Today’s Ephesus is located in modern day Turkey. At the time the Church was established in Ephesus (+-AD50) the region was called Asia Minor and the Roman Empire had made the city of Ephesus a provincial capital and it hosted around 250,000 residents—the third largest city in the Roman empire.
Ephesus was known as a city of size, wealth, and power. The major economies of the city were rooted in trade and idol worship. The temple of Artemis, located in the heart of the city, was prized as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. From the ocean ports to the theatre to the stadium to the library, Ephesus had so much to offer its inhabitants and visitors and it was considered to be a major cultural centre in the Roman world.
The church at Ephesus was established by the Apostle Paul approximately 15-20 years after the death of Jesus. Paul visited the city on his second missionary journey through the ancient world (Acts 18:19). After planting the church in Ephesus, Paul put a couple named Pricilla and Aquila in charge of the church. Later a man named Apollos joined the leadership team as the main teacher of the local churches in Ephesus. Years later, Paul returned to the city of Ephesus on his third missionary journey and stayed in the city for three years, which was the longest time Paul spent with any of his church plants (Acts 19:8-10).
Paul was eventually forced out of the city when the silversmith union staged a riot (Acts 19:26-41). The reason for this is that the gospel was impacting the sale of trinkets and idols devoted to the goddess Diana.
Over the years, Paul maintained close contact with the leadership of the church in Ephesus. Paul’s farewell to the elders and leaders of the church in Ephesus is recorded in Acts 20. It is one of the most moving and emotional passages in the Bible.
Paul wrote a letter to the Churches in and around Ephesus in about AD62 from prison in Rome and this is what we call the book of Ephesians in the Bible. He appointed his protégé, Timothy, to pastor the church in Ephesus. Later, the apostle John took up the pastorate from Timothy and pastored the church for many years until he was forced into exile on Patmos.
We know more about the church in Ephesus than any other church in the Bible. Seven of the New Testament letters were either written to or about the church in Ephesus, including Ephesians, first and second Timothy, first, second, and third John, and Revelation. The preaching team in Ephesus during this period was very strong and spiritually deep. Paul, Apollos, Timothy, and John all pastored the church in different seasons.
However, it declined in its faith sometime after the Apostle John was exiled to Patmos where he wrote the book of Revelation. In the end, Jesus pointed out to them that they had lost their first love (Revelation 2:1-7).
The word Ephesus means desirable, and in many ways, it was certainly a desirable place to live. In the ancient world, Ephesus was a centre of travel and commerce. Situated on the Aegean Sea at the mouth of the Cayster River, the city was one of the greatest seaports of the ancient world. Three major roads led from the seaport:
- One road went east towards Babylon via Laodicea
- Another to the north via Smyrna
- A third south to the Meander Valley
Several months later (A.D. 57) Paul met with the Ephesian elders on the nearby island of Miletus and made his farewell address (Acts 20). Their mutual love is evident as these tender-hearted men weep over what God has done – and they know they will not see Paul again.
Tradition says that Ephesus became the home of the Apostle John (mid-late 60’s). This may or may not be true, but circumstances make it very possible, if not probable. He was supposed to have taken Mary, the mother of Jesus, there to live (cf. John 19:26-27). John wrote three letters (1st, 2nd, and 3rd John), probably no later than the early A.D. 90s. He wrote from Ephesus and probably to the churches mentioned in Revelation 2:8–3:22. The church by that time had some difficult problems and had apparently undergone a church split.
False teachers had arisen in the church who claimed to have deeper knowledge of the things of God. They claimed to have the “secret” to knowing Christ, but in reality, they denied His bodily incarnation and His deity. They taught many other heretical concepts. Their motive may have been to take some elements of pagan religion and blend them with Christianity, in order to make it more acceptable to the pagan culture.
It was probably during the reign of Domitian (81-96 A.D.) that John was banished to Patmos. He was released and died during the reign of Trajan according to Iraneus (an early church historian). Tradition relates that at a very old age John, too feeble to walk, would be carried into this church’s assembly and would admonish the members, as little children, to love one another. During this period the Lord gives His assessment of the Ephesian church through the apostle John (Revelation 2:1-7). He compliments them on their good works but rebukes them for leaving their first love (Revelation 2:4). He commands immediate action from them to repent, remember, and repeat their first works. (Revelation 2:5).
There is no way of us knowing if they corrected their problem or not, but sadly, the church died sometime during the second century.
In later centuries Ephesus became a leading city of meeting for the councils of the early Roman church – at the birth of Roman Catholisism.
