EPHESUS exceeded all other places in the number and variety of its
ecclesias in that day, for there were three kinds of them. One
seems to have been called out by fellow artisans, and was a mob
which had been gathered into the theater. The secretary of the
town council considered it illegal, and dismissed it, asking
them to present their case to a legal ecclesia, probably the
city council (Acts 19:32,39,41). These occurrences, being
outside the religious sphere, should help us to see that the word
has a much wider range than our term "church," for neither of
these ecclesias could possibly be taken as a church today. Yet
they are in perfect accord with the actual meaning of the word, a
called-out company. The meeting of a workers' union seldom
resembles a "church" or a church service, I am told. Neither does
the city council, from what the newspapers say. Yet that was the
proper name for them in that day.
NO SLIGHT DISTURBANCE
The A. V. reads that there arose "no small stir" (Acts
19:28). It is good to be stirred up about God's revelation. But
this ecclesia was not "stirred." Rather, as the following record
shows, they made a disturbance. This was not the first
disturbance caused by Paul (Acts 17:8,13), and by no means the
last. Perhaps no other man has been such a disturbing factor in
the present ecclesia as Paul. He is the apostle of unity,
nevertheless, in practice, those who do not follow him fully are
the chief cause of disunity and strife. So long as selfish and
sordid motives prevail in the leaders of the "church,"
this disturbing, dividing spirit will shut Paul out of the
"church" he established.
The fact that these two "churches" are found in Ephesus
must be more than a casual coincidence, for it is to this place
that Paul later writes of two spiritual ecclesias, one of which
was legal, that is, established by law, and the other "illegal,"
or rather, apart from law. In neither case was Paul allowed to
address them personally, but in both cases it was by means of a
scribe. Later Paul could not address the spiritual ecclesia in
Ephesus personally, but wrote to them, telling them that the
two distinct spiritual groups, out of the Circumcision and
the Uncircumcision, one under law, Israel the Bride and the
other without law, the body, are now united in a joint body
through his evangel (Eph.3:6). This is a peculiar figure, unknown
to nature. Many individual believers are members of one body,
hence vitally joined together. But here we have, as it were, only
two different groups but only as individuals, as above, joined
into one.
Now let us note specially the spiritual significance of
everything. Let us look beneath the surface, and ponder the
connections suggested by each word. First of all, this crisis,
others would like us to believe this new beginning, takes place in
Ephesus, in the ancient province of Asia. Here is a great
crisis, in preparation for the present ecclesia. Paul had already
gone to Thessalonica and Corinth with truth for today, but now he
had withdrawn from the synagogue in Ephesus (Acts 19:9), and
started an ecclesia, called out of the world. This ecclesia
was composed of both Jews and Greeks, so would have been a joint
body if both had been of equal rank (Eph.3:6). It was to all
ecclesias in all provinces that he wrote his epistles, Ephesians
and Colossians.
But let us never base any teaching upon such evidence.
Nothing but plain, direct asseverations are valid as proof
of the truth. These are only illustrations, to help us to "see"
truth in the proper perspective, and give it a background in
harmony with the plain statement concerning it. I must confess
that, to me, it seems the best confirmation that can be found.
Indeed, it is only another concord when we find truth in
agreement with action and circumstances. This is specially true of
the book of Acts. While this is not the inspired title,
nevertheless it is chiefly concerned with doings rather than
doctrines. And we will find that there is a divine concord
between the inspired record of the proceedings and the truth
associated with it.
Here we have one of the roots of "church" history. The
shortest, yet most comprehensive, chronicle of its whole course
was written later by Paul himself. It is this, "All those in the
province of Asia were turned from me" (2 Tim.1:15). I have never
known of a church history that said as much as that, although
there are some, I understand, which are quite spiritual in their
treatment of ecclesiastical apostasy. Here is a church history
that contains more spiritual value than all the volumes in our
libraries: Paul severed the disciples from the synagogue.
Through him all those dwellings in the province of Asia heard the
word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks (Acts 19:19). These
later received his fullest and the latest and continued
revelations. Yet all turned from him. This is true, with few
exceptions to this very day. Israel turned against Moses and the
prophets. So we have apostatized from Paul.
