The theme of Ephesians is found in Ephesians 1:10 -
God's glorious plan to bring men of every nation and background together in Christ.
The key phrase of Ephesians is - "in
Christ" or "in Him", occuring 90 times. One way to study Ephesians is to
make a list of all the things that God has provided for us in Christ.
Ephesians was written by Paul from prison in Rome
about 61 AD, at the same time as Colossians.
It is believed by most scholars to be a circular
letter written for all the churches in Asia (see Rev. 1-3) since "in Ephesus"
(v. 1) is not in the oldest manuscripts.
Ephesians reveals our position as believers: seated
in heavenly places with Christ, fall above all principalities & powers - they are
under our feet!
In verse 10, Paul refers to the mystery of God's
will. Mystery is defined as "a hidden truth held in secret till the proper time for
its revelation in the divine program" (Ungers Bible Handbook, p. 523).
|
