Summary of the Book of Ephesians

Occasion/Purpose

            It is likely that the letter to the Ephesians was written during Paul’s imprisonment in Rome.  Sent with Tychicus the letter was intended not necessarily to a specific audience, but to the churches that had been planted in Asia Minor as a result of the missionary work that had been done there.  Due to the fact that it was a letter addressed to a more general audience Paul refrained from dealing in specifics, but instead offered “the implications of the gospel.”[1]  The purpose of the letter, was not only to deal with the implications of the gospel, but to offer some practical application for Christian living.

Major Themes

            The letter begins by addressing the fact that the Church has been “blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places”.  The central thrust of the gospel message appears in this first portion of the book where we see that those in Christ are chosen in Christ; predestined; that they have redemption and forgiveness and that they are claimed by God to be His own possession, marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit.  The major theme being dealt with here is God’s redemptive work for the elect through Christ.

            Paul goes on to talk about their identity in Christ.  He points out that first they were dead in transgressions and sin and that they found themselves in bondage.  They were, as Paul puts it, by nature vessels of wrath.  Paul contrasts this by showing that they are now alive in Christ and raised up with Him through His grace.  They are God’s own workmanship and they are saved by grace.  The contrast between the old and the new life will appear later in the letter as well.

            Paul shows in the latter part of chapter two that the Gentiles are included in the promise, that they have been “brought near” by the power of Christ’s blood and that Christ destroyed the barrier that was between the Jew and the Gentile where salvation was concerned.  Two nationalities represented by two men who in Christ are made one reconciling both to God.  The theme of inclusion is strongly worded in the letter showing that the Gentiles are clearly a part of the promise of new life in Christ.  Paul refers to this as “the mystery of the Gospel” being revealed.  The inclusion of the Gentiles is expressed metaphorically referring to them as “fellow citizens”, “members of the household of God”, and “a holy temple in the Lord.”  The thrust of this passage comes when Paul states “In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” (Eph 2:22)

            Paul stresses the need for unity in the Body of Christ, likely because of the fact that there may have been some tension between Jew and Gentile believers in any congregation of the time.  There is a call for humility and gentleness, patience and love in order to maintain unity and peace.  The idea of unity is emphasized as Paul shows that there is one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God.  In the same way, there is one body of believers.  Paul lays groundwork for how we can practically be in unity in the first half of chapter four.

            New life in Christ is another central theme to the book of Ephesians.  The believers are encouraged not to live as they once did, but instead to be “renewed in the spirit of [their] minds” (Eph 4:23) and to “put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Eph. 4:24)  Again, practical application follows the exhortation and Paul unpacks what it looks like to put on the new self, which leads into the fifth chapter and includes mutual submission within the body of Christ. 

            Paul expands on the concept of mutual submission and gets into specifics of submission within marital relationships, child and parent relationships and bondservant and master relationships.  The key concept throughout all of these is a mutual submission that leads to the spiritual growth of all involved.  Paul is not suggesting a hierarchy in these passages, but rather a community that willingly submits to one another, the end goal being transformation into the new self.

            Finally Paul shows us that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12)  There is more to the battle than we see in the world day to day and Paul is pointing out the need to be fully equipped.  As believers they were given armor with which to fight the enemy and Paul is exhorting them to do so and he gives clear imagery that helps understand the function of each of the elements of armor.  Stand firm.

Application for Today

            Because it is written as a general letter the application for Ephesians is not culturally bound but is incredibly applicable to today.  First we see the Gospel message, which we are well aware, is timeless, the truth and power of what Christ did is as relevant and useful in sharing the message of Christ as it was when Paul penned this letter.

            Identity in Christ is central to the development of Christians, it is because of our identity that we grow and change.  If we change for any other reason than our adopted identity then we risk falling into a debtor’s ethic and thinking that we are somehow repaying something that God has done.  We must understand that the outworking of Christ in us is a result of who Christ is in us first.

