The riot in Ephesus (Acts 19:23-41) is an important story in the developing plot-line of Acts, although Paul is not really a part of the story. We are told that the silversmiths fear the rise of Christianity in Ephesus, Paul’s companions are arrested, and the city manager calms the crowd. The reader does not know what happens to Paul during and after the riot.
For this reason, some speculate Paul was arrested and imprisoned in Ephesus, a time reflected in 1 Cor 15:32, “if I fought the wild beasts in Ephesus…” The implication is Paul was forced into some sort of gladiatorial punishment, although the text may refer to his opponents rather than literal animals. If Paul was in prison in Ephesus, then he may very well have written Philippians, Colossians and Philemon while under arrest, rather than from Rome. As a Roman citizen, it is doubtful Paul would have been sent into the gladiatorial games, and if he had, it is even less likely he would have survived. Although Paul’s imprisonment in Ephesus is an argument from silence and not particularly persuasive, it does solve some problems with those books.
The main point of the riot in Ephesus is that that Christianity has made such an impact on the culture of Ephesus that the culture begins to “fight back.” At the end of this attack on Paul’s mission in Ephesus, the city official concludes what Paul preaches is not against Rome nor is it illegal according to Roman Law. This seems to be a major sub-text in the book of Acts. Luke wants to inform us the Romans found Christianity compatible with Roman Law.
A second problem addressed by this section of Acts is the “parting of the ways.” When did Christianity become distinct from Judaism? As far as the Romans are concerned in Acts 19, Christianity is still the same thing as Judaism. In Acts 18 the Jews in Corinth argued that Paul was not one of them. In the riot at Ephesus the crowds do not make a distinction between Alexander (a Jew) and the Christians. At this point in the development of Christianity, any decision about the Christians may have had an indirect impact on the Jewish community.
Perhaps the most important theme of this incident is the fact Christianity challenged the greatest pagan cult in the ancient world and was seen as a serious threat to that cult. I think that this is the challenge of the story: how has contemporary Christianity impacted culture?
The answer is (sadly) either “not at all” or as something which secular society mocks and then promptly ignores.
I often love your closing statements,and this one is not exception. Well written, as usual.
The riot in Ephesus, was undoubtably related to Christians presenting a challenge to the pagan culture of Ephesus, which I believe we as Christians now a days should present a similar challenge to our secular culture. The fact of the matter is that the people living in Ephesus were directly effected by the worship of their God’s and their temple. Consequently, these people were worried that Paul and his accusations about their God not being real was indeed going to endanger trade, the temple, and the divinity of Artemis (Acts 19:37). Furthermore it is easy to see how discrediting their God would have indeed effected numerous aspects of their life. Due to these accusations against these peoples God, a mob began to form and shout, “Great is Artemis” (Acts 19:28). Paul however did not back down from these accusations but instead, “Paul wanted to appear before the crowd” (Acts 19:30). So though the rejection of the Ephesus culture and their God’s was single handily the cause of the riot, Paul was not afraid to stand against them. This type of cultural impact is something that we as modern day Christians should seek to model. This is because like the post says, “Christianity has made such an impact on the culture of Ephesus that the culture attempts to fight back,” so the actions of these Christians should encourage us to make a similar cultural impact today. This is something that we should not fear but instead be confident in God that if we provoke our culture by speaking his word, he will in turn protect us, as he did the Christians in Ephesus. I too believe that Christianity has become stagnant and somewhat of a joke in our culture today. I think this can be attributed to the modern Christian not speaking or taking a stance against what is wrong, as the Christians did in Ephesus.
Nick has some really good points. Going off from what he said, “…was indeed going to endanger trade, the temple and the divinity of Artemis,” I think it’s important to recognize that Christianity was valued more. They valued worshiping God more than what most Christians probably do today. So when someone criticizes their lifestyle, they fight back. I think that today, Christians don’t care to defend God and their beliefs. If someone says something negative about God, then our reaction can be very powerless. We might just say, it’s what I believe, you believe what you believe. I think this conversation can swing back to Christianity being a lifestyle. Whenever someone criticizes country music, I get defensive. Whenever someone criticizes what I like to do, what I like to watch (Nascar), then I get defensive. But if someone were to say that they are uncertain about my what I believe, would I react in a similar way? And not even in a similar way, but with even more fervor? This is what Christians need to ask themselves. Is this important to them, important enough to be powerful in defense of God.
