Reference: Ephesians
Morish
Ephesians. Ephe'sians
The inhabitants of Ephesus. Ac 19:28-35; 21:29.
Ephesians, Ephe'sians Epistle to the.
Paul first visited Ephesus on his way from Corinth to Syria: he did not stay then, but left Priscilla and Aquila there, who were afterwards joined by Apollos. Ac 18:18-24. Paul soon returned and stayed there two years. There was thus time for the saints to be grounded in the truth. The opposition was so great in the synagogue that Paul separated the disciples, and they met daily in the school of Tyrannus. The word grew mightily and prevailed. Ac 19:1-20.
In 1Co 15:32 Paul speaks of having fought with beasts at Ephesus, doubtless alluding to the strong opposition manifested towards him there by the Jews. In Ac 20:17, etc., Paul exhorts the elders of Ephesus, as overseers, to feed the church of God. He warns them that grievous wolves would enter in, and some from among themselves would speak perverse things to draw away disciples after them. As their resource he commends them to God and the word of His grace. Following this was the Epistle he wrote to them during the two years he was a prisoner at Rome.
In 1Ti 1:3 Paul says he had besought Timothy to abide at Ephesus, and to exhort them to teach no other doctrine, and not to give heed to fables and endless genealogies. In 2Ti 1:15 there is the sad intelligence that 'all they which are in Asia' (which must have included Ephesus) had 'turned away from' Paul, doubtless signifying that they had given up the truth as taught by Paul, and settled down with a lower standard. In 2Ti 4:12 Tychicus had been sent to Ephesus. The great care and watchfulness with which Paul laboured for their welfare is very manifest. In Re 2:1-7 we have the address to this church, in which much is said in their favour, though the solemn charge had also to be made that they had left their first love, and the warning is given that if they did not repent their candlestick would be removed.
The Epistle to the Ephesians is remarkable in setting forth the counsels of God with regard to His people as connected with Christ. It is from this standpoint that they are viewed, rather than that of their need as sinners, and how it has been met. This latter is developed in the Epistle to the Romans. The state of the Ephesian believers enabled them to receive a communication of such a nature as this Epistle, in which glorious unfoldings of the mind of God about His own are given in the greatest fulness.
The key note is struck in Eph 1:3, where God is blessed as "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ"
See Verses Found in Dictionary
After waiting on for a number of days Paul said goodbye to the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. (As the latter was under a vow, he had his head shaved at Cenchreae.) When they reached Ephesus, Paul left them there. He went to the synagogue and argued with the Jews, read more. who asked him to stay for a while. But he would not consent; he said goodbye to them, telling them, "I will come back to you, if it is the will of God." Then, sailing from Ephesus, he reached Caesarea, went up to the capital to salute the church, and travelled down to Antioch. After spending some time there he went off on a journey right through the country of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening the disciples. There came to Ephesus a Jew called Apollos, who was a native of Alexandria, a man of culture, strong in his knowledge of the scriptures.
It was when Apollos was in Corinth that Paul, after passing through the inland districts, came down to Ephesus. There he found some disciples, whom he asked, "Did you receive the holy Spirit when you believed?" "No," they said, "we never even heard of its existence." read more. "Then," said he, "what were you baptized in?" "In John's baptism," they replied. "John," said Paul, "baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus." When they heard this, they had themselves baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, and after Paul laid his hands on them the holy Spirit came upon them, they spoke with 'tongues' and prophesied. They numbered all together about twelve men. Then Paul entered the synagogue and for three months spoke out fearlessly, arguing and persuading people about the Reign of God. But as some grew stubborn and disobedient, decrying the Way in presence of the multitude, he left them, withdrew the disciples, and continued his argument every day from eleven to four in the lecture-room of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the inhabitants of Asia, Jews as well as Greeks, heard the word of the Lord. God also worked no ordinary miracles by means of Paul; people even carried away towels or aprons he had used, and at their touch sick folk were freed from their diseases and evil spirits came out of them. Some strolling Jewish exorcists also undertook to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches!" The seven sons of Sceuas, a Jewish high priest, used to do this. But the evil spirit retorted, "Jesus I know and Paul I know, but you ??who are you?" And the man in whom the evil spirit resided leapt at them, overpowered them all, and belaboured them, till they rushed out of the house stripped and wounded. This came to the ears of all the inhabitants of Ephesus, Jews as well as Greeks; awe fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. Many believers would also come to confess and disclose their magic spells; and numbers who had practised magic arts collected their books and burned them in the presence of all. On adding up the value of them, it was found that they were worth two thousand pounds. Thus did the word of the Lord increase and prevail mightily.
When they heard this they were filled with rage and raised the cry, "Great is Artemis of Ephesus!" So the city was filled with confusion. They rushed like one man into the amphitheatre, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were travelling with Paul. read more. (Paul wanted to enter the popular assembly, but the disciples would not allow him. Some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, also sent to beg him not to venture into the amphitheatre.) Some were shouting one thing, some another; for the assembly was in confusion, and the majority had no idea why they had met. Some of the mob concluded it must be Alexander, as the Jews pushed him to the front. So Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to defend himself before the people; but when they discovered he was a Jew, a roar broke from them all, and for about two hours they shouted, "Great is Artemis of Ephesus! Great is Artemis of Ephesus!" The secretary of state then got the mob calmed down, and said to them, "Men of Ephesus, who on earth does not know that the city of Ephesus is Warden of the temple of the great Artemis and of the statue that fell from heaven?
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the presbyters of the church.
(They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian along with him in the city, and they supposed Paul had taken him inside the temple.)
What would it avail me that, humanly speaking, I 'fought with wild beasts' at Ephesus? If dead men do not rise, let us eat and drink, for we will be dead to-morrow!
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who in Christ has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly sphere!
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who in Christ has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly sphere!
which he exerted in raising Christ from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavenly sphere,
together with Christ he raised and seated us within the heavenly sphere in Christ Jesus,
Now in the Lord I insist and protest that you must give up living like pagans; for their purposes are futile,
For we have to struggle, not with blood and flesh but with the angelic Rulers, the angelic Authorities, the potentates of the dark present, the spirit-forces of evil in the heavenly sphere.
As I asked you when I was on my way to Macedonia, stay where you are at Ephesus and warn certain individuals against teaching novelties
You are aware that all the Asiatics have discarded me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.
To the angel of the church at Ephesus write thus: ??These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who moves among the seven golden lampstands: I know your doings, your hard work and your patient endurance; I know that you cannot bear wicked men, and that you have tested those who style themselves apostles (no apostles they!) and detected them to be liars; read more. I know that you are enduring patiently and have borne up for my sake and have not wearied. But I have this against you: you have given up loving one another as you did at first. Now, remember the height from which you have fallen; repent and act as you did at first. If not, I will come to you [very soon] and remove your lamp stand, unless you repent. Still, you have this in your favour: you hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, and I hate them too. Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches: 'The conqueror I will allow to eat from the tree of Life which is within the paradise of God.'