What makes Ephesians special?
The letter of EPHESIANS
summarizes many of the important teachings found in the letters of the
apostle Paul. The letter begins by describing how God raised Christ
from death, who now rules beside God in heaven. Then it tells how
Christ has brought both Gentiles and Jews together by "breaking down
the wall of hatred" that has separated them (2:14). Those who have
faith in Jesus have been chosen by God's Spirit to be part of one body,
which is the Church. This body has "one Lord, one faith, and one
baptism" (4:5). Christ has chosen different people in the church to
have different gifts as apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and
teachers (4:11). The last two chapters of EPHESIANS offer practical
instructions for living as God's people. This includes a description of
the spiritual "armor" that God gives so the people of God can withstand
the devil and the rulers of darkness (6:10-17).
Why was Ephesians written?
Many
of Paul's letters give clues about why Paul wrote them. EPHESIANS,
however, does not mention any particular questions or issues that were
present among the members of the church in Ephesus. Without such a
clue, it is hard to say exactly why the letter was written. Other
places in the New Testament offer some help. Acts 19 and 20 tell how
Paul was effective at first when he told people in Ephesus about Jesus
Christ. Later, he argued with those who worshiped Artemis, the favorite
goddess in Ephesus. The local leader refused to punish Paul when a riot
nearly broke out, but it seemed best for Paul to leave the city. Later,
he met the leaders of the Ephesian church and gave them courage to face
the problems they would meet. The biggest difficulty among the Ephesian
followers was that some members were trying to split up the followers
into different groups instead of following the message Paul had
originally taught them. So, it follows, that Paul addresses the problem
of unity within the church as one of the main concerns in EPHESIANS.
What's the story behind the scene?
Many
ancient manuscripts say that this letter was addressed to "the saints
who were in Ephesus." But a small number of manuscripts, including the
oldest ones, do not name the Ephesians as the people who were to
receive the letter. It may be that the letter was meant to be passed
among a number of churches in Asia Minor. The Greek writing style and
vocabulary used in EPHESIANS is somewhat different from those used in
Paul's other letters. Also, Paul spent about three years in Ephesus
trying to start a congregation (Acts 18:19-21; 19:1-20; 20:17-38), but
the author and addressees of this letter don't seem to have met each
other (1:15). Such things have led scholars to form different opinions
about who wrote this letter and when it was written. But because of its
similarities to Paul's writings, especially his letter to the
Colossians, it has been linked with the apostle, if only through
tradition.
How is Ephesians constructed?
This letter
has a brief greeting (1:1,2) and ending (6:21-24). In between are
general teachings about the Christian faith and instructions for how
the followers of Christ should live as God's people. EPHESIANS can be
outlined in the following way:
Greetings, blessings, and prayers (chapter 1)
Paul
identifies himself, greets the Ephesians, and praises God because Jesus
Christ sacrificed his life's blood in order to bring about forgiveness
of sins. Jesus also brought the good news about how people can be
saved. Paul prays that the Holy Spirit will help the followers in
Ephesus be wise and understand what it means to know God.
Christ brings unity and peace to the people of God (chapters 2,3)
God
saves all who have faith in Christ, who breaks down the wall that
separate Jews and Gentiles. All who believe in Jesus are united in one
body. Paul describes his mission to bring the good news to the
Gentiles, and he prays that the power of Christ will be at work in the
church to help and sustain its members.
Living as the body of Christ, the people of light (chapters 4,5,6)
Paul
encourages the followers of Christ in Ephesus to live in unity and to
serve the whole body of Christ, the church, by using the special gifts
the Holy Spirit has given them. He also offers advice for various
relationships and for fighting evil as children of the light.
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