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What was the 'image of Artemis' that fell down from heaven in Acts 19?
The image of Artemis/Diana which fell from the sky or from Zeus/Jupiter. Is this false image still worshiped today?
Acts 19:35
NKJV - 35 And when the city clerk had quieted the crowd, he said: "Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Zeus?
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Asked August 25 2015
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Murray Roulstone
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Pastor Shafer
a [townclerk] Greek: grammateus (GSN-), used 67 times and translated "scribe" 66 times and only here "town clerk"
b [appeased] Greek: katastello (GSN-), quieted. Here; Acts 19:36.
c [he said...] He made six main points:
1. No need of advertising the fact that all Ephesians worshiped Diana (Acts 19:35).
2. No man was attempting to contest this fact (Acts 19:36).
3. Not to act so rashly without just grounds for doing so (Acts 19:36).
4. The persons accused were not guilty of breaking the civil laws (Acts 19:37).
5. If they had broken any law, this was not the way to handle it (Acts 19:38-39).
6. They themselves were breaking the law and might be called in question (Acts 19:40).
[Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshiper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?].
[worshipper] Greek: neokoros (GSN-), temple-sweeper, and means what our word sexton does. He means to say, "The whole city is devoted to the worship of Diana and it is a reputed honor to the highest people to sweep her temple, and open and shut her doors. Besides, we offer to her the highest sacrifices, and are entrusted with the religious services that pertain to the emperor's safety."
[fell down from Jupiter] The original image of Diana was supposed to have descended from heaven so long ago that no one knew its maker or the time it was made. It was in the interests of the priests of Diana to persuade the people that it fell from heaven. Several sacred things are supposed to have fallen from heaven. Euripides stated that the image of Diana of Tauri fell from heaven. Numa claimed that the sacred shields were from heaven. Italian papists claimed that the shrine of our lady of Loretto was a divine gift from above. The image of Minerva of Troy is supposed to have come from Jupiter. St. Isidore said that the heathen priests killed or banished the makers of these things so they could induce the people to believe that they came from heaven.