Businesses and trades ought to be concerned about anything which may affect their profit. It was the same in 1stC Ephesus as in any market today. However, one trade was particularly worried about the effect of Paul's preaching on their business. He said that if human beings created them, they could not be real gods with real power (Psalm 115:3-8). The silversmiths in Ephesus were frightened that Paul's teaching had been so effective that many people were starting to believe what he said about the traditional gods of the region.

Now, the temple of Artemis (Diana), one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was in Ephesus. Silversmiths made models of the shrine in the precious metal. These were not just tourist souvenirs: to possess a model was to take the power and protection of Diana into their homes. But Paul's teaching risked denigrating the 'majesty of Diana', making the temple redundant, its priests obsolete, reducing the flow of pilgrims to the city and paralysing trade in these silver ornaments. There was no evidence that had already happened, but the craftsmen feared that it might happen.

It is remarkable how much the teaching about Jesus had unsettled the silversmiths. They were afraid that their trade, and a major part of the Ephesian economy, might be destroyed by Paul's teaching about the one and only true God who was shown to the world in Jesus Christ. Today's passage shows their anxiety; tomorrow's will show their anger. Falsehood hates truth. A business built on falsehood cannot survive long term, and untrue marketing cannot win long term confidence.

Whenever Jesus is proclaimed faithfully, the values of the world will be challenged. Money is often at the interface of people and their values. When something wrong is exposed by gospel people and their words, its supporters will often be worried about money. That fear will then precipitate strong reactions against Jesus or the people who represent Him. Money is not the root of all evil, but the love of money is (1 Timothy 6:6-10) because it displaces Jesus from His supreme place. So do not be surprised when Christless hearts worship money as their security, and be determined not to be like them.