Acts 19:21-27: a reflection

21Now after these things had ended, Paul determined in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 22Having sent into Macedonia two of those who served him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while. 23About that time there arose no small disturbance concerning the Way. 24For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen, 25whom he gathered together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, “Sirs, you know that by this business we have our wealth. 26You see and hear that not at Ephesus alone, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are no gods that are made with hands. 27Not only is there danger that this our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be counted as nothing and her majesty destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worships.”

When the gospel spreads in Ephesus and many turn from idols, a silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of the goddess Artemis, stirs up opposition. But his real motive is telling. Sirs, you know that by this business we have our wealth, he tells his fellow craftsmen; this Paul has persuaded many that idols are no gods, and our trade is in danger. He dresses up his complaint as concern for the honor of the goddess; but at bottom, his opposition to the gospel was about his threatened income. His self-interest, his fear for his profit, was the real driver, disguised as devotion to Artemis.

Notice how self-interest drove the opposition, disguised as principle. Demetrius framed his complaint as concern for the great goddess and her honor; but his own words reveal the real motive: the gospel threatened his business, his wealth. His opposition to the truth was rooted in self-interest, in the fear of losing his income; and he dressed it up as devotion to the goddess. The principled-sounding objection masked a selfish one. Much opposition to truth works this way: the real motive is self-interest, the threat to one's profit or position or comfort, disguised as principle or concern for something noble. Demetrius's devotion to Artemis was a cover for his devotion to his own gain.

That is worth taking to heart, for opposition to truth, and our own resistance to it, is often rooted in self-interest disguised as principle. We can oppose or resist a truth, dressing up our resistance as principle or concern for something noble, when the real reason is that the truth threatens our own interest, our profit, our comfort, our position, as Demetrius's devotion to Artemis masked his fear for his trade. Self-interest can hide behind principled-sounding objections. Examine whether your resistance to a truth is really rooted in self-interest, dressed up as principle, as Demetrius's opposition to the gospel was really about his threatened income. Be honest about whether your resistance to a truth is rooted in self-interest disguised as principle, as Demetrius framed his fear for his trade as concern for the goddess's honor; for opposition to truth is often self-interest in disguise, and we do well to examine whether our objections are truly principled or are really about protecting our own interest.

Lord, when the gospel spreads in Ephesus and many turn from idols, a silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of the goddess Artemis, stirs up opposition. But his real motive is telling. Sirs, you know that by this business we have our wealth, he tells his fellow craftsmen; this Paul has persuaded many that idols are no gods, and our trade is in danger. He dresses up his complaint as concern for the honor of the goddess; but at bottom, his opposition to the gospel was about his threatened income. Show me how self-interest drove the opposition, disguised as principle. Demetrius framed his complaint as concern for the great goddess and her honor; but his own words reveal the real motive: the gospel threatened his business, his wealth. His opposition to the truth was rooted in self-interest, and he dressed it up as devotion to the goddess. Much opposition to truth works this way: the real motive is self-interest, disguised as principle or concern for something noble. Take that to my heart, for opposition to truth, and my own resistance to it, is often rooted in self-interest disguised as principle. I can oppose or resist a truth, dressing up my resistance as principle or concern for something noble, when the real reason is that the truth threatens my own interest, my profit, my comfort, my position, as Demetrius's devotion to Artemis masked his fear for his trade. Self-interest can hide behind principled-sounding objections. Help me examine whether my resistance to a truth is really rooted in self-interest, dressed up as principle, Lord, as Demetrius's opposition to the gospel was really about his threatened income, and help me be honest about my true motives.