            It almost seems silly to have to point out the importance of unity in the body of Christ today but we must address it.  Earlier this week I heard about a pastor who was bad-mouthing another local church.  I know that there were some hard feelings between the two but surely this is not a promotion of the kind of unity that Paul is calling for in the letter to the Ephesians.  This is an example a bit more on a macro level, but on a smaller scale we see disunity even among members of the same congregation, often over matters as small as choosing a new color to paint the walls.  It might be time to return to the unity that Paul was speaking of when we are so easily divided over trivial matters.

            The idea of community in mutual submission that leads to growth and new life is also very applicable to today.  The idea that we should be renewed in our minds and see different conduct as a result is clearly laid out by Paul in this letter.  This is timeless and fully applicable to today.  Do we really live in mutual submission that is driven by the desire to see growth in other members of the body?  I think we might need unity to understand the model and to actually see this take effect.  Assuming that you have unity, this message of submission that leads to changed lives becomes not an individualistic venture, but a communal goal.  Imagine a community dedicated to growth in one another, this is the vision Paul had for the Church.

            All in all the book of Ephesians has little cultural baggage that prevents us from applying it to today.  It offers a model for Christ-centered community living that sheds light on the journey of sanctification and relationship that leads to being the saints of the Body of Christ.

Additional Details on Ephesus

Ephesus was the fourth largest city in the empire and “the most important city in the Roman province of Asia, on the W coast of what is now Asiatic Turkey. It was situated at the mouth of the Caÿster River between the mountain range of Coressus and the sea.”^[2]  Until about 100 B.C. Ephesus had relied on its port as a main source of income.  “A fine street ran through the city (11 m wide) from the harbor warves at the river mouth to the great theater where the level land began to rise toward Mount Pion a boulevard of some beauty and lined by fine buildings and columned porticoes.  It was the main artery of Ephesian life, destined in later years to be even more richly adorned.” [3]

One of the major exports of the city at the time preceding 100 B.C. was timber.  Unfortunately, due to massive deforestation the earth around the harbor began to erode and the harbor began to silt up, not allowing for larger ships to enter the port.  Over the years the problem would become nearly impossible to repair, and by the last century B.C. Ephesus was undoubtedly suffering financial strain as a result of lost trade. 

Around the 15^th century B.C. however, a new stream of income would arise in Ephesus, the worship of a pagan goddess would lead to prosperity once again.   When the city was first founded “…the son of Codrus, last king of Athens…placed his colonists near the shrine of an ancient Anatolian goddess whom the Greeks, following the religious syncretism common in the ancient world, called after their own goddess – Artemis.”[4]  Artemis, or Diana was a pagan fertility goddess whose worship rituals consisted of orgiastic rituals and temple prostitution, a common practice among pagan worship of the time.

When the harbor became of little use the Ephesians needed to find a new source of income for their city and Artemis became their financial redeemer.  The goddess found her dwelling in what is deemed one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, “It is said that the building was four times the size of Athens’ magnificent Parthenon.”[5]  The temple that was standing at the time of the early Christian church was not the original temple, but one that had been rebuilt for the third time after having been destroyed in past wars.  The magnificent building contained over 120 columns of solid stone, each engraved with beautiful detail and worshippers came from all over Asia to worship the goddess.  With the worshippers came their money.  In what is the modern equivalent to the tourism industry, Ephesus became a place where foreigners’ money would lead to abundant wealth.

As people would flood into the city to worship the goddess they would bring with them hungry mouths, and a need for bathhouses and places to sleep.  Even more profitable than the income from room and board was the silver trade.  Many in Ephesus would train to be silversmiths and would then cast small, portable shrines of the Artemis, which they would then sell to those visiting the temple.  The goddess quickly replaced the income that was lost by the silted harbor and Ephesus once again found itself among the wealthier cities in Asia.  It is in this time of financial abundance that Paul would first appear in Ephesus, bringing with him a message that threatened the very foundation of their newfound wealth.

In what appears to be a very short visit Paul appears in Ephesus to reason in the synagogue.  His first visit would be considered a success in that he is asked to remain in Ephesus and continue teaching.  It is clear however that Paul had other business to attend to as he left them, insisting that if God willed, he would return.[6]  His subsequent visit would not result in such a warm welcome. 

