Ephesians 1:1-14 (Daily Bread of 26/12/2017)

Ephesians (Introduction)

This letter is written in an impersonal style and it seems to have circulated quite a bit amongst the churches. The main idea is God's grace by which He created a united Church wherein the Greeks and the Jews could find their place. The author's greatest concern was that on the principle of "one new man" (2:15), the Jews and the Greeks (two groups with very different backgrounds) would become perfectly united as brothers in God's family through the universal reconciliation in Christ. Date: 60-61 A.D. by Paul in Rome. There are several points in common with the Colossians. The similar ideas complete one another. Tychique carried both letters to each respective Church.

REDEMPTION IN CHRIST JESUS'S BLOOD

Key verse 1:7

Paul sent a letter to the Ephesians and to other churches in the area. First of all he saluted them, then he told them about God's plan for lost and divided humanity. A plan that will be accomplished in His son Jesus.

1) May the grace and the peace of God be with you (1-2)

It was his tradition. Paul always greeted those to whom he sent his letter by their call. "Saints and faithful ones of Jesus Christ". Thereafter he talked about the double blessing of grace and of peace which are the gifts of the Father and the Son respectively (2)

2. All reunited under one leader (3-14)

In the beginning of this epistle, whose principle point is being united in the faith, Paul starts by speaking about the Trinity : the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit who are perfectly united as one person. However, each one of them has His fonction: the Father chose His people (3-5), the Son saved them by sacrificing His own life (7) and the Holy Spirit applies this work go the Church and concretely in the hearts of men. This is the plan of the Trinity (13-14). Here Paul is considering God's redemption plan on a whole. He therefore starts looking into eternity to concentrate on the formation of such a plan and then he looks at how it was realised. One does not exclude the other but they go hand in hand and their culmination point is verse 7. Becoming a child and a member of God's family is possible through redemption (7) Christ delivered His people from evil and gave them the assurance of their salvation by His blood offered for them as a sacrifice (Dt 15:15). The Creator's plan was to "unite under one leader, the Christ". In other words, in Christ the entire Universe finds and understands its reason for existing. Christ gives meaning to the World from the day that we are born(Col 1:15) but also He shows us where creation needs to turn.