Introduction to Ephesians

Simply consider the result of Paul's ministry here. It was marked by awe, confession and repentance, and the exaltation of Jesus. This dramatic account culminates with the burning of books, which probably contained spells, incantations, and other cultish practices. It was a spiritual awakening. Can you imagine those wrapped up in false religions, cults, and superstition burning their books and worshiping Jesus?

Not everyone was thrilled with this movement, however. Luke mentions that Paul "stayed in Asia for a while," and then he writes, "During that time there was a major disturbance about the Way" (Acts 19:22-23). These Christians were turning "the world upside down" (Acts 17:6) in Ephesus. I have been asking these questions: Is that said about our local church? Are we impacting the city? Let us pray that we can make a holy disturbance.

Notice that Christianity was referred to early on as "the Way" (Acts 9:2; 19:9; 22:4). It was a new way of life. It was entirely different 12from other religions. It was centered on Jesus, who said He was "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).

This holy disturbance led to some serious opposition. As you look at the next verses in Acts, you see that Paul now faces opposition from another source: the silversmiths. This highlights the materialistic, as well as superstitious, culture of Ephesus. One silversmith in particular, Demetrius, is named. He was upset because the gospel was affecting the socioeconomic system. Luke records his words:

Because many Ephesians were turning to Christ, they no longer wanted to buy silver statues. This created a massive eruption in Ephesus. As a result they dragged Paul and his companions into the amphitheater where they were all but killed (Acts 19:28-41).

Finally, if you add to the list of these trials the "plots of the Jews" (Acts 20:19), then you have an incredibly difficult place to minister! Yet, amazingly, Paul spent about three years in Ephesus (Acts 20:31), probably around ad 52-54 (Thielman, Ephesians, 16). He had great success there, especially among the Gentiles, but it was not without opposition.

The church in Ephesus was birthed, in large part, in the midst of opposition. If you plan on planting a church or going to a tough city, and I pray many of you will, remember this pattern. It will be a struggle. You may bleed, but take comfort in Paul's journey. Be prepared for war, but be confident in the Lord.

Though few of you will move to a massive population center, filled almost entirely with unconverted people, remember that many of us still live in a culture filled with idolatry, superstition and the occult, demonic activity, public sexual immorality, materialism, a love for education devoid of God, and the worship of political leaders. Remember, the gospel of Jesus Christ is powerful enough to break through these forces and bring people to saving faith in Jesus Christ. There is only one Lord. Proclaim Him with boldness.

In the middle of this culture were "the saints." The word saint (1:15,18; 3:8,18; 4:12; 5:3; 6:18) has its roots in the Old Testament, which speaks of God choosing a people from among the nations to be "My kingdom of priests and My holy nation" (Exod 19:5-6). Christ has made us into a holy people (Eph 5:26). Positionally, we are holy because we are united with Christ. Now we must live in a manner that is consistent with this position. Personal holiness is about becoming in practice what we are in position.

Who were these saints? Some Jewish believers were in Ephesus before Paul's arrival (Acts 18:24-27), but later it seems that the churches were primarily Gentile. The Ephesian churches were perhaps made up of about 30 to 40 people, meeting in homes (Thielman, Ephesians, 27). But these churches had experienced about a seven- to eight-year absence from Paul by the time the book of Ephesians was written. They needed instruction. There may have been a lack of unity among the pre-Paul converts and those who came later, as well as division between the Jewish and Gentile groups.

Ephesians, then, provides some critically important truths about the nature of the gospel and how we are unified. Ephesians is like Romans in this regard. In Romans Paul is also trying to unite the church, Jew and Gentile, around the gospel.

Paul also calls the Ephesians "faithful." This term most likely means "believers" rather than "trustworthy." They were those who trusted Christ for salvation (1:13). While they lived physically in Ephesus, the saints were spiritually "in Christ." They lived in union with Christ.

Ephesians mentions union with Christ and being "in Christ" more than any other letter, about 36 times (Snodgrass, Ephesians, 39). This phrase occurs some 164 times in Paul's 13 epistles. This is the heart of Christianity: to be united to Jesus Christ. Christians are people who are in Christ. You are united in His death and His resurrection (2:5-7).

Only by being "in" Christ can one have access to "every spiritual blessing." If you are in Christ, then "Christ's riches are your riches, His resources are your resources, His righteousness is your righteousness, His power is your power. His position is our position: where He is, we are ... what He has, we have" (MacArthur, Ephesians, 10). And because we are in Christ, though opposition surrounds us on every side, we are secure in Him. Your identity, therefore, is in Christ, not in your performance, your popularity, your productivity, or your prominence.

The Greeting

Ephesians 1:2

Paul writes, "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." This greeting is the same type of greeting Paul uses for his other letters. By saying "Grace," Paul is not saying "Hello" but is rather giving a prayer wish for grace to come to the Ephesians. Paul is the theologian of grace. Grace runs through this letter, appearing 12 times (1:6-8; 2:4-9; 4:7; 4:29). The same is true for "peace": Paul was praying for God to bring peace to his readers. We learn much about God's peace in Ephesians: "[Christ] is our peace" (2:14); "He proclaimed the good news of peace" (2:17); "keeping ... the peace that binds us" (4:3); "the gospel of peace" (6:15).

