"Granny's Chapters" (on scriptural subjects) / The New Testament, with a Sketch of the Subsequent History of the Jews.

by Lady Mary Ross

We have said that St. Paul sent Timotheus and Erastus to Corinth: Timotheus, or Timothy, has already been spoken of: of Erastus we know nothing, but his name is mentioned in two of St. Paul's Epistles.

After Timothy and Erastus had left Ephesus, St. Paul received a letter, written by those members of the Christian Church who had kept steadily in the right way, and not been led astray by either of the false teachers. This letter told St. Paul how much the Church was disturbed by their mistaken teachers, and begged for his advice and direction. In answer to this letter, St. Paul wrote a long one, called "The First Epistle to the Corinthians." In this letter, St. Paul blames the Corinthians for their disputes and differences of opinion; reminding them that he, the Apostle and messenger of the Lord, had taught them what was right; and that therefore they should have kept fast to what they had learnt from him. He tells them, that as they have all believed in one Lord Jesus Christ, they should live together in peace, believing and doing the same things. Then addressing the teachers who had done the mischief, St. Paul warns them, that if they wilfully continue to teach false doctrines, God will certainly punish them: and he exhorts all the members of the Corinthian Church to listen to Timothy, whom he had sent on purpose that he might show them the whole truth. The Apostle then gives the Corinthian brethren many directions as to their personal conduct, in order that they might lead holy lives on earth, such as would be pleasing to God, and tend also to their own happiness.

In the Twelfth Chapter of this Epistle, St. Paul gives a beautiful description of charity, that is, of love to God, and of love to man for His sake: and he shows that those whose hearts are really full of this charity, or love, will be gentle and humble, not thinking much of themselves, or of their own comfort or pleasure; but being ready to give up to others, striving to be kind to all, even to those who are unkind to them. In another part of this Epistle, St. Paul speaks of the resurrection of Jesus, and of the consequent certainty that all men shall in like manner rise from the dead, though now they may not understand how such a thing can be: and he therefore entreats the Corinthian brethren, to keep steadily in the faith taught by the Gospel, doing the work of the Lord always; remembering, that those who do serve Him here in faith and love, will live with Him for ever hereafter.

St. Paul ends his letter, by saying that he shall not come to Corinth at present; but that he hopes to pass the winter with them.

It was spring when St. Paul wrote this letter, for he tells the Corinthians, "I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost": and the Feast of Pentecost took place about the month of May; so that there were now a good many months before winter, when St. Paul hoped, with the permission of the Lord, to tarry awhile at Corinth.

Before St. Paul left Ephesus, a great tumult took place in that city; for, as St. Luke says, "there arose no small stir about that way,"—that is, the people were stirred up against the doctrines of Christianity, so as to make a tumult in the city. "For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen."

We have said, that the temple of Diana, at Ephesus, was a most beautiful and magnificent building, and people came from all parts to see this wonderful temple, and to worship before an image of Diana, which was supposed by all the heathens to have been sent down direct from heaven. Those who came from far distant places to worship in this famous temple, were glad to carry away some remembrance of the goddess; and strangers who only came out of curiosity, also bought the "shrines," or little models of the temple, which the silversmiths at Ephesus made: these "shrines" had a small image of Diana within them. By these means, the craftsmen, or workers in silver, gained a great deal of money; and the more they sold, the better it was for them.

St. Paul had of course taught all who listened to him, that Diana was no goddess, only an imaginary being, and that it was very sinful to worship or honour her in any way: those who believed him therefore, would not buy these silver shrines, and consequently the silversmiths found their trade very much fallen off. This great loss of money, caused Demetrius, one of the chief silversmiths, to call together all the craftsmen and workmen of the like occupation. When they were assembled, he said to them, "Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: so that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth." This speech was well calculated to stir up the bad passions of all who heard it; the craftsmen would be angry at the idea of losing their wealth, whilst all the Gentiles at Ephesus, would be indignant that their favourite goddess and her splendid temple should be less thought of, and thus bring fewer people to Ephesus, to admire and worship. This decrease in the number of strangers attracted to Ephesus, would of course cause less money to be spent in the city, which would be a great loss to the inhabitants generally. When, therefore, those to whom Demetrius spake, "heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians."

What Demetrius had said to the craftsmen whom he had called together, spread quickly throughout the city: "and the whole city was filled with confusion"—the people were now ready for any mischief; and meeting with two of St. Paul's companions, Gaius and Aristarchus, they caught them, and "rushed with one accord into the theatre"—a large building, in which public shows and games took place, and which was also used for assemblies of the people, when any important occasion brought them together. When St. Paul understood what had happened, he would have gone also into the theatre to speak to the people; but the disciples, fearing that they might do the Apostle some mischief, suffered him not to go in. "And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends," knowing that in the present excited state of the people, St. Paul's life would be in danger amongst them, "sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre."