Ephesians Lesson 1 (Background info)

City of Ephesus:

Map

City

EPHESUS (Ἔφεσος, Ephesos). On the west coast of Asia Minor. Made the capital of the Roman province of Asia Minor by Augustus (27 bc—ad 14). Ephesus is the setting for Acts 19. Paul taught daily there for two years (Acts 19:9). The elders from Ephesus came to see Paul on his last journey to Jerusalem (Acts 20:17–18), and in 1 Cor 15:32, Paul says that he fought the beasts there. The city was originally founded ca. 1000 bc by the Greeks. It came under Roman control in 133 bc.

Location - Ephesus was located at the mouth of the Cayster River on the Aegean coast—in the Southwestern corner of present-day Turkey. Roads from the city spread out in every direction along the coast and through the interior of the province.

Population - Ephesus was the third largest city in the Roman empire. Its population is estimated to have been around 250,000 during the time of early Christianity. The ethnic make-up of the inhabitants of Ephesus included (but was not limited to): Lydians, Ionians, Greeks, a native population of Anatolians, and a large Jewish constituency according to Josephus. Rome sent many of its citizens to its provinces—as a colonial strategy—to protect the interests of the Empire.

There are several temples, gymnasiums and baths. The baths were a center for mental as well as physical training, and inevitably became a center of general social life, like the agora and the stoas” (Wycherley 1962: 139). Roman imperial urban life depended upon the baths and gymnasiums to furnish a place for education, relaxation, contemplation, entertainment, admiration of performing arts, public hygiene, exercise, and intensive athletic training and competition.

Ephesus even had indoor bathrooms, all the modern day amenities....well maybe not quite. You got to sit next to several of your besties and talk politics and religion:). Let’s hope to TP was a little softer than the seats…nope either leaves or you hand.

They even had running water. Look at the design of the water pipe. sewers and main water supplies are still made with the exact same design.

A major landmark of the city was this theater, which the Romans built to seat about 25,000 people. In this arena the silversmith named Demetrius led a riot against the Christian evangelists (Acts 19:24–29). (Illustrated Manners and Customs of the Bible )

Here is an example of a Roman road in Ephesus. The Romans built 50, 000 miles of hard surface highways. The primary purpose was to bring military troops and equipment. These roads are the analogy for John the baptist in Matt 3.

Matthew 3:3 NKJV

3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’ ”

The previous road were basically animal trails winding covered with vegetation. Rabbit trails if you will, or goat trails. so lets take the analogy and makes some application.

Make it easy for you to walk you (Your walk with the lord)

make it easy for others to walk (bringing others to the lord)

you can see the path easily ( know where to go with God)

you dont trip (you avoid the things that make you fall and miss God)

removes all obstacles ( you dont have to reroute your life with God)

Paul walked between 10,000 and 15,000 miles to spread the Gospel on these roads. So while the Romans build the roads for military purpose, God used them to spread his Gospel.

Lets look at a place in Ephesus mentioned in Acts. We are looking at the actual place and stones Paul waled on.

Acts 19:24–29 NKJV

24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. 25 He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: “Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. 26 Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. 27 So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.” 28 Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” 29 So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s travel companions.

Artemis Ephesia, This deity was a fusion of Greek Artemis and an Asian mother-goddess from Ephesus. Surviving statues of Artemis Ephesia show her to be a multi-breasted mother-goddess, clothed in ornate garments and wearing a large headdress. To the Romans, Artemis was known as Diana.

The Artemis shrine in Ephesus provided the area with a lucrative tourist business from pilgrims traveling to the temple. In addition, the temple served as a financial institution and lent out money from the wealth deposited at the shrine (Stark, Cities of God, 42). The temple was perceived to be a safe place to store resources because no one dared to violate its sacred space (Dio Chrysostom, Rhod. 31:54). However, this did not prevent corruption and inappropriate use of the funds by temple officials (Trebilco, “Asia,” 343–344).

The imperial cult had religious and political dimensions for the people in Ephesus. The cult bestowed emperors with honors similar to those given the gods, such as festivals, games, temples, and statues. Shrines and statues were erected as an honor to the emperor by his grateful subjects

Gnosticism—a religious movement that stressed a superior philosophy—was likely present in the marketplace of religious beliefs in Ephesus

The practice of magic was also popular in Ephesus.

This leads us to Revelations 2:1

We need to take into account what was said to the church at Ephesus by God. To glean in sites into what is going on in the church. I will give us in sight to exegete certain passages and issues that arise studying the book. So let’s look at it.

Rev 2:1-7

Revelation 2:1–7 NKJV

1 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’

I think its worth mentioning here the church in Ephesus somehow had not followed God completely and was rebuked and told to repent. Look like we are in the same situation and if we are not careful people can be pulled into to worlds thinking and sin.

Now, let’s take a little trip to Ephesus with this 5 min video on Imperial Cults in Ephesus.

It would be a lesson by Doug without breaking down the sentence to see what we can learn. There is only 1 imperative verb in the first three chapters. then there is a change in tone and the ends of chapter 4 and all of 5 and 6 have 39 imperative verbs. The transition is what we are to do as Christians.

Author - Paul

Twice in this epistle Paul referred to himself by name as the author of the book (Eph 1:1; 3:1).

Ephesians was probably delivered by Tychicus (Eph. 6:21–22), who also took Paul’s letter to the Colossians (Col. 4:7–9).

