Artemis of Ephesus

Biblical Text

Artemis appears in Acts 19:23–41. The episode took place while Paul was staying in Ephesus and preaching the gospel during his missionary journeys.

• Demetrius, a silversmith, made silver shrines of the goddess and brought considerable profit to the craftsmen. He stirred up his fellow artisans, arguing that because Paul taught "that they be no gods, which are made with hands," their trade was endangered and the goddess's majesty was being diminished (Acts 19:24–27).
• The people cried out, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians." They seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions, rushed into the theater, and kept shouting the same cry for about two hours (Acts 19:28–34).
• The town clerk declared that everyone knew Ephesus to be the "temple keeper" (KJV: "worshipper") of the great goddess and of the image that fell down from Jupiter (Zeus). He then told the crowd that any charges should be brought formally before the courts, and he dismissed the assembly (Acts 19:35–41).

Background

The name used in Korean Bibles, Ademi, renders the Greek name Artemis. Her Roman name was Diana, and older English Bibles such as the King James Version use "Diana." In Greek mythology, Artemis was the goddess of the hunt and of chastity. The Artemis of Ephesus differed considerably in character, and her cult is generally thought to have absorbed the worship of an indigenous local goddess. The Ephesian cult statue is known from depictions showing numerous rounded protuberances on the chest. Scholars differ on what these represent, though they are commonly explained as symbols of abundance and fertility.

The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was counted among the so-called Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It drew large numbers of pilgrims and was also central to the city's economy, including the trade in shrine models and souvenirs. The text does not explain what the "image which fell down from Jupiter" was. Some have speculated that it was a meteorite, but this has not been confirmed.

Significance in Scripture as a Whole

This episode continues the critique of idolatry that runs through Scripture from the Old Testament onward. The words attributed to Paul echo the Old Testament prophets' denunciation of gods made by human hands. Paul himself wrote that "an idol is nothing in the world" (1 Corinthians 8:4–6). Through the words of the town clerk, Acts makes clear that Paul's companions had neither robbed the temple nor blasphemed the goddess (Acts 19:37). In this way the narrative shows that the gospel spread through teaching rather than through violence or unlawful acts.

Interpretations and Debates

• Many commentators read this episode as a case of the gospel colliding with the local religious and economic order. They note that Demetrius's opposition combined religious devotion with economic self-interest.
• In debates over the ordination of women, some interpreters argue that the background of Artemis worship in Ephesus should be taken into account when reading 1 Timothy 2:13–15. This view treats the passage as a directive addressed to the particular circumstances of Ephesus at the time. Others counter that the connection is weakly supported and that Paul grounded his argument in the order of creation. Interpretations differ among denominations and scholars.
• Some spiritual warfare movements and groups associated with the New Apostolic Reformation describe Artemis as a territorial spirit ruling over a region. The text, however, does not directly state this, and many denominations and theologians criticize such interpretations.

In the Korean Church

In sermons on the riot at Ephesus, preachers sometimes apply the passage by likening the things people serve, such as money and success, to "the Artemis of today." The cry "Great is Diana of the Ephesians" is frequently cited as an illustration of mob psychology and idolatry.