PAUL THE APOSTLE ( PART 40 ) | THE THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY ( ACTS 15:36 - 18:32 )
Pastor Christopher Choo
Lesson 3140
PAUL THE APOSTLE ( PART 40 )
THE THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY ( ACTS 15:36 - 18:32 )
Before I embark on the 3rd Missionary Journey of Paul, I would like to begin with the second background study on Ephesus which I believe every student of the Bible should know:
THE STATUE OF DIANA OF EPHESUS
Yesterday we studied how the Diana of Ephesus was an ancient Asiatic Goddess updated into Roman times. Her influence on the popular imagination and mindset was quite vast and fixated through the ages.
How was she depicted as an iconic statue to be worshipped in her own temple?
From Acts 19:35 she has thus described: " Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?".
In other words, the first statue was carved out of a meteorite and believed to be sent by Zeus ( Jupiter ) himself to Ephesus.
She was thus carved as an Asiatic goddess with many breasts ( some scholars say they are the depiction of bull testicles) to signify she is the nurturing mother of life. Her lower part was like a mummy covered with breasts from shoulders to feet. Other marble versions depict her covered with breasts to the abdomen while her legs were encrusted with heads of animals.
But no one knew for sure when this goddess originally fell from the sky. But it was in the interests of the priests of her temple to persuade the people that
she was of heavenly origin.
1. Some identify her as Semiramus the queen of Babylon and wife of Nimrod, from whom all licentiousness in the ancient world proceeded.
2. She was known as Cybele among the Phrygians, Ma among the Cappadocians, Astarte or Astargatis among the Phoenicians, and Ishtar among the Assyrians and Babylonians.
The original meteor statue is believed to be lost but marble versions were copied throughout Asia Minor.
The oldest marble version ( with its head intact) survives and there is an interesting story that says that the early Christians lopped off every head of the idols in Ephesus except the statue or statues of the Diana of Ephesus.
Many students ask this tantalising question: why did Paul or John as giants of faith not take on this demonic territorial spirit entrenched in the minds if not hearts of thousands of her devotees?
There is a popular legend that John cursed the statue and her temple burnt down overnight. But that needs more supporting evidence from verifiable historical sources.
Abba Father, what little we know of this abomination is that it formed the background of Paul's teachings in Ephesians 6 about spiritual warfare. He was personally attacked when through his teaching, a revival began among believers with the burning of books on the black and occultic arts and an abandonment of the cultic worship of this powerful goddess. The silversmiths who were affected by diminishing sales of her amulets and mini-statuettes in the city led a riot against him and set him up for public trial in the stadium where they shouted " Great is Diana" for hours. But thanks to Your grace, Paul survived this mob rule as he did in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Corinth. Thus the gospel triumphed in the capital of Ephesus as the religious center of Asia Minor.
