Ephesians 1.1a-Identification of the Author of the Epistle
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Saturday February 11, 2023
Ephesians Series: Ephesians 1:1a-Identification of the Author of the Epistle
Lesson # 9
Ephesians 1:1 From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will to the saints who are living in Ephesus. Specifically to those who are believers in Christ Jesus. (Lecturer’s translation)
As we noted in our introduction, the structure of Ephesians is written according to the pattern of letter writing found in the ancient world during the first century.
The general form of a first century letter contained the following elements: (1) The author identifies himself (2) The author identifies the recipient (3) The greeting (4) Main body of the epistle (5) Closing greeting (usually a simple word wishing the recipient good health) (6) Final signature of endorsement by the writer of the letter.
The final signature of endorsement authenticated the letter’s contents and served as protection against fraudulent correspondence.
The final signature was also important because frequently an amanuensis was employed to write the letter.
The epistolary structure of Ephesians is as follows: (1) Identification of the author (Eph. 1:1a) (2) Identification of the recipients of the letter (3) Body of the letter (1:3-6:20) (4) Closing (6:21-24).
Therefore, as was the case when he wrote the epistle to the Christian community in Rome, the apostle Paul identifies himself as the sole author of the epistle to the Ephesians.
He also identifies the Christian community in Ephesus as the recipients of the letter.
However, as we noted, he is actually writing to the various Christian communities throughout the Roman province and not just to the Ephesian Christian community.
Paul describes himself as “an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will.”
He gives a two-fold description of the recipients.
The first describes them as “the saints who are living in Ephesus.”
The second description identifies the recipients specifically as “those who are believers in Christ Jesus.”
The personal name Paulos (Παῦλος), “Paul” is used by the author when writing to the Christian community in Ephesus and throughout the Roman province of Asia rather than his Jewish name Saul since this community was predominately Gentile and “Paul” was his name he used among the Gentiles.
In fact, the Lord Jesus Christ authorized him to be the apostle to the Gentiles (cf. Acts 9:15; 22:21; Romans 11:13; 15:16; Galatians 1:15-16; 2:2, 7-9).
Paul was from the city of Tarsus, which was the principal city of the Roman province of Cilicia in southeast Asia Minor, which is now Turkey (Acts 9:11; 22:3).
Tarsus was located on the Tarsus River and 12 miles from the Mediterranean coast.
In Philippians 3:5-6, the apostle Paul gives a composite character sketch of himself prior to his conversion, which marked him out as the top young rising star in Judaism.
His Jewish name was Saul and he was the most famous Jew of his day.
Philippians 3:1 From now on, my brothers, all of you begin rejoicing and continue doing so because of the Lord: writing these same things for all of you is in fact never bothersome for me but safe for all of you. 2 Beware of those dogs, beware of those evil workers, beware of the mutilation 3 because we are the circumcision, those who are serving (God the Father) by means of the Spirit of God, who are priding themselves in the nature and doctrine of Christ Jesus, who have no confidence in the flesh. 4 Although I myself having confidence in the flesh, if anyone of the same race (i.e., Jewish) claims to have confidence in the flesh and some claim to have confidence in the flesh, I more. 5 With respect to circumcision: eighth day, descended from the nation of Israel, a member of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew (speaking Jew) from Hebrews (Hebrew speaking parents), legalistically: a Pharisee, 6 zealously persecuting the church, self-righteously religious: I conducted myself irreproachably! (Lecturer’s translation)
In First Timothy 1:13, Paul gives us more information about himself prior to his conversion.
First Timothy 1:12 I continually possess gratitude to the One who empowered me, namely Christ, who is Jesus, our Lord because He considered me for Himself as faithful by appointing me for Himself for the purpose of service. 13 Even though I was characterized as being a slanderer as well as a persecutor and in addition, an insolent violent person. But in direct contrast to this, I obtained grace because being in a state of rejection, I acted due to unbelief. (Lecturer’s translation)
Now, in Ephesians 1:1, the term apostolos (ἀπόστολος), “an apostle” refers to the office of an apostle, which was given by the Lord Jesus Christ to only thirteen men.