Shortly after leaving Ephesus to continue his missionary work, a new name would appear on the scene in Ephesus.  Apollos of Alexandria had “been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.”[7]  After Priscilla and Aquila hear of his lack of knowledge on the baptism of John, they take it upon themselves to train him in the message Paul had earlier taught them, and he was sent off as a missionary, to do the work of the Lord.

Shortly after Apollos leaves Ephesus, Paul returns and discovers some disciples in that city.  He asks them which baptism they had received, and upon the response “John’s” he laid hands on them, and they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, spoke in tongues and prophesied.  After this encounter with new believers in Ephesus, Paul proceeded to the synagogue where he preached and reasoned for three months. When conflict arises in the synagogue, Paul withdraws to the hall of Tyrannus, where he would continue to preach every day for two years.  During this time of teaching many miracles began to take place.  People were healed and demons were exercised, but the most significant event was the public burning of many books dedicated to magic arts as the people of Ephesus began to turn to the message of the Gospel.

The author of Acts is sure to mention the financial value of the articles being burned (50 thousand pieces of silver)[8] before narrating the riot that soon followed.  Demetrius, one of the silver smiths of the city, began speaking against Paul and told his fellow guildsmen that Paul had said, “gods made of hands are not gods”[9], a statement that would threaten the silversmith’s very livelihood.  As a result they dragged Gaius and Aristarchus[10] into the theatre to bring charges against them.  The riot took place in the theatre which some speculate held up to 25,000 people[11].  Paul wanted to go to see what would transpire but was urged not to by some Asiarchs[12] friends, not to go.  After two hours of chanting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians[13] the crowd was finally calmed by the town clerk.  The riot ended and the crowd dissipated and shortly thereafter, Paul continued on his missionary journey.

       Some time later Paul, heading to Jerusalem, would call the elders of the Ephesian church together to commission them and to tell them they would not see one another again.  The heartfelt response of the elders suggests that Paul’s involvement there was nothing shy of deeply influential.  Paul had spent time with these leaders, training them to minister in this hostile environment.

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[1] Frank E. Gaebelein and J. D. Douglas, The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Ephesians - Philemon: With the New International Version of the Holy Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Pub. House, 1978), 16.

^[2] Green, E. M. B., & Hemer, C. J. (1996). Ephesus. In D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer & D. J. Wiseman (Eds.), New Bible dictionary (D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer & D. J. Wiseman, Ed.) (3rd ed.) (327). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

[3] J. D. Douglas, Merrill C. Tenney, and Moisés Silva, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), pg. #326.

[4] J. D. Douglas, Merrill C. Tenney, and Moisés Silva, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), pg. #326.

[5] J. D. Douglas, Merrill C. Tenney, and Moisés Silva, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), pg. #328.

[6] Acts 18:18-21

[7] Acts 18:25

[8] Acts 19:19

[9] Acts 19:26

[10] Leaders under Paul in Ephesus

[11] Various sources citied similar statistics

[12] High ranking officers in Asia

[13] Acts 19:34

Bibliography

Gaebelein, Frank E., and J. D. Douglas. The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Ephesians - Philemon: With the New International Version of the Holy Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Pub. House, 1978.

Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2001.

New, Bible Dictionary. New Bible Dictionary. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 1996.

New American Standard Bible. Anaheim, CA: Foundation Pub., 1997.

Calvin, John. 1, 2 Timothy and Titus. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1998.

Douglas, J. D., Merrill C. Tenney, and Moisés Silva. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011.

Erdman, Charles R. The Pastoral Epistles of Paul: An Exposition. Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Press, 1966.

Hendriksen, William. Commentary on 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus. London: Banner of Truth Trust, 1959.

Hughes, R. Kent., and Bryan Chapell. 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus: To Guard the Deposit. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2000.

Knight, George W. The Pastoral Epistles: A Commentary on the Greek Text. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 1992.

Lea, Thomas D., and Hayne P. Griffin. 1, 2 Timothy, Titus. Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1992.

Liefeld, Walter L. 1 & 2 Timothy/Titus: The NIV Application Commentary from Biblical Text--to Contemporary Life. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1999.

Stott, John R. W. The Message of 2 Timothy: Guard the Gospel. Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1984.

Towner, Philip H. The Letters to Timothy and Titus. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub., 2006.