Introduction to Ephesians
PASTOR MATT IS BEGINNING REVELATION and he has encouraged me to write a series of blogs on the book intended to supplement his sermons. For three years on Wednesday night at my previous church, I taught verse-by-verse through Revelation and am looking forward to being in this important, timely, challenging, and immensely rewarding book again.
SO WHAT AM I DOING INTRODUCING STUDY OF THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS?… Not all the Revelation blogs will be consecutive. During the Revelation series, which Matt anticipates lasting approximately a year, I will continue to write on a variety Bible subjects. Among those “off” weeks will be the Ephesians’ blogs. I plan on posting about one study per month from Ephesians. I hope you will look forward to these monthly – probably at times bimonthly – special studies…
LIKE MANY PREACHERS AND PROFESSORS, I AM PRONE TO HYPERBOLE… Hyperbole, as you’ll remember, is exaggeration of speech. But without exaggeration I’d like to begin this first Ephesians blog by saying that it is all but impossible to overemphasize the wonder and the importance of the book of Ephesians.
AGAIN WITHOUT EXAGGERATION, the letter to the Ephesians is truly one of the most significant documents ever written by man. Samuel Taylor Coleridge, perhaps exaggerating only a little, said that the book of Ephesians was “the divinest composition of mankind.” One can only wonder what he said about the book of Romans. “Among the writings of Paul,” Raymond Brown claimed, “only Romans could match Ephesians as a candidate for exercising the most influence on all of Christian thought and spirituality.” Ephesians was John Calvin’s favorite letter and he preached a series of 48 sermons on the book. That may sound like a lot to some of you, but when I read that I thought that it is probably not hyperbole to say that a Greek teacher might find 48 sermons in chapter one alone…
MY FIRST MAJOR PAPER WHEN I WAS IN SEMINARY was on chapter 4, vv. 1-6, of the book of Ephesians. I have taken a seminary course on Ephesians; I have taught through the book of Ephesians in my advanced Greek class (28 three-hour classes); I’ve diagrammed every verse of the book of Ephesians. I preached through the book of Ephesians (32 weeks). If there is any book of the Bible I feel I am prepared to teach and preach on, it is the book of Ephesians. I will be going verse-by-verse through the entire 6 chapters. It will undoubtedly take several years to complete. I’m in no hurry…
FEW WOULD ARGUE that only Romans could be said to top Ephesians among the great letters of Paul. Many scholars have referred to Ephesians as a kind of condensed form of Romans, because, like the longer book of Romans, it presents the epitome of Pauline theology, and Pauline theology is essentially Christian theology…
MORE THAN ONE SCHOLAR HAS TITLED THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS, “The Christian’s Riches in Christ.” Throughout the first chapter of Ephesians in particular, we are told in unforgettable poetic words just how blessed we are to be believers in the Lord Jesus. For example…
NAS Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
TO TRULY SAY THAT YOU KNOW CHRISTIANITY, you must know Ephesians. At your earliest convenience I urge you to read the book of Ephesians at one sitting. That is the best way to begin the study of any book of the Bible…
EVERY TIME I READ THE FIRST CHAPTER OF EPHESIANS I THINK OF the magnificence of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony in C Minor, the unforgettable first movement – the Allegro con brio – in all its glorious splendor. Ephesians is a great theological symphony…
I MUST TELL YOU THAT TECHNICALLY THE “INTRODUCTION” to the book of Ephesians is the passage from v. 3 through v. 14. Scholars treat vv. 1-2 as the “Greeting.” If I were teaching Ephesians at the seminary I would have done it that way. But I am using the word introduction like the dictionary uses the word, as an “explanatory section at the beginning,” or “something at the beginning giving basic facts about the work.” So this week, I am introducing you to the book of Ephesians as one introduces an old friend to another person…
ALLOW ME TO GIVE YOU SOME HISTORICAL FACTS about the book… First of all, let me say that Paul wrote Ephesians. Now you may think I am trumpeting the obvious but I must tell you that over the centuries a sizeable number of scholars have questioned whether Paul really did write Ephesians. While it must be acknowledged that there are legitimate questions regarding authorship of Ephesians, an unprejudiced, careful study of the facts leaves little doubt that Paul did write Ephesians. First of all, the text says that Paul wrote Ephesians. Again, with all due respect, that fact alone should settle any questions. In the end, all else is only speculation. There is no solid evidence that Paul did not write Ephesians…
WHILE NOT ALL AGREE, PAUL WROTE EPHESIANS WHILE IN PRISON most probably in Rome, along with the other “Prison Epistles” of Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon, between the years of 60-62 A.D.; I favor 61 A.D.…
WE ARE GIVEN A SNAPSHOT OF PAUL’S FIRST VISIT to Ephesus during his Second Missionary Journey – in the fall of 52 A.D. – in the book of Acts…
NAS Acts 18:18-21 And Paul, having remained many days longer, took leave of the brethren and put out to sea for Syria, and with him were Priscilla and Aquila. In Cenchrea he had his hair cut, for he was keeping a vow. 19 And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there. Now he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 And when they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, 21 but taking leave of them and saying, “I will return to you again if God wills,” he set sail from Ephesus.