Paul’s main purpose for writing this letter to the Church in Ephesus and consequently to today’s Church, you and I, is to instruct and encourage all believers in their calling to unity as the Body of Christ, and in their growing into Christian maturity.
Let’s now take at look at what we learn from the Book of Ephesians starting with chapter 1 for this article. The other chapters will be examined later on, each chapter in a separate article.
Ephesians 1
Note: All verses from Ephesians Chapter 1 are written in light italics and all other scriptures are in bold italics.
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To God’s holy people in Ephesus,[some earlier manuscripts do not have ‘in Ephesus’] the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
In the first two verses above Paul reinforces the fact that he is an Apostle of Christ and thus carries His authority in the Church. He then goes on to pronounce a blessing of God’s grace and peace over us in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! The custom in the Church at the time was to share these letters with the surrounding Churches in the area!
We (the Church of born again believers) have every spiritual blessing in Christ.
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
In verse 3 Paul sets us a very important lesson for us in our fellowship with God and that is to always give him praise, glory and honour for all that we receive from Him in the endless grace He shows to those in Christ Jesus – those of us that are born again and know Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. We should always display an attitude of gratitude for the gift of salvation we receive from God through Christ Jesus – we are saved by grace so that we cannot boast in our own strength!
In the second part of verse 3, Paul goes on to say that in Christ Jesus we receive every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.
Now here, my dear readers, it is important for us to know that although we live in the world we are not of the world and that because we are born again, we believe in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we are seated with Him in heavenly places. Jesus Himself tells us these things!
So, our next question is this: “What are these spiritual blessings that we receive in the heavenly realms?”
In verses 4 – 14 Paul ‘lists’ these spiritual blessings, all of which we can only receive from our belief and faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. They are imputed to us by His Holy Spirit.
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—
6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
In Christ Jesus, God reveals to us the mystery of His will for ourselves in particular. God takes great pleasure in doing this!
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
So, what is this sealing that verse 13 talks about? It says we have been marked with a seal. The Greek word for seal in this verse is: sphragizo (pronounced sfrag-id'-zo) Strong's #4972 and its full spiritual meaning is:
“to set a seal upon, to mark with a seal, to seal for security from Satan since things sealed up are concealed (as the contents of a letter in a sealed envelope), to hide something from someone else, to keep secret from others in order to mark a person or a thing as belonging to God. This sealing by Holy Spirit confirms and authenticates us as belonging to God in much the same way that a document is sealed of stamped as being authentic – the real deal!”
In Paul’s day seals were used in at least four ways. First, seals were sometimes put on letters to guarantee that it was genuine and that it was written by who it claimed to be written by (1 Kings 21:8; Esther 8:8). Kings might seal their letters with a signet ring. We do something similar when we get a document notarized.
A seal was also sometimes placed on goods or merchandise that was traveling from one place to another to indicate who they belonged to and where they were going. It indicated ownership (2 Cor 1:22; Rev. 7:2; 9:4). Again, we do this with our possessions today all the time. We write our names in our books, or on our kid’s clothes when they go to school. Ranchers brand their cattle. They are placing a mark on it to show ownership.
The third way seals were used in Paul’s day was to show something was authentic and approved (John 6:27). Sometimes when we buy clothes, in one of the pockets will be a little piece of paper saying it has been inspected and approved by someone.
The fourth type of seal was for protection or warning. Remember when Jesus was put in the tomb, Pilate told the soldiers to put his personal seal upon the tomb (Matt 27:66; Eph 4:30). This was to protect the tomb and warn everyone to stay away and keep out!
So, Paul says here that God has placed a seal upon us as well. It is to guarantee that we are genuine, it shows his ownership, who we belong to, it shows that we are approved by God, and it provides us with protection or security from the evil one. He also confirms this in 2 Corinthians 1:21-22!
Thanksgiving and Prayer
15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Paul closes this first chapter in typical fashion by giving thanks to the Lord for the Church in Ephesus not only by pronouncing a blessing upon them but just as importantly reminding them of the greatness of God who has placed all things in the hands of His Son – Jesus Christ our Lord and saviour!
Paul knows that the life of a born again Christian is not his own but belongs to an Almighty God in Christ Jesus and this is reflected in his careful choice of words and turn of phrase like:
Vs 15 “Your love of all God’s people” – we need to love all our brothers and sister in Christ as Jesus does!
Vs 16 “I have not stopped giving thanks” – we need to give God thanks for all things especially our brothers and sisters in Christ!
Vs 16 “remembering you in my prayers” – we mustn’t stop continually praying for all things especially for our brothers and sisters in Christ!
