The Epistle to the Ephesians is one of the masterpieces of Paul’s writings. This letter is written to the saints in the Ephesians, for the saints in the city of Ephesus and for all of us.
Every word in the Bible and the writings in the Bible have a connection to its background. They have a relation to the historical events. We need to understand the Word from its historical, social and cultural contexts. The Word of God is written to the particular community for a special reason. So also, in order to understand the message of Ephesians, we need to know about the Ephesus church and the city of Ephesus.
Ephesus was a port city and hence crowded for that reason. This city was also noted for its religious background. They were given to pagan worship especially for the temple of Artemis.
The church in Ephesus was situated in a city known not only for its pagan presence, but also known for its Jewish presence. In the book of Acts, 18 and 19 we see that a synagogue was in function for the Jewish people of Ephesus. Paul’s ministry was helped by the synagogues. Paul taught in such a place for two years as we see in Acts 19. This church was fully established by the word taught by Paul. The churches, gave importance to teaching and meditation of God’s word, were strengthened and established. Hence, this city was known for pagan, Jewish and above all a strong Christian church.
Paul writes this letter from the Roman Prison hence called one of the prison letters. Doctrinal and practical aspects were included in it. Both of these aspects are need for the growth of the church. Pure theology is the foundation of the church. Where we have a strong theology, we need practical teachings for day to day life. In the book of Ephesians, we see both these aspects. There are 6 chapters in this letter. Chapters 1-3 deal with doctrinal teachings. Paul says, we are blessed in Christ with all heavenly blessings, the heavenly blessings from the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Even before the foundation of the world, the Father has seen us, and through Son, He has chosen us and through the Holy Spirit we are sealed. There are two significant prayers we see in these chapters, which are relevant even today.
Chapter 4 onwards, deals with practical teachings. How to practice our doctrines in our daily life. How this theology works for our character formation. How we control our thoughts, attitudes and emotions? We find instructions to handle them. How does theology influences our family life and what is the theology behind family relationships. If theology is not at work in our personal, family or social life it needs to be examined. Not just that we need to see how it affects the work place and social life. And finally he talks about spiritual warfare. We see the instructions for our spiritual warfare.
The heart of our heavenly father is revealed in chapter 2:4, what a great love our merciful God has showed to us ! As the father pitied the children, the Lord pitied his children. We have the privilege to call our God whom we serve as father. In the Lord’s prayer He taught us to call him our Heavenly Father. When he is my father, how will his heart be towards me? If he is father, we need to be his children. In order to understand the greatness of God, we need to understand our wretched condition. This father has seated us in heavenly places, raised us with Christ. Our place and our status change. We are in a blessed state. But when we understand the greatness of God, we know that how wretched was our condition.
Our previous state is described as “we were dead in trespass and sin.”
What is the condition of a person who is dead, a person who is dead can’t respond to the physical world. So also, a person who is spiritually dead cannot respond to anything of God. The reason for that kind of situation is two things, trespass and sins. Trespasses means, crossing the boundary, and sin means missing the mark. So their spirit is dead. Paul says, but we are alive in Christ. Now we have the sense to understand His presence.
The second, we were walking according to the course of this world. They were conformed to the things of the world. World is against God’s values. God’s kingdom values and the world values are different, Jesus has taken us from the world, we need to stay away from the value system against God’s Kingdom. Only when we renew our minds will we understand Kingdom values.
Thirdly, we were under the power of the air, ruler of the kingdom of the air, or darkness controlled by the devil.
Fourthly, you obeyed the fleshly desires, the attitude of hearts. Flesh does not mean, the physical body, the principality that is against our spiritual man is flesh. Paul, himself had the experience of a war between spiritual man and fleshly man. If you obey the spirit you will live, but if you obey the flesh, you will die.
We are loved by the Lord God who is rich in mercy, and compassionate. Three words are used to express his fatherly nature, the mercy of God, the great love, the grace of God. These three types of God’s nature helped to set us free..
What is the specialty of this fatherly love?
When we were yet sinners, unconditional and unmerited favor was shown unto us. Father loves his son and daughter regardless of their failures. The Lord so loved the world when, we were not merited for his love. His because of his merciful heart. His love that kept the one who denied and betrayed Him.
He did not only love, but showed, demonstrated his love by giving only His begotten Son. John. 13:1. He showed the full extent of his love, by washing the feet of the disciples.
Jesus said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and came after you.” We could not find him, but He searched and found us, that is true fatherly love.
Luke. 15:11, in the parable of the prodigal son, the love that the father shows, is a model of God’s love that patiently waits for His son. A Son that lost everything, who was a failure, but the father waits patiently, with love. Even though we fall several times before Him, we can’t fail his love nor escape from His love. Often we move away, but he is still waiting. The Father sees us from a distance, because, he was waiting from the day the son left home. Our Heavenly Father is also waiting.
The son said, “I did sin to you and to heaven, I am not worthy of being call your son.” But the father said, “Give him a new robe and a ring.” This kind of love never keeps record the wrongs. If someone comes back, greater is the Father’s love for them.
We see the Father searches and finds the one that was lost. The Father never said, “only one is lost.” Even the one is important. The lifeless one is important for him. The world always give importance to numbers. But for the Heavenly Father seeks that which is lost and dead.
The father heart of God continues to love humanity and the unrepented soul. He is still searching for the lost and the dead. He waits patiently for the sinners and backsliders to return to the enveloping love of God. There is no need of fear and anxiety to come before him, because the Lord never keeps record of wrongs.
The greatest expression of the love of God is seen on the cross of Calvary, where He abandoned His own Son for the lost humanity. The cross still stands tall so that every single sinner can see it, and understand that God still loves them.
