epistle to the ephesians

epistle to the ephesians

The work he began on this occasion was carried forward by Apollos[23] and Aquila and Priscilla. Lastly, we know from the Epistle to the Colossians, that St. Paul did write a letter to New Testament in Greek, Appendix p.123. But Paul’s *preaching affected their tra… Acts 20: 4), also point to Rome, where the apostle might utilize them for evangelistic work. Some would read: "The saints who are really such ;" others: "the saints existing and faithful in Jesus Christ ;" still others: "the saints who are also faithful." Deissmann correctly remarks, however, that "the personal element is less prominent in it than the impersonal." Now if we examine the internal evidence, we find that it certainly favors the idea that this Epistle was not intended for the Ephesian church exclusively, for (1) It contains no references to the peculiar circumstances of the Ephesian church, but might be addressed to any of the churches founded by Paul. Still other scholars suggest there is a lack of conclusive evidence. While it derives its point from the Epistles similarity to Colossians, their cogency depends on the unlikeness of this letter to the other Epistles of Paul. It looks at language, customs, scope and structure, word studies, textual criticism, and historical references. The kai in Eph.6 :21 is liable to different interpretations, but finds a sufficient explanation in the fact that the Epistle to the Colossians was written first. The early Church leaves no doubt as to the canonicity of this Epistle. He was lecturing on the desert, and at one point he referred to the horse as the EPHESIANS, LETTER TO THE A letter sent by Paul to the Christian community of Ephesus. in his day did not contain these words. It has this in common with the Epistle to the Romans, that it partakes somewhat of the nature of a treatise; yet it is as truly a letter, as any one of the other writings of Paul. The unity of the church, especially between Jew and Gentile believers, is the keynote of the book. “Nowhere,” says Bruce, is God’s “glorious purpose unfolded so fully and clearly as in the Epistle to the Ephesians. [12], Biblical scholar Harold Hoehner, surveying 279 commentaries written between 1519 and 2001, found that 54% favored Pauline authorship, 39% concluded against Pauline authorship and 7% remained uncertain. Then he compares the past and present condition of the readers, 2:1-13, and describes Christs work of reconciliation, resulting in the unity and glory of the Church, 2:14-22. The *apostle Paul wrote this letter when he wasin a prison in Rome. It treats in a profound and sublime manner of the unity of all believers in Jesus Christ, and of the holy conversation in Christ that must issue from it. while the church at Ephesus was composed of both Jews and Gentiles, 2:11, 12; 4:17; 5: 8. To all appearances it was merely the prospective departure of Tychicus and Onesimus for Colossae, 6: 21, 22; Col.4: 7-9, combined with the intelligence that Paul received as to the faith of the readers in the Lord Jesus, and regarding their love to all the saints, 1: 15, that led to its composition. On his second visit early in the following year, he remained at Ephesus "three years", for he found it was the key to the western provinces of Asia Minor. In the first place it contains the usual blessing and thanksgiving; this is followed in the regular way by the body of the epistle, consisting of a doctrinal and a practical part; and finally it ends with the customary salutations. Meyer urges this view on the following grounds: (1) It is more natural and probable that the slave Onesimus had run away as far as Caesarea than that he had made the long journey to Rome. On his last journey to Jerusalem, the apostle landed at Miletus and, summoning together the elders of the church from Ephesus, delivered to them a farewell charge,[27] expecting to see them no more. The Letter of Paul to the Ephesians - Ἐφεσίους - follows his Letter to the Galatians and precedes his Letter to the Philippians in the New Testament of the Bible. The readers are exhorted to maintain the unity which God seeks to establish among them by distributing spiritual gifts and instituting different offices, 4:1-16. Biblical Philology in a nut shell is 'Evidence Based Research'. The Epistle to the Ephesians is naturally divided into two parts: I. The language is further remarkable in that it contains a series of terms with far-reaching significance, such as the council (boule), of God, His will (thelema), His purpose (prothesis), His good pleasure (eudokia), etc., and also a great number of hapax legomena. The Epistle to the Ephesians is one of seven letters Ignatius wrote to churches in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) before being martyred under the Emperor Trajan sometime between 107 and 117 AD. (3) In all probability