Vs 17 “asking God to fill his children with the Holy Spirit” – we mustn’t stop asking God to continually fill us and our brothers and sisters in Christ with His Holy Spirit! Only in this way will our lives bring glory to Jesus!
Vs 18 “that you may know the hope to which he has called you” – we must continually recognise the fact that we have been called to do great things in Christ Jesus and that our future hope for eternal life is in Jesus and Him alone!
Vs 19 & 20 “and his incomparably great power for us who believe” – it is so important that every born again Christian knows and continually taps into the great power that God gives us who are in Christ Jesus, the power that lives in us is the power of the Holy Spirit, the same power that raised Christ from the dead!
Vs 21 “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion” – we need to recognise, retain and reiterate to ourselves and others that Jesus has supreme authority over all and that His is the Name above all names and we are able to do all things in the power of the name of Jesus – we are co-heirs with Christ!
Vs 22 & 23 here I can say nothing more than what has been written already, “22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Prayer
Heavenly Father I pray in the name of Jesus that you would continually fill me with your Holy Spirit and with a hunger and thirst to read and study your Word more and more that my life in the power of the Holy Spirit would bring glory, honour and praise to the name of Jesus. Amen.
Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for you reading and studying the Bible for yourself. I am flawed the Bible is not!
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To God’s holy people in Ephesus,[some earlier manuscripts do not have ‘in Ephesus’] the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
In the first two verses above Paul reinforces the fact that he is an Apostle of Christ and thus carries His authority in the Church. He then goes on to pronounce a blessing of God’s grace and peace over us in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! The custom in the Church at the time was to share these letters with the surrounding Churches in the area!
We (the Church of born again believers) have every spiritual blessing in Christ.
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
In verse 3 Paul sets us a very important lesson for us in our fellowship with God and that is to always give him praise, glory and honour for all that we receive from Him in the endless grace He shows to those in Christ Jesus – those of us that are born again and know Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. We should always display an attitude of gratitude for the gift of salvation we receive from God through Christ Jesus – we are saved by grace so that we cannot boast in our own strength!
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
In the second part of verse 3, Paul goes on to say that in Christ Jesus we receive every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.
Now here, my dear readers, it is important for us to know that although we live in the world we are not of the world and that because we are born again, we believe in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we are seated with Him in heavenly places. Jesus Himself tells us these things!
John 17:16 (NIV)
They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.
Ephesian 2:6-7 (AMP)
6 And He raised us up together with Him [when we believed], and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, [because we are] in Christ Jesus, 7 [and He did this] so that in the ages to come He might [clearly] show the immeasurable and unsurpassed riches of His grace in [His] kindness toward us in Christ Jesus [by providing for our redemption].
In verses 4 – 14 Paul ‘lists’ these spiritual blessings, all of which we can only receive from our belief and faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. They are imputed to us by His Holy Spirit.
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
- We have been chosen by Jesus to be Holy and blameless.
1 Peter 2:9-10 (AMP)
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people [at all], but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—
- Through Jesus we receive our sonship (and daughtership) in accordance with the Father’s will.
John 1:12-13 (NIV)
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
- Through Jesus we are freely given God’s glorious and all-encompassing grace.
- Through Jesus we have redemption through His blood.
- We have forgiveness of our sins in the richness of God’s grace.
In Christ Jesus, God reveals to us the mystery of His will for ourselves in particular. God takes great pleasure in doing this!
- This will be put into full effect when our Lord returns.
- This will bring unity (in the Spirit) to all things in heaven and on earth under Jesus Christ our Lord.
- This will be done in all the wisdom and understanding of God!
Daniel 2:22 (NIV)
He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with him.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
- In Jesus we were chosen and predestined according to God’s plan for each of His children.
- In Jesus God works out everything for us in accordance with his will.
Romans 8:28-30 (AMP)
28 And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers. 30 And those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified [declared free of the guilt of sin]; and those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity].
- We, the Church of Jesus Christ (those who are born again) are created and predestined to bring glory to HIM!
- We have God’s mark(seal) on us which sets us apart from the world as belonging to God in His image.
- The Holy Spirit is our seal, and He is a deposit that guarantees our redemption.
So, what is this sealing that verse 13 talks about? It says we have been marked with a seal. The Greek word for seal in this verse is: sphragizo (pronounced sfrag-id'-zo) Strong's #4972 and its full spiritual meaning is:
“to set a seal upon, to mark with a seal, to seal for security from Satan since things sealed up are concealed (as the contents of a letter in a sealed envelope), to hide something from someone else, to keep secret from others in order to mark a person or a thing as belonging to God. This sealing by Holy Spirit confirms and authenticates us as belonging to God in much the same way that a document is sealed of stamped as being authentic – the real deal!”
