The Spirit of Contention

While Paul was in Ephesus, a man named Demetrius who “made silver shrines for Diana” became worried about the effect of Paul’s teachings on his business. He riled up the “workmen of like occupation” telling them, “This our craft is in danger to be set at nought.” They became angry like him, “And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.” They were in some kind of “theatre” where a lot of people could see them, a “place in which games and dramatic spectacles are exhibited, and public assemblies held.” So many people could see them chanting these words for Diana and it caused that “the whole city was filled with confusion.” Luke recorded that “Paul would have entered in unto the people” but the “disciples suffered him not.” Clearly this was not a place that Jesus could be preached because of the chaos. When someone else, a Jewish leader named Alexander, tried to speak to them and calm them down, that only got them more agitated: “All with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians” (Acts 19:24-34). What a commotion! Surely the Spirt of the Lord could not be there as they sought to build up contention among the people in order to turn them against the Christians. The chaos was so great that “some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together” (Acts 19:32). That sounds a lot like our online world today as people get stirred up to anger one against another through angry rhetoric when many in reality do not really understand but only want to jump on the bandwagon to cancel or disparage or criticize another.

                The disciples had good reason to keep Paul from trying to join this crowd to try to preach the gospel to them. To hear and understand the message of the Savior we must have the Holy Ghost to teach us. As the Lord taught in our dispensation: “And the Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith; and if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach” (Doctrine and Covenants 42:14). And the Holy Ghost cannot be present when we are filled with contention. The Savior taught the Nephites: “For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away” (3 Nephi 11:29-30). If we want to help others receive the gospel and feel of the Spirit, we must strive to rid ourselves of contention and we will do little trying to teach in situations charged with contention and anger. There was simply no way that Paul could have taught the Ephesians about Jesus Christ when they were chanting over and over in a loud voice, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians.” President Nelson taught us that we cannot have the Spirit with us and have contention at the same time: “Contention drives away the Spirit—every time. Contention reinforces the false notion that confrontation is the way to resolve differences; but it never is. Contention is a choice. Peacemaking is a choice. You have your agency to choose contention or reconciliation. I urge you to choose to be a peacemaker, now and always.” This does not mean, though, that we accept falsehoods in order to preserve peace. He added, “Now, I am not talking about ‘peace at any price.’ I am talking about treating others in ways that are consistent with keeping the covenant you make when you partake of the sacrament. You covenant to always remember the Savior. In situations that are highly charged and filled with contention, I invite you to remember Jesus Christ. Pray to have the courage and wisdom to say or do what He would. As we follow the Prince of Peace, we will become His peacemakers.” Whether in our homes, our communities, online, or anywhere else, we can strive to rid ourselves of contention and offer peaceful responses to others while still staying true to Jesus Christ and His gospel. I love this final summary of what Paul did there in Ephesus, “And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them” (Acts 20:1). When out of our control, we can wait for the contention to pass and then focus on replacing it with love as this great missionary did.