Acts 19:23-41 NIV - The Riot in Ephesus - Bible Gateway Passing beyond the village one comes to the ruins of the old aqueduct, the fallen city walls, the so-called church of John or the baths, the Turkish fort which is sometimes called Paul's prison, the huge theater which was the scene of the riot of Paul's time, but which now, with its marble torn away, presents but a hole in the side of the hill Prion. There were 22 stairs in the theatre. [48] The loss of its harbour caused Ephesus to lose its access to the Aegean Sea, which was important for trade. 2018. The ruins have been identified in a marsh, one and a half miles NE of the city, after the discovery of Ephesus main boulevard in 1870. History gives the answer. (See Archeology.) Topsoil slipped from the bare hillsides reft of their cover, streams became swamps, and the storm waters reached the sea laden with silt that choked the harbors. Previously, the site was excavated by the British Museum from 1863-1874. Excavations in 2022 indicate that large parts of the city were destroyed in 614/615 by a military conflict, most likely during the Sasanian War, which initiated a drastic decline in the city's population and standard of living.[47]. The last glimpse of Ephesus in the NT reveals an aging church in need of an infusion of new life, hence, the closing detail of imagery in the apocalyptic letter (Rev 2:1-7). Acts 19 New International Version Paul in Ephesus 19 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. Between 53 and 57AD Paul wrote the letter 1 Corinthians from Ephesus (possibly from the 'Paul tower' near the harbour, where he was imprisoned for a short time). Nevertheless, contrary to the terms of the surrender the Turks pillaged the church of Saint John and deported most of the local population to Thyrea, Greece when a revolt seemed probable. Multitudes came to visit the temple of Artemis, a cult that requires explanation. Later accounts and artifacts also describe conflict between the worship of Christ and that of Artemis in Ephesus. 24 A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. imperial dominance of the Aegean coast of Asia Minor. Her temple was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Not only did the temple bring vast numbers of pilgrims to the city, as does the Kaaba at Mecca at the present time, but it employed hosts of people apart from the priests and priestesses; among them were the large number of artisans who manufactured images of the goddess Diana, or shrines to sell to the visiting strangers.Such was Ephesus when Paul on his 2nd missionary journey in Acts (18:19-21) first visited the city, and when, on his 3rd journey (19:8-10; 20:31), he remained there for two years preaching in the synagogue (19:8, 10), in the school of Tyrannus (19:9) and in private houses (20:20). Tarkasnawa King of Mira: Tarkendemos, Boazky Sealings, and Karabel., Jaan Puhvel (1984). It is a city where the apostle Paul preached and it is the subject of the Book of Ephesians. Ephesus: History, Location & Culture | Study.com Try it free today. Ephesus came under Egyptian rule between 263 and 197BC. The six gates which pierced the wall are now marked by mounds of rubbish. It was famous for charms and spells called Ephesian Letters. They were guaranteed to bring safety on a journey, to bring children to the childless, to bring success in love or business enterprise. It bore the title of the first and greatest metropolis of Asia.. What is behind this message Christ gave to Ephesus that is vitally important for . (i) Ephesus was the market of Asia Minor. Like all the river valleys around the great blunt end of the Asian continents westward protrusion, that of the Cayster was a highway into the interior, the terminal of a trade route that linked with other roads converging and branching out toward the separated civilizations of the E and the Asian steppes. Acts 19:17 This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. Theological Message Unlike several of the other letters Paul wrote, Ephesians does not address any particular error or heresy. [38], When Augustus became emperor in 27BCE, the most important change was when he made Ephesus the capital of proconsular Asia (which covered western Asia Minor) instead of Pergamum. It was the main artery of Ephesian life, destined in later years to be even more richly adorned. It was a black, squat, many-breasted figure, signifying fertility; it was so old that no one knew where it had come from or even of what material it was made. Hence in 88BC