Introduction to the Epistle to the Ephesians

Ephesians 1.1-4
July 28th, 2019
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Our Epistle to the Ephesians or Church at Ephesus.

Interestingly, this Epistle says that it was written to the "saints at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus," which makes it one of the unique Epistles because most of the others (not all) were addressed to just the singular church or churches in that specific area and not often to “the faithful in Jesus Christ.” I don’t think it is that big of a deal since the Word has been duplicated and passed down over the ages, but it’s just an interesting side note.

Historical Context of Ephesus

There is, however, if this epistle was EVER directed to the church at Ephesus and we will get to that in a minute. But let’s assume that it was written and sent to the church Ephesus.

Ephesus was a popular city of an area called Ionia (in Asia Minor – it was one of the seven churches Jesus addresses in Revelation), and was about 40 miles south of Smyrna, and near the mouth of a river called Cayster which waters the Iona valley which was filled with Greek colonies. Historians say that the climate and fertile nature of the land lead to Ionia as being a place like the wine country of Northern California and because of this it was highly cultured with festivals and therefore sins of the flesh. Ephesus was not however (like Smyrna) known for its commercial advantages and because of this the city fell into total ruin while a place like Smyrna which has retained some of its ancient importance.

Roman Influence and the Temple of Diana

But at this time, Ephesus was considered one of the gems of Asia Minor causing historian Pliny to refer to it, back in the day, as “the Ornament of Asia.” So in Roman times Ephesus was a metropolis of Asia and it was most celebrated for its “temple of Diana” which was 425 feet in long, 220 feet wide and had 127 60 foot pillars. Because Asia Minor consisted of similar believing Greeks prior to Paul all the provinces of Asia Minor contributed to the finances and building of this temple which took some two hundred years to complete.

We remember that this temple was set on fire by a man named “Herostratus,” who, when he was tortured for the act, confessed that his only motive was to immortalize his own name. A general assembly of the states of Ionia passed a decree to strike his name into oblivion but the decree itself only served to perpetuate it. Anyway, the fire consumed the whole thing with the exception of four walls and some of the columns. It was, however, rebuilt, with the same magnificence as before, and was regarded as one of the wonders of the world. Today it is in utter ruin with the exception of some of the columns which were moved to a church in Constantinopole but the temple site in Ephesus is identified today by a marsh and some arches that remain.

Ephesus in the Time of Tiberius

In the reign of Tiberius, Ephesus was greatly damaged by an earthquake; but it was repaired and embellished by the emperor. There is now a small village named Ayasaluk, near the site of the ancient town, consisting of a few cottages, which is all that now represents this city of ancient splendor.

The Gospel in Ephesus

Most agree that the gospel was introduced into Ephesus by the apostle Paul. We recall from our study of Acts 18:19 that Paul first preached there when he was on his way from Corinth to Jerusalem, about the year 54 AD. Accordingly, on this visit he went into the synagogue there, which was his usual custom, and preached to his own countrymen, but he does not appear to have preached publicly to the pagans.

Acts 18:21 tells us that he was requested to remain longer with them, but he said he must by all means be in Jerusalem at the approaching feast – which was probably the passover. He promised, however, to visit them again if possible, and sailed from Ephesus to Jerusalem. But Paul did not leave Ephesus on their own as two people – believers – had come with Paul from Corinth—names Priscilla and Aquila. Acts 18 suggests that either Paul left them there or that the two of them returned to Ephesus on their own and in short order.

During Paul’s absence, a man came to the city, born a Jew out of Alexandria, and his name was Apollos. Acts 18:24-25 describes him as “eloquent” and “mighty in the Scriptures,” and as one who not

Paul's Ministry in Ephesus

only “received the baptism of John but also taught the doctrine that John had taught. And while we don’t know the exact nature of the doctrine I am of the opinion that it was a doctrine centered around repentance in accordance to the law of Moses – which exactness – and that in the face of it, baptisms were performed with the anticipation of the only True Messiah to appear. Whatever it was Apollos appears to have embraced this doctrine with zeal. We recall (from Acts 18:26) that Priscilla and Aquila instructed Apollos more fully in the doctrines of Christ Jesus – views which they had gotten from Paul.

