The Church in Ephesus

There is a wealth of imagery or descriptions of the church in this epistle. Brethren is only used twice. Three words occur 9 times in this epistle: saints, church, body. Because there is so much in this epistle, I want to do this a little differently, instead of looking at the words, we will go through each chapter. My plan will become clear almost immediately.

Chapter 1
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
This is the climax of his prayer (15-19), that ye may know…what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ. He raised him from the dead, set him at his own right hand, made him Lord over everything.
It is interesting that Paul does not say Christ is the head of the body, but rather he is head over all things to the church, although he does add, which is his body. This is straightforward, not a comparison, the church is his body.
the fulness of him that filleth all in all – this is amazing! What a place the church has in the plan and purpose of God.

Chapter 2
In 2:11-22 Paul reminds them of their past: ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. Then, But now in Christ Jesus… This little three letter word but is one of the biggest words in the Bible! You were far off, but now you have been nigh by the blood of Christ! Amen! Halleluah!

16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
This is not talking about the church, and yet he says this as if there is a link; our union with Christ is so strong that Paul speaks of an almost physical bond between us. And then again, what He did on the cross through His body, he now carries out on earth through the church, His body.

19-22 This is a very rich passage!
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God

the Gentiles are fellowcitizens with the saints – We are citizens of the city of God. Fellow citizens means Gentiles have equal standing with all the saints of Israel. There’s only one city of God. The saints of old were citizens, and Gentiles are too!

and of the household of God – even better, we are part of the family of God! We are no longer strangers and foreigners, but citizens and family. This could go in the dictionary as an illustration of ‘awesome’! And he’s not through!!

20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone – the church is a building; what kind of building?

21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord – a temple in the Lord. Notice he says, all the building. He is referring to all Christians everywhere and at all times, this is sometimes called the church universal. The whole building, the whole church in heaven and on earth, is His temple. (In 3:15 it is the whole family in heaven and earth.) We are part of something really big! We really are ‘in this together’. Oh and this is “the communion of the saints.”

22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit – in whom ye also, he means the Ephesians, the local church; each local church is an habitation of God through the Spirit. This is powerful stuff!

Chapter 3
In 3:1-12 Paul speaks of the mystery of the church. First, mystery in the Bible is not a ‘who done it?’ It is something that was not known or not fully revealed in the Old Testament that is now fully revealed. What is the mystery that was revealed to his holy apostles and prophets?

6  That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
There is one church, one body, one gospel. Jews and Gentiles have equal standing. Truth is, every one who believes in Christ has equal standing, equal participation, equal access to the promises and blessings in Christ.

9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
This is the eternal purpose of God concerning the church. What does this mean? The fellowship of the mystery is the fellowship that exists in the church, which is made up of people from every nation and tribe and tongue. We are the new creation and we all are one. The divisions that exist around us based on money, education, nation, tribe, tongue, social status, neighborhood you live in, male or female, are all gone in Christ. This is big. Sadly, I admit that churches have often failed at this. Shame on us for falling so far short of His glory. Also, this is not a mandate, something a church puts in its vision statement, no, this is the result of revelation knowledge (3:1-8) and the work of the Holy Spirit, that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God (3:17-19). The church is despised and ridiculed by the world, yet we are an important part of the eternal purpose of God. And on our part, we often lose sight of this calling - the manifold wisdom of God is to be known through us.

20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Here is another purpose of the church – bring glory to God. It is truly amazing that we can bring glory to God!

Chapter 4
3  Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all

7-16
This is a long passage in which Paul speaks of gifts to the church, the work of the ministry, and the fulness of Christ in the church.

7-11 When Christ ascended – this is the second time this has occurred in Ephesians, must be pretty significant – he gave gifts to the church

12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ – this is why he gave these gifts; this is the work of the ministry

13-16 This is the growth and goal of the church. Christ is the head and we are the body. How do we grow? Truth and love and what every joint supplies (15,16). What is the goal? Unity of the faith, full knowledge of Christ, unto a perfect man. (13). Wow!

Chapter 5
Six of the nine times church occurs in Ephesians is in 5:22-32. Paul starts off by speaking of the relationship between husbands and wives, saying the model is Christ and his church, and while all that applies, at the end he admits he is saying more about Christ and his church than about husbands and wives.

Christ is the head of the church and the saviour of the body (23). Therefore the church is subject to Christ. (24)
Christ loved the church and gave himself for it (25-26), and fully intends to present the church to himself as a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that is should be holy and without blemish. (27)

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Paul’s body of Christ imagery seems no longer merely metaphor.

30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Wow! This is very powerful! I think if we are going to speak of the church as the body of Christ, we should speak like this as well. I repeat, this is powerful!

In Ephesians Paul comes closest to the way many speak of the church today – he refers to “the body” 9 times. Actually 8 times to the church and once to Christ’s body on the cross, but the two thoughts are almost merged. In Romans and 1 Corinthians it was a comparison, “as a body has many members” etc, he has dropped that here, it is straightforward: he is the head and the church is his body.

We must be careful how we view and treat the church – it is precious and glorious in the eyes of Christ!


Next: Philippians - 2 Thessalonians