Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 19:33

"And they brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made a defense unto the people." — Acts 19:33 (ASV)

The Jewish community at Ephesus was large and enjoyed a number of special exemptions granted by past provincial proconsuls. Yet it also suffered from the latent anti-Semitism that always lay beneath the surface of GrecoRoman society. In an endeavor to disassociate themselves from the Christians in such an explosive situation, the Jews sent one of their number, Alexander, to the podium. To the idolatrous mob, however, Jews were as insufferable as Christians on the point at issue in the riot because both worshiped an invisible deity and rejected idols. So Alexander was shouted down with the chant “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.” This shouting kept on for about two hours.