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Ephesians 2:1 – His Promised Resurrection

Posted on by Will

Ephesians 2:1  – His Promised Resurrection

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,

Truth to Learn

Through faith, God’s awesome power will be displayed in resurrecting us to eternal life in perfect bodies.

Behind the Words

The words “He made alive” are not in the Greek text. They were inserted by the translators in order to make the sense of these verses more clear. These words are drawn from verse five where the apostle finishes this thought.

“Who were” is from the Greek verb eimi. It is expressed here as a present participle. Thus, it should be translated “being.”

“Dead” is translated from nekros, which is derived from nekus, meaning “a corpse.” So, nekros refers to someone who is corpse-like; that is, “dead.”

The word “trespasses” is translated from the Greek noun paraptōma. This is made up of para, meaning “beside” and a form of piptō, meaning “to fall” or “to land on.” Therefore, we see that paraptōma means “to fall by the wayside.” Metaphorically, it refers to “an unintentional error.”

“Sins” is from the Greek noun hamartia. This is made up of the privative a, meaning “not” and a form of the verb meiromai, which means “to get an allotment or a share.” Thus, hamartia means “to miss the mark;” that is, “to not get a share of the prize.” Sin is missing the goal which God has set for our lives. That goal, or mark, is complete righteousness.

Meaning Explained

Even though the words “He made alive” are not in the original text, this is precisely the idea that Paul is focusing on in the following verses. Paul has spent most of the latter half of the first chapter of this letter focusing on God’s displayed power in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He now shows how that power will also be displayed in our lives.

There are two kinds of life (and death) spoken of in the New Testament, physical and spiritual. Physical life is what all humans experience from the moment of conception until we breathe our last breath, our heart stops pumping, and our brain ceases to function. The bodies we have in this physical life are frail and fragile. Spiritual life, on the other hand, is a condition in which God has promised that after we die physically, He will resurrect us with a perfect physical body. That perfect body will be neither fragile nor frail. The reason we are dead is outlined by Paul in the book of Romans:

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)

For the wages of sin is death … (Romans 6:23a)

One of the confusing issues in the New Testament is that the writers speak of the future as if it were now. This is because God is not bound by time and to Him the future is now. Since we have all sinned, we are all marked for physical death. Thus, in God’s record book, we are already dead. Through faith, however, we become credited with righteousness and in God’s record book we are already resurrected by His power.

Application

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you will be resurrected by God’s power and you will live forever.

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Ephesians 1:23 – Spiritual Body Life

Posted on by Will

Ephesians 1:23  – Spiritual Body Life

which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Truth to Learn

All Christians are part of the body of Christ. As members of that body we each have a function to perform in the church.

Behind the Words

The word “which” is translated from hostis, a double relative pronoun that most literally translates to “which some.” In this case the meaning seems to be “seeing it is.”

“Body” is translated from the Greek noun soma, which refers to “the body” as a whole. It is used both literally and figuratively in the New Testament. Here it refers to the spiritual body of the resurrected Jesus.

The word “fullness” is from plēroma, a derivative of the verb plēroō, meaning “to fill full” or “to cram full.” It means to fill so completely that there is no room left to add any more. Plēroma refers to “the condition of fullness or completion.”

“Fills” is from the verb plēroō, which we just looked at. It is expressed here as a participle in the middle voice (the subject acting on himself).

Meaning Explained

Back in verse nineteen we learned that one of the things the Apostle Paul prays for is for all believers to understand the exceeding greatness of God’s power. Through that power, the Father raised Jesus from the dead and elevated Him to the highest position of honor and authority. And in yesterday’s verse he told us that the Father made Jesus to be the head over all things with regard to the church. Now, to get the full impact of the current verse, let’s look at it along with the previous verse.

And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:22-23)

God the Father made the risen Jesus to be the head of the church, which Paul tells us here is His body. The church universal is the body of Christ. It serves as His arms, hands, eyes, ears, nose, and feet. In his first letters to the Corinthian church and his letter to the Roman church, Paul explained a little more about the functioning of the body of Christ.

