Ephesians Introduction- Paul's desire for God's Grace & Peace
General Introductory Information
Writer: Paul
What is an Epistle?
What is the general theme or idea of the Epistle?
Letter to the Christians in the great city of Ephesus and vicinity written with a magnificence that both instructs and inspires the reader. It provides a sweeping view of the role of the church as history moves toward the ultimate recognition of the universal headship of Christ.
This letter is different from some others by Paul. It doesn’t have his usual personal messages, and the earliest versions don’t even mention Ephesus.
Again, in this letter Paul isn’t tackling any particular problem. It isn’t a troubleshooting letter like some of his others. At the same time, it is very similar to the letter to the Colossians. A lot of the material overlaps.
What was Ephesus like?
The temple of Diana at Ephesus was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The impressive building was supported on 100 large columns. The local legend was that there her statue fell from the sky (Acts 19:35). This may have been a reference to a meteorite. Pliny described a large stone over the doorway, which, according to tradition, had been put in place by Diana. Ceremonies and services of worship in her honor were conducted by eunuch priests.
Most important city of the Roman province of Asia, located on the western shore of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Ephesus was built on a natural harbor whose waves, according to the Roman writer Pliny the Elder, “used to wash up to the temple of Diana.” Ephesus was described by Strabo, an early Greek geographer, as the largest commercial center west of the Taurus mountains. It was also well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis or, as the Romans called her, Diana (Acts 19:35).
When did he write it and under what circumstances?
but most scholars think that Ephesians (along with Colossians, Philemon, and probably Philippians) was written during Paul’s imprisonment at Rome (Acts 28:16, 30). This probably took place sometime between A.D. 59 and 63 and lasted for two years.
Paul writes several of his letters from prison. Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon all seem to have been written in these circumstances. We know from the book of Acts that Paul is in prison in Caesarea for two years (Acts 24:27) and, later, under house arrest in Rome. The most popular theory is that Paul writes these letters from Rome, while he is waiting to be tried before Emperor Nero. This is in the years between AD 60 and 62.