LOCATION… “Today ancient Ephesus is located about four miles inland from the Aegean Sea on the west coast of modern day Turkey. When Paul wrote, however, Ephesus was a thriving seaport. The ancient city is inland today because of the buildup of silt over the centuries.” – Hoehner…
EPHESUS WAS KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE ANCIENT WORLD AS not only the hub of numerous cults and mystical religions, but as the home of awesome temple of Artemis – or, as it perhaps better known because of the old King James Bible, “Diana.” Artemis is the more correct term. Diana was actually the Roman deity who closely resembled Artemis. As the Roman and Greek deities merged over time, Diana was identified with Artemis. We could easily spend a week discussing the giant statue of this cultic goddess…
“ARTEMIS WAS THE GREEK GODDESS OF THE MOON, the daughter of Zeus and Leto. Artemis was the goddess who watched over nature for both humans and animals. She was the patron deity of wild animals, protecting them from ruthless treatment and at the same time regulating the rules of hunting activities for humans. She was considered by pagans the great mother image who gave fertility to humankind. In the Greek homeland she was usually portrayed by statues as a young, attractive virgin, wearing a short tunic and having her hair pulled back on her head. In Ephesus and western Asia Minor, she was portrayed as a more mature woman. Her robe was draped in such a way as to expose her bosom, which was covered with multiple breasts, which depicted her fertility and ability to nurture. Artemis was the chief deity of Ephesus, and her temple was one of the Seven Wonders of the World.” – Holman Bible Dictionary
AGAIN FROM THE BOOK OF ACTS WE LEARN that the institutionalized, widely popular worship of Artemis was threatened by Paul’s preaching of the gospel. Paul’s opposition to the false god Artemis caused a riot in Ephesus. Here’s the account from Acts 19…
NAS Acts 19:22-28 And having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while. 23 And about that time there arose no small disturbance concerning the Way. 24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen; 25 these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this business. 26 “And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all. 27 “And not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship should even be dethroned from her magnificence.” 28 And when they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
THE RECIPIENTS OF THE LETTER WERE BELIEVERS… Rather than one single church, Paul most probably wrote Ephesians to be circulated to a number of churches in Asia Minor, similar to the Seven Churches of Revelation chapters 2-3. Like most churches of the first century, the believers were mainly Jewish Christians, but Gentile conversions were rapidly increasing…
THE PURPOSE OF THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS is not easy to determine. Scholars disagree. One reason for this disagreement is the general tone of Ephesians; it is not written to address a specific problem or situation, as were Paul’s other letters…
“IN MANY RESPECTS EPHESIANS READS MORE LIKE A SERMON than a letter written to meet some special need in a church or group of churches. In some parts it reads more like a magnificent prayer or a mighty doxology (a doxology is a hymn of praise). It is like a sermon on the greatest and widest theme possible for a Christian sermon – the eternal purpose of God which He is fulfilling through His Son Jesus Christ and working out through the church.” – Foulkes…
NORMALLY, I WOULD GIVE YOU WHAT I THINK TO BE THE PURPOSE of the book we are studying, but in this particular case I’m not going to do this. I would like us to discover the purpose of the book as we study the book. I will have more to say on this as we progress in our study…
BUT IF I HAD TO GIVE YOU A WORKING PURPOSE FOR OUR STUDY, I would probably say that the purpose of Ephesians is to encourage believers to first come to a clear and honoring understanding of God and His salvation in Christ, and then to attain to live lives reflective of that comprehension. In short, To exhort Christians to live like the graced believers they are. Even shorter: To walk the talk…
CERTAINLY ONE OF THE THEMES – IF NOT THE THEME – OF EPHESIANS IS unity… It is telling and fascinating that the word “unity” (ἑνότης [hen-a-tace]) is used nowhere else in the N.T. except in Ephesians, where it is used twice…
NAS Ephesians 4:1-3 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
NAS Ephesians 4:11-13 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ.
