Scripture: Acts of the Apostles 19:27 – “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 will be scorned, and she will be deprived of her majesty that brought all Asia and the world to worship her.” (NRSV)
There are times when religious principles are under attack, when people are actively trying to oppose or destroy the faith of others. An example of this might be when minority religions like Islam in predominantly Christian countries or Christianity in predominantly Muslim countries are violently suppressed. But often, supposed attacks on religion are not really blasphemy, but rather challenges to wealth and control. There is a story from the Acts of the Apostles that really drives this home. Paul and his companions had been spreading Christianity all throughout the region known as Asia, which is modern Türkiye. Outside of some Jewish communities that called them blasphemers, most of the people in authority ignored them. Who cared if some kooks argued over whether some backwater wonderworker was a god or not?
But the Christian missionaries got in trouble when they began to eat into someone’s bottom line. As the story goes, there is a silversmith named Demetrius who makes little silver shrines to Artemis, the predominant goddess in Ephesus, the most important city in Asia. He noticed that sales were down since former Artemis worshippers were now Christians, and no longer buying shrines. So, he gathers the silver workers and tells them how, not only do Paul and the other Christians eat into their profits, but they are also blaspheming Artemis. Demetrius’ primary concern is money, but he spins it to the people as an issue of faith. This causes a mob to start shouting “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” This causes a riot where two Christians are violently dragged away. Paul must be restrained to keep him from jumping into the fray. The Christians are brought before the town clerk, who separates fearmongering from lawbreaking. He says that the truth of Artemis’ superiority is obvious, and since the Christians are not breaking any laws, they should be set free. Reluctantly, the crowd disperses.
Paul and his companions were lucky that the town clerk of Ephesus was so reasonable, because so many leaders in history have listened to the mob or their pocketbooks rather than to the law. He probably did not see Christianity as a threat to the economy like the silver workers did. But when there is that threat to economic or political control, then religious voices are crushed. This is why Pontius Pilate had Jesus crucified, and why communist countries like China, North Korea, and the former USSR banned religion as a rival to state ideology.
This story reminds us about how what is of ultimate concern to people will drive their behavior. As Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Many people will claim that they are people of faith and that God is the most important thing in their lives. They will claim to seek for justice and equality for all of God’s children, as the Bible demands. But when such principles threaten their economic comforts, they very quickly fade away into fear and silence. To them, like those silversmiths, money is more important than God, and they will twist their faith to make it seem like God really is their motivation, saying, “Great is Artemis!”, but thinking “Great is the almighty dollar!”
So, today think about what is really most important to you. What would be worse, to give up your wealth or give up your faith? If your answer is wealth, how much would you be willing to lose, beyond the true necessities for life, to serve God? Ideally, we can enjoy the material joys of life without losing our faith, but if we really want to be Christians, we need to make important choices sometimes. How will you choose?
Prayer: God, help me to put my faith in you above all other things, so that I may know peace and salvation from life’s troubles. Amen.
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