An Overview of Ephesians: Paul’s Letter to the Christians at Ephesus
________________________________________
Historical/Grammatical Method of Interpretation requires us to first look at the historical context in which Paul wrote the letter of Ephesians and in which the Christians in that city received it.
What was the Religious/Political/Social/Cultural situation in Ephesus at the time Paul wrote this letter? Could this give us some clues as to why Paul wrote this letter and to its content?
1. THE CHRONOLOGY OF PAUL’S MINISTRY IN EPHESUS – ACTS 18:18-20:1
After spending a year and 6 months preaching in Corinth (Acts 18:11). Paul sailed to Syria with a Christian couple, Aquila and Priscilla, on what may be called his second missionary journey. Paul and his two companions arrived in Ephesus (Acts 18:19).
Paul left Aquila and Priscilla in Ephesus while he sailed to Jerusalem to keep a feast promising to return if God willed.
It’s possible that Aquila and Priscilla were the first people to bring the gospel to the city of
Ephesus. After Paul left this couple in Ephesus, God sent a man named Apollos, who was mighty in the scriptures to Ephesus to preach and teach God’s Word (Acts 18:24-28).
Aquila and Priscilla mentored Apollos after hearing him preach the gospel of Christ.
While all of this is taking place in Ephesus, Paul spent some time traveling around the region of Galatia and Phrygia giving strength to the disciples.
Finally, Paul returned to Ephesus where he preached and taught for at least 2 years and possibly 3 (Acts 19:1). After Paul left, according to John McArthur, Timothy pastored the church at Ephesus for perhaps a year and a half.
Paul began his ministry in Ephesus around 53 AD. Historically he wrote the Ephesian letter in around 62 AD from Rome.
2. THE CONTEXT OF PAUL’S MINISTRY IN EPHESUS AND HIS LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS
The ancient city of Ephesus was famous for having one of the seven wonders of the ancient world "The Temple of Diana" within its borders. Worshippers of Diana or Artemis formed a cult of people who aggressively sought to convert people to worship of their goddess Diana.
• Diana/Artemis was attributed to have cosmic powers, able to exercise her powers for the benefit of the devotee against the powers from other ’spirits’ or ’gods’.
• Artemis was also a goddess of the underworld, possessing authority and control over the multiplicity of demons of the dead as well as the demons of nature and everyday life.
It’s well documented that Ephesus in the first century was a magnet for the practitioners of magic. Not David Copperfield magic, where he does illusions and makes things disappear, but Uri Gellar magic, like bending spoons or metal objects with your mind, etc. The kind of magic practiced by witches and wiccans where they cast spells and chant incantations, use symbols embedded with power and other objects of worship.
Clinton Arnold, Assistant Professor of New Testament at Biola University and Talbot School of Theology has written a study of Ephesians titled Ephesians, Power and Magic.
In this book Clinton states:
"The epistle was written to an area famed as the center for magical practices in western Asia Minor; presumably (and according to Luke), many converts came into the church forsaking a background of magical practices. It is then certainly conceivable that the epistle could be concerned with addressing issues arising in the community related to the former (or, perhaps continuing) practice of magic on the part of some of the converts."
In other words, the reason Paul included the most comprehensive instruction on spiritual warfare contained in the entire New Testament was because Christians needed help in this area of getting and remaining free from occult habits and satanic/demonic attacks.
"…a city in the grip of superstition, fear, demonism and darkness. It was a city devoted to sex and to religion--in other words it was the San Francisco of the Roman empire...it was a center for witchcraft, superstition, demonism. A weird mixture of black arts, worship of demons, astrology, occult practices of various kinds...(which) filled this city of priests, magicians, witches, warlocks and quacks of every kind." - Ray Stedman, Off Witchcraft
It was into a context of mysticism and magical practice that Paul wrote this letter to the Ephesians. It seems logical to conclude at this point, that if Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians to Christians coming out of the occult, that all of the truths and themes making up the content of Ephesians should in some way relate to or be useful for "doing battle with the devil and evil spirits."
3. THE CONTENT OF PAUL’S LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS
"The first 3 chapters are theological, emphasizing NT doctrine, whereas the last 3 chapters are practical and focus on Christian behavior." - Dr. John McArthur
What are the major themes written about by Paul in his letter to the Ephesians?
1. Mystery - A heretofore unrevealed truth. In Ephesians Paul refers to the mystery of the church, or the fact that the gentiles are fellow heirs with the Jews of the promises and salvation of God.
Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians in order to light up their dark world. The letter was to function like a flashlight. Paul revealed to the Ephesians what had previously remained unkown to them. He set about to shed light on their life in Christ. The world out of which these Christians had come was one of darkness. Because many of them had emerged from a background of occult practices, their lives had been permeated by the darkness that surrounds people who practice the dark arts of witchcraft, voodoo, satanism, occultism and idolatry.
Paul wanted to enlighten the Ephesians from their darkness and shine a light on truths they needed to understand and take their stand on. He wanted them first to understand these truths and then take their stand on these truths.
We might say that the first three chapters set out to help the Ephesians to understand basic spiritual truths. The last 3 chapters set out to enable the Ephesians to "take their stand" on what they now understand.
2. The church is Christ’s body - The community of Christians is a living organism not a dead organization.
3. The church is Christ’s bride - Chosen to be holy and spotless reserved only for Him.
4. The riches and fullness of blessing to believers - All Christians have been and are blessed by Christ with unfathonable spiritual wealth.
4. The armor of God - Weapons given to each believer to defend and take offense against Satan and His evil spirits.
4. THE COMPONENTS OF PAUL’S LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS
I would like to suggest a tentative, preachable outline of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.
I. Chapters 1 - 3: What Paul wants them to understand
II. Chapters 4-6: How Paul wants them to take their stand
What is it Paul wants them to understand in chapters 1-3?
V.1 - Understand that my office/gifts/authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ, a witness of the resurrected Christ, is God’s desire and doing.
V.2 - Understand that this letter is addressed to saints who live in Ephesus and are faithful to Jesus Christ.
V.3 - Understand that God the Father "has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly place in Christ".
Why would this be important to the Christians in Ephesus? Having come from a past involvement in occult spells and charm magic, these Christians would be familiar with the concept and practice of using curses against people.
In America, when we use the word ’curse’, we typically think of four-letter words uttered in anger or frustration.
In our minds, this type of swearing is harmless and believed by some to be helpful, in relieving negative emotions and stress.
Of course Christians are commanded by Paul not to let unwholesome talk come out of their mouth, which would preclude cursing of this type.
But there is another meaning of the word ’curse’ that is important for us to understand as it relates to Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.
This meaning comes from the Old Testament of the Bible. In the worldview of the people’s living in the old testament, a ’curse’ was not merely a harmless verbal expression of one’s anger or disatisfaction. It was, quite literally, a harmful verbal pronoucement by a person or group for evil to befall a person or group of persons.
"Cursing in the Old Testament is a power concept meant to release negative spiritual power against the object, person or place being cursed." - Dr. Ed Murphy, The Handbook of Spiritual Warfare
In the Bible there are curses placed by God, God’s servants, Satan or Satan’s servants. These comprise four possible sources of curses as found in the Bible.
The Bible opens and closes with curses. In Genesis 3:14-19 God curses the ’serpent’ and the ’ground’ because of Adam and Eve’s sin.
What does it mean that God curses this animal and the earth?
God releases His power of judgment upon these two creations to the result that something bad or negative happens to them.
In the serpent’s case, it loses its ability to walk and now must slither on the ground eating dust. In the ground’s case it loses it’s ability to only produce healthy vegetables and plants and also mingles with it thorns and thistles.
The Bible ends with the removing of the God-given curse in Revelation 22:3.
3 And there shall be no curse any more: and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be therein: and his servants shall serve him;
Rev 22:3 (ASV)
202 times the Bible references curses being pronounced. Of those 202 times, 143 of them is God or God through His servant doing the cursing.
So, cursing is a very real part of the spirit world; not just the world of the Old Testament or New Testament, but also of our modern world, the 21st century.
An acquintance of mine was once cursed by a witch. He got sick for 7 days vomiting and deathly ill until a friend who understood spiritual warfare came to his home and prayed over him. Subsequently he was healed from his sickness.
CURSE
kurs (’alah (Nu 5:21,23,17, etc.), me’erah (Prov 3:33; Mal 2:2, etc.), klalah (Gen 27:12,13); katara (Gal 3:10,13)): This word as noun and verb renders different Hebrew words, some of them being more or less synonymous, differing only in degree of strength. It is often used in contrast with "bless" or "blessing" (Dt 11:29). When a curse is pronounced against any person, we are not to understand this as a mere wish, however violent, that disaster should overtake the person in question, any more than we are to understand that a corresponding "blessing" conveys simply a wish that prosperity should be the lot of the person on whom the blessing is invoked. A curse was considered to possess an inherent power of carrying itself into effect. Prayer has been defined as a wish referred to God. Curses (or blessings) were imprecations referred to supernatural beings in whose existence and power to do good or inflict harm primitive man believed. The use of magic and spells of all kinds is based on the belief that it is possible to enlist the support of the superhuman beings with whom the universe abounds, and to persuade them to carry out the suppliant’s wishes. It has been suggested that spells were written on pieces of parchment and cast to the winds in the belief that they would find their way to their proper destination--that some demoniac being would act as postman and deliver them at the proper address. In Zec (5:1-3) the "flying roll," with curses inscribed on it "goeth forth over the face of the whole land." It would find its way into the house of every thief and perjurer. But it was not always possible to commit curses to writing, it was enough to utter them aloud. Generally the name of some deity would be coupled with such imprecations, as Goliath cursed David by his gods (1 Sam 17:43). Such curses once uttered possessed the power of self-realization. It was customary for heads of families in their declining years to bless their children, such a blessing being, not simply a paternal wish that their children should prosper in life, but a potent factor in determining their welfare (Gen 9:25). in this case Jacob seeks his father’s blessing, which was more than his father’s good wishes for his future career. Such blessings and curses were independent of moraI considerations. Before moral distinctions played any part in molding theological conceptions it was not necessary, before a spell could be effectual, that the individual against whom the spell was pronounced should be deserving, on moral grounds, of the fate which was invoked on him. It was sufficient that he should be the foe of the author of the curse. We may assume that such curses signalized the commencement of a battle. But in process of time such indiscriminate imprecations would not satisfy enlightened moral judgment. In the dramatic situation depicted in Dt (11:29; 27:12 f) the curse was placed on Mt. Ebal and the blessing. on Mr. Gerizim. But the curse was the penalty for disobedience, as the blessing was the reward for obedience. The Book of Prov (26:2) summarily dismisses the traditional belief--"the curse that is causeless alighteth not." "In the discourses of Jesus we find blessings and curses. They are however simply authoritative declarations of the eternal connection between right doing and happiness, wrong doing and misery" (Cheyne).
Whereas curses by ordinary persons were considered more or less efficacious--some god being always only too glad to speed them on their way to their destination--yet special persons--"holy" persons--in virtue of their special relation to Divine beings possessed special powers of pronouncing effectual curses on account of their powers of enlisting supernatural aid. Balaam, according to the narrative in Nu (22 f), was an expert in the article Balak was convinced that Balaam’s curse would bring about the defeat of the Israelites (see Gray, "Numbers," ICC).
The term--and the thing signified--plays an important part in Paul’s interpretation of the cross. In the light of the law all men are guilty. There is no acquittal through appeal to a law that commands and never forgives--prohibits and never relents. The violator of the law is under a curse. His doom has been pronounced. Escape is impossible. But on the cross Jesus Christ endured the curse--for "cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree" (Gal 3:10,13)--and a curse that has overtaken its victim is a spent force.
See PUNISHMENTS.
Jesus commands His disciples, "Bless them that curse you" (Lk 6:28; compare Rom 12:14). He Himself cursed the fruitless fig tree (Mk 11:21)--a symbol of the doom of a fruitless people.
Curse as the rendering of cherem, implies a totally different, idea.
See ACCURSED.
T. Lewis
How does all of this relate to the Ephesian believers Paul was writing to and to us today?
PRACTICAL APPLICATION...
1. I am a blessed person living on a cursed planet. - "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ..." - Eph.1:3 (NKJV)
Before we launch into an explanation of what I mean by that statement I want you to feel the emotional power in these simple words.
"I AM BLESSED NOT CURSED!" There’s power in those words. The Bible tells us that words hold the power of life and death.
With my words I can build you up or tear you down.
Paul begins by worshipping God the Father. Paul blesses God in this opening statement. Then Paul describes what God has done. Paul says that God has "blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ."
Circle the word ’every’. God has not withheld any good thing from our lives. There’s nothing God has withheld from us that He knows is good for us.
Every possible blessing that can come from God our Father, He has already given to us.
Paul says that these blessings have been given to us "in the heavenly places in Christ."
This expression, "in the heavenlies" or "in the heavenly places" is an expression only used by Paul in the New Testament. Paul uses it 5 times in Ephesisans (Murphy, THSW, p.323)
"The Christian really operates in two spheres: the human and the divine, the visible and the invisible. Physically, he is on the earth in a human body, but spiritually he is seated with Christ in the heavenly sphere -- and it is this heavenly sphere that provides power and direction for his earthly walk. The President of the United States is not always seated at his desk in the White House, but that executive chair represents the sphere of his life and power. No matter where he is, he is the President, because only he has the privilege of sitting at the desk. Likewise with the Christian: no matter where he may be on this earth, he is seated in the heavenlies with Jesus Christ, and this is the basis of his life and power." - Dr. Warren Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary
The word Paul uses for ’blessed’ is the greek word ’eulogano’. God has eulogized us. We get our word ’eulogy’ from this greek word.
