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Introduction to Ephesians
New book today! Look below for some introductory material, but first just a quick comment on the beginning of Ephesians. After the initial greeting comes a monster of a sentence. The NET Bible has a good note explaining it:
"Ephesians 1:3–14 comprises one long sentence in Greek, with three major sections. Each section ends with a note of praise for God (vv. 6, 12, 14), focusing on a different member of the Trinity. After an opening summary of all the saints’ spiritual blessings (v. 3), the first section (vv. 4–6) offers up praise that the Father has chosen us in eternity past; the second section (vv. 7–12) offers up praise that the Son has redeemed us in the historical past (i.e., at the cross); the third section (vv. 13–14) offers up praise that the Holy Spirit has sealed us in our personal past, at the point of conversion." [1]
That's right - ONE SENTENCE. Greek New Testaments usually put periods at the three main divisions, but grammatically and conceptually this huge chunk of verses is really one big overarching thought. Take some time to read it again and try to break down how the thought flows - check for modifiers and other things to show you how the thoughts relate to each other. It'll take some work, but you'll be glad you took the time to do it.
Now, introductory material:
"PURPOSE
A. The theme of the book is found in 1:10 and 4:1–10, which emphasizes the unity of all things in Christ. Christ restores the image of God in man and in the world (kosmos).
B. Ephesians is one of Paul’s four prison letters. The outlines of Ephesians and Colossians are very similar. Colossians was written to combat the heresy of incipient Gnosticism in the Lycus River Valley of Asia Minor. Ephesians was written as a circular letter to the same area to prepare the other churches for the coming heresy. Colossians is a terse, hard-hitting letter, while Ephesians is an extended logical presentation of the same truths using very long sentences: (1:3–14, 15–23; 2:1–9; 3:1–7, etc.).
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COLOSSIANS AND EPHESIANS
A. The historical relationship between Colossians and Ephesians
1. Epaphras (Col. 1:7; 4:12; Philemon 23) was converted during Paul’s Ephesian campaign (Acts 19)
a. He took his newly found faith back to his home area, the Lycus River Valley.
b. He started three churches—in Hierapolis, Laodicea and Colossae.
c. Epaphras sought Paul for advice on how to combat this merging of world views by the heretics. Paul was in prison at Rome (early 60’s).
2. False teachers came and began to merge the gospel with Greek ontology
a. spirit and matter were co-eternal
b. spirit (God) was good
c. matter (creation) was evil
d. a series of eons (angelic levels) existed between the good high God and a lesser god who formed matter
e. salvation was based on knowledge of secret passwords which helped people progress through the eons (angelic levels)
B. The literary relationship between Paul’s two letters
1. Paul heard of the heresy in these churches which he had never visited personally.
2. Paul wrote a hard-hitting letter in short, emotional sentences, directed at the false teachers. The central theme was the cosmic lordship of Jesus. This is known as Paul’s letter to the Colossians.
3. Apparently, soon after writing Colossians, with time on his hands in prison, he developed these same themes. Ephesians is characterized by long sentences and developed theological concepts (1:3–14, 15–23; 2:1–10, 14–18, 19–22; 3:1–12, 14–19; 4:11–16; 6:13–20). It takes Colossians as a starting point and draws out its theological implications. Its central theme is the unity of all things in Christ, which was a contrast to the incipient gnostic concept." [1]
Introduction to Ephesians
New book today! Look below for some introductory material, but first just a quick comment on the beginning of Ephesians. After the initial greeting comes a monster of a sentence. The NET Bible has a good note explaining it:
"Ephesians 1:3–14 comprises one long sentence in Greek, with three major sections. Each section ends with a note of praise for God (vv. 6, 12, 14), focusing on a different member of the Trinity. After an opening summary of all the saints’ spiritual blessings (v. 3), the first section (vv. 4–6) offers up praise that the Father has chosen us in eternity past; the second section (vv. 7–12) offers up praise that the Son has redeemed us in the historical past (i.e., at the cross); the third section (vv. 13–14) offers up praise that the Holy Spirit has sealed us in our personal past, at the point of conversion." [1]
That's right - ONE SENTENCE. Greek New Testaments usually put periods at the three main divisions, but grammatically and conceptually this huge chunk of verses is really one big overarching thought. Take some time to read it again and try to break down how the thought flows - check for modifiers and other things to show you how the thoughts relate to each other. It'll take some work, but you'll be glad you took the time to do it.
Now, introductory material:
"PURPOSE
A. The theme of the book is found in 1:10 and 4:1–10, which emphasizes the unity of all things in Christ. Christ restores the image of God in man and in the world (kosmos).
B. Ephesians is one of Paul’s four prison letters. The outlines of Ephesians and Colossians are very similar. Colossians was written to combat the heresy of incipient Gnosticism in the Lycus River Valley of Asia Minor. Ephesians was written as a circular letter to the same area to prepare the other churches for the coming heresy. Colossians is a terse, hard-hitting letter, while Ephesians is an extended logical presentation of the same truths using very long sentences: (1:3–14, 15–23; 2:1–9; 3:1–7, etc.).
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COLOSSIANS AND EPHESIANS
A. The historical relationship between Colossians and Ephesians
1. Epaphras (Col. 1:7; 4:12; Philemon 23) was converted during Paul’s Ephesian campaign (Acts 19)
a. He took his newly found faith back to his home area, the Lycus River Valley.
b. He started three churches—in Hierapolis, Laodicea and Colossae.
c. Epaphras sought Paul for advice on how to combat this merging of world views by the heretics. Paul was in prison at Rome (early 60’s).
2. False teachers came and began to merge the gospel with Greek ontology
a. spirit and matter were co-eternal
b. spirit (God) was good
c. matter (creation) was evil
d. a series of eons (angelic levels) existed between the good high God and a lesser god who formed matter
e. salvation was based on knowledge of secret passwords which helped people progress through the eons (angelic levels)
B. The literary relationship between Paul’s two letters
1. Paul heard of the heresy in these churches which he had never visited personally.
2. Paul wrote a hard-hitting letter in short, emotional sentences, directed at the false teachers. The central theme was the cosmic lordship of Jesus. This is known as Paul’s letter to the Colossians.
3. Apparently, soon after writing Colossians, with time on his hands in prison, he developed these same themes. Ephesians is characterized by long sentences and developed theological concepts (1:3–14, 15–23; 2:1–10, 14–18, 19–22; 3:1–12, 14–19; 4:11–16; 6:13–20). It takes Colossians as a starting point and draws out its theological implications. Its central theme is the unity of all things in Christ, which was a contrast to the incipient gnostic concept." [1]
[1] Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Biblical Studies Press, 2006), Eph 1:3.
[2] Robert James Utley, vol. Volume 8, Paul Bound, the Gospel Unbound: Letters from Prison (Colossians, Ephesians and Philemon, Then Later, Philippians), Study Guide Commentary Series (Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International, 1997), 62-65.
[2] Robert James Utley, vol. Volume 8, Paul Bound, the Gospel Unbound: Letters from Prison (Colossians, Ephesians and Philemon, Then Later, Philippians), Study Guide Commentary Series (Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International, 1997), 62-65.
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