EPHESIAN ECCLESIAS
Ephesus is remarkable for the number, the variety, and the
character of its ecclesias. We have already pointed out the two
different gatherings of unbelievers who are "called out," not by
God, but by man, the "church" of the silversmiths in the theater,
and the
town council (Acts 19:32,39). We are thoroughly convinced that
these are not introduced here by accident, but that they fit right
into the picture at this juncture. They illustrate the apostasy
everywhere and at all times in Christendom, so are especially in
point today. In this way God gives us a description of the
"churches" which concern us most in our experience, for we are
surrounded by them. I have visited Ephesus, and have seen the
ruins of the theater, but there was no ecclesia there from which I
could learn the lesson we all need in this day of dark declension.
But, in this record, God exposes the apostasy of Christendom at
its very beginning. It is composed mostly of unbelievers to this
day.
Another notable feature of this account of the "churches" of
Ephesus is the spiritual accord between the characters and
service here, at the beginning, and that condemned in the final
epistle on this theme, that to the Philippians. There the activity
of this class of people is described and exposed. Here they are
either seen in action or their character is indicated by their
names, as is done in such books as Pilgrim's Progress. Gaius
(EARTH) is Mr. Earthling. Demetrius (PUBLIC) is Mr. Politician.
Aristarchus (Best-Chief) is Mr. Aristocratic Sacerdotalist,
Alexander (avert-man, protector) is Mr. Fleshly Confidence.
Instead of Paul, Demetrius harangued the crowd. Perhaps His
name is derived from dem-os, PUBLIC. If so, Demetrius stands for
the many successful Christian orators who appeal to the public.
Instead of listening to the voice of God, his fingers are placed
on the pulse of the people. He wants to protect their purse and
maintain their privileges. Such secular service is much more
appreciated in a minister than an exhortation to suffer for
Christ's sake. Demetrius portrays the popular unbelieving pastor
who is concerned with the income of his parishioners, for this is
the source of his own salary.
The Demetrius class is increasing in these days of political
upheavals. Many real believers are also involved. Because the
Papacy was largely a political power in Europe in the Middle Ages,
even the Reformation itself was deeply steeped in politics and
governmental reform. The state churches which resulted are
public institutions, with other heads than Christ. In the
various divisions of Protestantism there are many ministers whose
main efforts are concerned with cleaning, up the national or the
municipal administrations. We cannot help admiring the courageous
and untiring persistence of some of them, and at the same time
lament, like Paul, at their mistaken zeal (Phil.4:18).
The mere fact that characters like these are singled out and
described in Philippians assures the devout believer that they
characterize the course of the ecclesia (3:17-20). Histories of
Christendom are, as a rule, far too tainted with these faults to
expose them, but, in Acts, at the very outset, they were presented
in a moving picture as the substitutes which the ecclesia will
prefer to have as preacher in place of Paul. As Philippians, in
contrast with Ephesians and Colossians, deals with departure from
the highest ideals in service throughout the course of the
ecclesia, it is the proper epistle to deal with these earliest
intimations in the very beginning, as pictured in Acts. First we
have Demetrius, the unbelieving orator seeking to lead the
ecclesia away from its celestial citizenship, and then the
believing Gaius, also disposed to the terrestrial (Phil.3:19),
and Aristarchus, the aristocratic sacerdotalist, and then
Alexander, the Jew, with his confidence in the flesh.
GAIUS, THE EARTHLING
Although Paul was not allowed to speak to the ecclesia they
gripped Gaius (Earthling) and Aristarchus (Best-chief). Are not
these names an indication of what tickles
the ears of Christendom? This is especially apparent in this last
era where they will not tolerate sound teaching, and heap up for
themselves teachers in accord with their own desires (2 Tim.4:3)?
Gaius suggests what was present even in Paul's day, for his name
seems to be derived from the Greek Ge land, or earth. In the
epistle to Philippi, in Macedonia, whence Gaius came, Paul laments
because some were disposed to the terrestrial. Gaius, the
Earthling, may represent them in this scene. Certainly the ears of
Christendom have been open to those parts of the Scriptures which
concern Israel and the nations on the earth, rather than Paul's
celestial message.
DISPOSED TO THE TERRESTRIAL
To "mind earthly things," as the A. V. has it, seems to many
to be as proper as it is popular. But it is not a question of
"minding" our earthly affairs, which we cannot avoid, but of our
disposition toward the terrestrial. This is vital in this
administration, which is concerned with the heavens, not with the
earth. Paul laments that there are such saints and calls them
"enemies of the cross of Christ." They look forward to a realm on
earth, when ours is in the heavens. They claim to be
Israelites, so, like Esau, they despise the higher blessing. They
glory in a future down here, in their bodies of humiliation,
instead of awaiting the Saviour, and the transfiguration of their
mortal frames (Phil.3:17-21).