In Paul’s day seals were used in at least four ways. First, seals were sometimes put on letters to guarantee that it was genuine and that it was written by who it claimed to be written by (1 Kings 21:8; Esther 8:8). Kings might seal their letters with a signet ring. We do something similar when we get a document notarized.
A seal was also sometimes placed on goods or merchandise that was traveling from one place to another to indicate who they belonged to and where they were going. It indicated ownership (2 Cor 1:22; Rev. 7:2; 9:4). Again, we do this with our possessions today all the time. We write our names in our books, or on our kid’s clothes when they go to school. Ranchers brand their cattle. They are placing a mark on it to show ownership.
The third way seals were used in Paul’s day was to show something was authentic and approved (John 6:27). Sometimes when we buy clothes, in one of the pockets will be a little piece of paper saying it has been inspected and approved by someone.
The fourth type of seal was for protection or warning. Remember when Jesus was put in the tomb, Pilate told the soldiers to put his personal seal upon the tomb (Matt 27:66; Eph 4:30). This was to protect the tomb and warn everyone to stay away and keep out!
So, Paul says here that God has placed a seal upon us as well. It is to guarantee that we are genuine, it shows his ownership, who we belong to, it shows that we are approved by God, and it provides us with protection or security from the evil one. He also confirms this in 2 Corinthians 1:21-22!
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (AMP)
20 For as many as are the promises of God, in Christ they are [all answered] “Yes.” So through Him we say our “Amen” to the glory of God. 21 Now it is God who establishes and confirms us [in joint fellowship] with you in Christ, and who has anointed us [empowering us with the gifts of the Spirit]; 22 it is He who has also put His seal on us [that is, He has appropriated us and certified us as His] and has given us the [Holy] Spirit in our hearts as a pledge [like a security deposit to guarantee the fulfilment of His promise of eternal life].
Thanksgiving and Prayer
15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Paul closes this first chapter in typical fashion by giving thanks to the Lord for the Church in Ephesus not only by pronouncing a blessing upon them but just as importantly reminding them of the greatness of God who has placed all things in the hands of His Son – Jesus Christ our Lord and saviour!
Paul knows that the life of a born again Christian is not his own but belongs to an Almighty God in Christ Jesus and this is reflected in his careful choice of words and turn of phrase like:
Vs 15 “Your love of all God’s people” – we need to love all our brothers and sister in Christ as Jesus does!
1 John 4:7-8 (NIV)
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Vs 16 “I have not stopped giving thanks” – we need to give God thanks for all things especially our brothers and sisters in Christ!
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Vs 16 “remembering you in my prayers” – we mustn’t stop continually praying for all things especially for our brothers and sisters in Christ!
Vs 17 “asking God to fill his children with the Holy Spirit” – we mustn’t stop asking God to continually fill us and our brothers and sisters in Christ with His Holy Spirit! Only in this way will our lives bring glory to Jesus!
Ephesians 5:18 (AMP)
Do not get drunk with wine, for that is wickedness (corruption, stupidity), but be (continually) filled with the [Holy] Spirit and constantly guided by Him.
Vs 18 “that you may know the hope to which he has called you” – we must continually recognise the fact that we have been called to do great things in Christ Jesus and that our future hope for eternal life is in Jesus and Him alone!
John 14:12 (NIV)
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
Vs 19 & 20 “and his incomparably great power for us who believe” – it is so important that every born again Christian knows and continually taps into the great power that God gives us who are in Christ Jesus, the power that lives in us is the power of the Holy Spirit, the same power that raised Christ from the dead!
Acts 1:8 (AMP)
But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.”
Vs 21 “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion” – we need to recognise, retain and reiterate to ourselves and others that Jesus has supreme authority over all and that His is the Name above all names and we are able to do all things in the power of the name of Jesus – we are co-heirs with Christ!
Romans 8:17 (AMP)
And if [we are His] children, [then we are His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His spiritual blessing and inheritance], if indeed we share in His suffering so that we may also share in His glory.
Philippians 4:13 (AMP)
I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]
Prayer
Heavenly Father I pray in the name of Jesus that you would continually fill me with your Holy Spirit and with a hunger and thirst to read and study your Word more and more that my life in the power of the Holy Spirit would bring glory, honour and praise to the name of Jesus. Amen.
To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!
Jesus the Name above all names!
Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for you reading and studying the Bible for yourself. I am flawed the Bible is not!
