PREFACE
I just completed my studies in Second Corinthians, and I will begin and exposition on Paul's letter to the Ephesians. As I have stated in the past, these studies are for my own benefit, but I also make them available to my family and friends who are interested in them. I delight in sharing my labors with my family, and my prayer is that they might benefit from them, but most of all, I pray that they may be encouraged to study the Word of God daily, for the benefits are eternal. I am using the same format I have used in my other studies of writing the verse out from the King James Version [KJV], and then translating the verse from the original New Testament Greek Manuscript [United Bible Society Version]. May God richly bless us as we study this wonderful Epistle.
INTRODUCTION
Paul wrote this epistle while imprisoned in Rome. He wrote this epistle about 63 A.D. This epistle explains the grace of God to the church. There is a great similarity in Ephesians to Colossians. In this Epistle Paul presented church doctrine. In chapters 1-3 Paul writes the doctrinal portion; and from 3-6 he writes the practical portion. In chapters 1-3 Paul teaches the church doctrines to live by, and then in the rest of the epistle he tells them how they could live successful Christian lives. The contemporary church is filled with teachers that tell people that they should live good lives, but none tell people how to live this life.
John Chrysostom Notes on the background to the book:
"Ephesus is the metropolis of Asia. It was dedicated to Diana, whom especially they worshipped there as their goddess. Indeed so great was the superstition of her worshipers, that when her temple was burnt, they would not so much as divulge the name of the man who burnt it.
The blessed John the Evangelist spent the chief part of his time there: he was there when he was banished, and there he died. It was there too that Paul left Timothy, as he says in writing to him, 'As I exhorted thee to tarry at Ephesus' (1 Tim. 1:3).
Most of the philosophers also, those more particularly who flourished in Asia, were there; and even Pythagoras himself is said to have come from thence; perhaps because Samos, whence he really cane, is an island of Ionia [of which Ephesus was one of the cities]. It was the resort also of the disciples of Parmenides, and Zeno, and Democritus, and you may see a number of philosophers there even to the present day.
These facts I mention, not merely as such, but with a view of showing that Paul would needs take great pains and trouble in writing to these Ephesians. He is said indeed to have entrusted them, as being persons already well instructed, with his profoundest conceptions; and Epistle itself is full of sublime thoughts and doctrines.
He wrote the Epistle from Rome, and, as he himself informs us, in bonds. 'Pray for me, that utterance may be given unto me, in opening my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains.' (Eph. 5:19.) It abounds with sentiments of overwhelming loftiness and grandeur. Thoughts which he scarcely so much as utters any where else, he here plainly declares; as when he says, 'To the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the Church the manifold wisdom of God.' (Eph. 3:10.) And again: 'He raised us up with Him, and made us sit with Him in heavenly places. (Eph. 2:6.) And again: 'Which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit, that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ.' (Eph. 3:5.)"
I pray that God will richly bless us as we study this wonderful Book.
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