Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 19:17
And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
17. And this was known to all ] It is better to render, with Rev. Ver., the verb literally, “ became known.” It was no doubt a gradual spreading of the story. We may be sure that the “sons of Sceva” said little about it.
the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus ] Better, both Jews and Greeks, that dwelt at Ephesus. The A. V. does not shew “Jews and Greeks” to be an explanation of the preceding “all,” which it is in the original. Exorcists were plentiful enough at Ephesus, and the event would be looked on as a warning.
and fear magnified ] The “fear” was the first feeling and the most widely prevailing, for that would touch all who heard the history; the magnifying of the Lord Jesus was the later effect produced among those to whom Jesus was becoming known and worshipped.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The name of the Lord Jesus was magnified – Acquired increasing honor. The transaction showed that the miracles performed in the name of the Lord Jesus by Paul were real, and were performed in attestation of the truth of the doctrine which he taught. Impostors could not work such miracles; and they who pretended to be able to do it only exposed themselves to the rage of evil spirits. It was thus shown that there was a real, vital difference between Paul and these impostors, and their failure only served to extend his reputation and the power of the gospel.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 17. The name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.] They saw that there was a sovereign power in the name of Jesus, which could not be imitated by these lying exorcists: they therefore reverenced this name, and despised those pretenders.
Exorcisms or adjurations of evil spirits were very frequent in the primitive Church: the name of JESUS was that alone which was used. The primitive fathers speak strong and decisive words concerning the power of this name; and how demons were tormented and expelled by it, not only from individuals, but from the temples themselves. Exorcists formed a distinct class an the Church; hence we read of presbyters, deacons, exorcists, lectors, and door-keepers. The adjuration was commonly used over the catechumens, before they were admitted to baptism. Gregory of Nazianzen, and Cyril of Jerusalem speak much of this rite. See my Succession of Sacred Literature, under Cyril, and GREGORY Nazianzen; and see Suicer, under .
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Fear fell on them all; they feared (after this example of Gods not holding them guiltless that had taken his name in vain) to profane the name of Christ, and much more to blaspheme or speak against it.
The name of the Lord Jesus was magnified; his authority, which the unclean spirit could not resist; and his doctrine and ministers, whose defence God had undertaken.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14-17. seven sons of . . . Sceva . .. chief of the priestshead, possibly, of one of thetwenty-four courts.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And this was known to all the Jews,…. These men being Jews: and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus: for though it was done in a private house, yet there might be many spectators and witnesses, both Jews and Greeks, who spread this fact about the city, and who, were to be depended upon:
and fear fell on them all; on the enemies of Christ and his Gospel, so that others were deterred from making such an attempt for the future:
and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified; which had such power over evil spirits, and whose power they themselves acknowledged: this was done by them that believed in Christ, who thought and spake the more highly of him; and who more strongly believed in him, and so magnified him, and gave more glory to him; Christ is great in himself, and he is magnified and made great, when he is declared to be so, and is treated as such.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Was magnified (). Imperfect passive. To make great. It was a notable victory over the powers of evil in Ephesus.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Was known [ ] . More correctly, became known.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And this was known,” (touto de egeneto ginoston) “Then this event became known,” a matter of common knowledge of general report, continued to be magnified or reported, showing that the power and help of God’s ordained men excelled that of false prophets, as Isa 8:20; Mat 7:15; Mat 7:22-23; 2Co 11:13-15,
2) “To all the Jews and Greeks,” (pasin loudaiois te kai Hellesin) “Both to all the Jews and Greeks,” in the area or community. The fake and farce claims of this Seven-Son-Sceva clan of roving Gypsy-like band of shooting, religious stars, Jude v. 13, was well exposed, Num 32:23; Ecc 12:14.
3) “Also dwelling in Ephesus; (tois katoikousin ten Epheson) “That is to all those residing in Ephesus,” in the metropolis of Ephesus, so widely inhabited by idol worshippers, who were easily led to follow some hopeful outward demonstration of sorcerers, fake magic arts craftsmen, Psa 115:3-8.
4) “And fear fell on them all,” (kai epepesin phobos epi pantas autous) “And a respectful fear fell upon (came over) them all,” over all of the Jews and Greeks in Ephesus, a reverential fear, a respectful fear, as found, Luk 1:65; Luk 7:16; Act 5:5; Act 5:11. God intervened, and used this demon controlled man to beat some sense of honesty and integrity into the sons of Sceva, and make known their devilish deeds to all the local public.