Philippians belongs to the same period as the other Epistles of the imprisonment; and if this is the case, the mention of Caesars household in Phil.4: 22 also points to Rome. Several suggestions have been made. The terms that are said to be used in a new sense dwindle into insignificance on closer inspection. The professor was a gracious and dignified scholar. It is true that it differs considerably from that of Romans, Corinthians and Galatians, but it shows great affinity with the style of Colossians and of the Pastorals. This page was last edited on 3 May 2021, at 13:38. The Praise of Unity. Tertullian informs us that Marcion gave the Epistle the title ad Laodicenos; and Origen apparently did not regard the words as genuine. It was a busy port and the centre of much trade. The Epistle To The Ephesians Introduction AUTHOR The apostle Paul (1:1; 3:1).Early sources in church history that attribute this letter to Paul include: Irenaeus (200 A.D.), Clement of Alexandria (200 A.D.), and Origen (250 A.D.). There is good reason for calling them twin letters. The conclusion to which the majority of scholars come is, either that the Epistle was not written to the Ephesians at all, or that it was not meant for them only, but also for the other churches in Asia. The Doctrinal Part, treating of the Unity of the Church, 1:1 -- 3: 21. But none of these interpretations is satistactory: the first two are hardly grammatical; and the last one implies that there are also saints who are not faithful, and that the Epistle was written for a certain select view. Ephesians is first and foremost an encouraging letter. It takes the form of a letter aimed at addressing the Christian congregation. From the mention of Tychicus as the bearer of it in 6: 21, compared with Col.4: 7 and Philemon 13, we may infer that these three letters were written at the same time. For if I in this brief space of time, have enjoyed such fellowship with your bishop … In the second part of the letter, Ephesians 4:17–6:20, the author gives practical advice in how to live a holy, pure, and Christ-inspired lifestyle. [13], While most English translations indicate that the letter was addressed to "the saints who are in Ephesus" (1:1), the words "in Ephesus" do not appear in the best and earliest manuscripts of the letter, leading most textual critics, like Bart Ehrman, to regard the words as an interpolation. The letter which, in the manuscripts containing the Epistles of Originating in the circumstance of a multicultural church (primarily Jewish and Hellenistic), the author addressed issues appropriate to the diverse religious and cultural backgrounds present in the community. Similarly that other argument of the Tubingen school, that the letter was evidently written to heal the breach between the Judaeistic and the liberal factions of the Church, is now discarded, because it was found to rest on an unhistorical basis. (4) To these proofs is sometimes added that 1: 15 and 3: 2 make it appear as if Paul and his readers were not acquainted with each other; but this is not necessarily implied in these passages. He renders thanks for these blessings and prays that God may make known to the Church, the glorious body of Christ, who filleth all in all, the glory of its heavenly calling, 1: 15- 23. The Book of Ephesians is an Epistle Written by Paul 616 Words | 2 Pages. Since the Epistle was not called forth by any special historical situation, the purpose of Paul in writing it was naturally of a general character. (4) Pauls request to Philemon in Philem.22, to prepare a lodging for him, and that too, for speedy use, favors the idea that the apostle was much nearer Colosse than the far distant Rome. 1. Notwithstanding all the evidence in favor of the Pauline authorship of this Epistle, its authenticity has been questioned by several New Testament scholars. In many cases the same words and forms of expression are found in both; the thought is often identical, while the language differs; and the general structure of the Epistles is very similar. In the judgment of many who are well entitled to deliver an opinion, it is the grandest of all the Pauline letters." 1. ", "Bible passage: Ephesians 4 - New International Version", "Dr. Katharine C. Bushnell: A Brief Sketch of Her Life Work", "Jessie Penn-Lewis's Cross Theology: Gender Relations in the New Covenant", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Epistle_to_the_Ephesians&oldid=1021205520, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2016, Wikipedia articles incorporating text from Easton's Bible Dictionary, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from The American Cyclopaedia, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from The American Cyclopaedia with a Wikisource reference, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, The traditional view that the epistle is written by Paul is supported by scholars that include. The fact that the church of Ephesus was the most prominent of the churches for which it was intended, will account for the insertion of the words en Epheso in transcribing the letter, and for the universal tradition regarding its destination. (2) If these Epistles had been sent from Rome, Tychicus and Onesimus would have arrived at Ephesus first and then at Colossae. [14] For these reasons, most regard Ephesians to be a circular letter intended for many churches. 