.

Thus ends this chapter, with the account of St. Paul’s marvellous, if not miraculous preservation at the city of Ephesus; where being surrounded with difficulties and dangers on all hands, yet being found in the way of his duty, and in the work of his master, he escapes all perils. Safety evermore accompanies duty: when we are in God’s way, we are under God’s wing: preservation and protection we shall have, if God may thereby be glorified; but sometimes danger is better than safety, a storm more useful than a calm.

And blessed be God for the assurance of his promise, that all things, be they mercies or afflictions, comforts or corrections, dangers or deliverances, life or death, all shall work together for good to them that love God, and are found steadfast in their obedience to him. Rom 8:28

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Act 19:35-41. And when the town-clerk Greek, , the scribe; probably the proconsuls secretary, to whom the direction of the affairs of the city was committed; had appeased the people So far as to produce a degree of silence, the rioters, by their violent outcries so long continued, having spent their rage; he said, What man is there in the world, that has any intelligence of things at all, that knoweth not that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper Greek, , the temple-keeper, of the great goddess Diana The expression is compounded of words which, taken together, signify to sweep or clean a temple, being used of a priest or priestess, or other person, whose business it was to look after the temple of any god or goddess, and see that it was not only kept in good repair, but also neat and clean, and beautified in a proper manner. This title was given also to those cities which had the care of the games celebrated in honour of any god or goddess. And of the image which fell down from Jupiter They believed that very image of Diana, which stood in their temple, fell down from Jupiter in heaven. Perhaps this town-clerk, or secretary, designed to intimate that this image, as falling down from Jupiter, was not made with hands, and so was not of that sort of idols which Paul had said were no gods. Seeing then these things cannot be denied But are plainly incontestable; ye ought to be quiet Gentle in your proceedings; and to do nothing rashly By which you may run yourselves into vast inconveniences and dangers before you are aware. In this speech, the secretary took hold of the multitude by their prejudices; for without speaking any thing concerning Pauls doctrine, that images made with hands were no gods, he desired the Ephesians to consider that their privileges, as keepers of the temple of Diana, and of her heaven-descended image, were so universally acknowledged, that there was no danger of their losing that honour through any thing Paul had spoken. For ye have brought these men, Gaius and Aristarchus, hither, which are neither robbers of churches Greek, , robbers of temples, or sacrilegious persons; nor yet blasphemers of your goddess The apostles had simply preached the one God, and the vanity of idols in general. The secretary further told them, that the men whom they had brought into the theatre were not yet proved to be guilty of those crimes which they appeared to lay to their charge; because, though they might have spoken against the images made by the craftsmen, they had said nothing against the image which Jupiter had given them: and added, that if Demetrius and the craftsmen had these, or any other crimes, to lay to their charge, of which they could prove them guilty, there were deputies. Roman proconsuls, to whom they might apply, as the proper judges in such cases; and the courts of law were open Where the matters might be fairly tried. But if ye inquire any thing concerning other matters If ye inquire whether the temple of Diana or her worship be in danger, or what persons or religions should be tolerated in the city, these are public matters, which should be determined in a lawful assembly An assembly regularly appointed, and such as has authority to judge in religious and political affairs. For we are in danger to be called in question by the Romans for this days uproar Greek, , to be accused of sedition; there being no cause No sufficient cause; whereby we may give an account of May justify; this concourse He wisely calls it by an inoffensive name. Fire, inundations, the sudden invasion of enemies, &c., might have excused a sudden concourse of people rushing together with some violence: but the secretary, with great propriety, observes that there was no such cause, nor any other adequate one, to be assigned in this instance. It must be observed, there was a Roman law which made it capital to raise a riot: Qui ctum et concursum fecerit capite puniatur. And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly And set Gaius and Aristarchus at liberty. The secretarys conduct on this occasion shows that he had a good opinion of the Christian preachers. We may therefore believe, that in preaching against the established worship, Paul and his assistants had spoken nothing against Diana in particular, though their doctrine struck at all the heathen deities in the general: and even that in speaking against the established idolatry, they had used a becoming decency of language. The secretary, therefore, observing their prudence, entertained a good opinion of the cause they were engaged in.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

