EPHESIANS
1:1 to 2
The
apostle Paul's salutation are typical in a sense. He usually states his name,
establishes that he is an apostle. That he is an apostle by the will of God not
of man. Apparently, this loomed as a major position in Paul's understanding.
Obviously, he wanted people to understand and accept the authority of what he
was writing. This letter known as the Ephesian letter doesn't make an effort at emphasizing this, but
the letter to the Galatians does, especially in the first chapter in which he states
it outright: "for I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but
it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ." (GALATIANS 1:11).
TO THE EPHESIANS?
There are
alternative translations readings as to who this is addressed to the second
phrase of the first verse. The King James Version renders this: "to the
saints who are at Ephesus...", Whereas the interlinear version renders it:
"To the saints who are faithful in Christ Jesus...".
Obviously, this should have no effect on the
reader's application of the word of God. As we read Scripture and understand
it, God's word should be authoritative with having only one meaning but having thousands
of applications. While this has something to do with whom the letters
addressed, whether the apostle Paul intends the letter to be addressed by the
Ephesians or the Christian in general little impact on the meanings.
"To
the saints..." (toi'ß
aJgivoiß ) The word "saint" has nothing to do with some hierarchical church
vote, as it is noted here, but Paul's obvious application to those of whom this letter
is addressed. In other words, "the faithful saints in Christ Jesus."
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World
English Bible
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Hebrew
and Greek Original
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Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through
the will of God, to
the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in
Christ Jesus:
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Grace to you and peace from God our
Father and the Lord, Jesus Christ.
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In "WORD PICTURES" A T Robertson writes about
this:
(en
Epeswi). Near the sea on the
river Cayster, the foremost city of Asia Minor, the temple-keeper of Artemis
and her wonderful temple (Acts
19:35), the home of the magic arts (Ephesian letters, Acts 19:19) and of the
mystery-cults,
where Timothy wrought (I and II Tim.),
where the Apostle John
preached in his old age.
Surely it was a place of
great privilege, of great preaching.
Journey to Ephesus
It is believed that the Apostle John traveled from Jerusalem to the city of Ephesus where he remained for the rest of his life. It was during his time there that Emperor Domitian exiled him to the Isle of Patmos, where he wrote Revelation (the Apocalypse). When Nerva became emperor John was pardoned and returned to Ephesus, where he lived the remainder of his days.
SO TRADITION
HAS IT that this is where the apostle John and Mary, the mother of Jesus at
the close of their life.
ACCORDING TO WIKIPEDIA, there are monuments to both in the city, and there are pictures of them to prove it. John the apostle, with the
responsibility that Jesus gave him that he was the son of Mary, that when the
Jewish Roman war started, the Apostle John fled with Mary to Ephesus – – a
city that room declared free. As a Jewish Roman war destroyed the sanctuary,
most of Jerusalem, and subjected most of the Jews to slavery if they weren't killed in the war. This tradition is a strong likelihood of being true.
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Ephesus was about sixty miles from
Patmos and the messenger would reach Ephesus first. It is a free city, a seat
of proconsular government (Acts
19:38), the end of the great road from the Euphrates. The port was a
place of shifting sands, due to the silting up of the mouth of the Cayster.
Ramsay (Letters to the Seven Churches, p. 210) calls it "the City
of Change." These things (tade). This demonstrative seven times here, once with the
message to each church (Acts
2:1,8,12,18; Acts
2:1,7,14), only once elsewhere in N.T. (Acts 21:11). He that holdeth (o
kratwn). Present active
articular participle of kratew, a
stronger word than ecwn in
Acts 1:16, to which it
refers. He that walketh (o peripatwn).
Present active articular participle of peripatew, an allusion to Acts 1:13. These two epithets are drawn from the
picture of Christ in Acts 1:13-18,
and appropriately to conditions in Ephesus describe Christ's power over the
churches as he moves
among them."
This Greek word ( peripatwn) is often used by Paul the Apostle ( like "walking in the Spirit--Gal. 5:16) The Greek word peripatwn ) has been transliterated into English as peripatetic; a wondered or a pedestrian.
1 in whom
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also we
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were made
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a heritage
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having been foreordained
according
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to the purpose
of him
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who works all things
after the counsel
of his will;
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been foreordained according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his will;
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12 in whom
,
His Will
to the end
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that we should
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be to the praise
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of his glory
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we who
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had before hoped
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in Christ:
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13 in Christ
in whom
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you also,
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having heard
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the word
of the truth,
the gospel
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of your salvation,
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in whom --
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having also believed,
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you
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were sealed
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with the Holy Spirit
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of promise,
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the Holy Spirit of promise,
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who is a pledge
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of our inheritance
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to the redemption
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of God`s own possession
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, to the praise
of His glory.
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In the closing part of the
Apostle Paul's opening chapter in verses 11 through 14 he gives the crux of the
whole matter of much of the Christian hope. Any gives kind of a summary of our
coming to salvation. I like to read the new American Standard Bible from the the
11th verse to the 14th verse.
Also, we have obtained an inheritance having been
predestined according to his purpose who works all things after the counsel of
his will to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to
the praise of his glory. In him you also, after listening to the message of
truth, the gospel of your salvation – – having also believed, you were sealed
in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise.
Who is given as a pledge of our inheritance with a view to
the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory."
There are a number of things that the first chapter brings
to us, and one of the things is that God chose us not that we chose him and he
did this quite a while ago. Not only that but he has a plan for us, so our
lives have a purpose--His purpose. And not only that but these passages speak of
inheritance that He wants to give to us.
These closing verses 13 – 14, note the fact that having
believed you were sealed in him with the Holy Spirit of promise. The seal that
is spoken of here is as much of a mark as it is of a securing object. The Holy
Spirit of promise must be a part of your life if you are in Christ as Romans
8:10 – 11 tells us that.
However, you are not in the flesh but in this Spirit, if
indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not let have the Spirit
of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells
in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your
mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.
According to the verses that would just read in Ephesians
1:13 – 14, the Holy Spirit is an earnest of an inheritance that God wants us to
have. The 14th verse also speaks of the future a "view to the redemption
of God's own possession."
WE KNOW WHO THE HOLY SPIRIT IS, BUT WHAT IS THIS REDEMPTION
OF GOD's OWN POSSESSION?