For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ … But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. (1Cointhians 12:12, 22)

so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: (Romans 12:5-6a)

All Christians have a part to play in the body of Christ. We each have abilities and spiritual gifts given specifically to us by God. We need to be using those gifts to build up the body.

Application

Do you know what your gifts are? Are there abilities that you have that others don’t? Are you using your talents and spiritual gifts to make your fellow Christians stronger in their faith?

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Ephesians 1:22 – Supreme Authority

Posted on by Will

Ephesians 1:22  – Supreme Authority

And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,

Truth to Learn

Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for your sins and He is now your supreme authority with regard to all things physical and spiritual.

Behind the Words

The words “put … under” are translated from hupotassō, which is made up of hupo, meaning “under” or “beneath” and tassō, meaning “to place in an orderly arrangement.” Thus, hupotassō means “to intentionally place in a lower position.”

“Gave” is from the Greek verb didōmi, which means “to give” or “to grant.”

The word “head” is from the noun kephalē, which refers to “a head.” It can refer to the physical head of a body or, metaphorically, it can refer to “the supreme position of authority.”

“All” is the translation of the Greek word pas. It is expressed here in the neuter gender. Therefore, it refers to “all things.”

The Greek word ekklēsia is translated “church.” Ekklēsia is made up of ek, meaning “out” and a form of kaleō, meaning “to call.” So, ekklēsia refers to something that has been “called out.” Originally, this word referred to an assembly of citizens who were called out by civil authorities. It is used throughout the New Testament to refer to a church, either a local assembly or the world-wide church.

Meaning Explained

Paul has been talking about the awesome power that God displayed when He raised Jesus Christ from the dead. As He did this, He also seated Jesus at His right hand, the position of greatest honor. In this position He is far above all of creation, both physical and spirit. This is an indication of the supreme position of honor in which Jesus has been placed. Now, to emphasize the point a little bit more, Paul says that God the Father also put all of creation beneath His feet. This is a direct fulfillment of the words spoken in the Psalms:

You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, (Psalms 8:6)

In other words, Jesus Christ is not only supreme in honor, but He is also supreme in authority. All of creation must submit to the authority of Jesus Christ or face the outpouring of His wrath. Those who submit to His authority during this life will not experience His wrath at the judgment. Notice that as Christians, we are commanded to submit to the authority of Jesus Christ and we are commanded to submit to each other as well, as Paul teaches later in this letter (see Ephesians 5:21).

As supreme authority over all of creation, Jesus has also been given a special position with regard to all Christians. He is our Lord individually, but He is also placed in the highest position regarding the church. He is our spiritual authority.

Application

As a Christian, you have humbled yourself before God and accepted the blood of Jesus as payment for your sins. At the same time, you placed yourself under His authority.

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Ephesians 1:21 – Powerful Proof

Posted on by Will

Ephesians 1:21  – Powerful Proof

far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

Truth to Learn

Jesus’ resurrection is the proof of God’s resurrection promise.

Behind the Words

“Far above” is translated from the Greek adverb huperanō, which is made up of huper, meaning “above or over” and anō, meaning “upward” or “on top.” Thus, we can see that huperanō means “above the top” or “far above.”

Archē is the Greek word translated “principality.” The basic meaning of archē is “beginning” or “commencement.” As it is applied to people, it refers to “the first in a series,” that is, “the chief” or “the leader.”

The word translated “power” is exousia, which is based on exesti, meaning “permissible.” Exousia refers to “someone who has permission or authority to do something.”

“Might” is from dunamis, which we saw in verse nineteen. It refers to “someone who has the capability or power to do something.”

The word translated “dominion” is kuriotēs. It is based on the noun kurios, meaning “lord or master.” Thus, kuriotēs refers to “someone having lordship or civil authority over others.”

“Age” is translated from aiōn, which properly refers to “duration or continuance of time.” Here it refers to “a long period of time.” Aiōn is sometimes translated as “world” where it refers to the time that this world exists.