5) “And the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.” (kai emegaluneto to onoma tou kuriou lesou) “And the name (authority) of the Lord Jesus was magnified,” caused to be greatly respected, as a result of this episode, and evident Divine intervention; Praise often follows trials and fears, Mat 27:54; Rom 8:28.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
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17. There came fear. The fruit of that vengeance which God brought upon those who did wickedly abuse the name of Christ is this, in that they were all touched with reverence, lest they should contemn that doctrine, whose revenger the Lord hath showed by an evident token and testimony he would be, and they were brought to reverence Christ. For, besides that God doth invite us by all his judgments to come thus far, that they may terrify us from sinning, in this example peculiarly was the majesty of Christ set forth, and the authority of the gospel established. Wherefore, there is more heavy and grievous punishment prepared for deceivers, who, with their enchantments, profane the name of Christ wittingly, lest they promise to themselves that they shall escape unpunished for such gross sacrilege. Whereas he saith that it was made known to all men, it signifieth as much as commonly or everywhere. For his meaning is, that the matter was much talked of among the people, to the end the name of Christ might be made known to more men.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(17) Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.The fact thus narrated had shown that the sacred Name stood on quite a different level from that of the other names which exorcists had employed. It was a perilous thing for men to use it rashly, without inward faith in all that the Name implied. Men thought more of it than they had done before, because they saw the punishment that fell on those who had profaned it.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. Fear fell on them all Terror lest they suffer the awful penalty of tampering with the Artemisian sorceries.
Name Jesus magnified As superior to every other name, even that of Artemis, and as alone divine, and obeyed by the most terrible powers of hell. And this divine awe was universal, upon Jews and Greeks, so as to produce a deep impression upon Ephesus. (See notes on Act 13:12; Act 16:17.)
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who dwelt at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.’
And the result of this demonstration, both of the power of the name of Jesus, and of the treatment of exorcists who misused it, became widely known in Ephesus, both among Jews and Gentiles. And all were filled with awe. And the name of the LORD Jesus was magnified.
So as a result of the activities of Paul through the successful proclamation of the word of the LORD (Act 19:10) and the Kingly Rule of God (Act 19:8), and the performing of signs and wonders (Act 19:11-12), and the casting out of evil spirits (Act 19:12), and as a result of this abject failure of the sons of Sceva as they misused the name of the LORD Jesus and suffered for it (Act 19:13-16), so that the power of the Name was further revealed, great glory came to the Name of the LORD Jesus. Many in Ephesus whose usual cry had been ‘Great is Artemis (Diana) of the Ephesians’ (Act 19:28; Act 19:34), now instead cried ‘Great is the Name of the LORD Jesus’. For while one had a magnificent Temple and lured men into the occult, and into buying silver shrines, and into possession by evil spirits, the Other transformed men’s lives, healed those who were sick, triumphed over evil spirits and rid men of them, and delivered men from their sins and from the occult and caused them to burn their books which were worth large amounts of silver (Act 19:19). We are reminded of the contrast in the words of Peter in Act 3:6, ‘silver and gold have I none, but what I have I give you, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk’.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 19:17-18 . The first impression of this signal miscarriage of that application of the name of Jesus was in the case of the Ephesian multitude naturally fear, dread (see on Act 2:43 ) on account of its extraordinary nature (on , comp. Luk 1:12 ); and then followed universal praise of that name (comp. Luk 7:16 ). And many who (through this event now) were believers ( . [94] ) came (to Paul) and confessed and made known (an exhaustive description) their deeds . This open confession ( ., see on Mat 3:6 ) of their previous practices, which had been entirely alien and opposed to the faith in Christ, was the commencement of their new life of faith. In and . . the converted sorcerers and their evil tricks are meant to be included , but not they only (in opposition to Heinrichs and Olshausen); for it is not till Act 19:19 that these exclusively are treated of. As to in a bad sense, comp. on Rom 8:13 .
