Paul and the Beasts of Ephesus-A Figurative Interpretation

                                                 Paul and the Beasts of Ephesus

1 Corinthians 15:32

English Standard Version

32 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with BEASTS at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”



First, there are NO historical documents supporting Paul fighting with wild animals in any city.


Second, there is good chance Paul would have died or even be killed by a Roman soldier afterwards. 

 

Third, Paul did not mention it in his list of sufferings in 2 Corinthians 4:8-12, 11:23-29. 


Fourth, if he had been thrown to the beasts he would have lost his Roman citizenship. We know he still had it when he went before Emperor Nero to make his appeal. (see Acts16:37-38, 22:25-28, Acts 25:10-11).



With this mind, the phrasing of 1 Corinthians 15:32  should be taken figurative, and not literal. 


The beasts are the institution of wicked men who oppose the followers of Christ-Both consist of a spiritual and physical dimension. 2 Peter 2:12, Jude 1:10. Revelation 13.


In conclusion, the event that comes closest to Paul fighting off men is found in Acts 19. During this event, Paul and his companions were involved in a riot at Ephesus.


Acts 19:28-33 English Standard Version 28 When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's companions in travel. 30 But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. 31 And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater. 32 Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd.

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