Meaning Explained

In the past couple of verses, Paul has been talking about God’s power, which has been demonstrated toward those of us who have believed His promises. This power was demonstrated when He resurrected Jesus from the dead, giving eternal life to his resurrected body. As we pointed out in the previous verse, not only has Jesus been raised from the dead, He has been seated (a sign of completion of the Father’s work of resurrection) at the Father’s right hand. This is the seat that declares the most honor and prestige among those who are seated.

But Paul is not finished with his description of the glory and honor of our risen Lord. Not only has He been seated in the position of the most honor, this position is above every created being. Not just above, mind you, but “far above” them all. Most biblical scholars agree that the words translated “principality” and “power” are references to angelic beings. Therefore, Paul’s designation of “all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named” is a description of every created being, whether human or spirit (angelic). And, it includes not just all beings that have ever been, but any that might exist in the future.

There is no question that Paul has just described the position of highest honor, power, and authority in all of God’s creation. It might seem obvious that the Son of God should have such a position, but this is a description of the man Jesus Christ.

Application

God has demonstrated His awesome power in raising Jesus to the highest position of all to assure you and me that He can, and will, raise us from the dead as well. Do you believe it?

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Ephesians 1:20 – Power In Action

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Ephesians 1:20  – Power In Action

which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

Truth to Learn

God demonstrated His power to the world for your sake.

Behind the Words

“Worked” is translated from the same word as “working” in the previous verse. It is the word energeia. Here it is expressed in the aorist tense indicating past action completed at a point in time (not a process, but a single action).

The word “raised” is from the Greek verb egeirō, meaning “to rise up” as one would rise from a sleeping position to a standing position. It is expressed here as an aorist participle, so it could be translated as “having raised Him.”

“From the dead” is translated from ek nekrōn. The preposition ek means “out of” or “out from.” The noun nekrōn is a plural form of nekros, meaning “someone who is dead.” So, ek nekrōn literally means “out from the dead ones.”

The word translated “seated” is kathidzō. This is made up of kata, meaning “down” and hidzō, meaning “to sit.” Thus, kathidzō means “to cause to sit down.”

“Right hand” is the translation of the word dexios, meaning “the right side” or “the right hand.” The latter meaning is used when it is expressed as a feminine adjective, as it is here.

“Heavenly places” is from epouranios, which is another compound word made up of epi, meaning “on, over, or in” and ouranos, meaning “heaven.” Therefore, epouranios means “in the heavenly places” or “in the heavenly realm.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul talked about the working of God’s incredibly great and mighty power. In today’s verse he tells a little more about that power. He says that this power was worked in Christ. Remember, the word “worked” refers to power in action. In physics there are two types of energy, potential energy and kinetic energy. Potential energy does not produce any results because it is inactive. It is like snow on a high mountain. It has the potential to produce energy, but it doesn’t. Kinetic energy, on the other hand, is energy in action. It is like melted snow that forms a river. As it rushes downhill, it produces energy. That’s kinetic energy, energy in action.

Our God is like that too. He has tremendous potential power, but He also has power in action. It is this power in action that He demonstrated when He raised Christ from the dead. The same power that created human life in the first place also gave life back to the body of Jesus Christ. Now notice something very significant. After God the Father raised Christ from the dead, He seated him at His right hand in the heavenlies. If you read through the book of Revelation you will encounter several descriptions of the throne room of God in Heaven. The only ones who are depicted as sitting in God’s presence are God Himself and the twenty-four elders (representing all Christians). Only those with the righteousness of Christ are allowed to sit in God’s presence. When Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, not only was He seated, but He was seated in the most honorable position, at the right hand of the Father.

Application

God demonstrated His mighty power in raising Christ from the dead so that you, too, might be raised from the dead one day and be seated in the presence of God!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Ephesians 1:19 – Incredible Mighty Power!

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Ephesians 1:19  – Incredible Mighty Power!

and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power

Truth to Learn

God has already demonstrated how valuable we are to Him.

Behind the Words

“Exceeding” is from the Greek verb huperballō, which is made up of huper (hyper), meaning “above” or “beyond” and ballō, meaning “to throw.” Thus huperballō literally means “to throw beyond;” that is, “to go beyond” or “to exceed.”