Ephesus welcomed Archelaus, a general of Mithridates, king of Pontus, when he conquered Asia (the Roman name for western Anatolia). She was never, in fact, independent again. Later, Paul wrote the Epistle to the Ephesians while he was in prison in Rome (around 62AD). He is best known for his letter addressed to the Pope Victor I, Bishop of Rome, defending the Quartodeciman position in the Easter controversy. The temple was built upon a foundation which was reached by a flight of ten steps. Not all of this area was inhabited due to public buildings and spaces in the city center and the steep slope of the Blbl Da mountain, which was enclosed by the wall. Location: . Designed with an exaggerated entrance so as to enhance its perceived size, speculate many historians the building faces east so that the reading rooms could make best use of the morning light. Two of Pauls companions, Trophimus and Tychicus, were probably natives of Ephesus (Acts 20:4;21:29;2 Tim. It was natural enough in the religious capital of Asia that the sect of the Nicolaitans should be in evidence. citizenship may have weighed a little with the officers of Caesar. In the early 2nd century, the church at Ephesus was still important enough to be addressed by a letter written by Bishop Ignatius of Antioch to the Ephesians which begins with "Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the Church which is at Ephesus, in Asia, deservedly most happy, being blessed in the greatness and fullness of God the Father, and predestinated before the beginning of time, that it should be always for an enduring and unchangeable glory" (Letter to the Ephesians). knight and a freedman who held the post of steward of the imperial estates in Asia. It knew the pomp and pageantry of Roman power and Roman justice. [17] This was the period of the Mycenaean expansion, when the Ahhiyawa began settling in Asia Minor, a process that continued into the 13th century BC. The church at Ephesus had given their support for Ignatius, who was taken to Rome for execution. To be president of these games and to be responsible for their organization was a greatly coveted honor. The names Apasa and Ephesus appear to be cognate,[18] and recently found inscriptions seem to pinpoint the places in the Hittite record.[19][20]. It was a perilous situation, not only for Paul and his little party, but also for the Jews at large, who had every reason to fear a pogrom. The Odeon was a small roofed theatre[77] constructed by Publius Vedius Antoninus and his wife around 150AD. Surpassing all these was the cult of Artemis. PhD Candidate in New Testament / Early Christianity, Harvard University. These were all names of cities in the Roman province of Asia, a part of what we now call Asia Minor, territory belonging at the present time to the country of Turkey. Some scholars believe that the Letter to Philemon was written while Paul was in Ephesus; if so, a slave named Onesimus may have visited Paul there. Of this structure, scarcely a trace remains. Perhaps the Asiarchs, not yet aware of all the implications of Christianity, and as yet unhampered by any anti-Christian legislation, were not disturbed by damage to their rivals. 668 likes, 85 comments - @christ_in_the_culture on Instagram: "Fr Peter Heers' last point resonates a lot with me The inner life of the Church is where th." When Alexander saw that the temple of Artemis was not yet finished, he proposed to finance it and have his name inscribed on the front. In 1863 Mr. J. T. Wood, for the British Museum, obtained permission from the Turkish government to search for the site of the lost temple of Diana. Many Jews took up their residence in this city, and here the seeds of the gospel were sown immediately after Pentecost (Acts 2:9,6:9). "Hagios Theologos""The Holy Theologian." This was corrupted into Ayasoluk, the modern Turkish name for the village that stands near the site of ancient Ephesus. Like the city, it dates from the time of the Amazons, yet what the early temple was like we now have no means of knowing, and of its history we know little except that it was seven times destroyed by fire and rebuilt, each time on a scale larger and grander than before. The wall of Lysimachus has been estimated to enclose an area of 415 hectares (1,030 acres). at the beginning of his mighty drive to the East, contributed largely to the new temple, which was destined to be a shrine of unrivaled splendor and to rank as one of the wonders of the world. 