Week 1 Introductions

Paul wrote the Epistle to the Ephesians from prison to address conflicts between Jewish and Gentile Christians. He emphasized that it was God's purpose to preach the Gospel to Gentiles and urged Christians to maintain unity. The letter was written by Paul, the apostle, and was widely accepted in the early Church. It was written to the saints and believers in Ephesus but intended for a wider audience. The key themes are the grace of God and peace with God. The letter was written about God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Epistle of Paul, the Apostle to the Ephesians Paul, writing from prison, addressed a serious problem afflicting the Christians in the province of Asia, conflict between Jewish and Gentile Christians. This tension was threatening to split Christians into two groups and thus to destroy the unity of the Church. Paul insisted that it was God's purpose from eternity that the Gospel be preached to Gentiles. That eternal purpose had now been disclosed in Christ, so that Gentiles, once foreigners to God's covenants, were made fellow Christians with God's people. Because it is God who has drawn those two groups together in Christ, Christians should make every effort to maintain the unity of the Church, which is one body, in Christ. For week one, we'll just be doing introductions. We'll be working with Ephesians chapter 1, verses 1 and 2. New King James Version says, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace be to you, peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. As we begin the study of Ephesians, it is only fitting that I should begin with introductions. First, let me introduce you to the person who wrote the book of Ephesians. His name is Paul, the author. The letter claims to be written by Paul, so the burden of proving otherwise lies with the critics who haven't proved otherwise. The letter was widely known and accepted in the early Church, and no one disputed it. Not even the heretic Marcion, who ripped the New Testament to shreds. It is written in Paulian style. The letter closely parallels Colossians. The major themes, justification by faith, grace, atonement by Christ, the place of the Jews, and the law, agree with Paul's uncontroverted letters. The arguments against Paulian authorship are flimsy and based on presuppositions of the critics. He is Paul, the apostle of the Lord. He is Paul, the prisoner of Rome and the Lord. He was imprisoned at the time of this epistle's writing, which would date the letter between AD 61 and 63. Next, let me introduce you to the place where Paul wrote to in the book of Ephesians. The city of Ephesus. It was the most important city in the Roman province of Asia. It's located on the west coast of what is now Turkey. Leading commercial city at the intersection of two major trade routes. The home of the temple of Artemis, Diana. One of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The church at Ephesus. Paul came to Ephesus on his second missionary journey. This can be seen in Acts 18, verse 18-21. Paul came back there on his third missionary journey and spent three years ministering there, Acts 20-31. He stopped at Ephesus on his way back from his third missionary journey, Acts 20, 13-31. Next, let me introduce you to the people to whom Paul wrote the book of Ephesians. Who was the letter of Ephesians written to? This may surprise you, but the letter was written to you. This was a circular letter that was sent to Ephesus, but it was intended for a wider audience. A. We are saints. B. We are believers. The word saints can be translated believers. C. We are in Christ. Next, let me introduce you to the message that Paul wrote in the book of Ephesians. There are two key themes in Paul's letter. We can know fully the grace of God, which saves us and provides us all we need. We can experience peace with God, which results in peace in our hearts and with one another. Next, let me introduce you to the wonderful person that Paul wrote about in the book of Ephesians. He is God our Father. He is the Lord, Jesus Christ.