Yet, Acts is silent about any of these things.) He then headed for Jerusalem by boat, where he was taken captive by the Romans because the Jews rioted when they saw him in the Temple. This tradition dates from the mid-second century A.D. There is a tradition, found in several traces, that Paul had an encounter with a lion at Ephesus. (There, he wrote the letter to the Romans, in which he stated that Priscilla and Aquila risked their own necks for his life. 52 – 55 A.D.) and founded its thriving church.Īfter leaving Ephesus in 55 A.D., Paul went back to Corinth and wintered there. Paul spent three full years in Ephesus (Acts 20:31 probably c.

This tells us where first Corinthians was written, probably during his first year in Ephesus, but before the riot described in Acts 19:21-41. 16:9, Paul says that he will stay in Ephesus “because a great door for effective work has opened to me” (NIV). In just about every sphere, Western civilisation is in a total mess, and is in need of hearing the message that the Apostle Paul delivers in his letter to the Ephesians. If ever there was a time when the church needed to give the lead in ushering in the kind of society that God envisions, surely now is that time. Not only does Ephesians address the individual Christian, but Paul is at pains to show how we must change our attitudes to one another and modify our behaviour as a body of believers. When John Stott wrote his classic commentary on Ephesians in 1979, the title he gave it was “ God’s New Society”. It’s almost as if Paul knew everything about the current condition of our Church culture, and the problems we are facing today. And even more to the point, God has lavished (yes – lavished!) His grace upon us and forgiven us through the blood Jesus the Christ (1:7-8).

Ephesians is about us! Paul seems to be speaking directly to me when he says that out of His love God chose us before time began (1:4). There is a strong sense in which it could have been written to a 21 st century church rather than a 1 st century one. However, there are some books, such as Ephesians, that seem to have greater relevance to our present situation than others. 2Ti 3:16 NIV All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,Īll of Scripture has the power to breathe God’s life into each and every one of us.

Introduction to ephesians bible study