8:2 They that are of the flesh cannot do the things of the Spirit, neither can they that are of the Spirit De Wette came to the conclusion that it was a "verbose amplification" of the Epistle to the Colossians. The idea is that some later, probably a second century writer impersonated the great apostle. [5] In the latter case, the possible location of the authorship could have been within the church of Ephesus itself. But these arguments are not conclusive. One is impressed by its grandeur, but often finds it difficult to follow the apostle as he soars to giddy heights. The Practical Part, containing Exhortations to a Conversation worthy of the Calling and Unity of the Readers, 4: 1 -- 6: 20. The question is whether the words en Epheso in 1:1 are genuine. Aleph and B and codex 67. (3) The Epistle contemplates only heathen Christians. The Epistle to the Ephesians, also called the Letter to the Ephesians and often shortened to Ephesians, is the tenth book of the New Testament. Holtzmann, finding that in some parts the priority must be ascribed to Ephesians rather than to Colossians, advocated the theory that Paul wrote an Epistle to the Colossians shorter than our canonical letter; that a forger, guided by this, fabricated the Epistle to the Ephesians; and that this plagiarist was so enamoured with his work that he, in turn, revised the Colossian Epistle in accordance with it. "THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS" Introduction To The Epistle (1:1-3) INTRODUCTION 1. Paul's first and hurried visit for the space of three months to Ephesus is recorded in Acts 18:19–21. The only person mentioned is Tychicus, the bearer of the letter. There are a few scholars, however, such as Reuss and Meyer, who believe that they date from the imprisonment at Caesarea, A. D.58-60. To the first one we may reply that Onesimus would be far safer from the pursuit of the fugitivarii in a large city like Rome than in a smaller one such as Caesarea. Notwithstanding this, however, the resemblance of the two is readily observed. The principal grounds on which the Epistle was attacked, are the following: (1) It is so like the Epistle to the Colossians that it cannot be an original document. Dodd as the "crown of Paulinism. "Again: the very passages in the Epistle which have been above referred to, as proving that it could not have been directed to the Ephesians, agree perfectly with the hypothesis that it was addressed to the Laodiceans. There is considerable uncertainty respecting the destination of this Epistle. Enclosed within the Book of Ephesians is the discipline needed to develop into true children of God. And in reply to the last argument we would say that Philem.22 does not speak of a speedy coming, and that the apostle may have intended to pass through Macedonia to Colossae. Furthermore, a study in Ephesians will help to fortify and to establish the believer so he can fulfill the purpose and calling God has given. BIBLE STUDY - Letter to the Ephesians #2. Phil.1:14. The law is contemplated, not in its moral and religious value, but only as the cause of enmity and separation between Jew and Gentile; the death of Christ is not dwelt on as much as in the other Epistles, while his exaltation is made far more prominent; the parousia is placed in the distant future; and instead of the diversity the unity of the Church in Jesus Christ if emphasized: (4) The Epistle contains traces of Gnostic and even of Montanist influences in such words as aiones, pleromaand geneai (5) The letter, along with the writings of John, evidently aims at reconciling the Petrine and Pauline factions, and therefore emphasizes the unity of the Church. The style is characterized by a succession of participial clauses and dependent sentences that flow on like a torrent, and by lengthy-digressions. Its authorship has traditionally been attributed to Paul the Apostle but starting in 1792, this has been challenged as Deutero-Pauline, that is, written in Paul's name by a later author strongly influenced by Paul's thought, probably "by a loyal disciple to sum up Paul’s teaching and to apply it to a new situation fifteen to twenty-five years after the Apostle’s death". However, many critical scholars have questioned the authorship of the letter and suggest that it may have been written between AD 80 and 100. Probably the hypothesis first suggested