Tuesday: Hearing the Letter to the Ephesians
Paul wrote Ephesians to be read aloud in the house churches of believers in greater Ephesus. In the intervening years since Paul’s departure, the Christian movement in Ephesus had grown, and the number of house churches had multiplied. For those early believers, it would have been an important event to have Tychicus, the personal representative of the founding apostle Paul, stand among them and share a letter from him. As suggested by the epistle itself, the assembled group likely included members of the host household — father, mother, children, and slaves (Ephesians 5:21-6:9). At the time, a household included others as well — clients (free persons who depended on the householder for support) and even customers.
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So these may be present too, as well as members of other households.
In conjunction with the outline of the letter below, read through the entire epistle, preferably out loud (it will take about 15 minutes to do so). What themes echo through the letter as a whole?
I. Opening Greeting (Ephesians 1:1-2)
II. Introductory Blessing (Ephesians 1:3-14)
III. Praying for Believers to Receive Christ-Focused Wisdom (Ephesians 1:15-23)
IV. Once Spiritually Dead; Now Exalted With Christ (Ephesians 2:1-10)
V. Christ’s Creation of the Church Out of Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 2:11-22)
VI. Paul as Preacher of Christ to the Gentiles (Ephesians 3:1-13)
VII. Praying for Believers to Experience the Love of Christ (Ephesians 3:14-21)
VIII. Hold On to the Spirit-Inspired Unity of the Church (Ephesians 4:1-16)
IX. Live the New, Unity-Nurturing Life (Ephesians 4:17-32)
X. Walk in Love, Light, and Wisdom (Ephesians 5:1-20)
XI. Practice Christ-Shaped Life in the Christian Household (Ephesians 5:21-6:9)
XII. Stand Together: The Church as the Army of God (Ephesians 6:10-20)
XIII. Closing Greeting (Ephesians 6:21-24)
| What key theme seems to come through in this letter? What does it say to you? What specific point or points touch home? |
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One of the things that comes across in this letter to the Ephesians is that the recipients are well-known to Paul. He is writing a pastoral letter to friends. He wasn't writing a piece for an international forum or a statement for an academic theological journal. He was writing from the heart about familiar themes. In contrast, we are listeners at a distance in time and we come to this epistle with our own baggage of understanding.
Paul valued pastoral care. I mention this because I listened to a seminar recently on the theological issues facing the Seventh-day Adventist church and one wise old retired evangelist and church administrator said that the answer to our problems may not rest in theological resolution but in pastoral care.
When I think of my own spiritual journey, the theologians who have made the most impact on me have been the ones who have put pastoral care first.
That’s so true about pastoral care! I remember a few sermons along the way and some of them have made an impact in my life, but what impacts me on a regular basis is the pastor who comes to Sabbath School and greets his members, (almost) always has a smile for us, attends the fellowship events, shares his own experiences with the struggles we face, and generally appears to care about the flock.
In addition to the themes itemized in the lesson, I am touched by the issues about prayer in chapters 1,3 and 6 where Paul will be asking for prayers from the church and also him praying for the church.(Ephesians 1:15-20,Ephesians 3:14-21-Paul’s intercessory prayers for the believers in Ephesus)-We are to pray for other believers. In Ephesians 6:18-20,he encourages them to pray ALL prayer in spirit, ALL times, with ALL perseverance and praying for ALL saints. All other content in the book of Ephesians seems to be set on prayer. By praying continuously, we will garner spiritual courage and strength in this spiritual warfare.
Thanks Sis Mawoyo for pointing out Paul's emphasis on prayer in his letter to the Ephesians. I needed to be reminded this morning as I read your words, how important prayer is in our Christian walk. The spiritual warfare is very real, and sometimes we become discouraged and try to battle in our own strength. Paul reminds us to pray, and I'm reminded that prayer works, and we need to battle on our knees. Thank you.
What I am going through may be necessary for my growth. Why would I move if I'm complete where I am? This marketing (self-appropriated) concept also permeates the Christian life or should be a motor of change in anyone's life.