The riot in Ephesus was first of all motivated by Demetrius and other craftsmen who were losing money because the Christian message turned people away from worshiping Artemis. Their job was to make shrines for Artemis and if the people stopped worshiping Artemis, the craftsmen’s business would have decline significantly. But in his speech, Demetrius adds in political and religious reasons to cause an uproar against Paul and his companions. “There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess herself will be discredited and the goddess herself…will be robbed of her divine majesty” (Acts 19:27). Upon hearing this, the people started a riot. So I would agree that the gospel challenged the the greatest cult of that time. However, I think that the current U.S. culture is a bit different. The difference I see is that Ephesus was primarily run by a pagan cult before the gospel was widely preached there. The U.S. began with the Christian message already being preached, and over time has begun to lose steam. But I think the point remains the same that Christianity needs to be impacting culture more. I think to an extent it already has been, as there have been so much focus on homosexual marriage and abortion. I think Christians have been trying to hold on to the Biblical views, but have seen the culture slip away from that. So the challenge I think is for us to present Christianity and the gospel in a new and fresh way. I suggest we focus on how the gospel impacts relationships. But as we do that, we must do so with confidence that God’s Word is powerful and what He has done for us is life changing.
Appreciate you
I believe that nothing in this world happens by accident. I believe that the Lord has a hand in all things. How interesting that I would come across your blog. I usually don’t respond to blogs, but today I feel compelled to do so.
You stated that ” the important theme of this incident is the fact that Christianity challenged the greatest pagan cult in the ancient world and was seen as a serious threat to that cult.” Truer words were never spoken!!
As a former Catholic, I use to believe that apparitions and miracles associated with “Our Lady” (which Catholics worship as the Blessed Virgin) were divinely inspired. Not anymore.
In studying Acts, I came across a verse that has me curious and apprehensive. In Acts 19:23-41, Paul visits Ephesus and attempts to introduce Christianity to them. As we all know, Acts was written for the time following Pentecost and those early years of the Church, around 40 A.D.
After a run in with Demetrius, a silversmith whose business was making idols to the goddess Artemis, a riot broke out, as we see in the following passage:
“And when the town clerk had appeased the people, he said, 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?”
Acts 19:35
According to Spanish tradition, on January 2, 40 A.D., in the apparition of “Our Lady of the Pillar”, the Virgin Mother gives a statue of herself to James the Greater and requests a temple be built in her honor. Incidentally, Biblical Mary was still alive at the time.
In Acts, the people of Ephesus worshiped at the temple to the goddess Artemis/Diana and of her image (idol), which fell from heaven.
The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, in Turkey, is listed as one of the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.” Incidentally, the House of The Virgin Mary is located in Ephesus. Which, coincidentally, is the first church ever dedicated to the honor of “Our Lady.” (25) http://www.divinemysteries.info/our-lady-of-the-pillar-zaragoza-spain-40ad/
Doesn’t it seem odd that it was here, in Ephesus, that the Christian Council of Ephesus, in A.D. 431, proclaimed Mary “Mother of God”, which, by the way, was formerly a title given the great goddesses? It seems unlikely that divine providence brought Biblical Mary and one of the most revered goddesses, of her time, together in one place, for one purpose. It’s more likely that Satan had a hand in what would become one of the most blatant forms of idol worship to occur in the modern world and in such a way that to renounce it would appear to renounce Christ himself.
Brigitte Romankiewicz reports that, at the time of the Council, many shrines to Isis and Cybele had been abandoned by decree of the Roman Empire. Now the Council decided to christen 48 of them into shrines to the Virgin Mary. (26) “Die Schwarze Madonna: Hintergruende einer Symbolgestalt”, Patmos Verlag, 2004, p. 50)
I think that the Bible may, in fact, be describing what I believe is a reference to “Our Lady of the Pillar” which was actually the worship of Artemis.
Could it be that the Catholic Church took a pagan event and somehow merged it into the beginning of a “Marian” tradition?
Throughout history, there are numerous accounts of “Our Lady” appearing to devout Christians. These apparitions all have one thing in common. Every one of them requests homage to her, in one form or another. Why would Jesus’ mother focus attention on herself, when her Son is the source of our salvation? As a devoted mother and being totally obedient to God, I can tell you, she would never do that!!!
