The vision of Ephesians is that, in Christ, Jews and Gentiles have been unified into a single household. The letter seeks to encourage its recipients to live this unity in practice. The first half of the book lays out the theology that lies behind this unity exploring in particular the way in which the church is the body of Christ. The second half of the book discusses in more detail what living this unity in practice might look like. Ephesians and Colossians are often recognized to be companion books as their message is very similar.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. (Ephesians 1.3-4)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God — 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. (Ephesians 2.8-10)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (Ephesians 6.10-11)
Paul is probably the best known of all the early Christians. Before encountering Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, he was a zealous Pharisee who sought to maintain the purity of Judaism. After his experience on the Damascus road, he turned his zeal to proclaiming Jesus Christ among the Gentiles. This brought him into conflict with some other early Christians, not least Peter, who thought that followers of Jesus Christ should convert to Judaism. He travelled around the Roman Empire (though primarily in Asia Minor – modern-day Turkey – and Greece) proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ and founding communities of Christians as he went. He also wrote a large number of letters, 13 of which are preserved in the New Testament. Ephesians is traditionally be thought to be one of these.
The theme of Ephesians – Christian unity in Christ – is a common one both in the first century and today. The challenge, then as now, is how to live out the gospel’s message of unity with those who are very different from you.
There will be lots of names you will not know, don’t worry if you can’t place them all. The key ones are given below.
Ephesus, Asia Minor
Israel, Tychicus
Gentiles, Gospel, idols
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