I'm not talking about material things; I'm talking about a "soul" thing, a gap only metaphysics can fill. And why not let this hole be complete with something from the infinite knowledge freely offered to whomever humbly asks for it?
In Ephesians 6:18 Paul xsays, "Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints." The key words in this text are prayer, Spirit, supplication, and perseverance. Supplication means to beg. Perseverance is to insist in doing something even when success does appear to forthcoming, and we must do these in the spirit. So, the question is, what must we beg the spirit for on a constant basis? Matthew 5:6 gives the answer. Only those who hunger and thirst after righteousness will be filled. As a SDA member, are we teaching our members how to pray in the spirit? What is praying in the spirit?
Amen to the part of Paul's counsel (Jesus' Counsel) about it being more blessed to give than to receive. When my wife and I started to make sure we were more givers than receivers, God then started to do just the same to us and gave us more and more and more also.
I can only imagine how precious the reading of Paul’s letter must have been for these early believers who were 'babes in Christ', just being introduced to the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus' Gospel Truths was to set them free from the bondage to the error of idol worship. Paul explained that there is a living God who seeks after us and guides us. How comforting it must have been to be in the company of fellow believers to hear the Truth expressed by one filled with the Holy Spirit.
My focus is on two passages:
Eph.1:15-23 - this passage expounds on the Truth that the believer has the ability to understand why and what he believes, and to make sure that he turns to his God and those who are placed in the position of ‘shepherds’ to council the flock and help them to firmly establish the reason for their faith.
Eph. 4:1-6 – This passage highlights the need to ‘endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace’, because the believers are ‘called in ‘one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, and through all, and in you all.’
These two themes speak loudly to me. I believe that their full manifestation has yet to be accomplished in the lives of many believers. Too many are still ignorant of the uniqueness and life-changing vitality of the Faith of Jesus Christ, the Father’s Gospel, and many still assemble at church thinking the building or the organization represents the church Paul is referring to in his letter to the Ephesians.
There is still a lot of ‘learning’ needing to be done, and we entreat God through the Holy Spirit to that effect.
For me, reading Ephesians right now, one word jumps out and that is "grace". Grace was important to Paul, but it seems that word appears over and over in the letter. Through grace we have salvation. Through grace we've been blessed in countless ways. Grace allows the building of a church where enemies are now one. Grace through the influence of the Spirit allows us to live in the light and have truly whole relationships. That's what I took away from my reading.
Ephesians is a letter written for the Christians in Ephesus and the surrounding area, pointing them to the marvelous God of heaven and to Jesus Who paid an enormous price to include them in His family, heirs of the promises.
There's another letter written by Paul concerning Ephesus -- written to the person left in leadership position in the Ephesus area.
1 Timothy
Ephesus was steeped in the cult of Diana (Artimus) the Great Mother goddess. Multitudes of priestesses ministered in the religion of Artemis. According to researchers, young girls were required to serve as a priestess for one year, at the age of fourteen. Probably most women converts had served their year for Artimus earlier.
These priestesses wielded considerable power and were considered superior to men. Paul's letter to Timothy is often considered pretty tough on women. Yet, the Diana cult may have made this necessary.
Some proponents of this cult spoke of the first woman as the conduit of light and life who brought divine enlightenment to humanity. But Paul writes to Timothy saying Adam was formed first. 1 Tim 2:13.
Artemis was also considered to be the protector of child birth.
I always wondered about 1 Timothy 2:15. but it makes sense in the context of Paul telling Timothy to tell the women to trust in God, for God would protect and save them from death during child birth, they didn't need Artemis' protection. Get away from this false veneration of Artemis and trust God.
Into this city absorbed with the worship of the deity of fertility, protector, nourisher, the great mother goddess, entered Paul proclaiming "they are not gods which are made with hands (Acts 19:26)
His message struck at the heart of Ephesus' worship and culture as well as Ephesus' economy, for people came from all over to this port city to honor Diana.
The conflict between Christ and Diana is an old one.
And still strikes at hearts today.
Not only of morality vs immorality.