THE WORD “UNITY” MEANS ONENESS… BDAG, the leading Greek lexicon today, defines the word as a state of oneness or of being in harmony and accord. In addition to the two uses of the word “unity,” the term “one” – which expresses unity – is used 14 times, and there are other words used that indirectly emphasize unity…
I PLAN ON HAVING A BLOG ENTITLED “UNITY” IN OUR STUDY of Ephesians…I don’t think I need to tell you that “unity” is supposed to describe the Body of Christ. The Body of Christ is the Church, and the Church doesn’t just mean the universal Church, but it also means us here at Barabbas Road Church…
THIS MORNING WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE FIRST TWO VERSES of chapter one… These verses comprise what is known as the “Greeting”…
NAS Ephesians 1:1-2 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and who are faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
“THIS IS THE BRIEFEST SALUTATION IN ANY OF PAUL’S LETTERS. It is composed of three components: Paul’s credentials, an affirmation of the saints, and a greeting of grace and peace.” – Steadman…
LET’S LOOK FIRST AT PAUL’S CREDENTIALS… Paul describes himself as “an apostle… by the will; of God.” an apostle was a messenger sent from God, a spokesman for God. Paul was not one of the original 12 apostles. The Lord Jesus appeared to him directly. Paul did not learn what he knew by discussing it with the other apostles, but by receiving it directly from Jesus Christ. In this respect, Paul was unique. This specialness was his authority. When we read Paul’s words, we are reading an authorized spokesman for the Lord Jesus. – Steadman/TAR…
LISTEN TO PAUL’S ACCOUNT OF HIS SPECIAL APOSTLESHIP from his letter to the Galatians…
NAS Galatians 1:11-16 For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure, and tried to destroy it; 14 and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. 15 But when He who had set me apart, even from my mother’s womb, and called me through His grace, was pleased 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood,
THE SECOND COMPONENT PART TO PAUL’S INTRODUCTORY WORDS IN Ephesians 1:1-2 is an affirmation of the saints. Now, you know that the biblical meaning of the word “saint” is not like how the world in general thinks of a saint. The world thinks of a saint as someone that is so beatific, so holier-than-thou, someone who is noticeably on a higher plane than ordinary human beings. Some churches have plastic figures of people who are called saints. But that’s not a saint according to Scripture. According to Scripture, a saint is simply a believer. If you are a Christian – no matter how inadequate you may feel, no matter how you struggle with the circumstances of your life – you are a saint. A saint is someone who is set apart for service to God.” – Steadman/TAR…
THE WORD “SAINT” COMES FROM THE GREEK WORD άγιος (ha-gee-os), which means “holy”… Holy set apart for God’s use; distinct, different. Christians are holy and are to live lives that are holy. We are commanded to “be ye holy” (KJV)…
NAS 1 Peter 1:15-16 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
A SAINT IS A CHRISTIAN WHO IS EXPECTED TO LIVE DIFFERENTLY than worldly people who are not Christians… We are live differently; we are to see things differently; we are deal with the circumstance so life differently…
ONE WRITER I READ THIS WEEK SAID THAT “The essential characteristic of a saint is faithfulness – saints are people who don’t quit.” – Steadman… Christians keep trusting God, no matter how discouraging our circumstances…
IN GREAT PART, THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS TEACHES US to live like saints. The first three chapters basically tell us how blessed we are to be Christians, and then the last three chapters tell how to live in line with the blessings we have been given by God…
LISTEN CAREFULLY TO WHAT PAUL SAYS in chapter 4, verse 1, one of the key verses in Ephesians…
NAS Ephesians 4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,
FINALLY, THE THIRD COMPONENT PART IN PAUL’S INTRODUCTION: the greeting part…
NAS Ephesians 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
“THE TWO GREAT HERITAGES OF THE CHRISTIAN ARE GRACE AND PEACE. These are two things the Christian has, no matter what the circumstances.” – Steadman…
I DON’T HAVE TIME IN THIS BLOG TO GET INTO THIS THOUGHT, BUT my previous studies of Ephesians have led me to believe the tone and feel of Ephesians is very Jewish. This is another subject I will comment more on as we go on…
“PAUL’S READERS – BY APPLICATION INCLUDING US – have already experienced, in some measure, God’s grace and peace in the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle recognizes this, and in his salutation he expresses his desire that these twin blessings may be understood and experienced in greater measure, especially through the letter itself, for these two themes are taken up again and again throughout Ephesians.” – O’Brien…
EPHESIANS IS TRULY A GREAT BOOK… There is no question we will be blessed by our study of it. “Blessed be God” for His incomparable Word! “בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה” (ba-rook a-tah a-do-nai): Blessed art Thou, O LORD”…
– Professor Thomas A. Rohm