The book of Ephesians was written around 60 AD. When did these riots of Acts 19 take place? I wonder if Paul was thinking of them when he wrote Ephesians 6:12 : For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Paul was in Ephesus 54-57, although we do not know when the riots happened in that three year range. So about maybe three to five years before he wrote Ephesus, which is traditionally dated sometime in the Roman imprisonment, 60-62.
Ephesus in the first century had a major Temple of Artemis with a wide range of sacred days and festivals dedicated to her. There was likely some imperial cult activity as well as gods everywhere.The city was well0known for magical practices, as seen in Acts 19.
There was plenty of dark forces in Ephesus for Paul to wrestle with!
Society often reacts poorly to change, at least at first. Take COVID-19 as an example. When the pandemic first started, it seemed like a passing event that may last a few weeks but as time went on, we realized the severity of the virus and understood that it was a serious threat to our way of life. This is similar to how the Ephesians, and particularly Demetrius and the craftsmen, reacted to Paul’s teachings of Jesus in Acts 19:23-41. Most likely, they had heard of Paul and thought nothing of him, but when they realized what he was teaching was against the worship of Arteritis and could affect their businesses they began to riot and work against the mission of Paul. This supports Long’s statement when he says, “Christianity has made such an impact on the culture of Ephesus that the culture begins to ‘fight back’” (pp. 3). I think this is important to realize and address within the narrative of Acts because the conclusion of this story proves to the readers of Acts that Christianity does not threaten authority in itself, but rather navigates it. Polhill points to this by saying “Luke shows here that the Christian gospel was not contrary to the Roman rule of Law and was not disruptive of public order” (p. 2128). If we were to examine how contemporary Christianity has impacted culture today, we would not find many riots or upheavals relating to Christianity. I believe as Christians, we are called to share the Gospel gently and lovingly (Colossians 4:5-6) and after doing so, the reaction of others is not within our control. Today the reaction seems to result in nothing, or of mockery as Long points out (pp. 6). Though this is discouraging, all we can do as Christians who are passionate about sharing the Gospel is to do so in the way God calls us.
In Acts 19:23-41, a riot in Ephesus occurred following the silversmith’s fear of Christianity increasing in popularity and recognition. While Paul is not a significant factor in the story, this plotline illustrates is important because it helps illuminate the reader of the resistance that Paul and his companions encountered. As Long notes, it is unknown what circumstances befell Paul during the events of the riot, leading to some scholars speculating that he was arrested. As texts such as 1 Corinthians 15:32 could be referred to, this acknowledgment of Paul’s imprisonment might imply that he was involved in gladiatorial games. However, this would be unlikely to occur, since Paul was a Roman citizen, let alone Paul would most likely not survive such an encounter with wild beasts. Therefore, it is the favored position to assume the “wild beasts” alluded to are not actual animals, rather, a reference to his opponents.
Regardless of Paul’s involvement in the story, the purpose of the riots in Ephesus is to display the impact of Christianity within the Ephesian culture. The influence of Christianity has become so widespread that an Ephesian backlash in support of traditional culture occurred. When the attack on Paul’s mission in Ephesus concluded, the city officials determine that Paul’s teachings do not conflict with Roman law or any ideals of Rome itself. This information was most likely provided by Luke to indicate to the reader that Christianity was not incompatible with Roman law. The question of whether the growing Church of Christ was in opposition to Roman law was a notable subtext of the Narrative of Acts. This culminates in passages and events such as the riot of Ephesus, yet is resolved promptly because, while persecution continues, officials and elders of these regional communities do not perceive Paul’s message as a threat to the Roman empire.
Whenever there is a culture shift, one thing begins to rock the boat so to speak, I do find it really interesting how people react. I think for a while I had never really understood riot culture, simply because I had not experienced anything close to it on a personal level. That has changed over the past year greatly, as rioting has played a huge role in the American culture this past year, it is easier to understand the situation in Ephesus. We as a country have experienced a big culture shift, and in response people begin to act out, prove a point, or express frustration at a system or culture. This may be for just or unjust reasons; I am not the one to say. We see this is Ephesus, as Polhill states, “Civic and religious pride were the decisive factors provoking the riot” (2128). As Long puts it, “The main point of the riot in Ephesus is that Christianity has made such an impact on the culture of Ephesus that the culture begins to “fight back.” (2013). With the rise in Christianity, the production of silver idols to Artemis had begun to decrease, making less and less profit for the Silversmiths and temple workers. This was the impact of Christianly in that culture. Looking at the modern day impact of Christianity in today’s culture we can see a surprisingly small amount. Looking over the riots that happened in the US over the past year, was not necessarily due to the economic impact of the gospel, or really any impact of the gospel infiltrating into culture. It was more under the ground of civil and political injustice and unrest. To think of having such an impact in today’s modern American culture would lead to astronomical results.