Also the appeal to the immediate as opposed to the eternal, to the emotional as opposed to the spiritual, to the pleasures of life as opposed to salvation from sin.
At Ephesus the two sides faced each other in confrontation.
In the letter, Ephesians, Paul eloquently depicts the greatness, majesty, and love which God has for His people. He was already planning their salvation before the world was even created.
He is so much greater, than any man made god!
Thank you for that background Ulrike. I did not know that, about the young women having to serve as priestesses when they were 14. Has anyone speculated as to what their duties might have been? I understand she was the goddess of both fertility and virginity, an unlikely pairing.
Wow! I was behind on this lesson. I had done the Monday one. But now, when I went to do Wednesday, I saw that I had not done Tuesday yet. But again, wow! I had no idea that I had to read the whole letter to the Ephesians along with the outline there. Way too much to read and also along with the outline. What is Dr John McVay trying to do? Is he trying to make "Theologians" out of us????? and in one day of this week to boot????
Hi Pete. Nobody is forcing you to read the whole epistle in one day. But, you may notice that both William and I, quite independently have also suggested something similar. Why would we do that? I think that in the back of our minds we have the idea that it is a letter, and the Ephesians would have, on receipt of this letter, gathered together and someone would have read it to them, in one sitting!
When I was young and my fiancé was living in a different country, she wrote long letters to me. Six to seven pages sometimes. I don’t ever recall complaining about the time to read those letters. I read them end to end as soon as I could. And then I would read the good bits again. Then I would write a letter of equal or greater length back to her. That took even longer than reading her letters. And I don’t ever recall thinking that was a burden, even though I was studying for my finals for London University at the time.
So, Pete. When two, or three people think it’s a good idea to read Ephesians right through, maybe there is a reason. I have already done it, using The Message paraphrase version. I enjoyed it. And I am going to try a couple of other versions too. Reading the whole epistle takes me less than an hour. And it has given me a “big picture” sense of what Paul is writing.
Try it! You might enjoy it!
Thanks, Maurice, and that is the key: a person has to "Love to read." I hate to read. I can read and I can also write. I love to write more than reading. My wife and son "Love to read." They read books after books after books. So that is my problem here now I can see that. But I did learn to take the time to read the Bible and also EGW writings too. But that is all for me.
A fair point, Pete. I understand not everyone likes reading. I am not sure if this would work for you but have you tried one of the audio versions of the Bible. Just don’t use a monotonous one or you might fall asleep.
Wonderful pastoring of the flock, Maurice! You truly care for us. God is noticing.
Hello, everyone. Perhaps someone perceived the practical message, which Maurice quotes and makes as the solution: "pastoral care".
The attention to Pete regarding his comment, is for me, an exemplification of the message of Ephesians, it is the teaching that Paul is trying to make us see and here it is being exemplified by our brother Maurice. We could read our brother Pete's comment and move on, formulating an idea; but someone goes beyond that; we have a Father interested in helping us using human means that he will always find, although they are few for now. Blessings to all. I hope I have conveyed the idea in mind.
I'm thinking Pete you may be speaking tongue in cheek and I hope you are just being a bit humorous but if you aren't I'd encourage you to consider reading the whole book. It really doesn't take long and helps you see the really big picture. I noticed things I hadn't previously and I've read Ephesians many times. Any time you want to begin study on a book of the Bible, it is really valuable to read the book prior, even 2 or 3 times. I did that when I began studying Mark (and that book is much longer), and it gave me a sense of what the book was about before going through it slowly.
Hi Pete. I don't love to read as much as I used to because my eyes are old now. But I still love to read a whole book of the Bible at a time whenever I can. The shorter ones are easier, of course, and I put Ephesians in that category. The ones with stories are easier to stop in, because it works well to stop at the end of a particular story. But anyway, the Bible is very good pleasure reading, to me. I have a friend who reads the Bible every year, and she STILL finds things she has never noticed before. Me too. I know there will be no tears in Heaven, but it will be hard for me to be without my Bible. I want to remember as much of it as I can for as long as I can. It is a real gift from God.