Ephesians is the least situational of the epistles. E phesians is one of the most encouraging books in the new testament. Sproul has himself written a very helpful introductory level commentary on it titled the purpose of god. Enclosed within the book of ephesians is the discipline needed to develop into true children of god.
Brackets are marks like this that we use to separate words from the main part of a sentence. Because the name ephesus is not mentioned in every early manuscript, some scholars believe the letter was an encyclical, intended to be circulated and read. Sometimes the authorship is questioned because of it being similar to. These verses form a powerful and eloquent conclusion to the letter. We would probably turn first to the third chapter of the book of genesis to find satan striking what appears to be the first blow of the spiritual war. Dec, 2008 ephesians is a profound book, and our own dr. Some are classic ephesians commentaries and others are new releases. 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.
The letter is addressed to the church in the city of ephesus, capital of the roman province of asia asia minor, modern turkey. We have seen how a christian is supposed to live hisher life drastically. Ephesians 6 background information with maps and images. Therefore put on the full armor of god, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after. Ephesians is placed in this time period because of its close association to colossiansphilemon and the probability that tychicus delivered both letters eph. Paul addressed no particular problem in the epistle. Richison value of ephesians ephesians, more than any other book, presents the purpose and plan of god for the church this book sets forth one of the clearest presentations on the relation between positional truth and experiencing positional truth in ones life john calvin called ephesians his favorite book of the bible we see something of the supremacy of christ in gods. I recommend this volume to anyone who is not familiar with the basic themes of this epistle. The author has earlier explained the gospel of peace 6. We have considered the instruction given to christian wives and husbands in chapter 5 and now we come to consider other members of the family, or the same persons in other relationships. To deny pauline authorship of a book in the bible is to challenge its authority as scripture. The letter to the ephesian church is regarded as one of the masterworks of the nt, but it is also one of those books that the critics like to say wasnt authored by paul. Everything in these three chapters spells out what is involved in christians walking worthily of their calling. It was written to encourage believers to walk as fruitful followers of christ and to serve in unity and love in the midst of persecution.
Some have taken the absence of the usual personal greetings. Ephesians also refers to most of the other letters of paul. Pauline authorship of ephesians was largely unchallenged by scholars until the 19th. The strength of the commentary lies in the authors close attention to the texts. This summary of the book of ephesians provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of ephesians. The main idea is to be strong in the lord and in his mighty power so you can stand in the face of spiritual warfare. It is significant that ephesians was recognized from the beginning as a pauline letter.
Paul is traditionally considered the author, but the vocabulary and style of. Although kennedy in new testament interpretation through rhetorical criticism states that the writer of ephesians is skilled in rhetoric, he, like many commentators, does not attempt a structural analysis of the epistle in. Paul knew that the christians in ephesus and the surrounding towns were growing and had heard about their faith so he addresses the ephesians as a corporate body hultgren, 2015. Thielman takes seriously all the major challenges critical scholarship has marshaled in regard to the authorship and date of ephesians, yet. The book of ephesians the holy bible complete chapters 1 6. Today dave wrote on spiritual warfare and the power of scripture. Essay about letter to the ephesians 1186 words bartleby. When we study this book, it is as though we have climbed a high mountain peak, because the book gives us that kind of perspective on what god has created. Pray also for me, that whenever i speak, words may be given me so that i will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which i am an ambassador in. Paul wrote the letter to the ephesians sometime in ad 6061, around the same time he wrote colossians and philemon, as he sent all three letters by the hand of tychicus, accompanied by onesimus ephesians 6. Eph has 155 verses, 73 of which are similar to ones from col. Put on the full armor of god, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one ephesians 6.
Because the name ephesus is not mentioned in every early manuscript, some scholars believe the letter was an encyclical, intended to be circulated and read among all the churches in asia minor and was simply. Best ephesians commentaries updated for 2020 best bible. The first verse in the letter identifies paul as its author. Updated aug 27, 2018 author has 181 answers and 71. Ephesians 6, new american standard bible nasb the bible app. The key personalities of ephesians are the apostle paul and tychicus. Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. Everything in these three chapters spells out what is. Some approach the text versebyverse, others passagebypassage. The purpose of the book of ephesians was to warn the church elders about the false teachers that were teaching a false gospel and to maintain their first love that they held when they first became believers.
