Who Was Demetrius in the Bible?
Demetrius of Corinth
Demetrius was an outstanding example of a godly man. He had the good report of both Christians and non-Christians. He received the support of the apostle John. Moreover, he had the support of truth itself. His testimony was self-evident because he lived according to God’s word.
Although Demetrius was a notorious sinner, his conversion was so miraculous that his people would know about it. People in the church would also have known of Demetrius’ great conversion and subsequent life of holiness. Moreover, the two of them had a common goal: to spread the Gospel.
Paul had second thoughts before sending the letter, as he was concerned about the reaction of the Corinthians. He also thought that he would meet Titus in Troas, but Titus was not in Ephesus. Paul, in fact, left Ephesus and went to Macedonia to visit churches. After a while, he met Titus in Macedonia, where he wrote the second letter to the Corinthians.
The Bible says that Demetrius of Corinth was a Christian of good repute. His name is mentioned in Acts 19:23-41. It also mentions him as a silversmith who made silver shrines for the temple of Artemis. In 3 John 1:12, the apostle John praises him for his commitment to truth and his status as a Christian of good repute.
During this time, the city of Corinth was embroiled in war with Argos and Corcyra. The citizens were dissatisfied with the rulers of the city. However, Cypselus, a polemarch at the time, used his influence over the soldiers to expel the king and allow his enemies to set up colonies in northwestern Greece.
The name of this man comes from the silversmith Demetrius of Ephesus. It was a common name among Greeks throughout the ages, and was also known as the “temple warden” of Ephesus. His name also explains the presence of a statue of Artemis in the city.
Paul reminded the Christians in Corinth that they were surrounded by some important members of society. These members included Crispus, the synagogue ruler in Acts 18:8, and Erastus, a city official (Romans 16:23). Moreover, many of the believers in Corinth were slaves or had been slaves, and others were ordinary workers.
The Bacchiadae were the ruling kinship group in archaic Corinth in the 8th-7th centuries BC. However, they were eventually ousted by the aristocracy. By this time, the Kingdom of Lydia was at its height.
During the 7th century BC, Corinth sent colonists to establish other settlements. The first tyrant of Corinth, Cypselus, ruled in the city 657-627 BC. He built the Temple of Apollo, a Doric temple, and the Ancient Theater, which could hold 15,000 spectators.
Demetrius of Parthia
The story of Demetrius of Parthia in the bible is very interesting. The Parthians had a stronghold in the area. In the early 130s, a Seleucid king tried to quell the Parthian threat but was unsuccessful. As a result, the Parthians established an empire and were the main rival to the Seleucids in the Hellenistic Middle East.
The narrative’s setting is also notable. While most of the Bible’s Demetrius stories are set in the present, the Alexander Jannaeus episode is set in the past. This is important because the text gives Demetrius a perfect verb in Pesher Nahum – one of only two in the book. The other one occurs when the priests of Jerusalem amass and lose wealth.
The Parthians’ main attack on the Seleucids in early 129 BC was not successful. The Parthians took Antiochus’s army and captured his son Demetrius II. Demetrius II’s children, four by his queen, were left in the hands of the Parthians. This ended the Jewish independence, and the Parthians reclaimed Parthia.
The Jewish people rendered important services to Demetrius when Tryphon tried to claim the kingdom of Antiochus VI. They also helped Jonathan when he defeated Demetrius’s forces. However, Jonathan’s loyalty was tested and he fell victim to treachery. After this incident, Simon managed to get favorable terms with Demetrius and saved his kingdom.
Alexander’s army was miserably weakened by the defeat. The Greek general was forced to flee to the mountains. At this point, near six thousand Jews joined him. However, Demetrius was afraid that the Jews might desert him. Therefore, he abandoned any idea of continuing the war and retreated into Syria.
Antigonus also invaded Judea with his Parthian army and overthrew the legitimate high priest, Hyrcanus II. Hyrcanus II was the son of Alexander Jannaeus, who had ruled the Jewish nation for almost three decades. He was known for his non-aggressive personality and moderate behavior.
Another example of the name Demetrius is cited in the New Testament. This is not the same Demetrius of Ephesus; the other one is Demetrius of Parthia, who was a disciple of Jesus. However, the name Demetrius is used frequently in the Bible.
While the Parthians were a distinct cultural group, they were related to the Scythians of Central Asia. The Parthian satrapy tended to lie southeast of the Caspian Sea. As their empire expanded, they faced internal dissension and external invasions. Artabanus II had to deal with a provincial revolt. He also had to deal with pressure on the western and eastern frontiers. Later, Trajan invaded western Parthia and conquered Ctesiphon.
The Christians in the Bible mention Demetrius in the book of 3Jo. He was mentioned with a commendation in 3Jo. Since John had connections with Ephesus at the time of writing the epistle, many have speculated that Demetrius was converted to Christianity. However, this is purely conjecture.
Demetrius was the grandson of Antiochus the Great. His father sent him to Rome as a boy. He later went back to Cilicia and secured the support of the entire region except Judea. His nephew Apollonius, who had fought alongside Demetrius, tried to conquer the Jews but was ultimately defeated at Azotus.
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