The word “greatness” is from megethos, which means “magnitude” or, as in this verse, “greatness.”

The word translated “power” is dunamis (from which we get our English word dynamite). This word refers specifically to having the capability or authority to do something. So “power” is a good translation it as it is used here.

“Believe” is from pisteuō, which we saw back in verse thirteen. It means “to be firmly persuaded regarding some truth” or “to believe.”

The word “working” is translated from energeia (from which we get our English word energy). It refers to “active power” or “power in action.”

“Mighty” is from kratos, which refers to “demonstrated power,” that is, “vigor or might.”

Finally, the word “power” is from ischus. This is made up of is, meaning “strength” and echo, meaning “to have.” Thus, ischus refers to someone “having strength.”

Meaning Explained

First of all, notice how many words Paul used in this one verse to express God’s strength and power. Each of these words can have a number of subtle nuances that produce very similar meanings. It is as if Paul is trying to use every word he can think of to describe the exceeding greatness and magnitude of God’s almighty power at work.

One of the difficulties in understanding the Apostle Paul is the fact that he writes such lengthy, complex sentences. This particular sentence takes up seven verses and it contains almost 140 words! He started out this thought in verse fifteen by expressing his thanks for the growing faith and demonstrated love of the Christians in the church in Ephesus. Then he expresses the content of his prayers for these believers and, by extension, for all Christians. He prayed that the Father would have the Holy Spirit impart wisdom and reveal truths to us. The first of these truths is that we might understand the hope and assurance we have in God’s inviting us to have eternal life. The second truth is the magnificence of the inheritance that Jesus will receive from the Father. We, the church, the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, are that marvelous inheritance.

In the current verse Paul tells us about the third truth which he prays will be revealed to us. It is the incredible greatness of God’s active and demonstrated power, which is mighty in strength. The greatest part is that His powerful strength is displayed toward us, we who believe in Jesus Christ.

Application

Listen, God has demonstrated His incredible power for your sake because He loves you and wants to spend eternity with you. Yes, you! You are incredibly valuable to Him!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Ephesians 1:18 – Two Great Truths

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Ephesians 1:18 – Two Great Truths

the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

Truth to Learn

There are two great truths here. The first is that the Holy Spirit reveals spiritual truth to us. The other is that you are highly valued by God and will be cherished for all eternity.

Behind the Words

The word “understanding” is translated from dianoia. This is made up of dia, meaning “through” or indicating division, and a form of the verb noeō, meaning “to exercise the mind.” Therefore, we see that dianoia indicates something that has been thoroughly thought through, thus “understanding.” This word does not appear in most Greek manuscripts; instead, kardia (heart) is used. So, “heart” is the preferred reading.

“Enlightened” is the translation of phōtidzō, which is derived from phōs, meaning “light.” Phōtidzō means “to shine the light on something” or “to make something visible.”

“Hope” is from the Greek word elpis, meaning “that which is hoped for.” The meaning of this word, however, is not simply something wished for; it includes a full expectation of it actually happening.

The word “calling” is translated from klēsis, a shortened form of the verb kaleō, meaning “to call.” Thus, klēsis refers to “a calling” or “an invitation.”

“Riches” is from ploutos, which refers to “wealth made up of things of value.”

Meaning Explained

This verse contains the continuation of Paul’s prayer for all saints. In the previous verse he asked that God the Father might give us wisdom and revelation through the Holy Spirit. Now he tells us about some of the effects of that revelation provided by the Holy Spirit.

He tells us here that it will produce enlightenment. As we said earlier, the word “understanding” should probably be replaced by “heart.” The Greeks believed that the heart was not just the seat of the emotions, but of understanding and determination as well. So, Paul is saying that the eyes of our heart should receive light. We all know that in the darkness we cannot see or recognize things very well; however, when something is illuminated we can see with both our vision and our perception. That’s exactly what the Holy Spirit does for us. He shines the light of truth on things that we see and hear. Because of this illumination, we can understand spiritual truths which we otherwise would not have understood.

