Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.
The verse belongs to Paul's days of toil and trial when Ephesus was the center of his work for over three years and the gospel spread throughout the province of Asia among both Jews and Gentiles, leading to his purpose to pass through Macedonia and Achaia to Jerusalem and then to Rome, his sending of Timothy and Erastus into Macedonia, and his decision to remain in Ephesus until after Pentecost until an event hastened his departure. Its immediate setting is the yearly special ceremonies in honor of Diana, which drew great numbers from all parts of the province and were kept with utmost pomp and splendor. In that gala season the believers meeting in the school of Tyrannus stood out against the festive chorus and faced ridicule, reproach, and insult. Paul's labors against heathen worship had struck a telling blow, so that attendance at the national festival and the enthusiasm of the worshipers perceptibly fell off. His teaching reached far beyond actual converts, enlightening many who did not openly accept the new doctrines until they lost all confidence in their heathen gods.
The words are spoken by the recorder of the city of Ephesus to the confused mob gathered in the theater after two hours of shouting for Diana left them exhausted into momentary silence. By virtue of his office he arrests their attention and obtains a hearing. He meets the people on their own ground and appeals to their reason to show there is no cause for the present tumult and no just cause for the uproar. His reasoning is that it is undeniable and publicly acknowledged and cannot be disputed that Ephesus is known as worshiper of Diana and of the image fallen from heaven, from Jupiter, associated with her, so her claims are not being challenged. He establishes that Paul and his companions are innocent of any unlawful act, having committed no crime, having neither profaned the temple nor insulted the goddess, and thus sets Paul as innocent before the people.
On that basis he concludes the crowd ought to stay calm and be quiet and take no hasty action and stop acting rashly. Any grievance should be directed to the lawful courts and handled through lawful channels rather than by a riotous assembly. The speech is God raising up a great magistrate to vindicate His apostle and hold the tumultuous mob in check, another triumph of Christianity over error and superstition. The officials' judgment declaring Paul innocent restrained and checked the mob, preserving his life and keeping Christianity from being brought into disrepute and discredited by the tumult. The chapter containing the verse records the early reception of the promised blessing of power from on high with speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance, corroborating the present experience when believers petition God and speak in a foreign tongue they do not understand, hold orderly conversation in that tongue, and speak of coming events.
The verse belongs to Paul's days of toil and trial when Ephesus was the center of his work for over three years and the gospel spread throughout the province of Asia among both Jews and Gentiles, leading to his purpose to pass through Macedonia and Achaia to Jerusalem and then to Rome, his sending of Timothy and Erastus into Macedonia, and his decision to remain in Ephesus until after Pentecost until an event hastened his departure. Its immediate setting is the yearly special ceremonies in honor of Diana, which drew great numbers from all parts of the province and were kept with utmost pomp and splendor. In that gala season the believers meeting in the school of Tyrannus stood out against the festive chorus and faced ridicule, reproach, and insult. Paul's labors against heathen worship had struck a telling blow, so that attendance at the national festival and the enthusiasm of the worshipers perceptibly fell off. His teaching reached far beyond actual converts, enlightening many who did not openly accept the new doctrines until they lost all confidence in their heathen gods.
The words are spoken by the recorder of the city of Ephesus to the confused mob gathered in the theater after two hours of shouting for Diana left them exhausted into momentary silence. By virtue of his office he arrests their attention and obtains a hearing. He meets the people on their own ground and appeals to their reason to show there is no cause for the present tumult and no just cause for the uproar. His reasoning is that it is undeniable and publicly acknowledged and cannot be disputed that Ephesus is known as worshiper of Diana and of the image fallen from heaven, from Jupiter, associated with her, so her claims are not being challenged. He establishes that Paul and his companions are innocent of any unlawful act, having committed no crime, having neither profaned the temple nor insulted the goddess, and thus sets Paul as innocent before the people.
On that basis he concludes the crowd ought to stay calm and be quiet and take no hasty action and stop acting rashly. Any grievance should be directed to the lawful courts and handled through lawful channels rather than by a riotous assembly. The speech is God raising up a great magistrate to vindicate His apostle and hold the tumultuous mob in check, another triumph of Christianity over error and superstition. The officials' judgment declaring Paul innocent restrained and checked the mob, preserving his life and keeping Christianity from being brought into disrepute and discredited by the tumult. The chapter containing the verse records the early reception of the promised blessing of power from on high with speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance, corroborating the present experience when believers petition God and speak in a foreign tongue they do not understand, hold orderly conversation in that tongue, and speak of coming events.