Be Quiet and Do Nothing - Acts 19:36

The beloved physician Luke wrote how Demetrius, a silversmith, caused “no small stir” saying that “Paul has persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:” This caused a great commotion in the city among the people, “And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defense unto the people. But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And when the town clerk had appeased the people, he said, You men of Ephesus, what man is there that knows not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshiper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?”, and in chapter nineteen and verse thirty-six of the book of Acts Luke shared how the town clerk says, “you ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly” where we read:

Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, you ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.

The verse begins, “Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ...” Luke began with the words, “seeing then” which means “having the knowledge and understanding therefore, wherefore and on this account” “that these things cannot be spoken against” or “that the fact that the Ephesians worship the female goddess Diana whom Jupiter dispatched from heaven are unable and incapable to be contradicted and denied”. Luke shared how the “mayor” of Ephesus appealed to the fact that the “Ephesians” were worshipers of “Diana” caused there not to be a way for her to be “denied or contradicted”.

The verse goes on to say, “... you ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.” Luke continued with the words, “you ought to be quiet” which means “you, people of Ephesus, should keep it down, lower your voices and be appeased and restrained”, “and to do nothing rashly” or “and perform, make ready or produce not one thing headlong, precipitously or recklessly”. Luke shared how the “town clerk” or “mayor” of Ephesus told the people to be restrained and quiet without doing anything recklessly.

When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the “mayor” of Ephesus told the people that the worship of “Diana” whom “Jupiter” sent down from heaven to them could not be “contradicted or disputed”, and he advised them to be restrained and not do anything in a reckless manner. Although his words quieted the crowd and appealed to their sensibilities, they were still lost people as far as God the Heavenly Father was concerned. “Salvation” comes through a personal relationship with God's Son Jesus, and without Him, there is no forgiveness of sins or everlasting life with God. Those who are wise will understand the appeal of the “mayor of Ephesus”, and understand that his speech may have appeased the crowd but did nothing for the eternal condition of the people to whom he spoke.

Next time Luke shares how the town clerks says, “you have brought here these men”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".