EPHESIANS 1:1 to 2

              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."

Ephesians 1

	World English Bible	Hebrew and Greek Original

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus:	Pau'loß ajpovstoloß Xristou' #Ihsou' dia; qelhvmatoß qeou' toi'ß aJgivoiß toi'ß ou\sin Íejn #Efevsw/Ñ kai; pistoi'ß ejn Xristw'/ #Ihsou':
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord, Jesus Christ.	cavriß uJmi'n kai; eijrhvnh ajpo; qeou' patro;ß hJmw'n kai; kurivou #Ihsou' Xristou'.

In "WORD PICTURES" A T Robertson writes about this:

"Verse 1 In Ephesus

(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,

place of Paul's three years' stay (Acts 19:1-10; Acts 20:17-38),

 where Aquila and Priscilla and Apollos laboured (Acts 18:24-28),

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.

              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 also we were made a heritage having been foreordained  according to the purpose             of him who works all things            after the counsel                         of his will;	been foreordained according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his will;
12 in whom , His Will to the end that we should be to the praise                of his glory we who had before hoped                     in Christ:
13 in Christ in whom you also, having heard the word    of the truth, the gospel  of your salvation, in whom -- having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

the Holy Spirit of promise,

14 who is a pledge

of our inheritance

to the redemption

of God`s own possession

, , to the praise                        of His glory.

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?