Biblical Victimology, Part 3
As the gospel came to Ephesus and threatened to up-end everything, a man like Demetrius had an opportunity to reevaluate the fundamentals of his life. He could have responded to the threat to his livelihood by asking why his livelihood was so fragile in the first place. He could of asked himself if his dependence on Artemis was ever actually sustainable and how it was possible for mere words to rob his idol of her magnificence and overthrow his entire way of life.
He could have looked at Paul and thought, “why is that guy so ‘anti-fragile’ while I am so “fragile? Why is he doing this? Why is he abandoning all varieties of comfort and safety to bring this message here?” Even better, he could have considered the message of the gospel itself.
Demetrius could have done a lot of things differently, but the one thing he could not have done was to think about any of this objectively. He simply had too much to lose.
In the next post, I will discuss the victim-industrial-complex we see assembled in Acts 19. To be certain, there are many in that passage and in this world that cynically use victimology to advance their individual agendas. There are plenty of people who champion victims who do not care for them at all.
Yet it doesn’t seem to me that Demetrius fits into that category. To be sure, he is a capitalist (such as there were in the first century) in a rotten industry, but I think he is also a true believer. Take a look at the conclusion of his speech,
And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.” — Acts 19:27
The fact that he acknowledges his financial fears so matter of factly gives me pause. Yes, he concedes, if Paul’s gospel spreads, his trade is likely to fall into disrepute. Yet even worse, his goddess, the one he himself worships, may be deposed from her magnificence. Maybe I’m giving him too much credit but it seems to me that Demetrius is a true believer.
Is it possible that his love for money and his love for Artemis are both equally genuine? Of course it is. Firstly it is possible because people are never as simple as we make them out to be. The notion of a money-centric man who cares for nothing else is a caricature, a straw-man. Secondly, it is possible, even likely, that Demetrius loves both his money and Artemis because his heart is a factory of idols (emphasis on the plural).
Idols are like prostitutes. They have different names, shapes, and sizes but their essential offering is the same: false-love. And the really interesting thing about prostitutes (and idols) is that they don’t expect monogamy out of their patrons. Of course, this all comes at great cost.
Some might look at Demetrius and see a stone-cold, smoke filled room, captain of industry. I see a man who is trapped in a complex web of false-loves. He is just as deceived as he is deceitful. He can’t see the web for what it really is. He simply has too much to lose.
One can’t help feeling sad for Demetrius. All of those false-loves keep making their demands on him and he’s doing his best to keep the plates spinning. Idolatry is an exhausting business. One wishes he could have found what Jesus offers,
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. — Matthew 11:28–30
It doesn’t appear that Demetrius ever laid down his idols (willingly). A man who made his living refining silver simply could not take the heat of the refiner’s fire.