Ephesians

The Apostle Paul ministered in Ephesus from 53 to 56 A.D. during his third missionary journey (Acts 19) and wrote his epistle while imprisoned in Rome between 60 and 62 A.D. Ephesus was the capital of Roman Asia Minor, an economic center on par with Alexandria and Syrian Antioch, and a site for the worship of the goddess Artemis. The Temple of Artemis was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Priscilla and Aquila mentored Apollos, a dynamic but untrained evangelist, in Ephesus during Paul’s second missionary journey (Acts 18:24-28). Paul pastored the church for nearly three years during his third missionary journey—teaching in the synagogue and hall of Tyrannus, baptizing disciples, casting out demons, and causing a riot among the idol makers (Acts 19). He commissioned Timothy to pastor the church and correct false teachings, after his departure (1 Timothy 1:3-11, 18-20; 4:1-3; 6:3-5, 20). John penned his gospel in Ephesus, opening with a reference to Jesus as the Logos, a concept established by the Ephesian philosopher Heraclitus around 500 B.C. Toward the end of the first century, Jesus commended the Ephesians for resting evil and false teachings but warned that they had forgotten their first love (Revelation 2:1-6).

Paul praises God for graciously predestining believers for adoption in Christ before the foundation of the world, granting them redemption, forgiveness, and revealing his will. Believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit as the guarantee of their inheritance. He thanks God for the Ephesian church and prays that they comprehend their hope and inheritance in accordance with his power.

We were once dead in sin and subject to the “prince of the power of the air,” but have been made alive with Christ and saved by grace through faith. Through the Spirit, Christ unites Jews and gentiles into one body, one household, and one holy temple built on Christ, apostles, and prophets.

Paul reflects, God revealed by the Spirit to apostles and prophets that gentiles are fellow heirs of the gospel; and appointed him to preach Christ among them so that the church might display his wisdom. He urges the Ephesians not to be dismayed over his imprisonment and prays that the Father would strengthen them by his Spirit, so that Christ may dwell in them with surpassing love.

Believers must live worthy of the gospel with humility, gentleness, patience, love, and unity, reflecting the oneness of the Father, Son, and Spirit. The ascended Christ gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers to spiritually guard, mature, and equip the saints for ministry. Therefore, believers must put off corruption and put on righteousness: speaking truthfully, avoiding sinful anger, laboring honestly, using wholesome speech, practicing kindness, and forgiving rather than grieving the Spirit.

Paul commands the Ephesians to be imitators of God, in the love of Christ, exposing dark practices—sexual immorality, covetousness, crude joking, and drunkenness which incurs the wrath of God—to the light; and to be filled with the Spirit, giving thanks to God in the name of Jesus while submitting to one another. Wives must submit to and respect their husbands. Husbands must love their wives as Christ loved the church. Marriage images the mystery of Christ and the church.

Children must earnestly obey their parents, and servants their masters. Masters, likewise, must fear their Master in heaven who shows no partiality. Believers must don the armor of God—the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit—against spiritual forces. Finally, Paul entreats the Ephesians to pray continually for the saints and that he might preach the gospel boldly while under arrest, sending Tychicus to encourage them.