Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 19:19
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.
19. Many also of them which used curious arts ] The Greek has not the same word for “many” here, as in the previous verse. To mark this the Rev. Ver. has here “not a few.” The “curious arts” were magic, jugglery and all such practices as make pretence to supernatural agency. The word is used of magic arts both in classical and patristic Greek, and the kindred verb is used of Socrates (Plato, Apol. 8) because of his statement concerning his inward spiritual monitor or dmon.
brought their books together ] We have seen above that the Jews had receipts for incantations and exorcisms professedly dating back to the days of Solomon, and among the heathen population of Ephesus such writings were vastly abundant. Indeed “Ephesian letters” was a common expression, signifying charms composed of magic words and worn as amulets, and supposed to be efficacious against all harm. We are told of a wrestler who could not be thrown while he wore. such a charm, but who was easily overcome when it was taken away. Some of these amulets were said to be composed of the letters which were upon the crown and girdle and feet of the statue of Artemis in the temple at Ephesus. See Farrar’s St Paul, ii. 26, and the authorities there quoted.
and burned them before [rather, in the sight of ] all men. That is, where all might see who were there. We must remember that what they burnt were rolls of written material, not books after the modern fashion, which are extremely difficult to burn. Such a burning pile must have attracted much notice, and was a proof that the descent of the Holy Ghost (Act 19:6) had wrought in Ephesus in the same way as aforetime in Jerusalem.
and they counted the price of them ] And in the sacrifice we must think not only of the cost of the books, but of the hopes of gain which were thrown also into the fire by those to whom “curious arts” had been a revenue.
and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver ] As the scene of this abjuration was among a Greek population, it is almost certain that the Attic drachma is the coin in which the reckoning is made. As 24 of these were a little more in value than our English pound, we may consider that more than two thousand pounds worth of rolls and slips of magic treatises was consumed.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Curious arts – Arts or practices requiring skill, address, cunning. The word used here ( perierga) denotes properly those things that require care or skill, and was thus applied to the arts of magic, jugglery, and sleight of hand that were practiced so extensively in Eastern countries. That such arts were practiced at Ephesus is well known. The Ephesian letters, by which incantations and charms were supposed to be produced, were much celebrated. They seem to have consisted of certain combinations of letters or words, which, by being pronounced with certain intonations of voice, were believed to be effectual in expelling diseases, or evil spirits; or which, by being written on parchment and worn, were supposed to operate as amulets, or charms, to guard from evil spirits or from danger. Thus, Plutarch (Sympos., 7) says, The magicians compel those who are possessed with a demon to recite and pronounce the Ephesian letters, in a certain order, by themselves. Thus, Clemens Alex. (Strom. ii.) says, Androcydes, a Pythagorean, says that the letters which are called Ephesian, and which are so celebrated, are symbols, etc. Erasmus says (Adagg. Cent., 2) that there were certain marks and magical words among the Ephesians, by using which they succeeded in every undertaking. Eustath. a.d. Homer, Odyssey , says that those letters were incantations which Croesus used when on the funeral pile, and which greatly befriended him. He adds that, in the war between the Milesians and Ephesians, the latter were thirteen times saved from ruin by the use of these letters. See Grotius and Kuinoel.
Brought their books – Books which explained the arts, or which contained the magical forms and incantations – perhaps pieces of parchment, on which were written the letters which were to be used in the incantations and charms.
And burned them before all men – Publicly. Their arts and offences had been public, and they sought now to undo the evil, as much as lay in their power, as extensively as they had done it.
And they counted – The price was estimated. By whom this was done does not appear. Probably it was not done by those who had been engaged in this business, and who had suffered the loss, but by the people, who were amazed at the sacrifice, and who were astonished at their folly in thus destroying their own property.
Fifty thousand pieces of silver – What coin the word arguriou here translated silver denotes, it is impossible to tell, and consequently the precise value of this sacrifice cannot be ascertained. If it refers to the Jewish shekel, the sum would be 25,000 (about 5,420 British pounds), since the shekel was worth about half a dollar (circa 1880s). If it refers to Grecian or Roman coin – which is much more probable, as this was a pagan country, where the Jewish coin would not, probably, be much used the value would be much less. Probably, however, it refers to the Attic drachma, which was a silver coin worth about 9d. sterling, or not far from 17 cents, and then the value would be about 8,500 (1,875 British pounds). The precise value is not material. It was a large sum; and it is recorded to show that Christianity had power to induce people to forsake arts that were most lucrative, and to destroy the means of extending and perpetuating those arts, however valuable in a pecuniary point of view they might be. We are to remember, however, that this was not the intrinsic value of these books, but only their value as books of incantation. In themselves they might have been of very little worth. The universal prevalence of Christianity would make much that is now esteemed valuable pro, retry utterly worthless, as, for example, all that is used in gambling, in fraud, in counterfeiting, in distilling ardent spirits for drink, in the slave-trade, and in attempts to impose on and defraud mankind.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 19. Which used curious arts] . From the use of this word in the Greek writers, we know that it signified magical arts, sorceries, incantations, c. Ephesus abounded with these. Dio Cassius, speaking of the Emperor Adrian, says, . “Adrian was exceedingly addicted to curious arts, and practised divination and magic.” These practices prevailed in all nations of the earth.