The term church refers in ephesians to the universal church, while in the undisputed letters it usually refers to the local community. Paul had called these christians to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called 4. I offer the following commentary and summary for ephesians in this article. Finally, the ecclesiology of ephesians presents a number of elements that seem to be new. This book of ephesians is one of the most finely crafted books of the. It reads like an academic or devotional book and i highly recommend it. Jamar, i applaud your eagerness to understand this chapter, because it contains one of the most important keys a christian has for understanding and overcoming during times of storms and assaults.
In order to attempt such a conversation, the reading of ephesians 6. Scholars typically hold to the assertion that the book of ephesians was written by paul. Some approach the text verse by verse, others passagebypassage. I dont think opponents to pauline authorship come close to putting ephesians with the apocryphal books, so i cant deny its pauline authorship. Nov 27, 2009 to deny pauline authorship of a book in the bible is to challenge its authority as scripture. The argument against ephesians authenticity, however, rests exclusively on internal evidence, for as even kummel admits, without question ephesians was extraordinarily well attested in the early church. Ephesians gives no hint of pauls release from prison as do philippians 1. The book of ephesians was written by the apostle paul in about ad 60. The book of ephesians is a prison epistle letter written while in prison. Put on the full armor of god so that you can take your stand against the devils schemes. Ephesians presents as a letter with a typical address, 1. Ephesians baker exegetical commentary on the new testament. This summary of the book of ephesians provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of ephesians. Its authorship has traditionally been attributed to paul the apostle but starting in 1792, this has been challenged as deuteropauline, that is, written in pauls name by a later author strongly influenced by pauls thought, probably by a loyal.
Book of ephesians overview insight for living ministries. Tonight we conclude our study of the book of ephesians. While this book begins, paul, an apostle of christ jesus through the will of god, to the saints who are at ephesus, and the faithful in christ jesus 1. Ephesians sets forth what no other book of the new testament describes so completely the nature of the body of christ, which is the true church. Ephesians 6, new international version niv the bible app. Sprouls work, the following are five of the most helpful commentaries on the book of ephesians. Sep 08, 2016 jamar, i applaud your eagerness to understand this chapter, because it contains one of the most important keys a christian has for understanding and overcoming during times of storms and assaults. It does not have a response to a crisis, as do pauls other letters.
The author except for the pastorals, ephesians has the worst credentials for authenticity, in critical circles, among all of pauls epistles. You will find commentaries for pastors, teachers, professors, and laypeople. This book of ephesians is one of the most finely crafted books of the new testament, and has been called the queen of the epistles. Paul intended that all who long for christlike maturity would receive this writing. While early lists of new testament books, including marcions canon and the muratorian fragment, attribute the letter to paul, more recently there have been challenges to pauline.
Ephesians is my favorite book in the bible, and this commentary has helped to solidify it in my mind. Thielman takes seriously all the major challenges critical scholarship has marshaled in regard to the authorship and date of ephesians, yet he argues convincingly that paul has written this epistle to the christians in ephesus during his imprisonment in rome. Some emphasize history and theology, other emphasize application. What is ephesians chapter 6 verse 12 in the bible talking. The book of ephesians was very likely written between a. Ephesians 6 commentary ironsides notes on selected books.
This letter, in many ways, is the crowning glory of the new testament. As you start this study, ask the holy spirit to help you understand what god has said through paul. The principles inculcated within this passage of scripture are timeless and should be fully integrated into the life of the modern believer. That the exegesis which makes signify heavenly things cannot be borne out, but is wholly against the idiom of the epistle. Answering bible contradictions, misunderstandings, and misinterpretations. Ephesians 6 niv children, obey your parents in the. The hypostasis of the archons, written sometime in the third century, cites the same verse and attributes the book of ephesians to paul.
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