Paul's Letter to the
EPHESIANS
Date: 61 AD.
From Jamieson:
Two theories, besides the ordinary one, have been held on the question, to whom the Epistle is addressed. GROTIUS, after the heretic Marcion, maintains that it was addressed to the Church at Laodicea, and that it is the Epistle to which Paul refers in Colossians 4:16 But the Epistle to the Colossians was probably written before that to the Ephesians, as appears from the parallel passages in Ephesians bearing marks of being expanded from those in Colossians; and Marcion seems to have drawn his notion, as to our Epistle, from Paul's allusion ( Colossians 4:16 ORIGEN and CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA, and even TERTULLIAN, who refers to Marcion, give no sanction to his notion. No single manuscript contains the heading, "to the saints that are at Laodicea." The very resemblance of the Epistle to the Ephesians, to that to the Colossians, is against the theory; for if the former were really the one addressed to Laodicea ( Colossians 4:16 of Colosse and Laodicea should interchange Epistles. The greetings, moreover ( Colossians 4:15 through the Colossians to the Laodiceans, are quite incompatible with the idea that Paul wrote an Epistle to the Laodiceans at the same time, and by the same bearer, Tychicus (the bearer of our Epistle to the Ephesians, as well as of that to Colosse, Ephesians 6:21 ; Colossians 4:7 for who, under such circumstances, would not send the greetings directly in the letter to the party saluted? The letter to Laodicea was evidently written some time before that to Colosse, Archbishop USHER has advanced the second theory: That it was an encyclical letter headed, as in Manuscript B., "to the saints that are . . . and to the faithful," the name of each Church being inserted in the copy sent to it; and that its being sent to Ephesus first, occasioned its being entitled, as now, the Epistle to the Ephesians. ALFORD makes the following objections to this theory: (1) It is at variance with the spirit of the Epistle, which is clearly addressed to one set of persons throughout, co-existing in one place, and as one body, and under the same circumstances. (2) The improbability that the apostle, who in two of his Epistles (Second Corinthians and Galatians) has so plainly specified their encyclical character, should have here omitted such specification. (3) The still greater improbability that he should have, as on this hypothesis must be assumed, written a circular Epistle to a district, of which Ephesus was the commercial capital, addressed to various churches within that district, yet from its very contents (as by the opponents' hypothesis) not admitting of application to the Church of that metropolis, in which he had spent so long a time, and to which he was so affectionately bound. (4) The inconsistency of this hypothesis with the address of the Epistle, and the universal testimony of the ancient Church. The absence of personal greetings is not an argument for either of the two theories; for similarly there are none in Galatians, Philippians, First and Second Thessalonians, First Timothy. The better he knows the parties addressed, and the more general and solemn the subject, the less he seems to give of these individual notices. Writing, as he does in this Epistle, on the constitution and prospects of Christ's universal Church, he refers the Ephesians, as to personal matters, to the bearer of the Epistle, Tychicus ( Ephesians 6:21 Ephesians 6:22 Ephesus" ( Ephesians 1:1 is omitted in some old manuscripts: it was probably done by churches among whom it was read, in order to generalize the reference of its contents, and especially where the subject of the Epistle is catholic. The words are found in the margin of Manuscript B, from a first hand; and are found in all the oldest manuscripts and versions.
Paul's first visit to Ephesus (on the seacoast of Lydia, near the river Cayster) is related in Acts 18:19-21 disputations with the Jews in his short visit, was carried on by Apollos ( Acts 18:24-26 his second visit, after his journey to Jerusalem, and thence to the east regions of Asia Minor, he remained at Ephesus "three years" ( Acts 19:10 time, and Acts 20:31 occupied an unusually large portion of the apostle's time and care; whence his language in this Epistle shows a warmth of feeling, and a free outpouring of thought, and a union in spiritual privileges and hope between him and them ( Ephesians 1:3 one so long and so intimately associated with those whom he addresses. On his last journey to Jerusalem, he sailed by Ephesus and summoned the elders of the Ephesian Church to meet him at Miletus, where he delivered his remarkable farewell charge ( Acts 20:18-35 This Epistle was addressed to the Ephesians during the early part of his imprisonment at Rome, immediately after that to the Colossians, to which it bears a close resemblance in many passages, the apostle having in his mind generally the same great truths in writing both. It is an undesigned proof of genuineness that the two Epistles, written about the same date, and under the same circumstances, bear a closer mutual resemblance than those written at distant dates and on different occasions. Compare Ephesians 1:7 Colossians 1:20 m.net/bible?passage=Eph+5:19">Eph 5:19 with Colossians 3:16 m.net/bible?passage=Eph+1:19,2:5">Eph 1:19 2:5 with Colossians 2:12 Colossians 2:13 with Colossians 2:19 ospelcom.net/bible?passage=Eph+4:22-24">Eph 4:22-24 with Colossians 3:9 Colossians 3:10 with Colossians 4:5 Ephesians 6:1-9 Ephesians 5:20-22 sent to Colosse, the former bearing the two Epistles to the two churches respectively, the latter furnished with a letter of recommendation to Philemon, his former master, residing at Colosse. The date was probably about four years after his parting with the Ephesian elders at Miletus ( Acts 20:6-38 A.D. 62, before his imprisonment had become of the more severe kind, which appears in his Epistle to the Philippians. From Ephesians 6:19 Ephesians 6:20 a prisoner, some degree of freedom in preaching, which accords with Acts 28:23 Acts 28:30 Acts 28:31 all inquirers. His imprisonment began in February A.D. 61 and lasted "two whole years" ( Acts 28:30