Earthliness is one of our besetting sins, notwithstanding the
fact that most believers hope to go to heaven when they die
(Phil.3:19). There is a strong tendency to depend on outward
symbols, rather than live on inner realities. Even when the more
obvious forms (such as baptism in water rather than in spirit, or
sabbath keeping, in place of cessation from all efforts for
salvation), no longer draw us down to the earth, we need all the
help we can get to keep us from an earth-bound disposition. The
great change from the material to the spiritual is the hall-mark
of Paul's later message, and it should assist us to see it
exhibited in his ways as well as his words. Moreover, since God's
operations are no longer confined in place and time, centered in
Jerusalem and the yearly festivals, it is more than merely
interesting to see it displayed in nature as well.
Nature should teach us many things, especially if we have
received God's spirit, and are not deceived by seducing spirits as
to its lessons (1 Cor.11:14). Some seem to think the light of
nature deceptive, but the error lies, not in God's physical
creation, but in human misinterpretation. The most flagrant
example of this is the theory of evolution. But there is not a
single fact in nature to sustain it. In making the Concordant
Version we absolutely ignore all mere theories of science, but we
strive assiduously to be in accord with nature. The name of every
object must agree in every point with all the inspired contexts.
An outstanding example is the vulture (nshr). It is always
rendered eagle in the A.V. But the contexts in the Scriptures
and the birds of Palestine show clearly that it cannot be the
eagle, but the vulture. This, in turn, illuminates all its
contexts.
God's written revelation is based upon His material creation,
and cannot be understood apart from it. How could we comprehend
its opening sentence unless our senses had some perception of the
heavens and the earth? These senses cannot enable us to feel or
hear or see God, but they give us our first spiritual glimpse of
Him when we read that He is their Creator. The more we perceive of
His creation the more we are impressed with the attributes of
Deity, such as His wisdom and power, which enable us to grasp His
revealed place as the Subjector (Elohim, God) and, in relation to
time, as the One who was and is and will be (Yahweh, Rev.1:8). All
this is
a basis for divine truth. It should lead us to compare His
handiwork in nature with His inspired revelation. The concord
between them may not only confirm our faith, but help us to see
more clearly the great difference between the terrestrial ritual
of Israel and the transcendent celestial truth which we should
enjoy.
The rendering earthly may give a wrong impression, leading
to monasticism, seclusion from material and temporal concerns, and
exclusive devotion to religion (Col.2:23). That is earthly, or
rather terrestrial, for that is what characterizes the priesthood
in Israel. The fleshly tribe of Levi was relieved of all efforts
to make their own living, and concerned itself altogether with the
terrestrial ritual of divine religion. Paul did not become a monk,
nor did any of his sons, like Timothy and Titus, who walked in his
ways. It is not our terrestrial bodies (1 Cor.15:40) which must
be disposed to the celestial by seclusion from life's affairs, for
they cannot be transfigured until He calls us above. It is our
spirits which, like Paul, have no confidence in the flesh and
its religious activities, and are conformed to His death, and are
disposed toward God's high calling above in Christ Jesus
(Phil.3:1-21).
We should be able to free ourselves from petrified and
terrestrial ideas of time much easier than the saints of former
days, when many of the marvels of nature were still unknown. To
creature perception, truth is relative, not absolute. Recording
machines may delay the time when we hear, and moving pictures may
defer the sights that we see, indefinitely. Even when we hear or
see the original action, there is an interval of time between the
actual thing and our perception of it. Watch a steam whistle blow
while at some distance from it. The sight will come to your eyes
some moments before you hear the sound. And even the sight takes
an infinitesimal period in order to reach you.
Time and space are relative ideas measured by apparent motion
on the earth. They are our yard-stick and clock, so long as we
are here, but they will no longer apply when we are among the
celestials. If we are disposed to the terrestrial, we will watch
for the advent of Christ to a specific location, the Mount of
Olives. And we will seek to know the exact time, and measure it
carefully from the time that the covenant is broken and the daily
offering in the temple ceases, three and a half years, forty-two
months, twelve hundred and sixty days. Can any period be more
explicitly measured? Then we may be sure that Christ will come
to Israel (Dan.12:11-13; Rev.12:6,14; 13:5,6).
