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Paul’s Third Missionary Journey
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| Paul’s Third Missionary Journey
Ephesus: Spiritual Warfare In Ephesus, a group of itinerant Jewish exorcists compete with Paul in casting out evil spirits. Paul’s success sparks the non-believing Jews to show that they, too, can compete spiritually with him, but when they attempt an exorcism the evil p 285 spirit says, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” (Acts 19:15). They are overthrown and beaten, and run out stripped of their clothing and honor. Meanwhile, Paul commands the respect of both Jews and Greeks, many of whom repent of their occult practices and publicly burn their magic books, valued at 50,000 silver pieces (Acts 19:19). Because Ephesus was the center of occult objects and magic books in the Roman Empire, Paul ends his letter to the Ephesians with an address about spiritual warfare (Eph 6:10–20). The Ephesians’ rejection of occult and pagan practices leads the silversmith Demetrius to start a riot. Demetrius fashioned shrines and amulets for the pagan cult of Artemis and feared that if Paul kept turning people away from idols, his business would dry up. Artemis, the most popular deity in Ephesus, was a virgin mother whose temple was so spectacular that it was one of the Seven Wonders of the World. According to tradition, Ephesus was the city where the beloved disciple brought the blessed mother of Jesus; as Ephesus turned to faith in her son, Mary, the true virgin mother of God, overcame the pseudo-virgin mother. The riots started by Demetrius force Paul to leave Ephesus. He journeys back to Greece and confirms the churches in cities like Corinth, where he had already been. After visiting Macedonia, Paul returns to Troas, where he celebrates the Eucharist with the community and preaches through most of the night. A young man named Eutychus, which means “lucky one,” falls asleep during Paul’s homily and falls three stories down from his window seat and is taken up dead. Paul rushes to the young lad and embraces his body. Eutychus revives, showing Paul to be a new Elijah, who likewise brought a young man back to life (1 Kgs 17:21–24). Paul then makes his way back to Jerusalem, wanting to arrive in time for Pentecost, meeting the elders of the church of Ephesus in Miletus on the way. Paul’s Prophetic Collection for Jerusalem At the end of Paul’s letters to the Corinthians, he mentions the “contribution for the saints” in need in Jerusalem (1 Cor 16:1–4; 2 Cor 8–9). As the time for bringing this collection to Jerusalem draws near, Paul writes to the Christians in Rome, saying, p 286 At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem with the aid for the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contributions for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem; they were pleased to do it, and indeed they are in debt to them, for if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. (Rom 15:25–27) This act of fraternal charity unites the more prosperous Gentiles to their poorer Jewish brethren in Judea. Beyond being an act of obedience to Peter, who asked Paul to remember the poor in his missions, the Gentile contribution, in Paul’s view, fulfilled important prophecies in Israel’s Scriptures that when God restored the fortunes of Israel through a messianic kingdom renewal, this renewal would reach as far as the Gentiles who would come to Jerusalem and bring tribute and worship to Israel’s God (Is 2, 66; Zec 14). The Gentiles are now worshiping the one true God, and their contributions to the church in Jerusalem help fulfill these ancient prophecies. When Paul arrives in Jerusalem, his visit sparks violent riots. The Romans arrest Paul in order to save him from an angry mob in Jerusalem’s Temple. Paul is sent to Caesarea for trial because it is the provincial headquarters for Rome in Palestine. There Paul appeals to Caesar and is sent on a long sea journey to Rome. Paul’s seafaring is full of adventure and danger, but eventually he comes to Rome where he testifies to the “kingdom of God” in the very heart of the Roman Empire. tải về 6.33 Mb. Chia sẻ với bạn bè của bạn:
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