The Ephesians are the saints in Ephesus,
and the believers Paul writes as one body in Christ.
Paul,
an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
to the saints who are in Ephesus,
and are faithful in Christ Jesus.
You were dead in the trespasses and sins.
By grace you have been saved through faith.
And this is not your own doing.
It is the gift of God.
Ephesus is the city. The Ephesians are the people. Paul comes, speaks in the synagogue, then daily in the hall of Tyrannus, until all the residents of Asia hear the word. The name of the Lord Jesus is extolled. Books of magic are burned. The silversmiths riot because the temple of Artemis is losing its trade. From that city Paul writes, or writes for, the saints who are in Ephesus and faithful in Christ Jesus. The letter is Ephesians. This page is the people.
The letter does not stay inside one city. Faithful in Christ Jesus is the address that travels. The same grace that raised them is the grace that makes one new man. The city knew Artemis. The saints are told they sit with Christ in the heavenly places. The last charge is to stand.
Dead in trespasses,
then alive together with Christ.
One body.
Stand.
- The Ephesians are the saints, not the letter. The letter is written to them and past them.
- Paul’s stay is public. Synagogue, lecture hall, burned books, and a riot.
- The address is grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world is the start of their story, not their effort.
- Saved by grace through faith. The gift is not their doing.
- Jew and Gentile are one new man. The dividing wall is down.
- The church is His body. The walk and the armor belong to that body.
- The City – Ephesus; Artemis; the hall of Tyrannus; the riot.
- The Saints – Faithful in Christ Jesus; grace and peace.
- The Choice – Chosen in Him before the foundation of the world.
- The Death – Dead in trespasses, following the course of this world.
- The Gift – Saved by grace through faith, not their own doing.
- The Body – One new man; the church, His fullness.
- The Stand – Put on the whole armor of God.
- Acts 19:10 – “This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.”
- Acts 19:17-20 – “The name of the Lord Jesus was extolled… Many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices… So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.”
- Ephesians 1:1-2 – “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
- Ephesians 1:4-5 – “Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ.”
- Ephesians 2:1 – “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins.”
- Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
- Ephesians 2:14 – “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.”
- Ephesians 4:1 – “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.”
- Ephesians 6:11 – “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”
- Revelation 2:1-4 – “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write… I know your works… But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.”
To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus.
He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.
You were dead in the trespasses and sins.
By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing. It is the gift of God.
He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand.
The Ephesians were a city that burned magic books and rioted for Artemis. The saints in that city were dead, then alive together with Christ. The gift was not their doing. The dividing wall is down. Walk worthy. Stand.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.