But we are not vitally concerned with the time when nor
the place where He will come toward the earth. Indeed, He does
not descend to the earth at all, but only to the air, for we
will ascend to meet Him there. Let us suppose that we knew the
place, for instance, directly above Ephesus. Looking at it from
the terrestrial standpoint, what a trip some of us would have to
make to get there! The writer once traveled across two continents
and two seas to reach it, so he has good cause to fear that he
will be late and last, if he used the usual modes of locomotion.
Indeed, he would be tempted to change his place of residence to a
nearer spot.
But, since I made the journey, there are speedier means of
travel. A jet plane has just made a new record, flying almost as
fast as the sun. Then it would take me only about half a day to
fly to Ephesus. But where would I get the plane? Such machines are
very costly. Even the fuel would be expensive. And how do I know
if it will fly high enough? If all the saints used planes, and
they all met at one point, what a dangerous mess that will make!
And, even if we got there, we would be no use in our celestial
locomotion. For such a sphere it takes much more power than that
required by any airplane yet invented.
Power! That is what is needed, not such weak contraptions
as thousand horse power airplanes which can carry fuel for only a
short tune. And power is just what we will have when we hear His
shout or are roused from among the dead (Eph.1:19,20). The
strongest of mortals has an infirm body. He can scarcely jump his
own height from terra firma. And he can't stay up without some
other source of power. But our bodies will be changed from a
terrestrial, earth-bound, soulish body, chained to the ground by
the force of gravity, commonly called weight, to a celestial body,
free from the force of gravitation, so that it would float in a
vacuum, and need no power to keep it above the earth, yet with
unlimited energy to move at the speed of thought to the grand
rendezvous with our Lord in the air.
Some saints, who are disposed to the terrestrial, wish to go
to the holy land, in order to be there when Christ arrives on the
mount of Olives. Indeed, some have gone in the past, and some are
intending to go soon. Many Jews have been buried on the slopes of
Olivet and thereabouts, hoping to be raised at His advent. But
they will have to wait until two and a half months later, for the
"former" resurrection does not take place when He arrives, but
seventy-five days afterward. If, however, they are members of
Christ's body, believers now, in this administration of grace,
they, will be caught away long before. But their journey to
Jerusalem will be in vain, for that is not the place where Christ
will meet us.
The difference in time and space at the resurrection of the
terrestrial saints and the vivification of those of this secret
celestial calling gives us a good illustration of their diverse
character. As to the time, the former have a fixed date while the
latter have none. No other event in earth's chronology is so
clearly and unmistakably predicted as the glorious advent of
earth's King. If I were to see the signs, the covenant broken, and
the
cessation of the sacrifice (Dan.9:25-27), I would not have the
slightest hesitation in setting the date for Messiah's appearing.
If a season, two seasons and a half is not definitely enough, then
I would say forty-two months. Still more accurately I would
guarantee the Lord's glorious presence in twelve hundred and sixty
days. The hour, of course would vary according to the location of
the saints on the earth (Dan.12:11; Rev.12:6; 13:5; Matt.24:15;
Luke 21:28).
In contrast with this, there is no definite event from which
we may reckon the time of His descent to the air. The only time
periods mentioned are: an instant, the twinkle of an eye, the
last trump (1 Cor.15:52). Here are no seasons, and months and
days. An instant is UN-CUTable, an Atom (Greek a-tom-os) of
duration, the time it takes an eyelid to move up or down (not
both), the final blast of a trumpet signal. Just like the seasons
and months and days, the instant and the twinkle and the trump are
simultaneous. We must not add them together and stretch them to
three instants! We are not conscious of any shorter period than
this.
Even a greater contrast is seen in connection with the dead.
Those who are roused in the "former" resurrection remain in the
tombs for over two months after the kingdom comes. Before they
rise, the kingdom is set up and divine service is resumed
(Dan.12:11). It will take all this time to prepare the scene for
their presence. The earth will be a shambles, and the nations a
chaos, when Christ comes (Rev.19:11-15). First the false Messiah
must be dealt with (2 Thess.2:8), and the nations judged. On the
earth this will take time, so the sleeping saints are not roused
until their place has been prepared for them long after the living
have entered the kingdom. But just the reverse comes in our case.