by Ussher is correct, that a blank was originally left after tois ousin, and that Tychicus or someone else was to make several copies of this Epistle and to fill in the blank with the name of the church to which each copy was to be sent. Einleitung p.259. He seldom laughed, but on one occasion, I managed to evoke a genuine laugh. . Cf. But it is very doubtful, whether the rendering, "in all the Epistle," should not rather be, "in every Epistle." . The Doctrinal Part, treating of the Unity of the Church, 1:1 -- 3: 21. [8], In the period leading up to the American Civil War (1861–65), Ephesians 6:5[44] on master-slave relationships was one of the Bible verses used by Confederate slaveholders in support of a slaveholding position. Some of this group are Cadbury, Julicher, McNeile, and Williams. He pictures the transcendent beauty of that spiritual temple, of which Christ is the chief cornerstone and the saints form the superstructure. Marcion, the Muratorian Canon, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria and Tertullian clearly testify to its early recognition and use. It seems to us that the following considerations favor the idea that the three Epistles under consideration were written from Rome: (1) From Eph.6:19, 20 we infer that Paul had sufficient liberty during his imprisonment to preach the gospel. Scriptures in Ephesians from The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, An Inspirational Study by Fred R. Coulter. The similarity of the Epistle and that to the Colossians is most naturally explained by the fact that the two were written by the same author, at about the same time, under similar circumstances, and to neighboring congregations. Test. "[40][41] Thus, it is two-way, mutual submission of both husbands to wives and wives to husbands. If the hapax legomena found in this letter prove that it is unPauline, we must come to a similar conclusion with respect to the Epistle to the Romans, for this contains a hundred words that are peculiar. There is not a dissentient voice in all antiquity. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. The Exp. The praise of unity. She died in 1916, and left an estate worth over $100 million b. [3] This lack of any internal references to Ephesus in the early manuscripts may have led Marcion, a second-century heresiarch who created the first New Testament canon, to believe that the letter was actually addressed to the church at Laodicea, for details see Epistle to the Laodiceans. Next he enlarges on the mystery of the Gospel and reminds his readers that he has been commissioned by God to make it known to mankind, 3:1-13. (2) The many companions of Paul, viz. Some of the scholars that espouse this view include Albertz, Benoit, Cerfaux, Goguel, Harrison. Frank Charles Thompson,[37] argues that the main theme of Ephesians is in response to the newly converted Jews who often separated themselves from their Gentile brethren. "[6] Bible scholar Raymond E. Brown asserts that about 80% of critical scholarship judges that Paul did not write Ephesians. This strikes the key-note of the Epistle to the Ephesians. Ephesians is notable for its domestic code treatment in Ephesians 5:22-6:9,[38] covering husband-wife, parent-child, and master-slave relationships. The writings of Igpatius, Polycarp, Herman and Hippolytus contain passages that seem to be derived from our Epistle. Moreover Paul says in Phil.2: 24 that he expected to proceed to Macedonia after his release from the Roman imprisonment. The linguistic features to which the critics call attention are not such as to disprove the Pauline authorship. The style of the letter is in general very exalted, and forms a great contrast with that of the epistle to the Galatians. [36]:229 It was regarded by C.H. From 3: 1 and 4: 1 we notice that Paul was a prisoner, when he wrote this Epistle. While I was a student in college, I took a class in economics. And it has generally been thought that they were composed during the Roman imprisonment of Paul. They should not walk as the Gentiles do, but according to the principle of their new life, shunning the vices of the old man and practicing the virtues of the new, 4:17-32. Present day scholars quite generally reject the words, although they are still defended by Meyer, Davidson, Eadie and Hodge. Listen to BIBLE STUDY - Letter To The Ephesians #1 and 999 more episodes by Cafeteria Catholics, free! All the old Versions contain them; but, on the other hand, Westcott and Hort say: "Transcriptional evidence strongly supports the testimony of documents against en Epheso." "[26] The word "mightily grew and prevailed" despite all the opposition and persecution he encountered. This wasabout 61 years after the birth of Christ. [12][14][15] The Jerusalem Bible notes that some critics think the words "who are…" would have been followed by a blank to be filled in with the