The History of Christianity by John S. C. Abbott (free children's ebooks pdf .TXT) 📖

Just before Paul’s arrival at Ephesus,—which city he had promised to visit again,—a Jew came there, by the name of Apollos, a devout man, very eloquent, who was a disciple of John the Baptist; he not having yet received the fuller revelation of life and immortality made by Jesus Christ. Aquila and Priscilla, listening to his bold and fervid addresses in the synagogue, took him, and explained to him more fully the gospel of Jesus as it had been expounded to them by Paul. Thus instructed in the “glad tidings,” Apollos went to Corinth with letters of recommendation to the brethren there, where “he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, showing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.”146

While Apollos was preaching at Corinth, Paul, having traversed the mountainous districts of Asia Minor, came to Ephesus. There were but few in that great and wicked city who had any true conception of the religion of Jesus. There were several, who, under the preaching of Apollos, had become disciples of John, walking in the comparatively dim light which that prophet had revealed. Eagerly they received the fuller illumination which Paul brought to their minds. Twelve of these were baptized by Paul in the name of the Lord Jesus: then, upon his laying his hands upon them, they received the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost, “and spake with tongues, and prophesied.”

For three months, Paul continued earnestly preaching in the synagogue “the things concerning the kingdom of God.” Success did not attend his labors: on the contrary, many were hardened by them, “and believed not, but spake evil of that way.” Paul, disheartened, withdrew entirely from the synagogue, and, taking the few disciples with him, established an independent church.

A man named Tyrannus, a school-teacher, who was either a convert, or was favorably affected towards the new doctrine, opened his schoolroom for the preaching of Paul. In that room, and from house to house, the zealous and persevering apostle preached, for the space of two years, “repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ.” A large church was organized. Paul himself, and other disciples, made many excursions into the surrounding region, “so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.”147 Paul still continued to exercise miraculous powers, healing the sick, and casting out evil spirits. Some “vagabond Jews,” witnessing the power which the name of Jesus exerted, undertook to exorcise in that sacred name; but the demoniac, exclaiming, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye? leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” This so alarmed the professional exorcists, that many of them relinquished their calling, and burned their books of sorcery, though they were valued at about eight thousand dollars. “So mightily,” adds Luke, “grew the word of the Lord, and prevailed.”

Paul now decided to visit the churches in Macedonia and Achaia, and then to return to Jerusalem, saying, “After that, I must see Rome also.” Timothy, and another disciple by the name of Erastus, were sent before him to announce his coming to the churches in Macedonia and Achaia.

Just before Paul left Ephesus, a very violent and not unnatural tumult arose in the city. Ephesus was renowned throughout the world for the worship of the goddess Diana. The temple, erected at the head of the harbor for the idolatrous worship of this goddess, was deemed, in its magnificence and dazzling beauty, one of the wonders of the world. It was a common saying, “The sun in its course sees nothing more magnificent than Diana’s temple.” This gorgeous marble shrine of idolatry was 425 feet long, 220 broad, and was embellished by 127 columns, each 60 feet high. The Greek ladies throughout all Achaia and Asia lavished their treasures in almost incrusting the temple with precious stones. It was one of the principal sources of revenue to the city, and of employment for its workmen, to construct silver statues of the goddess, which were sold in immense numbers throughout all the pagan world. But the preaching of Paul was bringing idolatry into disrepute, and destroying the trade in idols.

There was a large manufacturer of these silver shrines in the city, by the name of Demetrius. He called his numerous workmen together, and thus addressed them:—

“Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover, ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods which are made with hands: so that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.”148

These inflammatory words roused the workmen: they were repeated through all the shops in the city. A gathering mob began to surge through the streets with clamor and threatenings. The one continuous cry of the mob was, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” The infuriated populace coming across two of Paul’s companions and friends, Gaius and Aristarchus, seized them, and dragged them into the theatre, an immense enclosure, without a roof, where tiers of stone seats rose one above another, affording room for an immense assembly.

As soon as the news reached Paul, the intrepid man wished immediately to rush into the theatre, in the endeavor to rescue his friends; but even the officers of the city entreated him not thus to peril his life. With difficulty they dissuaded him from the rash and hopeless movement.

The tumult in the theatre was fearful. “Some cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.” At length the mayor of the city, an officer next in dignity and authority to the governor, entered the city, and endeavored to allay the tumult. Having succeeded in obtaining silence, he addressed the mob as follows:—

“Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?149 Seeing, then, that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly. For ye have brought hither these men, who are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess. Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another. But, if ye inquire any thing concerning other matters,150 it shall be determined in a lawful assembly. For we are in danger to be called in question for this day’s uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.”151

Soon after this Paul assembled the disciples, and took leave of them, in preparation for his journey into Greece. From Ephesus he had written his First Epistle to the Corinthians; and he was greatly distressed by some disorders which had crept into the church there. We have no record of the events which occurred during this journey. Sailing across the Ægean Sea, he landed first in Macedonia. “And when he had gone over those parts, and given them much exhortation, he came into Greece, and there abode three months.” He tarried some time in Philippi, waiting the arrival of Titus: upon his arrival, he wrote his Second Epistle to the Corinthians.

Accompanied by Titus, Paul went to Corinth, where he spent some time endeavoring to correct the abuses to which we have referred. While at Corinth, he wrote his Epistle to the Romans,—unquestionably the most important document which ever proceeded from a human mind.

But the malignant Jews in those regions still thirsted for his blood. As they lay in wait for him to kill him as he should embark for Syria, he changed his route, and returned through Macedonia to Philippi, where he took ship for Troas, on the Asiatic coast; which port he reached after a sail of five days. There he remained a week. The first day of the week, as commemorating the resurrection of Jesus, had become, instead of the seventh, the customary day for the assembling of Christians.152

Paul, as he was the next day to leave the brethren at Troas, probably never in this world to meet them again, continued the parting service until midnight. A young man named Eutychus, overcome by sleep, fell from a third-story window to the ground, and was taken up dead. Paul restored him to life. He then continued the social and religious services until the dawning of the day. The ship in which he was to embark sailed first for Assos, a small seaport about nine miles from Troas by land, and more than twice that distance by water.

Paul went on foot to Assos. There he took ship, and, sailing by Chios, Mitylene, and Samos, passed by Ephesus, and landed at Miletus, an important commercial city, about thirty miles beyond Ephesus. He sent for the elders of the church at Ephesus, and there took leave of them in the following affecting address:—

“Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations which befell me by the lying-in-wait of the Jews; and how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

“And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there; save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

“And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed, therefore, unto yourselves, and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that, by the space of three years, I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

“And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. I have coveted no man’s silver or gold or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the