When I just read the section in Acts on this story, I did not think about Paul being imprisoned during the riot that was going on. However, this would make sense. This would have been a reasonable time for when Paul wrote Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. I think that it was a good choice for Paul not to get involved in the riots going on in the theater. A lot of the people that were in there were confused as to what was going on and things could have been made worse if Paul had tried to calm them down. However, the opposite also could have happened, but things settled down without Paul having to be there when the city manager talked with the people. A lot of bad things could have happened to Paul if he had gone there, but I can see why he would have wanted to. He may have been able to talk some sense into the people that were getting upset, but it may not have worked. I also think that it is very interesting that Christianity became such a threat to the other religions and cultures of the world. Some of the Christian beliefs and practices were fairly new, but many people were realizing the truth behind it and were converting from their old religions to Christianity, which may have been frightening to people, such as the Romans, who wanted people to follow their culture and beliefs that they were sharing with the people.
Paul being in Ephesus was definitely a challenge to the Pagan gods and the culture that was there at the time. With most of the Roman culture worshipping the Goddess Artemis and Paul spreading the gospel, there was a riot bound to happen. Paul was changing the culture in the city of Ephesus which would affect the trade there. Demetrius was a silversmith that made shrines of Artemis and with this new way of thinking he felt threatened. With this relating to today, Paul was not afraid to fight against the culture there which I believe we should do as modern Christians. We as believers today are very closed off to spreading the gospel because of the fear of the backlash that we will experience from some of our loved ones. “Paul wanted to appear before the crowd” (Acts 19:30). We can simply take this verse as a form of encouragement because Paul would likely be beaten if he walked into the theater. Nowadays we would not even come close to this form of punishment which should give us even more reason to stand against the crowd and stand up for what we believe in. The American culture will be everchanging but we as believers must stand up against that and make an impact in society.
This would not be the first time that people of other nations were referred to as animals in the book of Acts. We see this theme when Peter is shown the vision of all the animals and told to “rise, kill, and eat” (Acts 10:11-13). We also know that in Daniel, the wild beasts are not necessarily wild beasts but an apocalyptic imagery of the Gentile nations. So here in Acts 19, when Paul is talking about “fighting the wild beasts” could he be simply talking about the people of Ephesus? The account does not explain a miraculous saving from the mouth of wild beasts in the arena, which would certainly have been a miracle. Without a miracle he would not have survived against lions and tigers and other wild animals. Earlier in Acts we talked about “turning the world upside down” and I think that is exactly what the Ephesians are trying to avoid by fighting back. They like they are gods, they are statues, and their traditions. The Ephesians may not have like it, but they could not do much ore because the Romans were alright with it. This attitude of the Romans is relatively short lived as the persecution of the Christians potentially started not ten years later. I would agree that the attitude of the world is much the same as it was back then. Americans are not persecuted in the same at all, but there is a push back to Christian morals versus secular morals.
The riot in Ephesus shows us that Paul’s preaching is not something that is widely or easily accepted. People rejected what he was saying and did not agree with it. The people did not have a life-changing epiphany of Jesus being the Son of God and everything they were worshipping prior was meaningless. They felt the need to be defensive and argue against what they were being told. “The main point of the riot in Ephesus is that that Christianity has made such an impact on the culture of Ephesus that the culture begins to ‘fight back’” (Long 2013). They wanted to make a case that what they were being told was “illegal” in some way, but the town clerk said otherwise. He found that nothing went against their law and that the spread of Christianity was acceptable in a legal manner. When reading, I did not consider that Paul would have been imprisoned in some way. I just assumed he was in a safer place away from the riot for his own protection. The idea of imprisonment does make sense with other relating passages. Overall, this passage shows that Paul’s missionary journeys were not easy. He encountered opposition and persecution. It also showed that not everyone who hears the Gospel believes it and changes their ways.
