When Paul says that he fought with wild beasts
at Ephesus, he is speaking figuratively. Paul was a Roman citizen and Roman citizens were not subject to the cruel practice of throwing prisoners into arenas with wild animals. The phrase humanly speaking
is a further indication that Paul is not really speaking of animals.
The only account of Paul’s time in Ephesus is found in Acts 19. Here we are told how Demetrius, a craftsman of idols, and his fellow workmen instigated a riot that could have led to Paul’s death (Acts 19:23 – 20:1). When one reads the account of this riot, it is easy to see why Paul describes his opponents in Ephesus as wild beasts.
In the time of Isaiah, when Jerusalem was besieged by the Assyrians, the unbelieving citizens of Jerusalem said, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die
(Isaiah 22:13). Paul quotes these words and points out that they would be fitting for Christians to use, if there were no hope of a resurrection.
In Paul’s time the words Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die
were also used to describe the attitude of the followers of Epicurus, an ancient Greek philosopher. Epicurus taught that the gods were not interested in the affairs of humanity and that there would be no judgment after this life.
If there were no resurrection, Paul’s own willingness to give up comfort and be persecuted for the sake of the gospel would be utter foolishness. It would be wiser for him to eat and drink
and get everything out of this life that he could.
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.”