name of "whichever church was being sent the letter". It is possible that we have the first mention of it in the New Testament itself, Col.4:16. (3) In Eph.6: 21 the expression, "But that ye also may know my affairs," implies that there were others who had already been informed of them, viz, the Collossians, Col.4: 8, 9. The great practical exhortation of the Epistle is that believers live worthily of their union with Christ, since they were sometime darkness, but are now light in the Lord, and should therefore walk as children of light, 5:8. The style of the Epistle too is Pauline. No signup or install needed. Ignatius of Antioch himself seemed to be very well versed in the epistle to the Ephesians, and mirrors many of his own thoughts in his own epistle to the Ephesians.[5]. (3) The line of thought in this letter is very different from that of the recognized Pauline Epistles. Probably it is identical with the Epistle ek Laodikias, Col.4 :16. Such men as Lightfoot, Ellicott, Eadie, Meyer, Hodge, Reuss, Godet, Weiss, Baljon, Zahn, Sanday and Abbot defend it. It is now generally admitted that the supposed traces of Gnosticism and Montanism have no argumentative value, since the terms referred to do not have the second century connotation in this Epistle. He prays that they may be strengthened and enabled to comprehend the greatness of the love of Christ to the glory of God, 3:14-21. The aim of this epistle is to confirm and to equip a maturing church. However, scholars who dispute Paul's authorship date the letter to between 70 and 80 AD. But according to Peter O'Brien, Professor Emeritus at Moore Theological College, this would be the only instance of this meaning of submission in the whole New Testament, indeed in any extant comparable Greek texts; by O'Brien's account, the word simply does not connote mutuality. 2. The unity of the faithful originates in their election, since God the Father chose them in Christ before the foundation of the world, 1: 4; it finds expression in a holy conversation, sanctified by true love, that naturally results from their living relation with Christ, in whom they are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit; and it issues in their coming in the "unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." [citation needed]. St. Paul, p.23. the title, author(s), date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline The theory of Holtzmann is too complicated to command serious consideration. According to Holtzmann there are 76 words that are peculiar to this epistle, of which 18 are found nowhere else in the Bible, 17 do not occur in the rest of the New Testament, and 51 are absent from all the other Pauline letters (the Pastoral epistles being excepted). The *temple of thegoddess (female god) Diana (or Artemis) was there. It is a doctrinal and practical exposition of the idea of the church, as the house of God (Eph.2:20-22), the spotless bride of Christ (5:25-27), the mystical body of Christ (4:12-16), "the fulness of Him that filleth all in all" (1:23). Most likely, therefore, this was a circular letter, sent to several churches in Asia, such as those of Ephesus, Laodicea, Hierapolis, e. a. Have you ever heard of "Hetty" Green, known as "America's Greatest Miser"? [10], According to tradition, the Apostle Paul wrote the letter while he was in prison in Rome (around AD 62). It expounds now its doctrines, now its morals, with such conciseness and such fulness combined that it would be difficult to name any great doctrine, or any essential duty, which has not its place marked in this Epistle. The idea that it is but a copy of the Epistle to the Colossians is now generally given up, since it appears that many passages favor the priority of Ephesians. Here "a great door and effectual" was opened to him,[24] and the church was established and strengthened by his diligent labours there. The ideas developed are in perfect agreement with those found in the letters which we already discussed, although in certain particulars they advance beyond them, as f. i. in the theological conception of the doctrine of redemption; and in the doctrine of the Church as the body of Christ with its various organs. Most versions of the theory say that the copy of the epistle the church at Ephesus had was the one included in the canon of Scripture; therefore, the letter is known as Ephesians. . BIBLE STUDY - Letter to the Ephesians #1. The Epistle to the Colossians is more personal and controversial than that to the Ephesians; the former treats of Christ, the Head of the Church, while the latter is mainly concerned with the Church, the body of Christ. The Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians is one of the 5 Captivity Epistles, along with Philippians, Colossians, Second Timothy, and Philemon. a. [11], Furthermore, if Paul is regarded as the author, the impersonal