[94] This rendering of . is justified by . . ., ver. 17. Others, as Baumgarten, understand those who had already previously been believers, but who had not yet arrived at such a confession. This, however, is not reconcilable with as the necessary moral condition of faith and baptism, which condition must have at an earlier period been fulfilled by those who had already at an earlier time become believers. Luther (see his gloss) has misunderstood the verse.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
Chapter 72
Prayer
Almighty God, there is no night in thy city. Thou dwellest in eternity. Through Jesus Christ thy Son, we are children of the light, we have nothing to do with darkness; our souls are birds of the morning, and we are called in the Holy One to shine as the sun in his strength. Jesus Christ is the Light of the world, and we, too, are named by that great name. We have no light of our own. The light which shines in our life is borrowed from the original and infinite lustre. We have nothing that we have not received, every good gift and every perfect gift cometh down from the Father of Lights. Thou hast called us to a religion that is a revelation. Thou hast not called us to secrecy and mystery, but to openness and far-sounding gospels, clear as the voice of love, and pleading as the tones of prayer. May we know to what we are called and by whom we are called, and knowing these things make us strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, that we may show forth unto all men that we are children of the light and not of the night. Make thy book an open secret to us. May we feel its mysteriousness, and yet rejoice in its light and sympathy. Restrain the curiosity that would become profanity, and help the faculty that would search in reverence for thy word and thy truth as for hidden treasures. Thy book opens before us like an immeasurable sky; it is full of stars, it is full of suns. May we walk in its many lights, take upon us its many colours, and have in our character the mystery that can only be explained by nobleness of conduct. Feed us with the bread of heaven. It is the food of the soul; without it we die. Lord, evermore give us this bread. Lead us by the river of God, which is full of water. Give us a sense of infinite wealth in Christ, so that all poverty, all death, all darkness, and all sense thereof may be destroyed in us. Thou hast crowned the week with thy goodness; thou hast spread our table for us; thou hast sent the gift of sleep night by night to tired eyes; thou hast surrounded us with securities not easily violated; thou hast given us love one for another, so that life lives in life, and love answers love, and a glad music unites the whole. This is the daily miracle of daily providence. Now would we give one another to thee in Christ Jesus. Nourish us, comfort us, speak to us the word we most require. Make the strong man stronger by added tenderness. Make the working servant more industrious by rekindling the lamp of his hope. Heal those that are ready to perish; show them what life is and what is death, and speak unto them from thine own heaven, and comfort such with the temporary healing of time or with the eternal healing of immortality. The Lord be with those who are not with us. David’s place is empty; the father is not with the child; the mother is unwillingly absent; the little child is disappointed at not being here; the man of business has gone a long journey; some are on the sea, and some in far-away lands. The Lord bring all around us in spirit, sympathy, and religious expectation, and let the feast-board be enlarged until all for whom we ought to pray sit down and eat and drink abundantly of the Lord’s provision. We put ourselves absolutely into thine hands. When we are in a great sea of tumult we would not put out a hand to save ourselves. Come to us and the waves shall be as solid rocks. Relieve the heart that is much plagued about the prodigal, the vow breaker, the little child, the life yet undirected and uncentred. Take all our affairs into thine hands, for thou who didst plant the lily and teach the bird its song, and make all things beautiful in their season, canst, and wilt, arrange all our little concerns, and make us laugh with rare, great joy, because thou hast made all things work together for good. We say our prayer at the Cross, and when we clasp our hands we put them around the body of him who died, the Just for the unjust. Amen.
Act 19:17-20
17. And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, that dwelt at Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all. and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
18. Many also of them that [now] had believed [those in whom the “fear” had wrought repentance and faith] came, confessing and declaring their [previous] deeds [“tricks”].
19. And not a few of them that practised curious [“vain”] arts, brought their books together, and burned them in the sight of all: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver [ drachmae, about 1875].