The living will not outstrip those reposing, but the dead will
rise first. Then both together will be caught away in clouds to
meet
the Lord in the air (Thess.4:13-17).
ARISTARCHUS, ARISTOCRATIC SACERDOTALIST
Aristarchus (Best Chief) was also gripped by the ecclesia,
or, as we would say today, "received a call." In English we have
the name aristocrat, which comes very near to the same sense,
for the last syllable is connected with HOLDing, might control,
which are the attributes of a chief. Does this not indicate
clearly another prominent feature of Christendom? The clergy
constitutes a religious aristocracy. From the pope or metropolitan
down through the archbishops and pastors of many-headed protestant
organizations, the clericals form a religious caste, a nobility of
the flesh, corresponding to that of Israel as a whole among the
nations, and to the priests and Levites, within itself. Those who
have no title, no social standing, are not wanted. The ecclesia
wants Gaius and Aristarchus to preach, not Paul, who was not even
a Levite, let alone a priest, and had no reputation as an
elocutionist.
Christ alone is the Head of the ecclesia which is His body.
Above the local elders who are supervisors He appoints no
superintendents, bishops, cardinals or popes, for He is perfectly
capable of ruling His whole body. Unlike the kingdom on earth,
with the twelve apostles and lesser delegates, the true ecclesia
today is a spiritual organism, in which every member should
hold fast to the Head. Neither is it like the sacerdotal order
in Israel based on physical descent. Christ, however, was given
the highest place in the universe. Did He assume this when He came
to earth? Quite the opposite. He emptied Himself of all His
honors, and descended to become the lowest and most ignoble of all
God's creatures, on the cross. This is our cue (Phil.2:7,8). Not
many noble are called (1 Cor.1:26). I have known some.
ALEXANDER, FLESHLY CONFIDENCE
Alexander's name is further clarified by the statement that
he was a Jew, as the name is not Hebrew, but Greek. The last part
of it is clearly MAN (andr). The first signifies avert, that is,
of danger or evil, so it comes near to signifying protection.
Here we have quite a different thought from that implied in the
other names. It suggests one of the greatest enemies of Paul's
teaching, that is Judaism, which includes law keeping, ritual,
salvation by works, briefly confidence in the flesh. It is found
almost everywhere, combined with the other departures from God's
order.
There are even those who claim to be fleshly Israelites, who
proclaim the opposite of Paul's message. Paul really had something
to boast about for he was not only a "Jew," but belonged to the
one tribe besides Judah which clung to the house of David and the
ritual in Jerusalem, besides being a Pharisee, that is,
"orthodox," blameless as to the law, and more zealous than the
rest. He gladly forfeited all this to gain Christ (Phil.3:4). He
refused the refuse of Judaism. Alexander, the Jew, and those whom
he represents today, have thoroughly confused and darkened Paul's
teaching. There is only one new humanity today (Eph.2:15). There
is no distinction (Rom.10:12). In Christ there is no Jew nor yet
Greek (Gal.3:28). In one spirit are we all baptized into one
body, whether Jews or Greeks (1 Cor.12:13). Let us beware lest we
make two!
PAUL NOT PERMITTED TO PREACH
Perhaps the most pathetic and pertinent point in this whole
passage is the fact that Paul was not allowed to speak at all.
When he does console and salute the disciples (Acts 19:28-20:1),
no record was made of the words. Finally, when he prolongs his
message later at Troas (20:9), although there was a considerable
number
of torches to dispel the darkness, a young man fell asleep and
fell out of a window to his death! Is not this true of the course
of Christendom? Will they ever allow Paul to get in a word? If
they do, what a lot of damage it does! Even when Paul supplies the
text, Peter, or perhaps Plato, does the preaching!
A MOVING PICTURE
Are not these things a moving picture? They teach us by means
of action or inaction, rather than by words. It seems almost
heartless for Paul to keep from contacting those to whom he
ministered. Among the circumcision, blessing came through the
physical presence of the blesser as a rule. Our Lord went about
from place to place in distributing the bodily blessings that He
dispensed. The highest spiritual blessings did not emanate from
Paul until his body was in chains (Eph.6:20). But we have a
suggestive symptom of this in the case of the centurions slave.
His Master, not belonging to Israel, thought himself unworthy of
our Lord's presence in his home. So he suggested that our Lord
heal his slave from a distance. When Jesus heard this He said,
"Not even in Israel found I so much faith." (Luke 7:2-10).
