Jan 11, 2016
Ephesians & ColossiansSpring Quarter 2012
Ephesus• Three miles from the Aegean coast, in the
Cayster River valley.• Three great roads converged here– From the East by way of Colossae and Laodicea– From Galatia via Sardis, trade from Asia Minor– The third road was from to the north
• Three important periods– Archaic (900-950 B.C.) – Greco-Lydian (560-290 B.C.)– Greco-Roman (from 290 B.C. on)
Ephesus
• Paul first visited Ephesus on the return from his 2nd journey about A.D. 53 (Acts 18:19-21)– Priscilla & Aquila remained at Ephesus (18:18-28)– Apollos was taught the way of God more
accurately and went to Corinth (19:1)• Paul’s second visit– On his 3rd journey about A.D. 54• Encountered and taught 12 men who had been
baptized with John’s baptism (19:1-7)• Spoke in synagogue for 3 months (19:8)• Then taught in school of Tyrannus for two years
Ephesus
• Many were healed (19:11-18• Magicians publicly burned their books (19:19)• “So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and
prevailing” (19:22)• Timothy & Erastus were with Paul, but sent on to
Macedonia (19:22)• Disturbance (riot) over Diana of the Ephesians• Paul exhorted the disciples and left for Macedonia
(20:1)
– On the return from Greece he met with the elders of Ephesus at Miletus (20:17-38)
Ephesus
• Key figures:– Timothy– Aquila & Priscilla– Apollos – Erastus– Trophimus – Tychicus– Onesiphorus – John
Ephesus
• The 3rd “ecumenical” council held here in A.D. 431– Theotokos – God-bearer– Latin – Mother of God– The intention of the council was to emphasize the
deity of Christ• It is maintained by Roman Catholics that Mary
came to Ephesus with John. A house, said to have been associated with Mary was discovered in 1891 and is now claimed to be the site of many miracles
Ephesus
• One of the great cities of the Greco-Roman world
• Became an important center for the spread of the gospel about the middle of the first century
• Now in ruins
Ephesians
• Author: Paul, the apostle– Iranaeus (200 A.D.)– Clement of Alexandria (200 A.D.)– Origen (250 A.D.)– Polycarp (125 A.D.)
• Recipients: The church in Ephesus, but other churches as well
• Time & Place of writing: one of the “Prison Epistles”, 61-63 A.D. from Rome
Ephesians
• Purpose:– The hope of God’s calling (1:18)– The glorious riches of God’s inheritance in the saints
(1:18)– God’s great power toward those who believe (1:19)– To remind Christians of their spiritual blessings in
Christ– To exhort Christians to “walk worthy of the calling
to which you were called” (4:1)
Theme of Ephesians
God’s Eternal Purpose In Christ