The Church of Ephesus was made up of converts partly from the Jews and partly from the Gentiles ( Acts 19:8-10 so addresses a Church constituted ( Ephesians 2:14-22 for its idol temple of Artemis or Diana, which, after its having been burnt down by Herostratus on the night that Alexander the Great was born (355 B.C), was rebuilt at enormous cost and was one of the wonders of the world. Hence, perhaps, have arisen his images in this Epistle drawn from a beautiful temple: the Church being in true inner beauty that which the temple of the idol tried to realize in outward show ( Ephesians 2:19-22 profligacy for which the Ephesian heathen were notorious. Many of the same expressions occur in the Epistle as in Paul's address to the Ephesian elders. Compare Ephesians 1:6 Ephesians 1:7 ; 2:7 Acts 20:24 Acts 20:32 God" [ALFORD]. Also, as to his "bonds," Ephesians 3:1 ; 4:1 Acts 20:22 Acts 20:23 Acts 20:27 possession," with Acts 20:28 "building up" the "inheritance," with Acts 20:32
The object of the Epistle is "to set forth the ground, the course, and the aim and end of THE CHURCH OF THE FAITHFUL IN CHRIST. He speaks to the Ephesians as a type or sample of the Church universal" [ALFORD]. Hence, "the Church" throughout the Epistle is spoken of in the singular, not in the plural, "churches."
The sublimity of the STYLE and LANGUAGE corresponds to the sublimity of the subjects and exceeds almost that of any part of his Epistles. It is appropriate that those to whom he so wrote were Christians long grounded in the faith. The very sublimity is the cause of the difficulty of the style, and of the presence of peculiar expressions occurring, not found elsewhere.
Ephesians 1:
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God (Theos), To the saints who are in Ephesus, and the faithful believers in Christ Jesus:
Like in every single letter by all of the NT writers, Paul only acknowledges only two members of the Godhead. No Holy Spirit is mentioned.
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ, God has given us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly world.
Predestination:
4 Long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes,
5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
6 and it brings praise to God because of His wonderful grace. God gave that grace to us freely, in Christ, the One He loves.
7 In Christ we are set free by the blood of His death, and so we have forgiveness of sins. How rich is God's grace,
9 and having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,
10 that His goal was to carry out His plan, when the right time came, that all things in heaven and on earth would be joined together in Christ as the head.
11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
17 asking the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, to give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you will know Him better.
18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future He has promised to those He called. I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance He has given to his people.
19 I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power
20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms.
21 Now He is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else in this world or in the world to come.
22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over everything concerning the church,
23 which is Christ's body. The church is filled with Christ, and Christ fills everything in every way.
Ephesians 2:
MADE ALIVE IN CHRIST:
SATAN IS THE POWER OF THE AIR:
2 in which you used to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
the unseen God who lies underneath guiding "the course of this world" ( 2 Corinthians 4:4 ); ranging through the air around us: compare Mark 4:4 , "fowls of the air" (Greek, "heaven") that is, ( Ephesians 2:15 ), "Satan" and his demons. Compare Ephesians 6:12 , John 12:31 . Christ's ascension seems to have cast Satan out of heaven ( Revelation 12:5 Revelation 12:9 Revelation 12:10 Revelation 12:12 Revelation 12:13 ), where he had been heretofore the accuser of the brethren ( Job 1:6-11 ). No longer able to accuse in heaven those justified by Christ, the ascended Saviour ( Romans 8:33 Romans 8:34 ), he assails them on earth with all trials and temptations; and "we live in an atmosphere poisonous and impregnated with deadly elements. But a mighty purification of the air will be effected by Christ's coming" [AUBERLEN], for Satan shall be bound ( Revelation 12:12 Revelation 12:13 Revelation 12:15 Revelation 12:17 , Revelation 20:2 Revelation 20:3 ). "The power" is here used collectively for the "powers of the air"; in apposition with which "powers" stand the "spirits," comprehended in the singular, "the spirit," taken also collectively: the aggregate of the "seducing spirits" ( 1 Timothy 4:1 ) which "work now (still; not merely, as in your case, 'in time past') in the sons of disobedience" (a Hebraism: men who are not merely by accident disobedient, but who are essentially sons of disobedience itself: compare Matthew 3:7 ), and of which Satan is here declared to be "the prince." The Greek does not allow "the spirit" to refer to Satan, "the prince" himself, but to "the powers of the air" of which he is prince. The powers of the air are the embodiment of that evil "spirit" which is the ruling principle of unbelievers, especially the heathen ( Acts 26:18 ), as opposed to the spirit of the children of God ( Luke 4:33 ). The potency of that "spirit" is shown in the "disobedience" of the former. Compare Deuteronomy 32:20 , "children in whom is no faith" ( Isaiah 30:9 , 57:4 ). They disobey the Gospel both in faith and practice ( 2 Thessalonians 1:8 , 2 Corinthians 2:12 ).
