As always, when the word of God “prevailed” (v. 20), opposition arose. Paul, while in Ephesus, made some plans to go to Jerusalem and then also to see Rome (v. 21), but apparently wanted to check on the churches in Macedonia, not intending to go there himself. So, he sent Timothy and Erastus to Macedonia while he himself stayed in Ephesus (v. 22).
However, “about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way” (v. 23). A certain silversmith named Demetrius, “who made silver shrines of Diana [which] brought no small profit to the craftsmen” (v. 24), was concerned that Paul might covert enough people to Christ and turn sufficient numbers away from the Ephesian goddess as to make a serious dent in his business. He has not been the only person in history more concerned about money than truth—and please pardon that understatement.
Regardless, Demetrius called together men of a similar trade as himself and stirred them up against Paul (vs. 25-27)—he has “turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands” (v. 26). Even small mobs are easy to arouse, and small mobs often grow into big ones. So, Demetrius’s companions “were full of wrath and cried out, saying ‘Great is Diana of the Ephesians’” (v. 28). And soon, “the whole city was filled with confusion” (v. 29); how many in most mobs really don’t know what is going on? The masses “rushed into the theater with one accord,” having grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus who had been Paul’s travelling companions (v. 29). Who knew what evil this rabble had in mind?
Paul, no doubt concerned about his friends, wanted to go in and talk to the crowd, but the disciples, doubtless wisely worried for his safety, restrained him from doing so (v. 30). Even some “officials of Asia,” Paul’s “friends,” pleaded with him not to go into the theater (v. 31). Mobs are dangerous things.
The people who had gathered in the theater largely had no idea what was going on—“most of them did not know why they had come together” (v. 32). They grabbed a Jew named Alexander (we don’t know who he was, perhaps a convert to Christianity) and thrust him forward, and Alexander was willing to try to make a “defense to the people” (v. 33). But the crowd discovered, somehow, that he was a Jew, and silenced him, crying out for two hours, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” (v. 34). The fickle mob. Nobody knows what is going on, somebody starts shouting something, and everybody joins in. For two hours!
The city clerk was finally able to quiet the crowd (v. 35). He talked calmly to them and convinced them that their goddess, Diana, was under no threat. What was happening was illegal and the men (Gaius and Aristarchus) had done nothing wrong (v. 37). Or, if they had, “Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen” can take them to the courts to get whatever justice they thought they needed (v. 38). Roman law was, by and large, a very grand gift the Romans gave to humanity. Much of our current Western law is based on Roman traditions. The clerk then told the crowd that if there were other matters that needed to be considered, it could be done in a lawful assembly (v. 39), which the current meeting certainly was not. “We are in danger of being called in question for today’s uproar, there being no reason which we may give to account for this disorderly gathering” (v. 40). Give that clerk a medal. He spoke true words, and dismissed the assembly. After two hours, the riff-raff was probably tired anyway, so they dispersed (v. 41).
All this happened, however, because of the success of the gospel, and the opposition against it.