30. The Evangelization of Ephesus (Acts 19:8-41) | Bible.org It was a small salon for plays and concerts, seating about 1,500 people. (Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ. written when Domitians persecution was raging. Acts 19:24 - The Riot in Ephesus - Bible Hub In time the pilgrims, with decreasing faith in Diana, came in fewer numbers; the sales of the shrines of the goddess fell off; Diana of the Ephesians was no longer great; a Christian church was rounded there and flourished, and one of its first leaders was the apostle John. Deforestation was mankinds ancient folly, and no part of the Mediterranean world suffered worse than Asia Minor. Pauls community in Ephesus probably included many social and economic groups, including women, freedpersons, and enslaved people. Inscriptions from the first two centuries CE describe Ephesus as the capital of Asia, its first and greatest metropolis (IEph 7.2.647, 1541, 1543). Who is the Artemis mentioned in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Adorning continued till the days of the Gothic raid in a.d. 263. Ephesians were incorporated as vassals into the Ottoman Empire for the first time in 1390. Paul conversed with them, and from the intimacy of almost three years experience, warned the little community of tensions to come. September 11, 2015 Gregg Caruso. It is significant that the church of Saint John gave its name to the place. From AD 5254, the apostle Paul lived in Ephesus, working with the congregation and apparently organizing missionary activity into the hinterlands. The mythical founder of the city was a prince of Athens named Androklos, who had to leave his country after the death of his father, King Kodros. First, there is the vivid story already examined. Ephesus History & Location | Where is Ephesus? | Study.com 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. What Does the Bible Say About Ephesus? - OpenBible.info As the guild master by implication admitted, the temple was the core of Ephesus commercial prosperity. In the ancient world, Ephesus was a center of travel and commerce. [57] Demetrios in connection with the temple of Artemis mentions some object (perhaps an image or a stone) "fallen from Zeus". Pauls Rom. Ephesus - HISTORY The facade was reconstructed during 1970 to 1978 using fragments found on site or copies of fragments that were previously removed to museums. The pro-Persian tyrant Syrpax and his family were stoned to death, and Alexander was greeted warmly when he entered Ephesus in triumph. The Crusaders of the Second Crusade fought the Seljuks just outside the town in December 1147. Crusaders passing through were surprised that there was only a small village, called Ayasalouk, where they had expected a bustling city with a large seaport. According to BAR author James R. Edwards, Luke's account of the riot at Ephesus in Acts "contains a wealth of historical detail, some of whichproconsuls, standing courts and a city secretarywere common throughout the Roman Empire. On his return from his journey, Paul touched at Miletus, some 30 miles south of Ephesus (Acts 20:15), and sending for the presbyters of Ephesus to meet him there, he delivered to them that touching farewell charge which is recorded inActs 20:18-35. This article is part of the Key Bible Verses series. Ephesus - Meaning and Verses in Bible Encyclopedia This would have been impossible at Ephesus because of the mountain ranges, coastline and quarries which surrounded the city.[42]. Answer Artemis was a goddess worshiped in the ancient world. Scholars disagree about whether Pauls conflict with the silversmiths in Acts 19 is a historical event, but it does help us understand how change in a citys religion and economy might have been received in a major Roman metropolis. Who was Timothy in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org The story was that it had fallen from heaven. The Central Asian warlord Tamerlane defeated the Ottomans in Anatolia in 1402, and the Ottoman sultan Bayezid I died in captivity. (Acts 10:45-46) and the disciples of John at Ephesus (Acts 19:6). Ephesus is not again mentioned till near the close of Pauls life, when he writes to Timothy exhorting him to abide still at Ephesus (1 Tim. But the inhabitants of Ephesus demurred, claiming that it was not fitting for one god to build a temple to another. 