Ephesians 1:1-14
Lesson 368
Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."
"The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians"
"Heritage and life in Christ."
"The wisdom of God."
Authorship:
Ephesus was a vital maritime city as well as a political, educational, and business center located on the Aegean Sea about 100 miles west of Laodicea. It was the capital of the Roman province of Asia (part of modern-day Turkey). Ephesus was one of the five most important cities in the Roman empire, and Romans called it "the first and greatest metropolis of Asia." The city was famous for its temple to the pagan goddess Artemis (one of the seven wonders of the ancient world) and its great theater. With a population of 250,000, Ephesus lay on the prosperous trade route from Rome to points east and was governed by a council of one hundred aristocrats. Trade goods from all corners of the Roman Empire passed through Ephesus, making the city wealthy. Wide, well-kept streets, large public buildings and lavish homes were everywhere. Paul established the church in Ephesus (Acts 19:1-41) around AD 53 during his second missionary journey and did some of his most important work here. A majority of converts were pagan Gentiles. The city became the center of Christian life after the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Thanks to Ephesus' central location, the Gospel made its way to all parts of the Roman empire. Christianity would have taken longer to spread without bustling trade centers like Ephesus. Paul wrote "The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians" while in prison in Rome (circa AD 60-62). In Revelations 2:1-7, Jesus dictates a letter to John addressed to the Ephesus church. It is believed that the apostle John died in Ephesus. Over the centuries, Ephesus gradually lost its harbor to the accumulation of silt and sediment. Today, the ruins of Ephesus are several miles from the sea. The Austrian Archaeological Institute discovered and excavated the remains of the Artemis temple in the early 20th century.
The book of Ephesians identifies Paul not once but twice as its author (1:1; 3:1). Paul, Hebrew name Saul (Acts 13:9), was born a Roman citizen (Acts 22:27-28) in the small but wealthy city of Tarsus, Cilicia (Acts 21:39; 22:3) in modern-day Turkey. Born to Jewish parents around the time of Jesus' birth, Paul/Saul was from the Hebrew tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1) and named after King Saul (Israel's first monarch). He was profoundly religious and possessed a keen intellect. Paul was chosen to study the Hebrew Canon in Jerusalem under the renowned Rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3) at the tender age of thirteen, a high honor. Paul was "a Hebrew of Hebrews" (Philippians 3:5), the son of a Pharisee (Acts 23:6), and a strict Pharisee himself (Acts 26:5). Paul was a fierce opponent of Christianity (Galatians 1:13). When we first met Paul, he was watching the executioner's coats as they stoned Stephen, the first Christian martyr, to death (Acts 7:58; 22:20). After Stephen's murder, Paul made it his mission to find and persecute Christians (1 Corinthians 15:9). He gladly hunted down believers, beat them, and threw them into prison (Acts 8:3; 26:10), where many were "put to death" (22:4). Paul went from city to city chasing Christians and forced many to renounce their faith (26:9-11). His reputation for cruelty was well known (Acts 9:13). After his conversion to Christianity (Acts 9:1-9; 22:6-11; 26:12-18), Paul joined the Christians he had been persecuting and spent the rest of his life traveling the vast Roman empire, teaching the word of God. Paul's contributions to the fledgling Christian church cannot be overstated. Following Jesus' instructions to spread the word (Acts 22:21), it is estimated that he walked over 10,000 miles on three separate evangelical tours and wrote thirteen of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament. Before Paul, little had been done to bring the Gospel to Gentiles. He endured many privations and hardships during the decades he spent spreading the Gospel, all the time supporting himself on donations and working as a tentmaker (Acts 18:3). Preaching earned Paul many enemies (1 Corinthians 16:9) who repeatedly tried to kill him (Acts 19:23-41; 20:3; 23:12). Paul was persecuted in almost every city he visited. He was driven out of Antioch (Acts 13:50) and forced to flee Berea (Acts 17:13-14). His enemies rose up and put him on trial in Achaia (Acts 18:12). Paul was whipped five times, beaten with rods three times, and was once stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:19). He was arrested, whipped, and placed in stocks (Acts 16:23-24). As a prisoner on his way to Rome, he was shipwrecked and lost at sea (2 Corinthians 11:24-25). He was reviled (1 Corinthians 4:12) and in constant danger from thieves he passed on the road and from brethren he trusted (2 Corinthians 11:26). Paul was often sick (Galatians 4:13-14), hungry, thirsty, beaten, and homeless (1 Corinthians 4:11). He was insulted (Acts 17:17-18; 17:32), called "the filth of the world" (1 Corinthians 4:13), treated "shamefully" (1 Thessalonians 2:2), and more than once forced to flee for his life (Acts 9:28-30; 17:10; 2 Corinthians 11:33). The years on the road left Paul in despair (2 Corinthians 1:8), weary, used up, and often in pain (2 Corinthians 11:27). Finally, he was chained and imprisoned for two years while he waited for his accusers to testify against him (Acts 23:35). After being released and arrested again, Paul was found guilty of a capital offense and beheaded. Called "the Apostle to the Gentiles," "the Apostle of Grace," and "a servant of God" (Titus 1:1), it is difficult to name a person more responsible for spreading Christianity.