Brought their books together] The , or Ephesian characters, are celebrated in antiquity they appear to have been amulets, inscribed with strange characters, which were carried about the body for the purpose of curing diseases, expelling demons, and preserving from evils of different kinds. The books brought together on this occasion were such as taught the science, manner of formation, use, c., of these charms.
Suidas, under , Ephesian letters, gives us the following account. “Certain obscure incantations.-When Milesius and Ephesius wrestled at the Olympic games, Milesius could not prevail, because his antagonist had the Ephesian letters bound to his heels when this was discovered, and the letters taken away, it is reported that Milesius threw him thirty times.”
The information given by Hesychius is still more curious: . ‘ , , , , , , , , , , , , , . . “The Ephesian letters or characters were formerly six, but certain deceivers added others afterwards; and their names, according to report, were these: ASKION, KATASKION, LIX, TETRAX, DAMNAMENEUS, and AISlON. It is evident that Askion signifies DARKNESS; Kataskion, LIGHT; Lix, the EARTH; Tetrax, the YEAR; Damnameneus, the SUN; and Aision, TRUTH. These are holy and sacred things.” The same account may be seen in Clemens Alexandrinus; Strom. lib. v. cap. 8, where he attempts to give the etymology of these different terms. These words served, no doubt, as the keys to different spells and incantations; and were used in order to the attainment of a great variety of ends. The Abraxas of the Basilidians, in the second century, were formed on the basis of the Ephesian letters; for those instruments of incantation, several of which are now before me, are inscribed with a number of words and characters equally as unintelligible as the above, and in many cases more so.
Then it is said they brought their books together, we are to understand the books which treated of these curious arts; such as the , or Ephesian characters.
And burned them before all] These must have been thoroughly convinced of the truth of Christianity, and of the unlawfulness of their own arts.
Fifty thousand pieces of silver.] Some think that the , which we translate piece of silver, means a shekel, as that word is used Mt 26:16, where see the note; 50,000 shekels, at 3s., according to Dean Prideaux’s valuation, (which is that followed throughout this work,) would amount to 7,500.
But, as this was a Roman and not a Jewish country, we may rationally suppose that the Jewish coin was not here current; and that the , or silver coin, mentioned by St. Luke, must have been either Greek or Roman; and, it is very likely that the sestertius is meant, which was always a silver coin, about the value, according to Arbuthnot, of two-pence, or 1d. 3q3/4., which answers to the fourth part of a denarius, rated by the same author at 7 3/4d. Allowing this to be the coin intended, the 50,000 sestertii would amount to 403. 12s. 11d.
The Vulgate reads, denariorum quinquaginta millium, fifty thousand denarii, which, at 7 3/4 d., will amount to 1,614. 11s. 8d. The reading of the Itala version of the Codex Bezae is very singular, Denariorum sestertia ducenta. “Two hundred sesterces of denarii;” which may signify no more than “two hundred sestertii of Roman money:” for in this sense denarius is certainly used by Cicero, Orat. pro Quint.; where ad denarium solvere, means to pay in Roman money, an expression similar to our word sterling. This sum would amount to no more than 1. 12s. 3 1/2d. But that which is computed from the sestertius is the most probable amount.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Thus their good works justified their faith, without which it had been dead, Jam 2:24,26.
Curious arts; or rather idle and vain arts, as judicial astrology, calculating nativities, and all magical arts, which the Ephesians, of all others, were most addicted to and famous for; and may be here called
curious arts, because they were so called by the Ephesians, who practised them; as also because these arts are about curiosities, not necessary for us to know. Otherwise they are diabolical arts, or rather devilish cheats.
Brought their books together, and burned them: these books were not sold, and the price of them brought unto the apostles, because it was looked upon as the price of a whore, which was an abomination, and might not be offered unto God, Deu 23:18.
Fifty thousand pieces of silver: what this sum amounts to is not so certain, because it is not agreed what these pieces were. Some make them Roman or Grecian coin; and others understand by them shekels, which are the Jewish money, and would make this sum so much the greater. Take them for so many pence, a piece of money commonly so called, which weighed the eighth part of an ounce of silver, as Mat 18:28, they make six thousand two hundred and fifty ounces of silver, or so many crowns, and so much more as silver is worth more per ounce. Such indignation have rue converts against the sins they have been guilty of, that they will not retain any thing that might occasion their return unto them; were it a right eye, they would pull it out.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
19. Many of them . . . which usedcurious artsThe word signifies things “overdone”;significantly applied to arts in which laborious but senselessincantations are practiced.
brought theirbookscontaining the mystic formularies.
and burned them beforeallThe tense, here used graphically, expresses progressand continuance of the conflagration.