4 For he chose . The region was restored to the Anatolian beyliks. Acts 20:18 When they had come to him, he said to them, "You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you all the time. Sulla imposed a huge indemnity, along with five years of back taxes, which left Asian cities heavily in debt for a long time to come. About 560BC, Ephesus was conquered by the Lydians under king Croesus, who, though a harsh ruler, treated the inhabitants with respect and even became the main contributor to the reconstruction of the temple of Artemis. Ephesus | Ancient City, Turkey & Roman Ruins | Britannica A riot ensued, so vividly and ironically described in Acts 19. The Greek goddess Artemis and the great Anatolian goddess Kybele were identified together as Artemis of Ephesus. [72], There were two agoras, one for commercial and one for state business.[73][74]. Using 510persons per hectare, he arrives at a population between 138,000 and 172,500. In 478BC, the Ionian cities with Athens entered into the Delian League against the Persians. ; little business for small gain, A.V. Thus Ephesus became part of the Seleucid Empire. (iv) It was the home of criminals. Ephesus was devoted to the goddess Artemis. Though Ephesus was built and expanded during this time, about 500 years later, a rival nation ravaged the city . Other elements over the course of centuries intruded into the worship, and the final form of the cult-image of Artemis of Ephesus was a strangely ornamented female figure, shrine and basket on head, a veil decorated with beasts, long necklaces, embroidered sleeves, legs sheathed with empaneled animals, and with multiple breasts, or, as some suggest, an apron covered with clusters of grapes or dates, sign and symbol of Artemis role as the nourishing spirit of nature. Ephesus and Pergamos, the capital of Asia, were the two great rival cities of the province. He passed along the Asia Minor coast three or four years after the riot in Ephesus. [70] By the year 400 C.E. By the time of Justinian, five centuries later, the battle with sand, silt, and mud was lost, and Ephesus was falling to ruins in a swampy terrain. 86, 87). In 1308 the Turks took possession of the little that remained of the city, and deported or murdered its inhabitants. 1:18). This was near the end of his 2nd missionary journey. It endured until the Goths sacked Ephesus in a.d. 263. 1-3. suppression of the great revolt of the Ionian Gr. A little way behind it was the summit of the rocky hill from which one could see over the trees and hills to Ephesus and the sea with its many islands. Ephesus revolted after the treacherous death of Agathocles, giving the Hellenistic king of Syria and Mesopotamia Seleucus I Nicator an opportunity for removing and killing Lysimachus, his last rival, at the Battle of Corupedium in 281BC. The city was famous in its day for the nearby Temple of Artemis (completed around 550BC), which has been designated one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Another incident is the apostles advice to the elders. Ephesus was a major port city on the western coast of Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). [81], The Temple of the Sebastoi (sometimes called the Temple of Domitian), dedicated to the Flavian dynasty, was one of the largest temples in the city. ef'-e-sus (Ephesos, "desirable"): A city of the Roman province of Asia, near the mouth of the Cayster river, 3 miles from the western coast of Asia Minor, and opposite the island of Samos. The word Ephesus means desirable, and in many ways it was certainly a desirable place to live. b.c. 1 modern identification Places in the Bible Today: Ephesus Data 1 Identification Ephesus (modern): very high confidence Ephesus Verses (20) Acts 18:19, 18:21, 18:24, 18:27, 19:1, 19:17, 19:23, 19:26, 19:35, 20:16, 20:17, 21:29 1Cor 15:32, 16:8 Eph 1:1 1Tim 1:3 2Tim 1:18, 4:12 Rev 1:11, 2:1 Linked Data Identifiers Diana was dead. Finds from the site are exhibited notably in the Ephesos Museum in Vienna, the Ephesus Archaeological Museum in Seluk and in the British Museum. She was, none the less, over many centuries, fortunate in her engineers. During the Classical Greek era, it was one of twelve cities that were members of the Ionian League. Because of its strength the people stored there their money for safe-keeping; and it became to the ancient world practically all that the Bank of England is to the modern world.In 356 B.C., on the very night when Alexander the Great was born, it was burned; and when he grew to manhood he offered to rebuild it at his own expense if his name might be inscribed upon its portals. Ancient sources seem to indicate that an older name of the place was Alope (Ancient Greek: , romanized:Alp).