There are three particular spiritual truths which we can know as a result of the Spirit’s illumination. Two are in this verse and the third is in the next verse. Here he tells us about the hope and assurance we have of eternal life as a result of God’s invitation. He also tells us how great the glory of His inheritance is. This is not a reference to our inheritance, which we talked about in verse fourteen. This is a reference to the rich inheritance that Jesus Christ will receive in heaven: all the saints, who will spend eternity with Him.

Application

You may not think or yourself as being worth very much, but God sees each one of us as extremely valuable. We, the bride of Christ, will be the Father’s gift to the Son for all eternity.

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Ephesians 1:17 – Seekers of Revelation

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Ephesians 1:17 – Seekers of Revelation

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,

Truth to Learn

Christians should actively seek greater knowledge of God.

Behind the Words

The word “God” is translated from the Greek word theos. It was originally used by the Greeks to refer to any of their gods. In the New Testament, however, it is used in reference to the one true God. The word theos is probably derived from the Greek theteres (a placer of things) because the Greeks believed that their gods were the placers and disposers of things (thus, they had a god of fire, a god of wind, etc.).

The word “wisdom” is translated from sophia, which refers to “the ability to think and act, utilizing knowledge, insight, understanding,  and experience.”

“Revelation” is from apokalupsis, which is made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from” and a form of kaluptō, meaning “to cover” or “to conceal.” Therefore, apokalupsis refers to “the result of removing a cover.”

Meaning Explained

In the current verse Paul is expressing some of his prayers for the members of the church in Ephesus. By extension, these are his prayers for all saints. The first thing that he petitions God for is that they (and we) might receive a spirit of wisdom and revelation. Now, we have to stop here for a moment and ask ourselves whether or not this spirit that Paul is talking about is the Holy Spirit or not. The Greek text does not include the definite article the here. Therefore, some would say that Paul is not specifically referring to “the” spirit; that is, the Holy Spirit.

If we look at some of the attributes of the Holy Spirit, however, we may come to a different conclusion. In Isaiah 11:2, as the prophet is describing the Messiah, he says, “The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding.” This, clearly, is a reference to the Holy Spirit. And in 1Corinthians 2:10 where Paul is talking about the mystery of the wisdom of God, he says, “God has revealed them to us through His Spirit,” which is another clear reference to the Holy Spirit. Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that Paul is referring to the Holy Spirit in this verse.

But, if that is so, why does Paul not refer to Him as “the” Spirit in the Greek text? Perhaps, the answer is that Paul just finished teaching that all Christians have been given the Holy Spirit as a seal and a guarantee at the time of salvation and did not want to introduce confusion on that point. In referring to “a spirit of wisdom and revelation” he is implying that these are characteristics which the Holy Spirit imparts. Therefore, Paul is asking God the Father to have the Holy Spirit give wisdom and revelation to all saints. The wisdom and revelation he is referring to are in reference to Jesus Christ our Lord. In other words, Paul is asking that we, through the Holy Spirit, might know and understand more about our Lord Jesus Christ.

Application

Do you know all there is to know about Jesus Christ? Of course not, none of us does. Do you want to know more about your Lord and Savior? Of course, all Christians do. Be assured that Paul also wants you to, but it doesn’t happen without actively seeking it from God’s Word. As you seek to know Christ better, the Holy Spirit will reveal Him to you.

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Ephesians 1:16 – Giving Thanks

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Ephesians 1:16  – Giving Thanks

do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:

Truth to Learn

Thanksgiving is an important part of the Christian life.

Behind the Words

“Cease” is from the Greek word pauō, meaning “to stop” or “to pause.” It is expressed here in the middle voice (action done by the subject to the subject), so the meaning is “to stop myself.”

The words “give thanks” are translated from the Greek verb eucharisteō, which is made up of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and a form of charidzomai, meaning “to grant a favor.” Eucharisteō carries the meaning “to be thankful or grateful.” It is expressed as a participle; thus it means “giving thanks.”

“Making” is from the verb poieō, which means “to make” or “to do.” It is expressed here as a present participle in the middle voice. So, it literally means “making myself.”

The word “mention” is from the noun mneia, which is from the verb mnaomai, meaning “to remember.” Thus, mneia refers to “a remembrance” or “a recollection.”