counted the price . . . andfound it fifty thousand pieces of silverabout2000 (presuming it to be the drachma, the current coin ofthe Levant, of about 10d. value). From their nature they wouldbe costly, and books then bore a value above any standard we arefamiliar with. The scene must have been long remembered at Ephesus,as a strong proof of honest conviction on the part of the sorcerersand a striking triumph of Jesus Christ over the powers of darkness.The workers of evil were put to scorn, like Baal’s priests on Carmel,and the word of God mightily grew and prevailed [HOWSON].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Many also of them which used curious arts….. Magic arts, soothsaying, necromancy, conjuration, and the like, being convinced of the folly and wickedness of them:
brought their books together; by which they had learned these arts; Ephesus was famous for this sort of learning; here Apollonius Tyaneus, in the beginning of Nero’s reign, opened a school and taught magic, and such like things: frequent mention is made of the Ephesian letters, which were no other than enchantments; and even Diana, the goddess of the Ephesians, is said to be a magician k:
and burned them before all men; to show their detestation of them, and the truth and genuineness of their repentance for their former sins; and that these books might not be a snare to them for the future, nor be made use of by others:
and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver; which is thought to answer to one thousand five hundred sixty two pounds and ten shillings of our money; reckoning a piece of silver, an Attic drachma; for such might be the silver pieces at Ephesus, a city of Greece, and which was of the value of our money seven pence halfpenny; but if Luke meant by pieces of silver, shekels, according to the Jewish way, [See comments on Mt 26:15] then the sum is much larger, for a shekel was about two shillings and six pence of our money; so that fifty thousand pieces of silver, amount to six thousand two hundred and fifty pounds; a large sum indeed for magic books! some manuscripts read “gold” instead of “silver”, which must greatly increase the value.
k Tatian. contr. Graecos, p. 147.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Not a few of them that practised curious arts ( ). Considerable number of the performers or exorcists themselves who knew that they were humbugs were led to renounce their evil practices. The word (curious) is an old word (, ) originally a piddler about trifles, a busybody (1Ti 5:13), then impertinent and magical things as here. Only two examples in the N.T. It is a technical term for magic as the papyri and inscriptions show. Deissmann (Bible Studies, p. 323) thinks that these books here burned were just like the Magic Papyri now recovered from Egypt.
Burned them in the sight of all ( ). Imperfect active of . It probably took a good while to do it, burned them completely (up, we say; down, the Greeks say, perfective use of ). These Magical Papyri or slips of parchment with symbols or magical sentences written on them called (Ephesian Letters). These Ephesian Letters were worn as amulets or charms.
They brought them together (). Second aorist active participle of . What a glorious conflagration it would be if in every city all the salacious, blasphemous, degrading books, pamphlets, magazines, and papers could be piled together and burned.
They counted (). First aorist active indicative of , to reckon together. In LXX (Jer 29:49). Only here in N.T. in 1:26.
Fifty thousand pieces of silver ( ). Five ten thousand () pieces of silver. Ephesus was largely Greek and probably the silver pieces were Greek drachmae or the Latin denarius, probably about ten thousand dollars or two thousand English pounds.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Curious arts [ ] . The word means, literally, overwrought, elaborate, and hence recondite or curious, as magical practices. Only here and 1Ti 5:13, in its original sense of those who busy themselves excessively [] : busybodies. The article indicates the practices referred to in the context.
Books. Containing magical formulas. Heathen writers often allude to the Ephesian letters. These were symbols, or magical sentences written on slips of parchment, and carried about as amulets. Sometimes they were engraved on seals.
Burned [] . Burned them up [] . The imperfect is graphic, describing them as throwing book after book on the pile.
Counted [] . Only here in New Testament. See on Luk 14:28. The preposition sun, together, in the compound verb, indicates the reckoning up of the sum – total.
Fifty thousand pieces of silver. If reckoned in Jewish money, about thirty – five thousand dollars; if in Greek drachmae, as is more probable, about nine thousand three hundred dollars.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Many of them also which used curious arts,” (hikanoi de ton ta perierga praksanton) “And a considerable number of those practicing curious works (crooked works),” by which they cheated, deceived people, to make a living, by magical, hoodwinking guile.
2) “Brought their books together,” (sunenegkantes tas
Biblious) “Bringing together the books by volunteer agreement, of their own accord,” so deeply were they convinced of their own course of dishonesty, lack of integrity, that it appears the school that organized and trained this band of roving thieves was broken up or dissolved.
3) “And burned them before all men” (katekaion enopion panton) “And they burnt them before the face or in the presence of all,” before the public, of both-Jews and Greeks, as they threw book after book into the open fire, as a public testimony that they were turning to the living God.
4) “And they counted the price of them,” (kai sunepsephisan tas timas auton) “And they totaled, or calculated the prices of them all,” to determine their retail value in open market.
