by Lloyd T. Anderson Biola Hour Teacher
against him. They incited a riot in which the Apostle nearly lost his life,
INTRODUCTION
O NE OF THE most blessed books in only to be rescued by Roman guards. the New Testament for today’s Because he was a Roman citizen he believer to consider is that which the had made his appeal to Caesar in Apostle Paul, under the inspiration Rome, which would make it possible of the Holy Spirit, wrote to the for him to fulfill his goal. He could Ephesians. Con t a i n e d herein are not go as a free preacher but as a some of the most marvelous, deep, bound prisoner, and spiritual truths to be found any- At first Paul’s confinement was where upon the pages of the Word of not severe as he was allowed to dwell God. We need to keep in mind that in his own hired house, and per- Paul was a prisoner in the city of mitted to converse freely with all Rome. His long hours of confinement those who wished to visit him. There gave him the opportunity for wide were many who were curious to hear correspondence with his Christian the Christian Gospel proclaimed. It converts. He could review the re- was during those years of imprison- markable way in which the Lord led ment that the Holy Spirit moved him from being bigoted as a young upon him to be the human author of rabbi, hating and persecuting the many of the epistles which comprise Christians until his miraculous con- some of the most valuable, practical version at Damascus. His testimony and precious words in the Bible, was “unto me who am least of all They have real meaning for the hour saints was this grace given to preach in which we’re living today. This unto the Gentiles the unsearchable wonderful book of Ephesians specif- riches of Jesus Christ.” ically concerns those who are living When Paul preached in Damascus, in the heavenly places in Christ. Its he was compelled to flee for his life, view is from eternity past as well as During his ministry for Christ he that which is to come. Ephesians is undertook three missionary journeys, a striking contrast to Galatians. In It was on the second of these church- the former we leave the realm of con- planting visits that he came to the troversy to one of worship, impressive city of Ephesus, with its The key to the Ephesian epistle huge temple dedicated to the goddess is the unity of the Church of God Diana, where he spent three profit- which is the body of Christ. Here able years. From this city, because both Jews and Gentiles come togeth- of its strength in the Lord, the er to enjoy that divine life which is church sent out messengers by whom found only in Jesus Christ, the whole province of Asia Minor In his introduction, the Apostle was evangelized. testifies, “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Paul felt strongly impelled to Christ by the will of God, to the preach the Gospel in Rome. He first saints which are at Ephesus, and to had to visit Jerusalem for he had the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace with him an offering for the needy be to you, and peace, from God our Christians. Because he had forsaken Father, and from the Lord Jesus Judaism, his former friends turned Christ” (1:1, 2). In most of his 21
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