“Prayers” is from proseuchē, which is made up of pros, meaning “to or toward” and a form of euchomai, meaning “to make a wish.” Proseuchē, therefore, is a wish or a desire expressed toward God.

Meaning Explained

In order to get the full impact from today’s verse we must combine it with the previous verse:

Therefore I also, having heard of the faith of those among you in the Lord Jesus, which you show toward all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, making remembrance of you in my prayers.

As we saw in the previous verse, the church in Ephesus continued to grow, demonstrating their faith to all Christians. This so pleased the Apostle Paul that he continually gave thanks to God for the believers in the Ephesian church.

Paul here demonstrates that he practices what he preaches. He told the church at Thessalonica:

pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1Thessalonians 5:17-18)

Prayer is a critically important part of our relationship with God. In the New Testament alone, prayer is mentioned more than 130 times. Jesus mentions it more than fifty times and Paul mentions it more than forty times. Jesus is said to be praying about fifteen times and Paul mentions himself praying about fifteen times as well. If it was that important to them, it should be just as important to us.

Application

Many Christians think of prayer as asking God for something. Indeed, we are told to make our requests known to God, but we are also told to thank Him. In fact, giving thanks is mentioned about fifty times in the New Testament. It is far more important than asking for something. Giving thanks demonstrates your recognition that God has already done something for you. It is an active indication of the strength of your faith. How many times have you prayed to God for something and then forgot to thank Him when He answered your prayer? Let’s take some time right now to thank God for what He has already done!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Ephesians 1:15 – Noteworthy Faith

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Ephesians 1:15  – Noteworthy Faith

Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,

Truth to Learn

Some people show their faith in everything they do.

Behind the Words

The words “after I heard” are translated from the verb akouō, meaning “to hear.” It is expressed here as an aorist participle, so it literally says, “having heard.”

The expression “of your faith” is translated from tēn kath humas pistin. The word tēn is the definite article (the). The word kath (from kata), meaning “down” or “among.” Humas is the second person plural pronoun (you-plural). And pistin is from pistis, meaning “faith” or “moral conviction.” So, literally this phrase reads “the among you faith.”

“Saints” is from the Greek word hagios, which is derived from hagos, meaning “something which inspires awe.” Hagios refers to something which has been set apart from common usage to be used for God’s glory. It is often translated as “holy, sanctified, or consecrated.” Here it refers to someone who has become a Christian. As a result of our salvation, we are set-apart by God and are, therefore, referred to as saints. Therefore, all Christians are saints, not just those who have been declared so by a church organization.

The word “love” does not appear in some of the best Greek texts and probably should be omitted.

Meaning Explained

This verse has been used by some to try to prove that Paul did not write this letter specifically to the Christians in Ephesus. As we discussed in verse one of this chapter, the words “who are in Ephesus” are omitted from verse one in two key Greek manuscripts. Some scholars try to use that fact and Paul’s comments in this verse to prove that this letter was written as a general epistle for a number of different churches, not specifically for the Ephesians. Their contention is, since Paul spent three years in Ephesus, he certainly knew of their faith in the Lord and would not have said, “after I heard of your faith in the Lord.”

On the other side of the argument, however, there is overwhelming manuscript evidence that the words “who are in Ephesus” were originally included in the opening verse of this letter. Therefore, there must be a different reason why Paul says that he “heard of” the faith of the Ephesians. As we saw in “Behind the Words,” a literal translation of this expression is “the among you faith.” In other words, Paul has heard of the faith among the people in the Ephesian church. Now that shouldn’t be too surprising since this letter was written about five years after he left Ephesus and there had been many others come to faith in the church during that period of time. And, since the word “love” does not appear to be part of this verse as Paul originally wrote it, it should read

Therefore I also, having heard of the faith of those among you in the Lord Jesus, which you show toward all the saints,

It’s because of that faith, demonstrated by the Ephesian Christians and visible to others, that Paul is thankful.

Application

Do you know Christians like that? People whose faith is so strong and obvious in everything they do? Have you thanked God for them? Have you thanked them for their example?

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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