5) “And found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.” (kai heiron arguriou muriadas pente) “And found the value price of them to be five thousand pieces of silver,” or five thousand shekels of silver, a value of at least $25,000.00, or if the term “pente” does mean “fifty” as some translators render it, the value would have been a quarter million dollars ($250,000.00) in value, at least the book burning was of great value.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
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19. Who used curious crafts. Luke doth not only speak of magical jugglings, but of frivolous and vain studies, whereof the more part of men is for the most part too desirous. For he useth the word, περιεργα, under which the Grecians comprehend whatsoever things have in themselves no sound commodity, but lead men’s minds and studies through diverse crooks unprofitably. Such is judicial astrology, as they call it, and whatsoever divinations men − (378) invent to themselves against the time to come. They burn their books, that they may cut off all occasion of erring, both for themselves and for others. And whereas the greatness of the price doth not call them back from endamaging themselves so much, they do thereby better declare the study [zeal] of their godliness. Therefore, as Luke did of late describe their confession in words, so now he setteth down the confession they make in deeds. But because the Grecians take αργυριον for all kind of money, it is uncertain whether Luke doth speak of pence or sestertians. − (379) Notwithstanding, because it is certain that he expressed a sum, that we might know that the faithful did valiantly contemn gain, I do nothing doubt but that he meaneth pence, or some other better kind of coin. − (380) And fifty thousand pence (denarii) make about nine thousand pound of French money [French livres]. −
(378) −
“
Stulti homines,” foolish men.
(379) −
“
Sesterties an densrios,” “ sestertii an densrios.”
(380) −
“−
Densrios vel aliquod etiam praestantius numismatis genus ,” denarii, or even some more valuable species of coin.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(19) Many of them also which used curious arts . . .The Greek word expresses the idea of superstitious arts, overbusy with the supposed secrets of the invisible world. These arts were almost, so to speak, the specialit of Ephesus. Magicians and astrologers swarmed in her streets (comp. the reference to them as analogous to the magicians at the court of Pharaoh in 2Ti. 3:8), and there was a brisk trade in the charms, incantations, books of divination, rules for interpreting dreams, and the like, such as have at all times made up the structure of superstition. The so-called Ephesian spells (grammata Ephesia) were small slips of parchment in silk bags, on which were written strange cabalistical words, of little or of lost meaning. The words themselves are given by Clement of Alexandria (Strom. v., c. 46), and he interprets them, though they are so obscure as to baffle the conjectures of philology, as meaning Darkness and Light, the Earth and the Year, the Sun and Truth. They were probably a survival of the old Phrygian cultus of the powers of Nature which had existed prior to the introduction of the Greek name of Artemis.
And burned them before all men.This, then, was the result of the two sets of facts recorded in Act. 19:12; Act. 19:16. The deep-ingrained superstition of the people was treated, as it were, homopathically. Charms and names were allowed to be channels of renovation, but were shown to be so by no virtue of their own, but only as being media between the Divine power on the one hand and the faith of the receiver on the other; and so the disease was cured. The student of the history of Florence cannot help recalling the analogous scene in that city, when men and women, artists and musicians, brought the things in which they most delightedpictures, ornaments, costly dressesand burnt them in the Piazza of St. Mark at the bidding of Savonarola. The tense of the verb implies that the burning was continuous, but leaves it uncertain whether it was an oft-repeated act or one that lasted for some hours. In this complete renunciation of the old evil past we may probably see the secret of the capacity for a higher knowledge which St. Paul recognises as belonging to Ephesus more than to most other churches. (See Note on Act. 20:27.)
Fifty thousand pieces of silver.The coin referred to was the Attic drachma, usually estimated at about 8d. of English money, and the total amount answers, accordingly, to 1, 770 17s. 6d., as the equivalent in coin. In its purchasing power, as determined by the prevalent rate of wages (a denarius or drachma for a days work), it was probably equivalent to a much larger sum. Such books fetched what might be called fancy prices, according to their supposed rareness, or the secrets to which they professed to introduce. Often, it may be, a book was sold as absolutely unique.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
19. Many Other than Christian believers.
Curious arts Arts about which men may be more curious than wise; arts which true wisdom would let alone.
Books These books were manuscript scrolls and larger documents, containing the lore of the black art. The stupendous superstition of the Diana worship was formed into a dark science, with its subtle professors and its extended treatises. These manuscripts contained the doctrines, the prescriptions of magical drugs and herbs, and rubrics directing the mode of performing the various ceremonials. These were the celebrated ‘ , which, being inscribed upon the crown, the girdle, and the feet of the goddess, became impregnated with a mighty nature-power, and, being transcribed upon a scrap of parchment, were worn upon the person as a charm against any natural disease or other evil. Whoever carried about him these incantations would be victorious in every thing. King Croesus is said, upon his funeral pile, to have consoled his dying moments by repeating these mystic syllables. An Ephesian wrestler, while he concealed these charms upon his person, conquered his Milesian antagonist; but the scroll was stolen from his pocket, and he was vanquished.
Burned them Confession is cheap, but reformation is often costly. A false penitence would have sold these books, and kept both the money and the credit for piety.
Before all A blazing declaration that the temple and the idol deserved the same fate.
Fifty thousand silver Nearly eight thousand dollars. For doubtless the books had a superstitious value far above the price of ordinary volumes of literature.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And not a few of those who practised magical 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.’
And the result was that a goodly number of them who had practised magical arts brought their books and burned them openly in the sight of all. They were now only too glad to get rid of them and destroy them for they recognised them for what they were. Satan was in full retreat. It may well be that Luke saw here a sense in which the Holy Spirit had come in fire to purge the believers from their sins and to destroy the evil that was among them.