The riot in Ephesus described in Acts 19:23-41 is a powerful reminder of the danger of idolatry and how it can provoke irrational and violent behavior. The passage describes the silversmiths’ fear of losing their income from the sale of silver shrines of Artemis, the goddess worshiped in Ephesus. They were so afraid of losing their livelihoods that they stirred up the crowd and caused a riot. In many ways, this story is relevant to us today. While we may not be dealing with the worship of ancient Greek gods, we still have our own idols and things that we hold dear. These could be our jobs, money, relationships, or even our own sense of identity. Just like the silversmiths, we can become so attached to these things that we begin to put them before everything else, including God. The passage also shows the power of mob mentality and how easily a group can be swayed by fear and emotion. The crowd in Ephesus was not necessarily acting out of rational thought or careful consideration of the situation. Instead, they were caught up in the excitement and energy of the moment, fueled by the words of those who sought to manipulate them for their own gain.
Reading about the riot in Ephesus is important in the telling of Acts chapter 19 because it soon developed the plot line of Acts. Though, within this story, Paul is not really a part of the story himself. As Long has said in his blog post, the main point of the riot happening in Ephesus is that Christianity has made such an impact on the culture of Ephesus that the culture begins to “fight back.” This is something that is seen in more areas than one when you are reading the book of Acts. Another meaning behind this riot in Ephesus is how the story of how people often value money and civil identity more than the freedom and salvation found in Christ. Though Paul is not really in this part of Acts Paul’s work in Ephesus is so effective that people are turning to Jesus in noticeable numbers. The reason this riot in Ephesus had happened according to Acts 19:23-41, was because a wealthy silversmith in Ephesus named Demetrius conjured up a riot against Paul and some of his missionary associates. After the attack on Paul’s mission happened the city official concluded what Paul preached was not against Rome nor was it illegal according to Roman Law. Proving what Paul was doing was okay, even though there might be bumps in the road Paul normally always comes out on top preaching the Gospel and changing people’s lives.
The riot in Ephesus is a key event in the book of Acts. It is a key event because it highlights many key themes about how Christianity developed. The conflict between Christianity and the pagan religions of the time, particularly the cult of Artemis in Ephesus, is one of the most important subjects. The riot exemplifies how Christianity challenged cultural conventions and religious beliefs of the period, and how this threat was met with violence and opposition. Another key event in this story is the question of when Christianity separated from Judaism. The fact that the crowds in Ephesus did not distinguish between Alexander, a Jew, and the Christians demonstrates that at this time in Christianity’s history, any choice regarding the Christians may have had an indirect impact on the Jewish community. This raises issues regarding Judaism and Christianity’s relationship and how they separated through time. The riot in Ephesus demonstrates that Christianity was regarded as a significant threat to the existing order and pagan rituals of the day. This encourages contemporary Christians to consider how their faith affects culture today. I agree with the statement that the author makes in the post stating that our faith has not impacted our culture at all or that society mocks and ignores it.
After reading the riot in Ephesus, we see that it is a very important story in the development of the book’s plot, even though Paul is not a central character in this incident. In the story, the silversmiths are worried about the growth of Christianity in Ephesus, and they end up arresting Paul’s companions, causing a riot that is eventually calmed by the city manager. We do not know what happens to Paul during or after the riot, but some people believe he may have been arrested and imprisoned during this time. I think that this is crucial because it demonstrates the impact that Christianity had on the culture of the time. As the influence of Christianity grew in Ephesus, the culture began to push back against it. However, at the end of the riot, the city official concludes that what Paul preaches is not against Rome or illegal according to Roman Law. This is significant because it shows that Romans found Christianity compatible with their laws. This section of Acts also addresses the “parting of the ways” between Christianity and Judaism. In Acts 19, the Romans still see Christianity as the same as Judaism, but in Acts 18, the Jews in Corinth argued that Paul was not one of them. The riot in Ephesus shows that at this point in Christianity’s development, any decision about the Christians could have had an indirect impact on the Jewish community. It definitely shows a challenge to Christianity to consider how it impacts culture today.
The riot in Ephesus is all about the clash between cultures and religion that Paul’s evangelism of the Gentiles caused. Paul has been denouncing the value of pagan idols. The silversmiths’ guild opposes this new teaching, as it is bad for business. What begins then as a small uproar escalates into a city-wide riot. The original purpose of the argument is lost. The riot is about the imperial cult against these Jewish radicals. Because the Jews had special exceptions to imperial cult worship, they may have been seen as bad luck in a sense, inviting the wrath of the gods on the whole city. Now this looks a lot more like anti-Semitism rather than a clash of worldviews. The crowd doesn’t begin its two hour long chanting until they realize that their opponent is Jewish. In all likelihood however, the cause of the riot was a combination of these two factors. The combined factors of having their livelihood threatened and lingering resentment toward the Jews drove the masses to riot.
