PDF version of the lesson notes.

I. Introduction

A. Notable

• One feature that stuck out to me was the personal nature of the letter. Paul talks of his personal struggles and the possibility of facing death: Read the rest of this entry »

PDF version of the lesson notes.

I. Introduction

A. What Makes Ephesians Different?

• The letter is not directed to a particular congregation or in response to a particular situation. Well, I suppose it could be, but the letter itself doesn’t indicate either. Ephesians 1:1 seems to indicated that that is directed to the church at Ephesus:

  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: – Ephesians 1:1

  However, “[t]he words ‘in Ephesus’ (I:I) which most translations still include, are not present in the earliest and best MSS [manuscripts]; and second century references to letter do not know it as sent to Ephesus (see Best 1987).”[1] The statement, “To the Ephesians” is first attested by 2nd century Christian writer and theologian, Irenaeus, in 180 CE. “A generation earlier, however, Marcion had edited a collection of Paul’s letters that used the title, ‘To the Laodiceans.’”[2] Read the rest of this entry »

PDF version of the lesson notes.

Similarities

• The beginning of chapter 1 covers the end of Paul’s final missionary journey as Paul travels towards Jerusalem. Commentators have often pointed out similarities between Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem and Paul’s final journey. For example, Ben Witherington outlines 4 main parallels[1]: Read the rest of this entry »