35-41. The rage of an excited multitude, unless it find some new fuel to keep up the flame, will naturally subside in a few hours. While it is at its height, it becomes only the more furious the more it is opposed; but when it begins to subside, frequently a few well-chosen words are sufficient to restore quiet. Acting upon this principle, the city authorities had not, thus far, interfered with the mob; but when they were exhausted by long-continued vociferation, the following well-timed and well-worded speech was addressed to them. (35) “But the public clerk, having quieted the people, said, Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of Ephesus is a worshiper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? (36) Seeing, then, that these things can not be spoken against, you ought to be quieted, and do nothing rashly. (37) For you have brought hither these men, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess. (38) If, then, Demetrius, and the artisans who are with him, have a complaint against any one, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls; let them accuse one another. (39) But if you are making inquiry concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly. (40) For we are in danger of being called to account for this day’s tumult, there being no cause for which we will be able to give an account of this concourse. (41) And having spoken thus, he dismissed the assembly.”

This is evidently the speech of a man well skilled in the management of popular assemblies, and, doubtless, its happy adaptation to the circumstances is what suggested to Luke the propriety of preserving it. It is probable that the speaker, like the Asiarchs who interfered to keep Paul out of danger, was a friend to the apostle, and a man of too much intelligence to receive with blind credulity the popular delusion in reference to the temple and image of Diana. The speech, indeed, has a ring of insincerity about it, indicating that the speaker was merely humoring the popular superstition for the special purpose before him. Upon this hypothesis the speech appears the more ingenious. The confident assumption that the divine honors bestowed on their goddess, and the belief that her image fell from heaven, were so well known that no man would call them in question, was soothing to their excited feelings, and the remark that the unquestionable certainty of these facts ought to make them feel entirely composed on the subject, brought them, by a happy turn of thought, to the very composure which he desired, and which they fancied was the result of a triumphant vindication of their cause. Advancing, then, to the case of the disciples, like a trained advocate, he ignores the real charge against them, that of denying that they are gods which are made with hands, and declares that they are neither temple robbers, nor revilers of their goddess. Then, as for the men who had excited them to this disturbance, the proconsular courts were the proper place for complaints like theirs, and they had no right to disturb the people with such matters. Finally, he gives them a gentle hint as to the unlawfulness of their assemblage, and the probability that they would be called to account for it by the Roman authorities. This last remark had special force with the majority, who, according to Luke, “knew not on what account they had come together;” and the whole speech was well aimed toward the result which followed, the dispersion of the mob. The city authorities had reason to congratulate themselves that so fierce a mob had been so successfully controlled, and the disciples could but be thankful to God that they had escaped so well.

Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)

Verse 35

Which fell down from Jupiter. Such a legend was in circulation among the people. The great temple was built to receive the image which thus descended.

Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament

19:35 {10} And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, [Ye] men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the [image] which {n} fell down from Jupiter?

(10) An example of a political man who redeems peace and quietness with lies, which Paul would have never done.

(n) The Ephesians believed superstitiously that the image of Diana came down to them from heaven.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

The "townclerk" (Gr. ho grammateus) was the equivalent of a modern mayor, the locally elected executive official most responsible for what took place in the city. Consequently he was eager to end this demonstration. He made four points in his address to the assembly. First, there was no danger whatsoever that people would conclude that Artemis was a goddess made with hands since everyone knew the image of her in her famous temple had fallen from heaven. "Do nothing rash" is still good advice. The townclerk was not a Christian, but he was a wise and diplomatic man.

The title "temple keeper" was an honor that Rome bestowed on selected cities that possessed temples of the imperial cult. [Note: Neil, p. 208.] Ephesus was one of these.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)