‘And they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.’ This unusual note emphasises the quantity and value of what was being burned in terms of silver. These were thus in direct contrast with Demetrius and his fellows in Act 19:24-25 who for the sake of silver would put the world in uproar. These now wanted to bring the world peace. And as the amount spoken of reveals, this was not just a matter of a few deviant Christians, it was evidence that many had still been dabbling in the occult, possibly without being aware of its inconsistency. In total the value was fifty thousand pieces of silver, a huge sum, demonstrating (even though books were expensive) how many were involved. It revealed that along with Satanism Mammon was also being ‘destroyed’. The believers, unlike the followers of Artemis, now had no thought for either.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 19:19 . On , often joined in Greek writers with , , , and the like, male sedulus, curiosus , and on , what is useless , especially employed of the practices of sorcerers, see Kypke, II. p. 95, and Wetstein. Comp. , Plat. Apol. S. p. 19 B.
The article here denotes that which is known from the context.
] in which the magical arts were described, and the formulae were contained. Such formulae of exorcism, carried on slips as amulets, proceeded in large quantities from the sorcerers at Ephesus; hence the expression . See Wetstein and Grotius in loc. ; Valckenaer, Schol. p. 564; Hermann, gottesd. Alterth. xlii. 17.
] The sorcerers themselves reckoned up the prices, which, indeed, others could not do. From this is partly explained the greatness of the sum.
. . . ] they found (got out as the sum, see Raphel in loc. ) in silver money fifty thousand , namely, drachmae . [95] As the word is not , but (comp. Dem. 949. 1 : ); as Luke did not write for a Hebrew, and as the scene of the transaction was a Greek city, the opinion of Grotius, Hammond, and Drusius, that shekels are meant, is to be rejected. The statement of a sum, without naming the sort of money of the drachmae , was usual with the Greeks. See Bos, Ellips. , ed. Schaefer, p. 119 f.; Bernhardy, p. 187. An Attic drachma (= 6 oboli) is about 24 kreuzers, accordingly the sum is about 20,000 Rhenish gulden[about 1875].
Baur, according to his presupposition, cannot but reject the whole history of the demoniac, etc., as unhistorical; he holds even the judgment in Act 19:20 as itself unworthy of the associates of an apostle; and the following history, Act 19:21-40 , appears to him only to have arisen through an priori abstraction, the author wishing to give as splendid a picture as possible of the labours of Paul at Ephesus. Zeller declares himself more neutrally, yet as suspecting the narrative (p. 265), as does also Hausrath, p. 86 f.
[95] The silver drachma stands, as is well known, to the gold drachma in the proportion of 10 to 1.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
19 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.
Ver. 19. Which used curious arts ] The Ephesians were much addicted to the black art. Whence that ancient proverb, , Ephesian learning for necromancy. Cornelius Agrippa’s dog had a devil tied to his collar, as some write. And Paracelsus (or else Erastus belies him) had one confined to his sword pommel.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
19. ] ‘ male sedula ’ (‘ curiosa ,’ Hor. Epod. xviii. 25). in Aristnet. Ep. ii. 18, is ‘ a magician ’ (Kuin.).
] Magical formul , or receipt-books , or written amulets . These last were celebrated by the name of . So Eustath [97] ad Hom. Od. . p. 694 (Kuin.): , , , . See more illustrations in Wetst. They were copies of the mystic words engraved on the image of the Ephesian Artemis. Eustath [98] in C. and H. ii. 16.
[97] Eustathius, Bp. of Antioch, 323
[98] Eustathius, Bp. of Antioch, 323
. . .] 50,000 drachm, i.e. denarii: for the drachma of the Augustan and following ages was not the real Attic drachma, but the Roman denarius about 8 d . of our money: which makes the entire value about 1770. That drachm and not shekels (Grot., Hamm.) are meant, is plain: for Luke is writing of a Grecian town, and to a Greek.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 19:19 . : to be referred probably to the magicians, as the previous verse refers to their dupes: a Lucan word, see above on Act 8:11 . : “curious,” Wyclif and A. and R.V. (“magical,” R.V., margin), cf. Vulgate, curiosa (Latin, curiosus , inquisitive, prying), of a person who concerns himself with things unnecessary and profitless to the neglect of the duty which lies nearest, cf. 1Ti 5:13 , 2Th 3:11 , so in classical Greek, Xen., Mem. , i., 3, 1. The word is also used of things over and above what is necessary, and so of magical arts, arts in which a man concerns himself with what has not been given him to know, cf. Aristaenetus, Epist. , ii. 18, and the striking passage in Plat., Apol. , 19 B, where is used of Socrates in an accusatory sense (Wendt, Page); the verb is found in Sir 3:23 , and , Sir 41:22 , but the adjective does not occur either in LXX or Apocrypha. But see especially Deissmann, Bibelstudien, u. s. , who finds here another instance of acquaintance with the terminology of magic, and illustrates from the papyri. The R.V. margin gives best sense, as “curious” in the passive sense as here need not have a bad or depreciatory meaning, cf. for a good parallel for “curious” = “magical,” Bacon, Essays , 35; and see “Curious,” Hastings’ B.D.; Skeat, Glossary of Bible Words. : only here in N.T. in this sense, elsewhere frequently, as it is expedient, profitable. : parchments containing the magical formul. For these Ephesus, with its worn as amulets and cherished as charms, was famous; “Ephesus” (Ramsay), Hastings’ B.D., i., p. 723; Wetstein, in loco; amongst other references, Plut., Sympos. , vii., 5; Clement of Alex., Strom. , v., 8, 46, and also in Renan, Saint Paul , p. 344; Blass, in loco; C. and H., small edition, p. 371; and see also Deissmann, Bibelstudien, u. s. : imperfect, “describes them as throwing book after book into the burning fire,” Hackett, see also Blass, in loco. Plumptre recalls a parallel scene when the artists and musicians of Florence brought their ornaments, pictures, dresses, and burnt them in the Piazza of St. Mark at the bidding of Savonarola. : only here in this sense, not in LXX ( cf. Act 1:26 ). . . , sc. , .: the sum is very large, nearly 2000, but probably such books would be expensive, and we must take into account in estimating it the immense trade and rich commerce of Ephesus, and the fact that we need not suppose that all the Christian converts were to be found only amongst the slaves and poorer classes (Nsgen). Such books would certainly fetch a fancy price. It may no doubt be maintained that their measuring all things by money value indicates the Oriental popular tale (Ramsay), but may we not see in the statement the knowledge of a writer who thus hits off the Oriental standard of worth, especially in a chapter otherwise so rich and exact in its description of Ephesian localities and life?