Although it may not seem evident based on the world and society we live in today, Christianity has at least slowed down the progression of sin in the world by standing firm against sin and wrongdoings. It is true however, that many times in the name of God much wrong has been done to people in the past, yet the overall fight against evil has always been a constant. It is interesting to also think that despite Christianity being around for so long, it has become a religion that, as the blog mentions, is now mocked and looked down upon. This has affected Christianity as it has stripped it from its credibility in society which makes the fight against sin much more difficult for us who are Christians. Yet, the need for society to mock and discredit Christianity is similar to what the people of Ephesus wanted to accomplish. As mentioned in 19:32, many that formed the mob against Paul’s companion were confused as to what was going on, not even knowing why they were there (Polhill, 2128), which happens often in society as well. Many will take a stance against Christianity because it’s what the current culture or trend is, yet have no understanding of Christianity as a whole.
The riot is one of those things that when I read about it I wish I could have been there. Paul went through so much but this riot is so vivid to me for some reason. Seeing the pictures in class I could put myself in the scene where they dragged the individuals into the theater. The amount of stuff that happened in Ephesus is crazy and this is the main part but maybe not the most interesting one. In my opinion, it is the beast that he had to fight. The fact that Paul was possibly in some sort of gladiatorial punishment is something that is super interesting to think about. Paul went through a lot but this might be the most interesting. The change that was made in Ephesus made culture fight back as you said in the blog. I appreciate how this blog post made me think and I enjoy thinking about all the possibilities that could have possibly happened.
Reading Long’s blog post he mentions that the riot in Ephesus is an important story. I do agree that it is a good plot for the book of Acts. Reading about the fear of silversmiths and them not being scared of Christianity taking over Ephesus was something interesting to read about. I do find it crazy that we are not sure where Paul is during this riot. How does he just disappear? I can kind of see why people may assume that Paul has been arrested during this time because he did have opponents or people who just did not like him. This meant that they wouldn’t stop until he was arrested or put 6 feet under. We learn that the main point of this riot is because Christianity has taken over so much that the people are trying to fight against it. I have always wondered when a split happened between different religions. PLong talks about how during this section of Acts where there are parting ways, that the Romans claim Christianity and Judaism are still the same thing. Overall we see that the point of this section is that Christianity challenges many different cultures and religions.
Upon first reading, the riots of Ephesus appear strange and sudden. Why are these people reacting this way to Paul’s teachings/presence? Once you understand the importance of Artemis, then you will understand why the Ephesians rioted. Demetrius was the main culprit in the riot. He got the people worked up. He convinced the people that Paul’s teachings were harmful and would greatly affect their wealth. Acts 19:27 says, “And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.” This may the Ephesians not only worry about their wealth and livelihood, but also their goddess whom they worshiped. They looked toward Artemis for protection and fertility. Therefore, they would not want to risk angering this goddess for she may take action against them because of this. However, this riot stirred their hearts and this alone spread the gospel to other nations.
Artemis was the main goddess worshiped by the Ephesians, and they were very proud of the god that they served (Polhill, 2008, p. 2317). When Paul arrives in Ephesus to preach the word of God, one man immediately notices that he is there on behalf of the Gospel (Acts 19:26). When the riot begins, the town clerk has to settle the crowd and announces that although Artemis is the goddess of Ephesus, Paul did not break the law. The clerk recommended that the crowd seek counsel and bring their charges before the court, making it known that the Pauls Lord was equal to Artemis of the Ephesians (Long, 2013). Polhill writes that Paul’s preaching of the Gospel was not against Roman law and nor was it “disruptive” to the public as the Ephesians claimed (p. 2318). Although Long claims that modern Christianity has only been mocked or had no effect on our current culture (2013), I think it has impacted current culture in a few different ways. The Church has long impacted the morals of history. Because of the standards God has set for us, we contrast the way the world works (or at least strive to). Christianity is the base for multiple hospitals, non-profits, and charities that millions of people benefit from. Jesus’ teachings of acceptance and loving thy neighbor have also brought change in the world, breaking down walls of inequality and prejudiceness. Although we still have a lot of work to do, I think it is unfair to say that we do not impact culture in any way.