character of the letter, which lacks personal greetings or any indication that the author has personal knowledge of his recipients, is incongruous with the account in Acts of Paul staying more than two years in Ephesus. All other Scriptures from The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version by Fred R. Coulter. "[36]:229 In general, it is born out of its particular socio-historical context and the situational context of both the author and the audience. Ignatius, who is also called Theopharus, to the Church which is at Ephesus, in Asia, deservedly most happy, being blessed in the greatness and fulness of God the Father, and predestinated before the beginning of time, that it should be always for an enduring and unchangeable glory, being united and elected through the true passion by the will of the Father, and Jesus Christ, our God: Abundant … Finally Paul exhorts the readers to be strong in the Lord, having put on the whole armour of God and seeking strength in prayer and supplication; and he closes his Epistle with some personal intelligence and a twofold salutation, 6:10-24. The letter to the Ephesians provokes an array of interpretive questions regarding authorship, audience, date, occasion, purpose of writing, and the nature of its moral instruction—including its words addressed to slaves and masters. But these objections are not sufficient to discredit the Pauline authorship. Because of Christianity’s strong roots in Jewish history and religion, it was natural for early Christians to wonder if Christ’s gospel was limited to Jews, or if Jewish Christians held a special status because of their ethnic heritage. This whole argument is very peculiar in view of the following ones. And of the expressions that are held to be unusual only the one in 3: 5 has any argumentative force. THE LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS Ephesians is the great Pauline letter about the church. [16], If Paul was the author of the letter, then it was probably written from Rome during Paul's first imprisonment,[17] and probably soon after his arrival there in the year 62, four years after he had parted with the Ephesian elders at Miletus. Another major theme in Ephesians is the keeping of Christ's body (that is, the Church) pure and holy. He sets forth the origin, the development, the unity and holiness, and the glorious end of that mystical body of Christ. Source:https://www.spreaker.com/user/churchmilitant/bible-study-letter-to-the-ephesians-4www.catholiticking.com The author exhorts the church repeatedly to embrace a specific view of salvation, which he then explicates. [3][4][5], The first verse in the letter identifies Paul as its author. They are indeed found in all the extant MSS. Gk. The second argument loses its force, if this Epistle was a circular letter, written to the Christians of Asia in general. In Ephesians, Ignatius stresses importance of obedience to the words of Christ, bishop, and presbytery, which allows for union with god. It is especially concerned with the doctrine of the Church as the mystical body of Christ. The argument derived from the line of thought in this Epistle simply succeeds in proving, what is perfectly obvious, that the apostle looks at the work of redemption from a point of view different from that of the other letters, that he views it sub specie aeternitatis. Marcion ascribed the letter to Paul, and in the Muratorian Fragment the church of Ephesus is mentioned as one of the churches to which Paul wrote Epistles. The letter is one of the “captivity Epistles” (with Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon) that were written by Paul while in 3. This unmistakably points to the second century as the time of its composition. For if I in this brief space of time, have enjoyed such fellowship with your bishop … It constantly emphasizes the fact that believers have their unity in the Lord and therefore contains the expression "in Christ" about twenty times. From Ephesians 4:17–6:20 the author of the Epistle to the Ephesians gives practical advice in how to live a holy, pure, and Christ-inspired lifestyle. It is also characterized by its great similarity to the letter sent to the Colossians. A second position suggests that Ephesians was dictated by Paul with interpolations from another author. . Tychicus, Aristarchus, Marcus, Justus, Epaphras, Luke and Demas, quite different from those that accompanied him on his last journey to Jerusalem (cf. While early lists of New Testament books, including the Muratorian fragment and possibly Marcion's canon (if it is to be equated with the Epistle to the Laodiceans), attribute the letter to Paul,[11] more recently there have been challenges to Pauline authorship on the basis of the letter's characteristically non-Pauline syntax, terminology, and eschatology.

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