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
used = practised. Greek. prasso.
curious arts. Greek. periergos. Only here and 1Ti 5:13. The word means “going beyond that which is legitimate”. The kindred verb only in 2Th 3:11.
arts = things.
brought . . . together = having collected.
books. These were either books on magic, or strips of parchment or papyrus, with charms written on them. Many of these have been discovered. The great magical Papyrus referred to above (Act 19:13) contains about 3,000 lines.
and burned them = burnt them up.
before = in the presence of.
counted. Greek. sumpsephizo. Only here.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
19. ] male sedula (curiosa, Hor. Epod. xviii. 25). in Aristnet. Ep. ii. 18, is a magician (Kuin.).
] Magical formul, or receipt-books, or written amulets. These last were celebrated by the name of . So Eustath[97] ad Hom. Od. . p. 694 (Kuin.): – , , , . See more illustrations in Wetst. They were copies of the mystic words engraved on the image of the Ephesian Artemis. Eustath[98] in C. and H. ii. 16.
[97] Eustathius, Bp. of Antioch, 323
[98] Eustathius, Bp. of Antioch, 323
. . .] 50,000 drachm, i.e. denarii: for the drachma of the Augustan and following ages was not the real Attic drachma, but the Roman denarius-about 8d. of our money: which makes the entire value about 1770. That drachm and not shekels (Grot., Hamm.) are meant, is plain: for Luke is writing of a Grecian town, and to a Greek.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 19:19. , many) Even magicians may be converted: ch. Act 8:13 (Simon Magus).- , curious arts) magic arts, in great variety. This appellation has in it a Meiosis [less said than is meant. Append.]-, having brought together) with great unanimity.- , their books) True religion abolishes bad books: and the world had been filled (crammed) with such books. Ephesus burned up all curious and bad books as accursed (anathema when the word of the Lord began to prevail: in turn (by a righteous compensation), Ephesus afterwards enjoyed good books, nay, was made the depository of the sacred books. The Epistle of Paul sent to the Ephesians also is extant: Timothy was at Ephesus when Paul wrote both the Epistles to him. Furthermore, Timothy was desired to carry to Rome from Asia the books for Paul when close to his martyrdom, 2Ti 4:13; books which no doubt were a portion of the books of Holy Scripture: and these not of the Old Testament, of which there was everywhere an abundance, but the writings of Paul himself, or even of other apostles, and these chiefly of parchment, for the sake of durability. Paul desired Timothy, when he came, to bring these with him safely; not, I imagine, with the intention of selling them for the sake of alms-giving, but in order that he might commit these to Timothy face to face, before his martyrdom, for the weightiest reasons, inasmuch as he had designed to make Timothy in some measure his own successor in the Evangelical office. Timothy brought back to Ephesus, or to that region, after the martyrdom of Paul (comp. Heb 13:23), most costly treasures (, deposits), as we may suppose. It was in the same place that the writings of John, after the death of John also, were in especial esteem. As to the autograph Gospel of John, see Appar. Crit. p. 602, with which comp. p. 420. The Epistles of John, and the last verse of the first, are especially appropriate (applicable) to Ephesus. The Apocalypse, sent first from Patmos to Ephesus, was read first at Ephesus. What is the purport of this remark? In the Appar. pp. 770, 884 (Ed. ii. pp. 480, 620), I have written that it is not an unreasonable expectation, that the autographs of the apostles, furnished with appropriate criteria to test them, may at some time be restored to the light. What if some of them lie hid at Ephesus? and also at Thessalonica? See note on 1Th 1:1. It is an opinion, nothing more; one not however to be ridiculed, inasmuch as being harmless, nay, useful in deterring critics from rashness, lest, if they wander too far out of the track, the original manuscripts may hereafter confute them.-, turned up) [regarding them as anathema, or accursed.-V. g.] This was better than to sell them, even though the money had been spent upon the poor.- , in the presence of all) A remarkable spectacle.- ) fifty thousand drachms. The drachm almost corresponds to the denarius; of which I have treated on Cic. Ep. pp. 76, 452, 723. The Argentine money approaches nearest to this, which is equivalent to 12 Kreuzer, 3 heller; so that 5 drachms should be 1 florin and a little more; 50,000 drachms is more than 10,000 florins.[113] This is the price of a large library.