Paul founded the church in Ephesus on his second missionary journey (Acts 18:19-21) in AD 53. Subsequently, he
returned for a three-year visit (Acts 19:1-20). Less than ten years later, in AD 61-63, while the sixty-five-year-old Paul was under arrest in Rome (Acts 28:16; Ephesians 3:1; 4:1; 6:20), he wrote Ephesians to the churches of Ephesus and the surrounding area (and all Christians). Because of where it was written, Bible scholars refer to Ephesians as one of the four "Prison Epistles" (along with Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon). Ephesians was the first of Paul's prison letters. The Romans executed Paul shortly after he wrote Ephesians.
Purpose and Theme:
The new Christians in Asia Minor, including the church in Ephesus, were experiencing spiritual problems. In 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, and Galatians, Paul challenged heresy and the Judaizers, and answered questions from church leaders. Fortunately for the church in Ephesus, they suffered fewer problems. So, Paul wrote Ephesians more as a general letter to nurture the church, explain its purpose and the importance of maintaining church unity, and to foster an understanding of our relationship to God. The first three chapters of Ephesians are theological. Chapters 4-6 cover practical ways to live. Ephesians addresses the Christian need to grow spiritually by learning and applying biblical lessons to their lives. It teaches us that God's plan of salvation is through faith in Christ and urges believers to live as true Christians should. Because of the Judaizers, Paul feared there would be two Christian churches, one each for Jewish and Gentile believers. Ephesians tells us that Jews and Gentiles are one in Jesus. It is an epistle of cheer and answers the question, "why are we here."
Ephesus was a vital maritime city as well as a political, educational, and business center located on the Aegean Sea about 100 miles west of Laodicea. It was the capital of the Roman province of Asia (part of modern-day Turkey). Ephesus was one of the five most important cities in the Roman empire, and Romans called it "the first and greatest metropolis of Asia." The city was famous for its temple to the pagan goddess Artemis (one of the seven wonders of the ancient world) and its great theater. With a population of 250,000, Ephesus lay on the prosperous trade route from Rome to points east and was governed by a council of one hundred aristocrats. Trade goods from all corners of the Roman Empire passed through Ephesus, making the city wealthy. Wide, well-kept streets, large public buildings and lavish homes were everywhere. Paul established the church in Ephesus (Acts 19:1-41) around AD 53 during his second missionary journey and did some of his most important work here. A majority of converts were pagan Gentiles. The city became the center of Christian life after the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Thanks to Ephesus' central location, the Gospel made its way to all parts of the Roman empire. Christianity would have taken longer to spread without bustling trade centers like Ephesus. Paul wrote "The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians" while in prison in Rome (circa AD 60-62). In Revelations 2:1-7, Jesus dictates a letter to John addressed to the Ephesus church. It is believed that the apostle John died in Ephesus. Over the centuries, Ephesus gradually lost its harbor to the accumulation of silt and sediment. Today, the ruins of Ephesus are several miles from the sea. The Austrian Archaeological Institute discovered and excavated the remains of the Artemis temple in the early 20th century.
The book of Ephesians identifies Paul not once but twice as its author (1:1; 3:1). Paul, Hebrew name Saul (Acts 13:9), was born a Roman citizen (Acts 22:27-28) in the small but wealthy city of Tarsus, Cilicia (Acts 21:39; 22:3) in modern-day Turkey. Born to Jewish parents around the time of Jesus' birth, Paul/Saul was from the Hebrew tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1) and named after King Saul (Israel's first monarch). He was profoundly religious and possessed a keen intellect. Paul was chosen to study the Hebrew Canon in Jerusalem under the renowned Rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3) at the tender age of thirteen, a high honor. Paul was "a Hebrew of Hebrews" (Philippians 3:5), the son of a Pharisee (Acts 23:6), and a strict Pharisee himself (Acts 26:5). Paul was a fierce opponent of Christianity (Galatians 1:13). When we first met Paul, he was watching the executioner's coats as they stoned Stephen, the first Christian martyr, to death (Acts 7:58; 22:20). After Stephen's murder, Paul made it his mission to find and persecute Christians (1 Corinthians 15:9). He gladly hunted down believers, beat them, and threw them into prison (Acts 8:3; 26:10), where many were "put to death" (22:4). Paul went from city to city chasing Christians and forced many to renounce their faith (26:9-11). His reputation for cruelty was well known (Acts 9:13). After his conversion to Christianity (Acts 9:1-9; 22:6-11; 26:12-18), Paul joined the Christians he had been persecuting and spent the rest of his life traveling the vast Roman empire, teaching the word