Then Paul, having gone to Jerusalem as he desired, returned again to Asia Minor, and after visiting Phrygia and Galatia along the way (we just finished a verse by verseTGNN’s Bible teaching series—book-by-book, through the lens of fulfillment and spiritual liberty. of his message to the church at Galatia) he revisited Ephesus, and Acts 18 informs us that he stayed there about three years. It was during this time that the church at Ephesus was founded, grew immensely and to whom this epistle was apparently written. It is from the Book of Acts that we learn much of what Paul accomplished in Ephesus, including:

Key Accomplishments in Ephesus

(1.) his baptizing the twelve persons whom he found there, who were disciples of John. See Barnes for Ac 19:1 and following.

(2.) Paul went into the synagogue there, and engaged in an earnest discussion with the Jews, about three months, respecting the Messiah, Ac 19:8-10.

(3.) When many of the Jews opposed him, he left the synagogue, and obtained a place to preach in, in the school-room of a man by the name of Tyrannus. In this place he continued to preach without being bothered for two years, proclaiming the gospel and as a result a large portion of the inhabitants of Ephesis heard.

(4.) And performing miracles a large portion of the church converted in the face of them.

Finally, we know that Paul remained in Ephesus until his preaching got people a little too excited and he was ultimately driven away by a large crowd excited into a fervor by a man name Demetrius, (that is reported in Acts 19:23-41). Because the Gospel had taken hold so well among the people there was a fear that the temple of Diana (which was a place of income for many in Ephesus) and this put Paul in grave danger. We aren’t really sure if he ever returned himself once he left but we know that on his way from Macedonia to Jerusalem he came to a place called Miletus, and sent for the elders of Ephesus, delivering to them a parting address where he explained that he did not expect to see them again (this is in Acts 20:16).

Ephesus: A Center of Influence

In any case Paul stayed at Ephesus longer than any other one place in his ministry of preaching the gospel. His purpose appears to be to establish the Gospel as a means to overthrow idolatry. This may be because he could see that Ephesus was the world center at the time of the worship of Diana and he felt that bringing salt and light to that corruption would go a long way in liberating not just Ephesus but the world from the shackles of paganism and its traps. Additionally, Paul had the courageous tendency to go out to the centers of world power to establish the Gospel and that is why we see him preaching the Gospel in larger cities like Antioch, Ephesus, Corinth, Athens, Philippi, and even Rome.

It is not a mistake that where great learning and wealth and talent gathered, there was also sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace., paganism (and her temples) and therefore Paul. So, with all this being said, Ephesus makes sense in the time and attention of Paul as it was one of the most elevated seats of Paganism in that world. Another reason why Paul stayed in Ephesus for so long could have been because of its great hand in the civil affairs of the Roman Empire. In Paul’s day it was the residence of the Roman proconsul, and the seat of the courts of justice in Asia Minor, and consequently it was a place to which there would be attracted a great amount of learning and talent. The apostle, therefore, seems to have been anxious that the full power of the gospel should be tried there, and that Ephesus should become as important as a centre of influence in the Christian world, as it had been in

The Church at Ephesus in History and Scripture

Paganism and in civil affairs.

As stated, the church at Ephesus was one of the seven churches of Asia, and in Revelation 2:1-7 it was the first one mentioned by Jesus. Little is said of it in the New Testament after Paul left it until the book of RevelationA symbolic prophecy fulfilled in 70 A.D.—not a prediction of future global events. was written, but the tradition is that “Timothy” was a minister at Ephesus and was succeeded by the apostle John in the later years of his life. Interestingly, in an added subscription to the second epistle to Timothy, it reads that Timothy was "ordained the first bishop of the church of the Ephesians;" but this has no authority at all.

All that can with certainty be known is what Paul says in his first epistle to Timothy, (1st Timothy 1:3): "As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine." From this, it would appear that the residence of Timothy at Ephesus was a temporary arrangement. The fact that it was a temporary arrangement is apparent from 2nd Timothy 4:9-11 where Paul desires him to come to Rome. I mention this because there has been some effort (by people like the Greek Orthodox) to suggest that Timothy was a permanent BISHOP in Ephesus.

The Writing Time of 1st and 2nd Timothy

Here’s what we know about the writing time between 1st and 2nd Timothy: Lardner says that the first was written in the year 56, and the second in the year 62; Hug says, the first was written in the year 59, and the second in the year 61; And according to the editor of the Polyglott Bible, the first was written 65 A.D. and the second A.D. 66. According to any of these calculations, the time of the residence of Timothy in Ephesus was brief.