[113] The Greek drachm was properly about 9d.: the Roman denarius, 8d. But subsequently the drachm fell in weight, so as to be equal to the denarius.-E. and T.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
used: Act 8:9-11, Act 13:6, Act 13:8, Exo 7:11, Exo 7:22, Deu 18:10-12, 1Sa 28:7-9, 1Ch 10:13, 2Ch 33:6, Isa 8:19, Isa 47:12, Isa 47:13, Dan 2:2
curious: [Strong’s G4021], curious, that is, magical arts, in which sense the word is used in the Greek writers. The study of magic was prosecuted with such zeal at Ephesus, that [Strong’s G2180], [Strong’s G1121], the Ephesian letters, certain charms, or words used in incantation, became much celebrated in antiquity.
and burned: Gen 35:4, Exo 32:20, Deu 7:25, Deu 7:26, Isa 2:20, Isa 2:21, Isa 30:22, Mat 5:29, Mat 5:30, Luk 14:33, Heb 10:34
fifty: Probably Attic drachms; which at 7, 1/2d. each, would amount to 1, 562. 10s. or at, 9d. each, to 1, 875.
Reciprocal: Exo 7:12 – but Aaron’s Exo 22:18 – General Lev 13:52 – burn Lev 19:31 – General Act 27:2 – Aristarchus
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
HOME READING
Many brought their together, and burned them in the sight of all.
Act 19:19 (R.V.)
One of the results of the preaching of St. Paul was the abandonment by his converts of those curious artsmagical practices by which a superstitious populace had been deluded. A whole cabalistic literature had, in course of time, grown up, professing to interpret and apply to all the ills that flesh and spirit are heirs to, certain mystic characters covering parts of the hideous image of Artemis, worshipped in the great Temple, portions of which have found a shelter in our British Museum. The public abandonment of these malpractices was common to dupes and professors. These last brought their books together, to the probable value of some 2000 of English money, and burned them, making of them, as one writes, a monte della pieta in the street, as at the bidding of the great Florentine centuries later.
If our Faith is to have its due influence in the moulding of our lives in their entirety, if its sway is not to be over a certain circumscribed domain of life, leaving whole tracts unoccupied, uncontrolled by it, if it be true that as a man thinketh, so is he, and that every thought is to be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, then the selection of the sustenance we offer to our thoughts is no trivial matter.
I. Of directly vicious literature, little is said beyond reminding you of the deplorable amount that issues from the prostituted presses of this professedly Christian England of oursfrom 200,000 to 250,000 copies of distinctly pernicious publications in a week. Testimonies are abundant that bad reading and crime are closely related.
II. What constitutes the difference between a harmless and a harmful book of fiction is not so much the matter and staple of the story, as the manner of its treatment.
III. If thought be a function of spirit, and when the spirit returns to God Who gave it, it passes in the maturity of its intelligence, it is no question of little moment on what the intelligent faculty has been habitually employed through the training time of the earthly life. If for every idle word we speak we shall give account in the Day of Judgment, for by our words we shall be justified and by our words we shall be condemned, we must harbour the fear that the idle thoughts of which those words are the expression will be condemned also.
IV. When the pilgrim life begins with us, we may leave nothing behind of our God-given endowments. We are not suddenly to be reduced to a dead dull level of uniformity of character. Individuality is not crushed, but expanded by the Faith. Christianity rejoices in the enlargement of a mans mental horizon, in the broadening of his views of life, in the enriching of the field of his experience. In fulfilling ourselves we are fulfilling our Creators and Redeemers purpose concerning us.
Bishop Alfred Pearson.
Illustration
In the streets of Vienna is a statue erected in 1807 by Francis I., to the memory of his predecessor, Joseph II. On the pedestal are these words in Latin: To Joseph II, who, for the weal of the State, lived a whole life, though not a long onea succinct testimony to the single-heartedness of a career which politically was something of a failure. Whether your lives and mine shall be long or short rests with God. It belongs to us to resolve that they shall be whole. Time wasted is existence: used, is life.
(SECOND OUTLINE)
BAD BOOKS GIVEN UP
Though times have changed, the words of the Lord Jesus are as true to-day as they were in the first ages: If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. Sacrifice and self-denial are required of Christs followers still.
I. What are you going to give up?What sacrifice are you going to make, in time, money, sleep, labour, for Jesus sake, for the good of others, for your souls health?
