Every so often on the news, an economic correspondent will give an opinion on the state of things and the effects of certain introductions by the government. Usually, we are told that that there are winners and losers. That certainly was the case in Ephesus when the government of Jesus introduced a previously unheard-of policy that caused severe economic repercussions. Ever wondered about the economic effects of a revival? Ephesus let’s us know.
Those mainly affected were the silversmiths who previously had a lucrative trade making and selling images of Artemis, a goddess one could carry around in a pocket or on your neck. Instead of the goddess carrying her devotees, they carried her and imagined that something beneficial happened as a result. The silversmiths grasped that their little goddesses could do nothing about the situation, so they decided to help her and themselves, otherwise the tourist trade in Ephesus would collapse, with global consequences.
The outcome was not a protest march, but a riot. The silversmiths grabbed two of Paul’s companions and took them into the theatre. The new Christians prevented Paul from joining his friends, as did some of the city leaders (it is extraordinary how easy Paul found it to make friends in high places, and enemies). The Jews thought this was a good moment to get involved against the Christians, but having refused to listen to the gospel, how could they read providence? In any case, they discovered that the citizens did not want to hear them.
The town clerk dismissed the mob by pointing out that Artemis should be able to take care of herself, and no evidence had been provided that the Christians had said anything about her. Obviously, they had more important ideas to speak about. The rioters were in danger of offending the authorities.
Still, what do we imagine the economic effects of a nationwide revival would be? And would people be very annoyed, like the silversmiths?
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