A Quick Bible Study Vol. 333: The Best of Ephesians – Paul Writes As an ‘Ambassador in Chains’
Author's Note: All previous volumes of this series are available here. The first 56 volumes are compiled in the book "Bible Study For Those Who Don't Read The Bible." "Part Two," featuring volumes 57-113, was published in December 2022.
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This week, we continue our discussion of St. Paul’s writings with “The Best of Ephesians.” Because of you, last Sunday’s “The Best of Romans” appeared on Townhall’s “Trending” list. RealClearReligion reposted it on Monday, and on Tuesday, it ranked on their “Most Read in Past 24 Hours” list.
All of this proves that St. Paul’s writings are forever beloved. His Christ-centered teachings are personally significant and take on new meaning at different stages of one’s life.
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians was written between AD 60 and 62, while he was under house arrest in Rome. He called himself “the prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles” (Eph. 3:1), yet he was not defeated but part of God’s purpose. Paul explains why one must honor God by living a rewarding Christ-centered life.
During Paul’s time, Ephesus was a vibrant and influential city in the Roman Empire, located at the crossroads of major trade routes. For that reason, Paul made it a center of Christian evangelism and lived there for about three years. Today, Ephesus is in modern-day Turkey.
Fortunately, I have visited Ephesus twice. First in 1983, when excavations were barely underway. Then, to my surprise, in 2022, the major ruins of Ephesus had been unearthed and assembled. While walking down the main street, one could feel its powerful, sophisticated ancient urban vibe. We stood in the town square where Paul........
