For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen.
I. Paul is here brought into some trouble at Ephesus, just when he is forecasting to go thence, and to cut out work for himself elsewhere. See here, 1. How he laid his purpose of going to other places, Act 19:21, Act 19:22. He was a man of vast designs for God, and was for making his influences as widely diffusive as might be.
Commenting on Acts 19:21-41
And when they heard these sayings,.... Both the masters and the workmen; they were full of wrath; against Paul and his doctrine: and cried out, saying, great is Diana of the Ephesians; this goddess is frequently called in Heathen writers, Diana of the Ephesians, or the Ephesian Diana, because of her famous temple at Ephesus; and to distinguish her from all other Dianas: Pausanias makes...
Verse 24. A silversmith. The word used here denotes one who works in silver in any way, either in making money, in stamping silver, or in forming utensils of it. It is probable that the employment of this man was confined to the business here specified, that of making shrines--as his complaint implied, that destroying this would be sufficient to throw them all out of employment. Silver shrines. ναους. Temples.