Topical Encyclopedia
A silversmith in biblical times was a craftsman who specialized in the creation of objects from silver, including idols, household items, and currency. The role of the silversmith is mentioned in several passages of the Bible, highlighting both the skill involved in the craft and the potential for idolatry associated with their work.
Biblical References:1.
Acts 19:24-27: One of the most notable mentions of a silversmith in the New Testament is in the account of Demetrius, a silversmith in Ephesus. Demetrius crafted silver shrines of the goddess Artemis and incited a riot against the Apostle Paul, fearing that Paul's message would lead to a decline in the demand for idols. The passage reads: "For a silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a great deal of business for the craftsmen. He called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: 'Men, you know that this business is our source of prosperity. And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in nearly the whole province of Asia, Paul has persuaded and turned away a great number of people. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited and her majesty deposed, she who is worshiped by all the province of Asia and the world.'"
2.
Isaiah 40:19: The Old Testament also references the work of silversmiths in the context of idol-making. Isaiah speaks against the futility of idol worship, noting the craftsmanship involved: "To an idol that a craftsman casts and a metalworker overlays with gold and fits with silver chains?"
3.
Isaiah 46:6: This passage further criticizes the making of idols, highlighting the role of the silversmith: "They pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales; they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god, and they bow down and worship it."
Cultural and Religious Context:In ancient Israel and surrounding regions, silversmiths were highly regarded for their skill in metalwork. Silver was a valuable commodity, used not only for currency but also for decorative and religious purposes. The craft required precision and artistry, as silversmiths would melt, mold, and engrave silver to create intricate designs.
However, the Bible often associates the work of silversmiths with idolatry, as they were frequently employed to create idols and religious artifacts for pagan worship. This association is evident in the prophetic literature, where the prophets denounce the making and worship of idols, emphasizing the futility and sinfulness of worshiping man-made objects.
Theological Implications:The biblical portrayal of silversmiths serves as a reminder of the tension between the use of human skill for legitimate purposes and the potential for such skills to be used in ways that lead people away from the worship of the one true God. The craft of the silversmith, while valuable and respected, becomes problematic when it contributes to idolatry, a recurring theme in the biblical narrative.
The New Testament account of Demetrius underscores the economic and social impact of the Gospel message, as it challenges existing religious and commercial practices. The silversmiths' opposition to Paul highlights the transformative power of the Christian faith, which calls individuals and societies to turn from idols to serve the living God.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
n.) One whose occupation is to manufacture utensils, ornaments, etc., of silver; a worker in silver.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
SILVERSMITHsil'-ver-smith (argurokopos): Mentioned only once (Acts 19:24), where reference is made to Demetrius, a leading member of the silversmiths' guild of Ephesus.
Greek
695. argurokopos -- a beater of silver, ie asilversmith... a beater of silver, ie a
silversmith. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration:
argurokopos Phonetic Spelling: (ar-goo-rok-op'-os) Short Definition: a
...1216. Demetrios -- Demetrius, the name of asilversmith and of a...
... Demetrius, the name of asilversmith and of a Christian. Part of Speech: Noun,
Masculine Transliteration: Demetrios Phonetic Spelling: (day-may'-tree-os) Short...
Strong's Hebrew
6884. tsaraph -- to smelt, refine, test... smelt, refine, test NASB Word Usage goldsmith (5), goldsmiths (2), pure (1), refine
(3), refined (5), refiner's (1), refining goes (1),
silversmith (2), smelt
...Library
The Life Story of Pastor Wang
... For the next few years he worked as asilversmith in his uncle's shop, this latter
being a generous, kindly man, on whom the responsibilities of business life...
The Vanity of Idols.
... and fire? Did not the sculptor fashion one of them, the brazier a second,
thesilversmith a third, and the potter a fourth? Was...
Luke's Account of the Enrollment
... So, for example, Demetrius, thesilversmith of Ephesus, spoke about the State-Goddess
Diana, "whom all Asia and the world worshippeth," ie, to worship whom the...
The So-Called Letter to Diognetus
... Were they not forged by iron and fire? Surely the stonemason made one of them, and
the blacksmith another, thesilversmith a third, and the potter a fourth!...
Precepts from the Prophetic Books.
... said: "Every man is brutishly gone astray from the knowledge of Him; every founder
is confounded by his graven images; in vain thesilversmith makes his molten...
Acts xix. 21, 23
... "For a certain man named Demetrius, asilversmith, which made silver temples
of Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen." (v.24.)....
The Fight with Wild Beasts at Ephesus
... For a certain man named Demetrius, asilversmith, which made silver shrines
for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; 25....
Paul's Trials and victories at Ephesus
... living. Asilversmith, by the name of Demetrius, made silver models of the
temple of Artemis which brought much profit to his workmen....
We Would Here, as if all Nations on the Earth were Present...
... these shapes and came out into the forms which you see, baked in potters' furnaces,
produced by anvils and hammers, scraped with thesilversmith's, and filed...
A Terrible Dream
... "I had the following account from the gentlewoman herself, a person of piety and
veracity. She is now the wife of Mr. J"- B"-,silversmith, in Cork....
Thesaurus
Silversmith (4 Occurrences)... silver. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
SILVERSMITH. sil'-ver
... Ephesus.
Multi-Version Concordance
Silversmith (4 Occurrences). Acts 19
...Demetrius (3 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary. (1.) Asilversmith at Ephesus, whose chief occupation
was to make "silver shrines for Diana" (qv), Acts 19:24,ie, models either of...
Silver-pieces (6 Occurrences)
Silver-pieces. Silverlings, Silver-pieces.Silversmith . Multi-Version Concordance...
(DBY). Silverlings, Silver-pieces.Silversmith . Reference Bible.
Employ (6 Occurrences)
... Acts 19:24 There was a certain Demetrius, asilversmith, who made miniature silver
sanctuaries of Diana, a business which brought great gain to the mechanics...
Miniature (1 Occurrence)
... Acts 19:24 There was a certain Demetrius, asilversmith, who made miniature silver
sanctuaries of Diana, a business which brought great gain to the mechanics...
Mechanics (2 Occurrences)
... Acts 19:24 There was a certain Demetrius, asilversmith, who made miniature silver
sanctuaries of Diana, a business which brought great gain to the mechanics...
Craftsmen (22 Occurrences)
... Acts 19:24 For a certain man named Demetrius, asilversmith, who made silver shrines
of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen, (WEB KJV ASV NAS...
Ar'temis (5 Occurrences)
... Acts 19:24 For a certain man named Demetrius, asilversmith, who made silver shrines
of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen, (See RSV)....
Artificer (13 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) An artistic worker; a mechanic or manufacturer; one whose occupation requires
skill or knowledge of a particular kind, as asilversmith....
Smith (7 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary. 1. (n.) One who forges with the hammer; one who works
in metals; as, a blacksmith, goldsmith,silversmith, and the like....
Resources
Who was Demetrius in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Alexander the coppersmith in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWho is the Artemis mentioned in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgSilversmith: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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