What is it exactly that God has done?
I believe it is something God has done ’behind us’, ’in us’ and ’before us’. In other words, God’s blessing is something He has done in our past, in our present and in our future.
HOW HAS GOD BLESSED ME AS A CHRISTIAN?
1. GOD’S BLESSING IS SOMETHING HE HAS DONE BEHIND ME. - V.4-6 - "...just as He (God) chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the beloved."
A. Before I was born God chose me.
B. Before I was born God decided to adopt me.
C. Before I was born God decided to accept me into His family.
Paul attributes all of this to God’s love and grace. He chose me because He loved me. He adopted me and accepted me as the outflow of His gracious character. Not that I deserved God’s kindness, but simply because God wanted to and willed to.
And because it pleased God to bless me, that is to choose me, adopt me and accept me, then I was blessed by God.
In Genesis 3 God cursed the ground for Adam’s sin. He released His negative spiritual energy against it as a means of judgment for the sin committed by Adam.
God did not curse people in Genesis 3, He cursed the ground on account of them. But He did not curse people.
The Ephesian believers were no longer cursed but blessed by God.
One of the things that happens with those who seek to get out of the occult is that once they have left, those members remaining seek to place curses on the people who have left in order to hurt them or pressure them back into the group.
The blessings they now enjoyed were as real and more powerful than the curses they once cast. They were no longer at the mercy of evil spirits but recipients of the mercy of God.
Salvation in Christ is infinitely more powerful than any satanic spell or curse. Paul is telling them ’The power you now have "in Christ" goes beyond any power you once had "in the cult/coven".
The power of Christ is stronger than the power of an entire coven of witches or wiccans or warlocks, etc.
As the recipient of God’s saving mercy I am no longer at the mercy of Satan or evil spirits.
Instead of living in constant fear of what Satan or spirits or the other cult members might do to them, these Ephesian Christians could now live in faith and confidence in the blessings they possessed from God in Christ.
I own some real estate in Heaven now because Christ has given it to me. I have a stake to claim in Heaven now. I now have a stake to claim.
Satan wants to make you and I feel like a squatter, like we don’t deserve to possess salvation or a home in heaven.
Satan constantly wants us to feel that we’re not worthy of all that we have been given by God.
In fact, Satan wants us to doubt that we even have been saved by God. He wants us to doubt and fret and be afraid and worry constantly over whether or not we’re going to make it to heaven.
One of the things the Ephesian Christians would have had to deal with also is nagging doubts about their salvation.
Satan would constantly try to tell them that what they had experienced in Jesus wasn’t real, wasn’t lasting, wasn’t powerful.
He’d slip in their ear and say, "You know when Paul was preaching about Jesus dying on the cross for your sins and you believed his message and trusted Christ? That wasn’t real. It didn’t really happen. You didn’t mean it."
All of these lies Satan would whisper into their ear just like he whispers them into your ears, causing you to doubt that you’re truly saved and secure in your relationship with God through Christ.
Paul didn’t want them to struggle with that accusation or insinuation from Satan. So he reminded them...it’s done. God has blessed you. There was a real and specific point in your past when God definitely decided to save you and bring you to heaven as part of His family.
God did this before you were even born. God did this because He is good.
2. GOD’S BLESSING IS SOMETHING HE HAS DONE IN ME. - V.7 - 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him
Eph 1:7-10 (NKJV)
Redemption - A releasing effected by payment or ransom.
We have ’release’. We have been released. We have been bought.
A. We were redeemed from sin. - "...the forgiveness of sins..."
B. We were redeemed by grace. - "...according to the riches of His grace..."
C. We were redeemed for God’s pleasure. - "...according to the His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself..."
D. We were redeemed to Christ. - "...that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth -- in Him."
3. GOD’S BLESSING IS SOMETHING HE HAS DONE BEFORE ME. - 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, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 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.
Eph 1:11-14 (NKJV)
There is an ’Already Not Yet’ aspect of redemption according to Paul.
God the Father has ’already’ saved us but we have ’not yet’ come into the full possession of all that God intends for us to have.
Heaven is waiting. Rewards (Crowns) are waiting. The transformation of our earthly bodies. Reunion with saved loved ones.
These are all aspects of our salvation we will one day possess when life on this earth is over.