Paul replaced Judas Iscariot.
In our passage, the noun apostolos (ἀπόστολος), “an apostle” refers to the temporary spiritual gift of apostleship that held maximum authority in the church.
This gift was given to only twelve men and existed exclusively during the pre-canon period of the church age and is no longer existent today since all twelve men have died and went home to be with the Lord (See Matthew 10:2-4).
The noun apostolos (ἀπόστολος), “an apostle” appears in the salutation of several of Paul’s epistles, namely, Romans 1:1; 1 Corinthians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 1:1.
However, it doesn’t appear in 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Philippians and Philemon.
Paul uses the word to establish that his authority is from the Lord Himself (Romans 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 1:1)
He uses it when his authority or teaching is being questioned or rejected by those to whom he is writing (1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians).
The Thessalonians and Philippians were faithful to Paul’s teaching and had a great friendship with Paul.
Philemon was a personal note, thus there was no need of Paul to establish his authority with these churches and Philemon.
The twelve men who were selected by the Lord Jesus Christ to the office of apostle were Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, Simon the Canaanite, James, the son of Alphaeus, not the lesser, Thaddaeus, also called Jude, and Saul of Tarsus, also known as Paul.
In Acts 1:26, Matthias was selected to be an apostle by lot to replace Judas Iscariot, however, this selection was not honored by God since he was not personally selected by the resurrected Christ as the other eleven men were, nor did he demonstrate any sign gifts.
One of the requirements for holding the “office” of apostle was the experience of seeing the resurrected Christ as Paul had when defending his ministry in 1 Corinthians 9:1-2.
Another requirement for holding the “office” of apostle was that of possessing the “sign gifts” such as healing, which Paul demonstrated he had many times during the course of his ministry (Acts 14:10; 16:18; 19:11; 20:10; 28:8) or “tongues,” which Paul also demonstrated he possessed (1 Corinthians 14:18).
The office and spiritual gift of apostleship was not appointed until after the resurrection and ascension and session of the Lord Jesus Christ (See Ephesians 4:1-16).
Distribution of spiritual gifts was authorized by the Lord Jesus Christ as a result of His death, resurrection, ascension and session, however, the actual appointment of the spiritual gift of apostleship was made by God the Holy Spirit according 1 Corinthians 12:11.
The spiritual gift of apostleship functioned under two categories: (1) Writers of the New Testament (2) Establishment of local churches: (a) The clarification of mystery doctrine (b) The maintenance of a true systematic theology with dispensational emphasis (c) The training of pastors (d) Establishment of local church policy.
Paul was personally commissioned by the resurrected Christ to be the apostle to the Gentiles (See Acts 9:15; 22:21; Romans 11:13; 15:16; Galatians 1:15-16; 2:2, 7-9; Ephesians 3:1; First Timothy 2:7).
As was the case in 1 and 2 Corinthians 1:1, Colossians 1:1 and 2 Timothy 1:1, Paul in Ephesians 1:1 asserts that he was an apostle of Christ Jesus dia thelēmatos theou (διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ), “by God’s will.”
In other words, Jesus Christ selected Paul to be His apostle through the intermediate agency of the Father’s will.
So therefore, Paul was chosen to be an apostle of Jesus Christ because it was the Father’s will for him to be so.
This expression “by God’s will” is related to the divine decree of God which took place in eternity past before anything was ever created and is God’s eternal and immutable will.
So therefore, when Paul was chosen to be an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of the Father, he means that in eternity past before anything was created, the Father from His omniscience knew that Paul would trust in His Son Jesus Christ as Savior on the road to Damascus.
He sovereignly chose Paul to make that decision meaning that He saw from His omniscience that Paul would trust in His Son and then decreed that this decision would take place in time.
In eternity past the Father sovereignly chose Paul to be an apostle of His Son.
Thus, Paul’s apostleship was based upon God’s initiative and choice and not his or any human being’s.