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Introduction (1:1-10)Greeting (1:1-2)AuthorPaul, the apostle of Jesus Christ introduces himself as the author of the letter. In comparison to the other epistles, Paul does not defend or explain his authority in his introduction. Audience (1:3-5)The letter is addressed to the saints in Ephesus. However, many scholars believe this epistle was intended to be distributed to several churches in the province of Asia. First, the words “in Ephesus” do not appear in all the ancient manuscripts. Secondly, the epistle lacks the personal greetings that are found in many of his epistles, suggesting a more general audience. The City of Ephesus
The Romans built numerous public works projects in the city, including a stadium, aqueducts, triumphal arch, and the dredging of the harbor. Most notably, it was home to the temple of Artemis (a.k.a. Diana), the goddess of virginity and childbearing. The temple was one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. The 100,000 sq. ft. temple was more than four times the size of the Parthenon in Athens and was one of the main "tourist attractions" in Ephesus. It was supported by 127 columns, 4-feet in diameter and 60 feet tall. Religion in Ephesus centered on the worship of Artemis. Sacrifices to this goddess would bring fertility and “good sex.” Prostitution was rampant in Ephesians as a result. The Church in EphesusPaul had a brief visit in Ephesus at the trail end of his second missionary journey. However, in his third missionary journey he spent two years in the city, beginning A.D. 53 (Acts 19:10). His ministry in Ephesus had tremendous impact. According to Acts 19, due to Paul's ministry, the entire province of Asia heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, so many people joined the church, that visits to the temple of Artemis dramatically fell, creating a significant economic impact on the tourist trade that had arisen around the temple. For his part in this economic slump, Paul became the center of a riot in the city, requiring him to eventually leave (Acts 19:23). Nonetheless, in his three years here, Paul developed close bonds with the church. At the end of his third missionary journey, as he returned to Jerusalem and his sure imprisonment, Paul visited a nearby city where he met with the elders of Ephesus. In a tearful farewell, Paul gave the elders a powerful and important message for the church leadership (Acts 20:17-38). Tradition holds that the apostle John lived and ministered there in the last years of his life and that John brought Mary, the mother of Jesus with him, and that she died in Ephesus. Jesus sent a message to the church in Ephesus through the apostle John in the book of Revelation while he was in exile on Patmos (and island 75 miles southwest of Ephesus) around A.D. 96. Occasion for the Writing (1:6-9)There does not appear to be any specific problems or issues which Paul was addressing in the church. However, Paul was in prison, most likely in Rome, at the time of the writing (Ephesians 3:1, 4:1, 6:20). Theme of the BookThe central theme of the book is the unity of the body of Christ. All members of the church, both Jew and Greek have been saved by grace, and therefore all are equal within the body of Christ. The key verse is found in the middle of the book: Be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is on body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling (Ephesians 4:3-4). Structure of the BookThe book of Ephesians has a clear break in chapter 4. The first half of the book establishes the doctrinal foundations for the unity of the church. The second half of the book promotes the practice of that unity in daily living. [Next: Doctrinal Foundations of Unity]
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Ephesus is located on the west coast of modern day Turkey. At the time of its founding, at the mouth of the Cayster River , providing excellent access into the interior valleys. The city was a Greek colony settled around 1000 BC. It had been conquered by many nations, including Persians, Greeks, Lydians, and finally the Romans. The Romans established the city as the Roman capital of the province of Asia.