This prayer wish introduces the letter, which would have been read aloud in corporate worship (cf. Col 4:16). This grace and peace comes from "God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." What a magnificent picture of the Father is in this letter (see also 1:17; 4:6). It also has a majestic picture of the Lord Jesus as the cosmic King of all. Jesus fills the mind of Paul. Notice the end of the letter in 6:23-24: Paul prays again for peace and grace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus for "all who have undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ."

The Message

The key thought in Ephesians is the phrase "in Christ." Ephesians shows us that God is forming a new humanity through Christ, by the Spirit. It describes how Jesus Christ died for sinners, was raised, is exalted above all His competitors, and is now the head of the cosmos and the church. Through our union with Christ, we share in these same events—we are raised with Christ and seated with Him (2:5-7). This great salvation is owing to the grace of God (2:8-10).

Observe also these "formerly ... but now" expressions:

15Paul describes the transforming power of the gospel throughout the letter.

Ephesians divides naturally into two parts: who we are in Christ (our position), and how we are to live in Christ (our practice). The first part makes up the first half of the book, and the second part makes up the second half of the book. Each part can be broken down further. Allow me to sketch out the contents briefly.

In the opening chapters we read about how God, in His glorious grace, saves sinners through Jesus Christ, granting them spiritual life. The focus is not on what we must do but rather on what God has done for us. The verb tenses are mainly passive.

We now have new life in Christ (1:3-2:10). In the first two chapters the new life we have in Christ is explained with power and beauty. Look at this new life we enjoy:

We find here that Christianity is not about becoming religious. It is not about conforming to a list of rules. It is not about adopting a philosophy. It is not about financial prosperity. It is not about becoming a nice person. It is about becoming a new person. It is about going from death to life. It is about going from darkness to light. The missionary's task is not to call people to religion but to call people to Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life.

We now have a new community in Christ (2:11-3:21). When God saves sinners, He brings them into a new community. This new community, called the church, is made up of various groups of people. Both Jew and Gentile are now one. Paul says, "He is our peace, who made both groups 16one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility ... So that He might create in Himself one new man from the two" (2:14-15). We belong to a new community, united in Jesus. We are "fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God's household" (2:19).

John Stott says,

Isn't it awesome to know we belong to something that exists to display the glory of God? Yes, it would be great to wear the jersey of your favorite team, but you belong to something much better! You belong to the church of the living God. When you become a Christian, you belong to God, and you belong to brothers and sisters in Him.

Steve Timmis says,

Are we living out our corporate identity by belonging to a local, visible church? Do we have brothers and sisters with whom we love, serve, weep, rejoice, and celebrate? We were saved for community.

In the second half of the letter, Paul shifts. He turns his attention to the responsibilities of the saints. Many of the verbs are imperatives.

We must now pursue unity and purity in Christ (4:1-5:14). The vision for unity that is explained in 2:11-22 is now fleshed out in these verses. He explains how we can be "diligently keeping the unity of the Spirit with the peace that binds us" (4:3). Paul describes how our distinct character (4:1-2), our doctrinal convictions (vv. 4-6), our diverse capabilities (vv. 7-14), and our dependence on Christ and one another (vv. 15-16) unite us.

17Then in 4:17-5:14 Paul talks about a particular way believers are to "walk" (4:17; 5:2,8). They are to live out their new identity in purity and love.

We must now pursue submissiveness and stability in Christ (5:15-6:24). Finally, Paul begins to talk about how we should live out Spirit-filled relationships (5:14-6:9). He emphasizes submission, love, and respect in our relationships within the church, marriage, as parents and children, and in the workplace. Christians should pursue harmony in the home, at work, and in the church.

We also have an enemy to stand against (6:10-20). The book closes with vivid imagery of our spiritual battle against the Devil. By the power of God, we are to take our stand.

So Ephesians is teaching us about a whole new way to live. New people pursue different lifestyles than the surrounding culture. That was a challenge in Ephesus, and it is a challenge today.

Don't Lose Your First Love

The final thing I would like to point out is the last phrase in Ephesians 6:23-24. Paul closes this great letter to the saints with an implicit admonition to love Jesus purely and simply: "love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible" (ESV). Reading the book of Ephesians should increase our love for Jesus.

What is interesting about the church in Ephesus is that even though it had an amazing history, the final mention in Revelation 2:1-7 about this great church is that they "abandoned the love [they] had at first."

Think about it: Priscilla and Aquila, Apollos, Paul, Timothy, and later John ministered to this church. What a heritage! Yet about 40 years after the first generation of believers, they had lost their love.

Though they were commended for spotting heresy (Paul predicted wolves would enter in Acts 20, and 1-2 Timothy and 1-3 John illustrate this), they lost their love. They had a cold orthodoxy. We must ask ourselves: Is our service to Jesus mechanical? Do we love Him, or are we just using Him for our own ambitions?

Jesus told them to repent. That is what we must do if we have lost love for Christ: return to extolling Jesus for who He is and what He has done. Let's turn to the book of Ephesians now and find a view of Jesus that should lead us to such exaltation.

Reflect and Discuss