One in ChristSample

EPHESIANS – An Introduction

The Apostle Paul had a divine encounter with Jesus which transformed his life and became instrumental in seeing the church expand into the non-Jewish world. Trained by Gamaliel, one of the foremost Jewish rabbis of the time, Paul had been deeply rooted in Jewish tradition. His opposition to Jesus' followers was intense until his supernatural encounter with Christ. From then on, he was called to preach the gospel, particularly to the Gentiles. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul wrote around two thirds of what we know as the New Testament. He had profound revelation about what Jesus accomplished for us and how to live in the reality of that victory.

Although the letter we are about to study together is known as “Ephesians” it is important to note that some believe that this letter was not written specifically to the Ephesians. Many early manuscripts do not include “in Ephesus” in the first verse. It’s believed that this phrase was added later, once the letter had arrived in Ephesus. Many scholars suggest that it was originally a circular letter, intended to be shared among several churches—possibly delivered by Tychicus. A further argument supporting this view is that, unlike Paul’s other letters, this one doesn’t address specific issues or people within a particular congregation. Instead of saying he saw their faith, he writes that he heard about it—suggesting distance rather than personal experience, which is noteworthy, as Paul had previously spent about three years in Ephesus before writing this letter from a Roman prison.

Whether or not this letter was originally intended specifically for the Ephesian church, it was read there, and by many other churches as well. In Darrell Johnson’s commentary, he suggests we could replace “Ephesus” in verse 1 with the name of our own city—making the letter feel deeply personal and relevant for us today: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God’s holy people in… (add the name of your city).”

In Ephesians 3:6–11, Paul summarises the two primary tasks God had graced him for:

1. To proclaim to non-Jews the boundless riches of Christ.
2. To make plain to everyone that they are called to participate in God’s plan—uniting all under Christ as one body, the church.

There is such richness in this letter—to both the Ephesians and beyond. Within six short chapters, Paul speaks of our identity, our purpose, our unity, the church, our lifestyle, our relationships, the spirit realm, and our enemy.

Paul begins by writing about the boundless riches that we have in Christ. In Jesus, we have acceptance, love, significance, wholeness, purpose, and grace. The letter then encourages us to walk in our heavenly calling as a response to both Gods plan and what He has done for us. Paul gives examples of what that looks like in different life scenarios, including our workplace and our family.

He closes his letter by reminding us that the enemy’s strategy is to wear us down—to make us give up on living the life God has called us to. But we are not left defensless! God has equipped us not to fall prey to the enemy’s deception, but to become a spiritually mature church, adopting a way of thinking that draws us closer to Him and roots us deeply in His love. He urges us to stand strong in God’s strength and love, to have faith in the truth of God’s word, and to pray in the Spirit.

As we begin this devotional journey, it may be helpful to know that Ephesus was a major trading center on the coast of what is now modern-day Turkey. It was well known for the grand Temple of the Greek goddess Artemis (also worshipped by the Romans as Diana), to whom people sacrificed in hopes of good hunting and fertility. This cultural context would have shaped the way the Ephesians received and understood Paul’s letter in their time.

That said, this devotional won’t dive deeply into the historical background. Instead, we’ll focus our attention on the eternal truths woven throughout Paul’s words. For example, when Paul writes about uniting Jews and Gentiles, he’s addressing a specific cultural moment—but through that, he reveals God’s eternal purpose of unity. That’s what we’ll explore: how these timeless truths speak into our lives today. Like Paul does throughout his writings, we will intentionally circle back to key truths—because repetition is how we learn.

Our hope is that as you read, your eyes will be enlightened and your heart awakened, so you can step fully into God’s purpose for your generation.

Enjoy!