of God. Paul's contributions to the fledgling Christian church cannot be overstated. Following Jesus' instructions to spread the word (Acts 22:21), it is estimated that he walked over 10,000 miles on three separate evangelical tours and wrote thirteen of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament. Before Paul, little had been done to bring the Gospel to Gentiles. He endured many privations and hardships during the decades he spent spreading the Gospel, all the time supporting himself on donations and working as a tentmaker (Acts 18:3). Preaching earned Paul many enemies (1 Corinthians 16:9) who repeatedly tried to kill him (Acts 19:23-41; 20:3; 23:12). Paul was persecuted in almost every city he visited. He was driven out of Antioch (Acts 13:50) and forced to flee Berea (Acts 17:13-14). His enemies rose up and put him on trial in Achaia (Acts 18:12). Paul was whipped five times, beaten with rods three times, and was once stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:19). He was arrested, whipped, and placed in stocks (Acts 16:23-24). As a prisoner on his way to Rome, he was shipwrecked and lost at sea (2 Corinthians 11:24-25). He was reviled (1 Corinthians 4:12) and in constant danger from thieves he passed on the road and from brethren he trusted (2 Corinthians 11:26). Paul was often sick (Galatians 4:13-14), hungry, thirsty, beaten, and homeless (1 Corinthians 4:11). He was insulted (Acts 17:17-18; 17:32), called "the filth of the world" (1 Corinthians 4:13), treated "shamefully" (1 Thessalonians 2:2), and more than once forced to flee for his life (Acts 9:28-30; 17:10; 2 Corinthians 11:33). The years on the road left Paul in despair (2 Corinthians 1:8), weary, used up, and often in pain (2 Corinthians 11:27). Finally, he was chained and imprisoned for two years while he waited for his accusers to testify against him (Acts 23:35). After being released and arrested again, Paul was found guilty of a capital offense and beheaded. Called "the Apostle to the Gentiles," "the Apostle of Grace," and "a servant of God" (Titus 1:1), it is difficult to name a person more responsible for spreading Christianity.
Paul founded the church in Ephesus on his second missionary journey (Acts 18:19-21) in AD 53. Subsequently, he
returned for a three-year visit (Acts 19:1-20). Less than ten years later, in AD 61-63, while the sixty-five-year-old Paul was under arrest in Rome (Acts 28:16; Ephesians 3:1; 4:1; 6:20), he wrote Ephesians to the churches of Ephesus and the surrounding area (and all Christians). Because of where it was written, Bible scholars refer to Ephesians as one of the four "Prison Epistles" (along with Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon). Ephesians was the first of Paul's prison letters. The Romans executed Paul shortly after he wrote Ephesians.
Purpose and Theme:
The new Christians in Asia Minor, including the church in Ephesus, were experiencing spiritual problems. In 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, and Galatians, Paul challenged heresy and the Judaizers, and answered questions from church leaders. Fortunately for the church in Ephesus, they suffered fewer problems. So, Paul wrote Ephesians more as a general letter to nurture the church, explain its purpose and the importance of maintaining church unity, and to foster an understanding of our relationship to God. The first three chapters of Ephesians are theological. Chapters 4-6 cover practical ways to live. Ephesians addresses the Christian need to grow spiritually by learning and applying biblical lessons to their lives. It teaches us that God's plan of salvation is through faith in Christ and urges believers to live as true Christians should. Because of the Judaizers, Paul feared there would be two Christian churches, one each for Jewish and Gentile believers. Ephesians tells us that Jews and Gentiles are one in Jesus. It is an epistle of cheer and answers the question, "why are we here."
Ephesians is broken down into two main segments:
1) Chapters 1:1 - 3:21 - Greetings and introduction; The purpose of the church; Redemption and spiritual blessings through Jesus (1:3-14); Prayer for wisdom (1:15-23); Our heritage in Christ; Unity in Christ; Saved by God's grace (2:1-22); Growing in knowledge (3:1-20).
2) Chapters 4:1 - 6:24 - Our life in Christ; Unity of the church (4:1-16); The Christians daily walk (4:17-5:20); Husbands and wives, parents and children (5:21-6:9); Spiritual armor and the need for prayer (6:10-20); Conclusion and Benediction (6:21-24).
1) Chapters 1:1 - 3:21 - Greetings and introduction; The purpose of the church; Redemption and spiritual blessings through Jesus (1:3-14); Prayer for wisdom (1:15-23); Our heritage in Christ; Unity in Christ; Saved by God's grace (2:1-22); Growing in knowledge (3:1-20).
2) Chapters 4:1 - 6:24 - Our life in Christ; Unity of the church (4:1-16); The Christians daily walk (4:17-5:20); Husbands and wives, parents and children (5:21-6:9); Spiritual armor and the need for prayer (6:10-20); Conclusion and Benediction (6:21-24).
Study Tip:
As you study the Bible, make two lists.
1) Things you should do.
2) Things God promised to do.
As you study the Bible, make two lists.
1) Things you should do.
2) Things God promised to do.