Paul was born a Roman citizen (Acts 22:28) and grew up in the city of Tarsus (located in the southeastern region of modern-day Turkey). In Tarsus, one of the largest cities of the Roman Empire, Paul was exposed to Graeco-Roman customs, religions, and philosophies. His expertise in Jewish law and thorough understanding of Greek culture made him ideally suited to proclaim the gospel among the Gentiles.

The early history of Ephesian Christianity can be divided, for the sake of convenience, into periods characterized by the influence of different Christian authors and leaders. The earliest period obviously falls to the apostle Paul. The text of Acts indicates that Paul’s efforts played an important role in the early spread of the Gospel in Ephesus (Acts 18–20). This city was not only the site of his longest missionary tenure, as presented in the scheme of Acts, but also was the base of operation for Paul and his associates as they spread the Christian Gospel into the adjacent cities and regions of Asia Minor (e.g., the Lycus valley).

The Pauline Corinthian correspondence was written at a time contemporary with the apostle’s Ephesian ministry and Romans was written shortly thereafter.

The letters of Ephesians, Colossians, and the epistles of 1 and 2 Timothy provide strong indications of the importance of Ephesus in the Pauline ministry.

All Pauline Epistles:

1 & 2 Thessalonians,

1 & 2 Corinthians

Galatians, Romans

Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians, Philippians (Prison Epistles)

1 & 2 Timothy, Titus (Pastoral Epistles)

Place/Time

Purpose

Though no particular problem is raised in the book, the reason for writing this epistle becomes clear when we considers the contacts the apostle had with the Ephesians. On the return from his third missionary journey Paul told the Ephesian elders at Miletus (A.D. 57) to beware of evil teachers from without and of professing believers within who would teach perverse things (Acts 20:29–30).

From Revelation one can see that the Ephesian church had succeeded in keeping out the false teachers (Rev. 2:2) but had failed to maintain the vibrancy of their first love for Christ (Rev. 2:4). This is substantiated in 1 Timothy 1:5, when Paul wrote from Macedonia to Timothy at Ephesus (ca A.D. 62) that the goal of his instruction was “love which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” Thus the theme of love needed to be stressed for the saints at Ephesus.

Topics

Redemption, Prayer, Wisdom, Spiritual Wisdom, Grace, Faith, Blood of Christ, Circumcision, Peace, Mysteries of God, Purpose, Unity, Spiritual Gifts, New Man, Spirit, Love, Light, Marriage, Church, Christ, Parenting, Children, Masters, Slaves, Armor of God.

Biblical References for Ephesus

The city of Ephesus is mentioned in 1 Cor 15:32, where Paul states that he fought wild beasts in Ephesus.

The Acts of the Apostles record that Paul visited Ephesus on his second and third missionary journeys (Acts 20:17–38).

Acts relates several events in the city during Paul’s time there. It was in Ephesus that Priscilla and Aquila taught Apollos a more complete understanding of God (Acts 18:26).

Paul convinced twelve disciples of John the Baptist to receive Christian baptism (Acts 19:1–4), and he healed many diseases—even through his aprons and handkerchiefs (Acts 19:11–12).

According to Acts 19:9, Paul had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus at Ephesus. Tyrannus might have been a regular lecturer at the hall or its owner.

The seven sons of Sceva attempted to use Jesus’ name to conduct their exorcisms in the city (Acts 19:13–17).

Newly converted Christians burned their magical books in the town of Ephesus (Acts 19:18–20).

The riot of the silversmiths occurs at a theater in Ephesus (Acts 19:23–40). The riot occurred because Christianity decreased the sales of the cult of Artemis.

Ephesus was the location from which most of Paul’s letters originated—1 Corinthians, Philippians, Galatians, Philemon, and the largest portion of 2 Corinthians.

Outline

Chapter 1: Believer’s position in grace. The prayer for knowledge and power.

Chapter 2: Method of Gentile salvation. Jew and Gentile made one body in Christ, a habitation of God through the Spirit.

Chapter 3: Church, a mystery hidden in past ages. Prayer for inner fullness and knowledge.

Chapter 4: Walk and service of the believer in Christ. Ministry of gifts of Christ to His Body.

Chapter 5: Walk of the believer as God’s child. The believer’s warfare as filled with the Spirit.

Chapter 6: Domestic life of Spirit-filled believers. Warfare of the believer.

*Keith Brooks, Summarized Bible: Complete Summary of the New Testament (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), 60.

4 Key Points to Ephesus

• Ephesus was a major commercial port city and an important node on the north-south and east-west road system, and thus a strategic hub for the immediate and ongoing work of a missionary/church planter like Paul and his team.

• The worship of Artemis and the city’s identity and pride were intertwined from the founding of Ephesus, making devotion to Artemis a natural rallying point against an invasive monotheistic cult.

•Ephesus enthusiastically and devoutly supported the Roman imperial cult, with a marked upsurge toward the end of the first century as it was awarded its first provincial imperial temple. This is the climate and situation to which John’s Revelation would appear to respond most directly for Ephesian Christians.

• The commercial structures and activity of Ephesus, particularly as a collection point for shipments heading west to Greece and, most especially, Rome, is another important point of connection with Revelation’s critique of the Roman imperial economy and the practices that sustain it.