Because there is not the slightest evidence, from the New Testament, that he was a permanent bishop of Ephesus, or indeed that he was a bishop at all, in the modern sense of the term, we can put the idea away that a system of Bishops was being arranged by the original apostles. Whatever was the relation which Timothy had to the church in Ephesus, it is agreed by most that John the apostle spent a considerable portion of time there. When and why we don’t know, but the most repeated tradition is that he remained at or near Jerusalem for some fifteen years after the crucifixion and took special charge of Mary his mother, and that he then preached the gospel to the Parthians and the Indians, and at he then returned and went to Ephesus where after many years he died.

Again, and in a historical tradition that does not add up to the contents of Revelation, it is said that under the Emperor Domitian, in A.D. 95, John was banished to the island of Patmos and that he returned from Patmos in A.D. 97 when one “Nerva” ascended to the crown. John is said to be about 90 at this time and is reported to have died at the ripe old age of 94 in the third year of the reign of Trajan. Of the subsequent history of the church at Ephesus little is known but we can remark that Jesus does say to the church there that the candlestick she bore would be removed out of its place if she did not repent.”

Authorship and Destination of the Epistle to Ephesians

While it has never been a question of who authored this epistle, there has been a question on to whom it was really sent – to the church at Ephesus OR to the Church at Laodicea. There is conclusive internal proof that this epistle was written by Paul and that it was written during his imprisonment in Rome but whether it was during his first or his second imprisonment we cannot be sure.

According to Acts 24:27 Paul was held in custody for some two years in Cesarea but there is no evidence that during that time he addressed any epistle to the churches which he had planted. But during his imprisonment at Rome, it is believed that he wrote at least four of his epistles–to the Ephesians, the Philippians, the Colossians, and Philemon. The evidence that it was written when Paul was a prisoner is found in the epistle itself when Paul says at chapter 3:1, "I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles." And then at verse 13: "I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you." In Ephesians 4:1, he calls himself the…

Context and Audience of Ephesians

"Prisoner of the Lord," or, in the margin, "in the Lord"—o desmiov en kuriw.

And in Ephesians 6:19 and 20, there is an allusion which seems to settle the inquiry beyond dispute, and to prove that it was written while he was at Rome as he says there that he was an "ambassador in bonds"—and that he desires that they would pray for him, that utterance might be given him to open his mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, that he might speak boldly, as he ought to speak. Because we learn in Acts 28:16 that Paul, while in Roman custody was allowed to: "dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him," we conclude that the epistle was written while a somewhat liberated prisoner in Rome.

So to the question – to whom was this Epistle really written?

Of course verse 1 of chapter 1 says: "to the saints which are at Ephesus.”

But the opinion of a number of sound scholars (and apparently unsound heretics) was that it had to be written to either the saints at Laodicea or was what was called a “circular epistle” that worked its way around various churches. And apparently it is the line: "Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity" at the beginning of the epistle was believed to be set and a standard but that the “specific churches” (like Ephesus) were to be inserted in the epistle, depending on the church to receive a copy.

The idea is that when books that would compose the New Testament were collected into a working volume that the copy of this epistle which was used was the one obtained that came from Ephesus. This was the opinion of Archbishop Usher and of a guy named, Koppe. It’s not a super important point but it does matter if we try and approach the book as specific to the church at Ephesus because the context would play an important role if that is the case.

Ephesians as a Universal Epistle

Instead, to teach it as a universal epistle that has application to most or all of the churches in Asia Minor opens us up in terms of context and keeps us from making assumptions that should not be made.

The main arguments which claim that this epistle was addressed to the church at Laodicea, or at least not to just the church at Ephesus, are as follows:

The testimony of Marcion, a heretic of the second century, who affirms that it was sent to the church in Laodicea, and that instead of the reading (Eph 1:1) "in Ephesus," in the copy which he had it was, "in Laodicea." The response to this is that Marcion had the habit of altering the Greek text to suit his own views and therefore this view is not trustworthy.

