11 God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. Acts 19:11-12
The miracles Paul was performing in his Ephesus ministry, over and above his teaching at the school of Tyrannus, were extra-ordinary, if miracles can be ordinary. The keys to their success was that they emanated from God through his hands. Since he was still doing some tent making on the side (Acts 20:34), the sweat of such efforts wiped from his brow with a cloth and his apron were enough to heal people, but they were only effective since they came directly from him and the miracles from God.
As seemed always the case in these early days of the ministry, well, in fact, down through time, counterfeits arose attempting to abscond with the tools of the trade. In this case Jewish exorcists, particularly the “seven sons of Sceva,” a Jewish chief priest. Turns out, there were maybe only two sons of Sceva, and chief priest status could be self-designated. Anyway, these men, however many, attempted to practice exorcism on a demon saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” The demon’s response was telling, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” Again, a proper miracle is sourced in God Almighty, and his power can only be used as authorized, and only Paul or his representatives could dispense it at this location. Accordingly, things did not end well.
16 And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. Acts 19:16
A byproduct of these miracles in Ephesus was fear of whose mighty power was on display. When you think about the purpose of miracles, is it not always to produce respect for God?
17 This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. 18 Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. Acts 19:17
As a result, the Ephesians collected and burned their books on sorcery, the value of which was said to amount to 50,000 pieces of silver, in today’s silver market a cool million or so dollars.
So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing. Acts 19:20
Leave a Reply