3 All of us used to live that way, following the passions and desires of our evil nature. We were born with an evil nature, and we were under His anger just like everyone else.
5 even while we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's special favor that you have been saved!)
6 For we were raised from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with Him in the heavenly realms -- all because we are one with Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the ages to come He might show to us as examples of the incredible wealth of His favor and kindness toward us, as shown in all He has done for us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
10 For we are His masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. {GOOD WORKS!}
We are to do Good Works and walk in them!
11 Don't forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders by birth. You were called "the uncircumcised ones" by those who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts.
12 In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from God's people, Israel, and you did not know the promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
15 by setting aside in his flesh the Law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace,
16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility.
18 For it is through Him ( John 14:6 ; Hebrews 10:19 ) that we have our access ( Ephesians 3:12 , Romans 5:2 ), both of us, in (that is, united in, that is, "by," 1 Corinthians 12:13 , Greek) one Spirit to the Father.
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone,
Ephesians 3:
God's Plan for the Gentiles:
1 For this reason I, Paul, am a prisoner of Christ Jesus because of my preaching to you Gentiles. 2 As you already know, God has given me this special ministry of announcing His favor to you Gentiles.
3 As I briefly mentioned earlier in this letter, God Himself revealed his secret plan to me.
4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets.
6 And this is His mystery: The Gentiles have an equal share of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,
7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
8 Although I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ,
9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.
10 His purpose was to show His wisdom in all its rich variety to all the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. They will see this when Jews and Gentiles are joined together in His church.
11 This was His plan from all eternity, and it has now been carried out through Christ Jesus our LORD.
12 In Him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father,
15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
16 I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,
17 so that Christ may dwell in you through faith. I pray that your roots are established in love,
18 together with all the LORD's people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
19 and to know this love, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
20 Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,
21 to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 4:
1 I urge you, as a prisoner for the LORD, to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
6 one God and Father of all, who is over everything, through everything, and in everything.
8 Therefore He says: "When He ascended to the heights, He led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to His people."
9 Now what does it mean that He went up except that He also had gone down to the lowest parts of the earth? {the grave- a hole or pit in the ground}
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, and build up the church, which is the body of Christ,
13 until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of the Son of God, that we will become mature , measuring up to the full stature of Christ.
14 So we will not be as little children, tossed and carried about by all kinds of teachings that change like the wind. We will no longer be influenced by people who use cunning and clever strategies to lead us astray.
15 Instead, as we lovingly speak the truth, we will grow up completely in our relationship to Christ, who is the head.
16 He makes the whole body fit together and unites it through the support of every joint. As each and every part does its job, He makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the LORD, Live no longer as the ungodly do, for they are hopelessly confused.
18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.
19 Since they no longer have any sense of shame, they have become promiscuous. They practice every kind of sexual perversion with a constant desire for more.
22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
We are destined to be like God. Not angels. We are going to be God's children, in their likeness! A member of the God family!
25 So then, get rid of lies. Speak the truth to each other, because we are all members of the same body.
28 Anyone who steals, must instead, repent and work hard. They should do something good with their hands so that they'll have something to share with those in need.
29 Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
30 And do not allow the the Holy Spirit of God, for any reason - be upset with you. He has put His seal on you for the day you will be set free.
sealed--rather, "wherein (or 'in whom') ye were sealed." As in Ephesians 1:13 , believers are said to be sealed "in" Christ, so here "in the Holy Spirit," who is one with Christ, and who reveals Christ in the soul: the Greek implies that the sealing was done already once for all. It is the Father "BY" whom believers, as well as the Son Himself, were sealed ( John 6:27 ). The Spirit is represented as itself the seal ( Ephesians 1:13 , for the image employed, is the element IN which the believer is sealed, His gracious influences being the seal itself. (Jamieson)
1 Therefore be imitators of God as His dear children.
2 Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God was pleased, because that sacrifice was like sweet perfume to him.
