(ARTICLE) The Book of Ephesians: My Notes on Chapters 01-06

[creationliberty]

The Book of Ephesians: My Notes on Chapters 01-06

At the time this epistle (letter) was written, Ephesus was one of the biggest cities in Asia minor, located specifically in ancient Ionia, today known as the region of Anatolia, which now encompasses most of the eastern and southeastern parts of Turkey. Ephesus was not only well known to be a port city along the Mediterranean coast, but it was also a beacon for heathen to worship Diana, the highly revered pagan goddess of the moon and hunting in Roman culture (also known as Artemis in Greek culture), and a majestic temple was dedicated to her, which received countless visitors every year.

After spending much time in Corinth, Paul spent only a short time preaching in Ephesus and moved on, but when he returned later during his travels, he found a few disciples who had been converted to Jesus Christ, and so working together with them over the next couple of years, they formed a large church that preached the Gospel. Paul wrote this letter to Ephesus while he was a prisoner in Rome (Eph 3:1), and the Holy Spirit had given Paul discernment of false teachers that would rise up from among them, so he set out to reassure them of the truth of the Gospel of Salvation, its foundations in the mercy of Christ alone, being pardoned of our sins by His blood, not of works, that they would be well guarded against those who would bewitch them into a false gospel.

[OsoWeakbutHeIsStrong]

It's amazing when you think about Paul warning about false teachers how long ago? Over 2000 years ago?  Yet you hear professing Christians in 2023 saying, "Well, yeah, but not in MY church."  Somehow they don't need to worry about this problem and these verses don't pertain to them.