20. So mightily grew the word of the Lord and prevailed.
The Sacrificial Fire
THERE was a kind of religious indignation in the man who was possessed by the evil spirit. He was made stronger than all the seven men who conjured with a Name which they did not know and love in their hearts. Nominal faith is always coming to grief. It has no backbone; it carries only a painted fire; there is no iron bullet in its gun. The devil is always real, and the more real when he pretends to be an angel of light. His cannon is full of iron. Hypocrisy only adds to the reality of devilism. It is not so with Christianity. Christianity is powerless if insincere. If I may so put it, I may say that Christianity when it ceases to be sincere ceases to be Christian. That is the difficulty of the Church. It is the difficulty of keeping up sincerity. Sincerity is sacrifice, and it is difficult to find fire every day for the altar, and to climb upon it and lie down in its hot centre and be burned in the sight of heaven. It is so much easier to do a trick; to read a word so much easier to say a prayer than to pray. There the enemy has the advantage over us. He has nothing but the meanest work to do. When he mocks he is religious; when he sneers he is at church; when he helps himself he serves the only altar he ever kneels before. It is so different with the followers of him who made the Cross the symbol of discipleship. They are watched at every point. When they fall below the line of passion they fall into criminal luke-warmness. God will have nothing tepid in his Church fire, and only fire! Christians, who are really such in their hearts, have, therefore, a hard time of it in the world. But is there any humiliation equal to that inflicted upon a man by the devil he vainly tries to expel? Look at the text for an answer. Such an unvanquished devil mocks the impotent exorcist, laughs at him, sneers at him, leaps upon him, bites him, and sends him home a sad sight! Such was the faith of the “seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests.” A sermon that has to expel devils must not be a recitation but a sacrifice, not words but drops of blood. Hence it is so hard to preach; easy to write miles of empty sentences hard to cut the whole heart into little pieces into Gospel syllables. But this can be done by thy power, thou Spirit of Pentecost!
What result followed a clear conception of the majesty of the name of the Lord Jesus? The answer is given in the seventh verse: “The name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.” That which could hardly be seen before grew, expanded, and unrolled itself until it filled the whole arch of the skies, and nothing could be seen but the splendour of its own light. These are the results which could be secured today if the cause were equal to the effect. Was this a merely sentimental adoration on the part of the Ephesians? Clearly not. Practical issues were realized. A clear conception of the sublimity of the name of Jesus Christ affects the whole circle in which we stand. It clears that circle of all impurity; it fills that circle with light; it lifts that circle up to heaven.
But a very painful process first takes place. Let us see what that process is? In the eighteenth verse we read: “And many that believed came and confessed.” That is the great social consequence. The enemy comes in and lays his books on the church floor, and says over them, “These, one and all, are lies.” You can forgive men who speak thus frankly. There might be more forgiveness if there were more frankness. Think of educated men ransacking their libraries and bringing out of their secret places all documents that were more or less tainted with falsehood, and bearing them right into the centre of Christian society, and saying, “These are lies!” That is what must be done. But that is only one side of the case. How sublime the force which constrains a man to confess that his life has been a lie! We have seen in our last study that Christianity would not mix with any other religion. The practical proof of that is in the instance now before us. When the Spirit of Christ enters into a man it says to him, “You must make no mistake about me. I never eat with idols; I never share the house with strangers; I am always master and never servant. You must go up and down, though it cost you the remainder of your life, confessing, acknowledging, and begging forgiveness. You cannot swallow the lie; you must expel it, and take the shame of its proclamation, and then we can begin anew. Marvel not that I say unto thee, thou must be born again.” So many of us want our immoralities simply to rot within and pass away by processes of decay; but Christianity says it must not be so. Out with them! Name them! Brand them! Burn them! Drop them with iron hand right into the hell they deserve, one by one, each with its own curse upon it like a load that will never permit it to rise again through the billows of fire. What wonder, we may ask again and again, that Christianity makes so little progress in the world? It hinders its own way; it blocks up its own path; it will make men so good that men hate it. Were it a notion, an intellectual theory, a mental idol, a branch of contemporaneous culture, it might have the Primate’s chair; but it is a new birth, coming through crucifixion with Christ and the regeneration wrought by the Holy Ghost; and therefore Christianity is by so much the self-hindering religion, but, for that very reason, the religion that never needs to be patching up its own work and doing it over again. It works slowly, surely, finally; setting on the top stone wherever it lays the foundation.