3 Don't let sexual sin, perversion of any kind, or greed even be mentioned among you. This is not appropriate behavior for the saints.
4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes -- these are not for you. Instead, but rather give thanks.
5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Ooops, sounds like we are not saved by faith alone!
6 Don't let anyone deceive you with meaningless words. It is because of sins like these that God's anger comes to those who refuse to obey Him.
Sin=Breaking the Law=refuse to Obey God=NOT GODLY!
11 and having nothing to do with the useless works that produce darkness Instead, expose them for what they are.
THE DEAD are to AWAKE (Resurrect):
18 Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Spirit fill and control you
19 by reciting psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs for your own good. Sing and make music to the LORD with your hearts.
WIVES-HUSBANDS-BE LIKE GOD:
23 For the husband is head of his wife, as also Christ is head of His church; and He is the Savior of the body.
24 As the church is under Christ's authority, so wives are under their husbands' authority in everything.
26 He did this to make the church holy by cleansing it, washing it using water along with spoken words.
27 He did this to present her to Himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.
28 So husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself.
29 No one ever hated his own body. Instead, he feeds and takes care of it, as Christ takes care of the church.
31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."
33 So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
CHILDREN:
Commandment 5.....obey--stronger than the expression as to wives, "submitting," or "being subject" ( Ephesians 5:21 ). Obedience is more unreasoning and implicit; submission is the willing subjection of an inferior in point of order to one who has a right to command.
2 "Honor your father and mother." This is the first {of the Ten} Commandments that ends with a promise:
This verse proves the law in the Old Testament is not abolished.
4 And you fathers, don't make your children angry by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction approved by the LORD.
fathers--including mothers; the fathers are specified as being the fountains of domestic authority. Fathers are more prone to passion in relation to their children than mothers, whose fault is rather over- indulgence.
SLAVERY IN GOD'S EYES:
5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with proper respect. Be as sincere as you are when you obey Christ.
6 Work hard, but not just to please your masters when they are watching. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart.
8 Know that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the LORD, whether he is a slave or free.
9 And in the same way, you masters must treat your slaves right. Don't threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and He has no favorites.
Christianity makes all men brothers: compare Leviticus 25:42 Leviticus 25:43 , Deuteronomy 15:12 , Jeremiah 34:14 as to how the Hebrews were bound to treat their brethren in service; much more ought Christians to act with love.
The oldest manuscripts read, "the Master both of them and you": "their Master and yours." This more forcibly brings out the equality of slaves and masters in the sight of God. SENECA [Thyestes, 607], says, "Whatever an inferior dreads from you, this a superior Master threatens yourselves with: every authority here is under a higher above." As you treat your servants, so will He treat you. (Jamieson)
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Greek, "For our wrestling ('the wrestling' in which we are engaged) is not against flesh," &c. Flesh and blood foes are Satan's mere tools, the real foe lurking behind them is Satan himself, with whom our conflict is. "Wrestling" implies that it is a hand-to-hand and foot-to-foot struggle for the mastery: to wrestle successfully with Satan, we must wrestle with GOD in irresistible prayer like Jacob ( Genesis 32:24-29 , Hosea 12:4 ). Translate, "The principalities . . . the powers" ( Ephesians 1:21 , Colossians 1:16 ; the case of the demons here, as in that of angels there (compare Romans 8:38 , 1 Corinthians 15:24 , Colossians 2:15 ). The Ephesians had practiced sorcery ( Acts 19:19 ), so that he appropriately treats of evil spirits in addressing them. The more clearly any book of Scripture, as this, treats of the economy of the kingdom of light, the more clearly does it set forth the kingdom of darkness. Hence, nowhere does the satanic kingdom come more clearly into view than in the Gospels which treat of Christ, the true Light. (Jamieson)
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness.
16 Above all, take the shield of faith with, and you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one {Satan}.
18 Praying at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for the saints everywhere.
19 Also pray that God will give me the right words to say. Then I will speak boldly when I reveal the mystery of the Good News,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that I might keep on speaking boldly for Him, as I should.
21 I'm sending Tychicus to you. He is our dear brother and a faithful deacon in the work of the LORD. He will tell you everything that is happening to me so that you will know how I'm getting along.
22 That's why I'm sending him to you so that you may know how we're doing and that he may encourage you.
No Trinity again...
Amen. {No Signature}