[23]. Located at the mouth of the Cayster River, on the east side of the Aegean Sea, the city of Ephesus was perhaps best known for its magnificent temple of Artemis, or Diana, one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. It is said that the building was four times the size of Athens magnificent Parthenon. [71], At an estimated 25,000 seating capacity, the theatre is believed to be the largest in the ancient world. Acts 18:24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus. Like her rival Miletus, similarly located at the end of the Maeander Valley thirty m. to the S, Ephesus had difficulty with her harbor, the essential gateway to the sea. Acts 19:27 Not only is there danger that this our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be counted as nothing, and her majesty destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worships.". The question remaining is this: Was John too rigid, too extreme? It has a concave faade.[78][79]. [56] Later a silversmith named Demetrios stirred up a mob against Paul, saying that he was endangering the livelihood of those making silver Artemis shrines. Paul preached the gospel for the first time in Acts 18:19 (about 54 A.D.). Sarah F. Porter is a PhD Candidate in New Testament / Early Christianity at Harvard University. Lysimachus forced the people to move from the ancient settlement around the temple of Artemis to the present site two kilometres (1.2 miles) away, when as a last resort the king flooded the old city by blocking the sewers. Unlike its neighbour, Magnesia, it survived the attacks. Celsus paid for the construction of the library with his own personal wealth[67] and is buried in a sarcophagus beneath it. Material evidence of enslaved people and freedpersons is particularly vibrant in Ephesus, where inscriptions record the monetary donations and priestly service rendered by enslaved people and freedpersons to building projects and the Artemis cult (see below). For a brief time at the end of his second missionary journey, and then for more than two years on his third missionary journey, Paul ministered to the church at Ephesus (Acts 18:18-21; 19:1-41). That is to say, any criminal reaching the area round the temple was safe. Based on this and other evidence, Katherine Shaner demonstrates that women and enslaved people likely influenced and even led the earliest Christian communities in Ephesus, even as they constantly negotiated their social status and freedoms. Following a revolt by the people, Ephesus was ruled by a council. A Second Council of Ephesus was held in 449, but its controversial acts were never approved by the Catholics. The city lay alongside the Lycus River, not far from where it flowed into the Maender River. Answer Ephesus was the capital city of a Roman province in Asia. Ephesus was devoted to the goddess Artemis. the capital of proconsular Asia, which was the western part of Asia Minor. Ephesus (Explore Turkey). Those cities were then ruled by satraps. Of this group it is fair to assume that they were Greeks who saw in their own cults a measure of true revelation, a position that might have arguments to commend it, but who carried this belief to the point of advocating unwise compromise with the debased forms of those cults in such prominence around them. A Brief Biblical History of the Church In Ephesus Acts 20:17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to himself the elders of the assembly. Where is Ephesus, and What is the significance in the Bible. The city itself soon lost its importance and decreased in population. Fragments of the columns that he donated, inscribed with his name, are in the British Museum. Shrines of Diana, or Artemis. For them to hesitate or to doubt was to be lost (Ramsay, The Letters to the Seven Churches, 300). The city turned, as any anxious community might in such circumstances, to the equivalent of her tourist trade. Vasiliki Limberis, 'The Council of Ephesos: The Demise of the See of Ephesos and the Rise of the Cult of the Theotokos' in Helmut Koester. Ephesus, taught by two apostles, rejected all accommodation with paganism and those who advocated the softer policy. In the time of the Romans it bore the title of "the first and greatest metropolis of Asia." It was distinguished for the Temple of Diana (q.v. Ephesus was founded as an Attic-Ionian colony in the 10th century BC on a hill (now known as the Ayasuluk Hill), three kilometers (1.9 miles) from the centre of ancient Ephesus (as attested by excavations at the Seljuk castle during the 1990s).