Teaching through Ephesians

I am therefore going to try and teach through the book, because it says that it was written to “the faithful in Christ” without appealing too much to the culture of Ephesus but to the general nature of human being that embrace the Good News – and we will see how this works out. So, let’s get into the 1st Chapter of the Epistle to the faithful in Christ.

Now, we are going to read the first 14 verses today and we will break them down over the next couple of weeks – and we really open with a BANG folks.

Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed

Paul's Teachings on God's Will

In himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Ephesians and the Will of God

Holy cammole, batman – What!?

So let’s work through what we can with our time remaining:
Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Most of Paul’s writings include an introduction – or at least some commentary – where he admits openly and without apology – that he is an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. And he typically admits that this call upon His life is through or by “the will of God.” Looking at Acts through Revelation the phrase, “the will of God” occurs in a number of places including: Acts 13:36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: Romans 1:10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. Romans 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 15:32 That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed. 1st Corinthians 1:1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2nd Corinthians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia: 2nd Corinthians 8:5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. Galatians 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: Here in Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Ephesians 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; Colossians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, Again Colossians 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. 1st Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 1st Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 2nd Timothy 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, Hebrews 10:36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 1st Peter 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 1st Peter 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. 1st Peter 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 1st Peter 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. 1st John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that

The Will of God and Spiritual Blessings

Doeth the will of God abideth for ever. Interestingly, the phrases, “the will of Jesus,” “the will of Christ,” or “the will of Jesus Christ is not found in the same books. And here Paul clearly distinguished between The Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the Will of God the Father.

Ephesians and the Blessings from God

Ephesians 1:1: Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

And then in what appears to be somewhat of a repetition, Paul says, 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Again, here Paul says that the God and Father OF our Lord Jesus Christ has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places IN Christ. And again, it seems to me that God the Father is the one bestowing all blessings by and through the finished work of His only begotten Son. This is the established order that is plainly laid out all through scripture.

When we get out to Ephesians 2:5-6 we will read: Ephesians 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Here at verse 3 the language seems to be that believers who are His are already seated with Christ – that Heaven is the real abode of the citizen of Christ's kingdom (as Philippians 3:20 says: “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:”) and while here we all remain strangers on earth. The basis for this has weighed on my heavily for over a decade as I find myself more and more alienated from the “things in this world,” and yearning for conversations in heaven. This is what Paul suggests is the case for the believers who would receive this epistle. We are already citizens on high with Him, blessed by God “who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”

Predestination and Election

It's an interesting turn of words because Paul does not seem to suggest – at least here – that God is pouring out blessings in earthly places upon believers in Christ, but instead heavenly places. Here God causes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust but believers, according to this, receive God’s provisions in heaven. And that makes great sense as believers are laying up treasures IN HEAVEN where moth and rust do not corrupt.

Now, we come to the first passage that causes some concern and so I want to read it, talk about a view respective to it, and wrap up the rest of it – and the passages related to it – for next week. This is what the verse says: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Of course, the discourse on God choosing and electing gets heavier when Paul adds in verse 5-

5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

So let me wrap our time up by saying this. The influence of Augustine weighs in heavily on this topic and we have to admit that it took some three hundred years before anyone in Church history interpreted the New Testament as teaching that God individually predestines certain people.

Augustine's Influence on Church History

Augustine’s interpretation truly influenced Church history and it was his ideas that were embraced by the early Protestant Reformers and those who continued in the Reformed tradition (which we see all around us today). Well, one of the texts most frequently appealed to in support of this view is right here in Ephesians chapter 1. There are a number of factors to consider here (which we will next week) but know this first—

General Election in Ephesians

I think Paul is talking about general election here which is in harmony with the way the Jews thought. See, when Jews thought of election or predestination, they thought primarily of the nation of Israel which was elected (not for salvation, but for service – meaning the Nation was elected to bring forth the oracles of God, the law, and the Messiah. But this didn’t mean that every individual born into Israel was part of God’s chosen people, does it? Paul makes it clear that only those who kept covenant with God from the heart were considered “true Israelites” and the rest were not even though they were born Israelites.

Being Chosen in Christ

Notice that Paul doesn’t say that God chose us “to be in Christ.” Instead he says God chose us in Christ to be holy and blameless. So we can say that what God chose from the foundation of the world was that whomever is in Christ will be, as predetermined before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless. So, consider this point for starters and we will continue together next week.

PRAYER