II. The scene in Ephesus.Picture it, the broad street, the crowded thoroughfare, the burning pile of evil books. Listen to some of the scoffers, fools and lunatics they are calling these men whose conscience God has awakened. But the air is purer, the city healthier, the atmosphere is clearer, after the fire has done its work; even as London was after the great fire had burnt out the lingering plague and purified the air. Young men, have you, literally, burnt your bad books? If you have not, then do so the moment you get home. Burn them. Do not pass them on, do not sell them, or get rid of them in any way. Those books are only fit for the fire. Go and burn them! Then what about those betting books, the only books some men ever look into, the only books some consider worth calling by the name? Your gain is anothers loss, and you are glad of that others loss. Go and burn your betting books and your gambling records, and you will never regret the day in which you did so.
Rev. J. B. C. Murphy.
Illustration
Like Savonarola in later times, Paul bade the Ephesians decide between the world and God, and the believers in Ephesus who up to this time had kept a lingering belief and a lingering hold upon their former worship now confessed and showed their deeds, and as a proof of their renunciation brought their books of magic and of sacred incantations and burned them publicly before all the people, just as the followers of Savonarola renounced their worldliness and burned the tokens of their folly in the market-place. Recent discoveries have shown how widespread the use of these magical papyri was in Ephesus, and the value set upon them. Books of any kind were valuable in those days, but none so rare and precious as books of magic and incantation; and the sacrifice which was made was very great.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
9
Act 19:19. These penitent Jews and Greeks did not stop with mere confessions, for the event about the exorcists convinced them that the business of dealing in trifles was wrong. Curious arts is from PERIERCOS, which is defined by Thayer as things “impertinent and superflous,” and he explains it to mean “arts of magic.” These were chiefly a system of superstitious performances, and they had their recipes written in books by which they would mislead their victims. When they became penitent over their sinful practices, they proved their sincerity by burning the collection of their evil formulas. Moffatt renders the value of the books to be 2,000 pounds of silver
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 19:19. Many of them also which used curious arte. This specifies the practices of some of these professing believers, notwithstanding their professions of faith. Many of these nominal Christians, some no doubt by way of trade and commerce, others because they shrank from giving up their old belief in incantation, love philtres, and other dark and superstitious arts, still while worshipping in the assembly of believers in Jesus, while repeating the solemn Christian formulas, while listening with apparent attention to the words of a Paul, no doubt while partaking in the most solemn Christian rites,many, we read, still were using curious, that is, unclean, superstitious rites, such as were common in Ephesus.
Brought their books together, and burned them before all men. These books were, no doubt, parchment or papyrus volumes, filled with these partly Jewish, partly heathenish incantations, recipes for love philtres, formulas more or less ancient to be used in casting out evil spirits, and the like. Ephesus, we know, swarmed with magicians and astrologers; and a portion of the trade of the city, whither resorted so many pilgrims to the shrine of Diana, consisted in these works and formularies of incantation. The famous , Ephesian letters or spells, to which allusion is frequently made by heathen writers, no doubt formed part of this unholy property which these Christians, at last awakened to the knowledge of their own inconsistent lives, burned in this public fashion before all men. These Ephesian letters were small slips of parchment in silk bags, on which were written strange cabalistic words and sentences, mysterious and often apparently meaningless. These, men and women were in the habit of carrying about on their persons as charms or amulets to shield them from danger and from harm, or to procure them good fortune in their undertakings. We read how Crsus, when on his funeral pile, repeated these Ephesian spells. Again we are told, how once in the Olympian games an Ephesian wrestler struggled successfully with his opponent from Miletus, because he had wound round his ankle some of these Ephesian charms, but that being deprived of them he was twice overthrown (Eustathius, quoted by Gloag).
And they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. If these pieces of silver referred to were Jewish money (shekel), the sum would be enormous, about 7000, which would represent a much larger sum if we take into consideration the present purchasing power of money. It is, however, far more probable that in an Asiatic, or rather Grecian, city under Roman rule, the Roman denarius or Attic drachma was the piece of silver alluded to. The amount would then be roughly about 1800, this, of course, representing a much larger sum considering the diminished value of money in our day. This great amount must be accounted for by remembering that the books in question were, no doubt, of exceeding rarity, and possessed a peculiar value of their own from the precious secrets they were supposed to contain.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 18
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
19. Here we see the devils preachers who had been converted to God under the preaching of Paul making a bon-fire of their valuable theological books, estimated at five thousand dollars. There are wagon-loads of books all over this country, expository of Dark Age creeds and vindicatory of the fallen sects, g e., the daughters of Babylon, throwing their Briarean arms of blight, mildew and spiritual desolation around the world this day, which ought to be committed to the flames, thus clearing the way for the Word of God to reach the people with its message of redeeming love and sanctifying power.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 19
Curious arts; arts of divination, necromancy, and imposture.–Books; rolls and parchments with pretended magical inscriptions.–Fifty thousand pieces of silver. Fruitless attempts have been made to fix the value of this sum in modern money. All that can be now known of it is, that it was a very large sum.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
19:19 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] {i} fifty thousand [pieces] of silver.
(i) Those that give the lowest estimate, reckon it to be about eight hundred pounds English.