Ephesians 1

It seems most likely Paul wrote this letter – to the Ephesian believers during his 1st imprisonment in Rome, whilst under house arrest circa AD 61. Paul knew the Ephesian believers very well. He’d spent about 3 years preaching the gospel & discipling the brethren in Ephesus, circa AD 53-56, during his 3rd missionary journey. Ephesus was the Roman capital of Asia (what we’d call western Turkey). It was the centre of Artemus or Diana worship. This was a key city – for the 1st century Christian faith. A port city & major hub for trade – between the East & West. Strategically located, on the Aegean Coast. It was an economic powerhouse, one of the leading trading centres in the Roman world. Large numbers of people passed through the city. It was a convenient headquarters from which to send out the gospel. In the subsequent 2000 years, the Cayster river silted up, causing the coastline to shift about 8km away. This Ephesian epistle is more in the style of a public speech. The emphasis on the importance of Christian love is strong in this letter. Paul wants to promote Christian unity through this letter. Ephesians deals with matters of perspective that are important to all churches of all ages. Ephesians reveals the important place that the church has in God’s eternal plan for history.