Confession never stands alone. You will find that confession was followed by sacrifice. “Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together and burned them before all men; and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.” That is the Cross! We cannot have merely sentimental confession that may be but a variation of the original guilt. Christianity always says, “This is the way to the Cross: walk ye in it.” The sacrifice was expensive; the men lost their trade; and that is the last thing a man is willing to lose in an earthly direction. The men gave up business. Christianity shuts up many commercial institutions. This, therefore, let us repeat for the sake of the grave lesson it conveys, was not a sentimental confession, but a sacrifice of daily and stated income. The days of the text were not days of printing, when ten thousand copies of the Ephesian letters could be struck off in so many hours. The letters were copied from the stone by hand. The copying of the letters was itself a profession by which men sustained their families. Some of the letters had been copied by ancient members of the household, and had been handed on from sire to son, and there were those who kissed the precious documents as heirlooms of the family. These documents were taken into the open air and burned in the sight of all men; and if some of them appeared to be dropping out of the fire they were taken up and thrown into the middle of it. This was not playing at life. How tremendous in energy, how sublime in pathos, the force which could operate upon men’s hearts so as to issue in this unparalleled sacrifice! The men at Ephesus who took part in the surrender are to be regarded with honour. It is easy for us to look upon a fire which is burning other people’s books; but Christianity has done nothing for us until it has lighted exactly the same fire in our houses. Do not wonder you are not quite happy in your mind you have not had a fire! Do not be surprised that you are dyspeptic theologians, analyzing your notions and rearranging your ideas, and asking yourselves vexatious questions which are only meant to contribute to your own vanity. You have not had a fire! Until we have reached this point we can have no heaven. We know the trade is evil, but we do not shut it up. We compound for the continuance of the trade by giving tithes to the Church. We know the money is got by a species of swindling and public deception and trickery, but we double our pew subscriptions and keep the infernal machine grinding for us. Then we find fault with the preaching or with the Church, and we suddenly find that we must be “abreast with the times,” therefore must leave the Church and take to other ways of thinking. O thou whited sepulchre! O thou lying spirit! You must burn down your place of business. I should not wonder if many a joint stock company has to be thrown into the blaze, and you may have to give up your director’s fees. I should not wonder if some part of the Royal Exchange would have to be thrown in also. I do not say this must be so; I am sketching rather a large possibility than stating a solemn fact. But the lesson is the same, though the incident and the illustration may vary; and that lesson is that until we have had a fire in the house and in the heart it is blasphemy to be painting our notions in red letters and holding them up to the heavens as if they were acts of sacrifice. There are those who are going to renounce strong drinks and are going to be abstainers out and out, but they are going to keep something in the house for callers! No; you must have a fire! The “something” you are keeping for visitors will remind you of its existence, and say seductively to you, “It is now a long time since you had anything of my kind; you are stronger now and better, and have learned the manly art of self-control. Now let us renew our alliance.” You must have a fire, if you are to succeed. If you mean to play with yourself, then have no fire. If you mean to see how near you can go to the edge without falling in, then I have no speech to make to you. I began by supposing that you were earnest in asking me to help you to save your life. There are those who intend giving up all evil things, but they do not exactly see why they should waste so much property by burning it; so they will hide it away in a secret drawer. I read nothing of that kind in the sacred record. There must be no secret drawers, nothing excepted, no reservations, but a dragging out of every leaf and tittle and iota, and a complete and final conflagration. Again and again, let us say, what wonder that Christianity makes such little progress in the world? Of what avail is it that we keep our curious arts and our curious books, and yet buy a weekly sermon to sleep over on Sunday afternoon? That is not the Cross.
What is the whole issue? The answer is in the twentieth verse: “So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.” The “word” had it all its own way. Devils ran out of the path lest they should be killed, and all bad things said, “Pity us, and spare us,” but the great fire devoured them. We must have root and branch work. There must be no parleying with the foe. We must have no sympathy with men who teach that Christianity is a string of notions much resembling a string of unconnected beads. Christianity is crucifixion, self-dethronement, self-hatred, trust in Christ, death with Christ, resurrection with Christ; it is not a notion, but a sacrifice. Lord Jesus, why didst thou make thy way so hard in the world? We would take thee into our houses along with other great men, and give thee high place at the table; but thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and asking every one of us, the daintiest as well as the roughest, to stretch out his hands and his feet and be nailed to the Cross, and open his side to the sharp spear. If thy religion were something else we would like it, we would wear it, we would try to make it the fashion of our time. But who can make the Cross a fashion, or make crucifixion popular?
Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker
17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
Ver. 17. And fear fell on them all ] See Trapp on “ Act 5:5 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Act 19:17 . .: characteristic phrase in St. Luke; see above on Luk 1:12 , and Friedrich, pp. 77, 78. : “continued to be magnified,” imperfect, as in Luk 7:16 , praise follows upon fear, Luk 23:47 ; cf. with Mat 27:54 , Friedrich, p. 78. .: “jam cuncta illa nomina inania irritaque pro Iesu nomine putabantur” (Blass), see on Act 19:19 .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
was = became.
known. Greek. gnostoa. See note on Act 1:19.
magnified. Greek. megaluno. See note on Act 5:13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Act 19:17. , was magnified) These exorcists were treated more severely than that person, who was casting out demons in Luk 9:49-50. But the same persons, though not forbidden by Paul, yet by the very disaster which they suffered were for the Christian cause (in spite of themselves). The contumely cast on those who act in a sinister manner is subservient to the Divine glory, and to the estimation of the servants of GOD endowed with real power.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
all: Act 19:10
and fear: Act 2:43, Act 5:5, Act 5:11, Act 5:13, Act 13:12, Lev 10:3, 1Sa 6:20, 2Sa 6:9, Psa 64:9, Luk 1:65, Luk 7:16
the name: Phi 1:20, Phi 2:9-11, 2Th 1:12, 2Th 3:1, Heb 2:8, Heb 2:9, Rev 5:12-14
Reciprocal: 1Ch 29:25 – magnified Solomon Psa 34:3 – magnify Psa 40:16 – say Zec 13:5 – I am no Luk 8:34 – they fled Joh 17:10 – and I Act 9:42 – and many Act 14:1 – Greeks Act 18:19 – Ephesus Act 20:21 – to the Jews Col 3:17 – in the 1Ti 5:20 – that others
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7
Act 19:17. The word fear is used in the sense of respect in this verse, since it caused the name of the Lord Jesus to be magnified by both Jews and Greeks.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 19:17. And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. In Ephesus, where hidden arts were so extensively practised, and where so many were deceived and captivated by pretended dealings with the supernatural, such a scene as the one just related would be likely to have made a deep impression. The feeling of an undefined dread at this power in a namethe name, too, the stranger Paul the tentmaker was constantly alluding to in his well-known teaching in the school of Tyrannusstole over the hearts of many in Ephesus, such a fear as came upon all the Church in the first days, when Ananias and his wife were struck dead on account of their rash, false dealings with the unseen Power that dwelt in the brotherhood of the Lord Jesus.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Act 19:17-20. And this Acknowledgment of the divine authority of Jesus and Paul, made in the absence of both; or this fact, concerning the possessed man, thus prevailing against the sons of Sceva; was known to all the Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus And became, doubtless, the common subject of conversation; and fear fell on them all For in this instance they saw a striking proof of the malice of the devil, whom they served, and of the power of Christ, whom they opposed; and both were awful considerations. They saw that the name of Christ was not to be trifled with, or taken into their mouths rashly, nor his religion confounded with the pagan superstitions. Hence his name, by which his faithful servants cast out devils and cured diseases, without any resistance, was the more magnified For now it appeared to be a name above every name. And many Who had formerly been professors of unwarrantable arts, but who now believed Being strongly impressed by what had happened, and struck with the power of the evil spirit over the sons of Sceva; came To Paul, of their own accord; and confessed That they had attempted to cure diseased persons by charms and other magical practices; and showed their deeds The devices by which they had deceived the multitude; or made a public declaration of their unlawful practices. Many of them also, who used these curious arts Magical arts, to which that soft appellation was given by those that practised them, now firmly believing the gospel; brought their books In which the different forms of incantation for different diseases were prescribed, the method of making these incantations was showed, the herbs and other medicines to be used with these incantations were pointed out, and the seasons for using them were fixed. And burned them before all men Who were present; and A great many of them being judged of high value in that place; they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver If these be taken for Jewish shekels, and valued at three shillings each, (which are the principles of Dr. Bensons computation,) the sum will amount to seven thousand five hundred pounds sterling; or, setting it at two shillings and sixpence, to six thousand two hundred and fifty pounds. Nevertheless, the owners of them made a willing sacrifice of them to truth and piety; because the arts themselves being unlawful, it was not fit that the books which taught them should be in the possession of any person whatever. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed So remarkable was the triumph of the gospel over all considerations of honour or interest that could be opposed to it on this, or on any other occasion.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
See notes on verse 13
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
17. The above mentioned tragedy gave great notoriety to the work.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 17
Fear; wonder and awe.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
News reports of this event greatly elevated the reputation of Jesus among all the Ephesians, both Jews and Gentiles.