Faith & Reason Nexus

AUTHOR: Paul

TIME WRITTEN: A.D. 60-61, during Paul’s first Roman imprisonment

POSITION IN THE BIBLE:

• 49th Book in the Bible
• 10th Book in the New Testament
• 5th of 21 Epistle Books (Romans – Jude)
• 9th of Paul’s 13 books
• 17 Books to follow it

CHAPTERS: 6

VERSES: 155

WORDS: 3,039

OBSERVATIONS ABOUT EPHESIANS:

• Prison Epistle: Ephesians is one of four letters written by Paul during his imprisonment in Rome. The others are Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon.
• Duration in Ephesus: Paul spent nearly three years in Ephesus during his third missionary journey (Acts 18:23; 19:41).
• Key Expression: The phrase “in Christ” is used around 200 times in Paul’s epistles and appears 30 times in Ephesians.
• Quotes about Ephesians:
• Martin Luther: Called it “The sublimest composition of man.”
• Alford: Described it as “The greatest and most heavenly work” reflecting heavenly themes.
• Farrar: Considered it “The epistle of the Ascension,” highlighting its profound and advanced understanding of the gospel.
• City of Ephesus:
• A major commercial hub in Asia Minor.
• Known for the Temple of Diana (Artemis), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World (Acts 19:35).
• The Seven Ones (Ephesians 4:4-6):
• One Body (Church)
• One Spirit (Holy Spirit)
• One Hope
• One Lord (Jesus Christ)
• One Faith
• One Baptism (Immersion)
• One God (Jehovah)
• Blessings for Christians:
• Adoption
• Acceptance
• Redemption
• Forgiveness
• Wisdom
• Inheritance
• The seal of the Holy Spirit
• Life
• Grace
• Citizenship
• Every spiritual blessing
• Notable Verse:
• Ephesians 5:25: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it.”

Ephesians emphasizes the unity of the church and the spiritual blessings believers have in Christ, while also providing practical instructions for living out the Christian faith.