World Series. Despite being up 3 games to 1, the Cleveland Indians couldn’t prevail over the Chicago Cubs. Prevail: “to prove more powerful than opposing forces; win out, carry the day, come out on top, prove superior.” The Cubs proved more powerful than the Indians. They prevailed.
Author Luke evaluates Paul’s ministry in Ephesus: “So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed” (Acts 19:20). It “grew mightily”, spread greatly throughout Ephesus and all of Asia (today’s Turkey). It “prevailed”, proved more powerful than forces opposing it. For the first two years in Ephesus, the Lord’s word won the day. But powers opposed it.
Synagogue to Tyrannus Hall.
Jews formed the first opposing force. After encountering John’s twelve disciples in Ephesus (Acts 19:1-7, https://theoldpreacher.com/12-empty-men/) Paul turned to the Jews in Ephesus. He . . .
” . . . entered the synagogue and for three months spoke out boldly, and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God. When some stubbornly refused to believe and spoke evil of the Way before the congregation, he left them, taking the disciples with him, and argued daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord” (Acts 19:8-10).
As in other cities, Jews rejected Paul’s message. They “stubbornly refused to believe”, and even “spoke evil of the Way before the congregation.” Taking this public stand, they made themselves culpable before God for rejecting their Messiah.
It must have been with heavy heart that Paul left the synagogue, taking with him those who did believe. He continued to reasonably present (Greek, dialegoumenos) the Lord’s word “in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.” We’re told nothing about Tyrannus or how this “hall”, used for informal education and debates, was made available to Paul. Some ancient manuscripts suggest he used it 11 a.m to 4 p.m., probably six days a week. This continued for two years. Co-workers took the gospel to neighboring towns. Some of Revelation’s “seven churches of Asia” may have been planted then, as well as the church at Colosse. ” . . . all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord”, wrote Luke. Despite stubborn opposition from much of the city’s Jewish community, ” . . . . the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.”
Signs, Wonders and Evil Spirits.
The diseased and demonized are victims. But the forces behind them are opponents. Disease denies “God loves you.” Evil spirits’ power prove their ascendancy over Paul’s Jesus. But Luke reports . . .
“God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that when the handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, their diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them”(Acts 19:11,12).
This “handkerchiefs” and “aprons” thing sounds like TV evangelists selling Jordan river water. Actually it echoes the woman who was healed after she “touched [Jesus’] garment” (Mark 5:27) and the healing of others who touched “even the fringe of [Jesus’] garment” (Mark 6:56). Rather than evoking scenes of frauds, it recalls powerful signs and wonders associated with Jesus.
“So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.” This power-show attracted itinerant Jew “exorcists”. One group, “the seven sons of Sceva”, led by a self-proclaimed “high priest”, tried to duplicate Paul’s success by using Paul’s technique. But with humiliating results . . .
“Then some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, ‘I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.’ Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit said to them in reply, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?’Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered them all, and so overpowered them that they fled out of the house naked and wounded” (Acts 19:13-16).
What of evil-spirit-power today? In the mid-1970’s, the charismatic movement was in full swing in northern New Jersey. Every problem had its own demon—obesity, lust, laziness, obsession with chocolate, etc.—for Christians and non-Christians alike. We arrived to plant in church in the swamp of that unbiblical teaching. Nevertheless, we’d be wise to recall Paul’s position on demonic powers . . . We shouldn’t attribute more authority to them than they have; but we ignore them at our peril . . .
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12, ESV).
They exist. They are anti-Christ. But in Ephesus ” . . . the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.” Even more . . .
Bonfire by Exorcists.
“When this became known to all residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, everyone was awestruck; and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised. Also many of those who became believers confessed and disclosed their practices. A number of those who practiced magic collected their books and burned them publicly; when the value of these books was calculated, it was found to come to fifty thousand silver coins” (Acts 19:17-19)
F. F. Bruce comments . . .
A number of such magical scrolls have survived to our day . . . The special connection of Ephesus with magic is reflected in the use of the term “Ephesian scripts” for such magical scrolls. The spells which they contain are . . . considered to be unusually potent . . . On this occasion fifty thousand drachma’s worth of such documents went up in smoke . . . The powers of darkness were worsted, but the gospel spread and triumphed” (The Book of Acts).
“So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed” (Acts 19:20).
The Lord’s Purpose Prevails.
Proverbs 19:21—“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” In first century Ephesus, it was the Lord’s purpose for his word to prevail—against stubbornly resistant Jews, against disease, against evil-spirit-powers, against fraudulent exorcists. So it did. Ephesus became a leading center of Christianity for centuries.
In 21st century America, the Lord’s word isn’t prevailing. Look at shrinking churches. Look at Christians’ minority status. Look at the rise of other worldviews that minimize Christianity. Look at the casual attitude of many Christians about the faith. Instead of prevailing, the Lord’s word seems to hold on by fingernails. Furthermore, as we’ll see, Paul’s visit to Ephesus ends with a city-wide riot against him.
This is a good time to “cheat” and check how the story ends. Go to the back of the book. Keep a finger in Revelation. No, you don’t understand everything in it. (Who does?) But one point is crystal-clear: in the end, the word of the Lord prevails.
It proves more powerful than opposing forces. It wins out. It carries the day. It comes out on top. It proves superior.
Best to be on the prevailing side. Regardless of how things appear at the moment.
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