Bible Studies
A Case Study of Ephesus: 40 Years, 3 Authors, 7 Documents, 7 LeadersThe Ephesians: Called to Love and Truth (1)
Pete Hammond
Ephesus was a significant city in the first decades of the Church. The Ephesians
appear several times in the New Testament, over a roughly 40-year period. Pete
Hammond has written a cycle of four Bible Studies on the message to the people
of Ephesus.
Mr. Hammond is a long-time leader in the American church, starting with his involvement in the racial integration of a few southern Universities during his early years on InterVarsity Staff, and continuing through his long-term passion of challenging Christians to live as witnesses in their "marketplace" - in their everyday jobs. More about Pete here.
Introduction: The Ephesian “Reality Challenge”— Potential for Conflict, Opportunity for Love
The raw material for the church in Asia Minor was full of deeply rooted differences!
Each new convert brought personal, cultural, religious and economic experiences,
habits, wounds and patterns that would be deeply challenged as they declared
their loyalty to Jesus Christ. Each one of them would be faced with the necessity
of deconstructing their old world view and life patterns in order to enter
into the transformation of becoming a true and faithful citizen of the kingdom
of God— together. In light of what God in Christ had done for them (Eph 1-3),
this collection of forgiven sinners would begin a life-long experience of learning
how to “... lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
with all humility and gentle-ness, with patience, bearing with one another
in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond
of peace.” (Eph 4:1-3). Look at the stuff they brought into this new community.
- The Long-standing Ethnic Issues: The Jew-Gentile history of conflict. The founding couple (Priscilla and Aquila) and the first pastor (Timothy) were in mixed-race families.
- Differing Religious & Spiritual Baggage: Synagogue Jews, secular Jews, hostile university Greeks, John the Baptist disciples, magic arts occultists, and fertility cult worshipers.
- Varying Economic Levels: Wealthy Romans, refugees from persecution, university students & leaders, and fraudulent religious opportunists.
- Diverse Personality Types: Tough minded intellectuals, sick invalids and their families, manipulative schemers, enthusiasts/ecstatics, and a youthful and insecure pastor (Timothy).
- Unique Conversion Experiences: Spoke in tongues, extended argument/debate, miraculous healing, liberation from demons, escaped religious sexual bondage, and a second generation believer (Timothy).
How then shall they live together?
1. A Case Study of Ephesus: 40 Years, 3 Authors, 7 Documents, 7 Leaders
2.
The Ephesus Converts:“A New Community’s” Raw Material
3. "Truth" and "Love" in
The Ephesian Church
4.
Understanding and Practicing "Love"
Chapter One: ca. 52 AD
Author: Luke
Leadership: Paul, Priscilla, Aquila, Apollos
Outcomes: Engagement: Early Seeds of Witness Sown
Chapter Two: ca. 53-55 AD
Author: Luke
Leadership: Paul
Outcomes: Harvest: Diverse Conversions Amid Major Conflict
Chapter Three: 3 Months later
Author: Luke
Leadership: Paul
Outcomes: Leadership Transfer and Development Retreat
Chapter Four: ca. 61 AD
Author: Paul
Leadership: Paul
Outcomes: Lessons: On Living the Gospel Together
- Some dispute that this letter was for the Ephesian church. John Stott analyzes
the arguments and concludes that "the mystery remains unsolved." Here I assume
it is, along with the possibility that it was also intended for the daughter
churches inland from port city Ephesus. (Stott, God's New Society, IVPress,
1980.)
- F.F. Bruce affirms that Ephesus is probably the mother church to "the
seven churches of Asia of the Lycus valley including Colossae, Hieraplois,
and Laodicea."
(Bruce, NICNT Book of Acts, Eerdmans, 1968, pg. 389.)
Chapter Five: A Few Years Later
Author: Paul
Leadership: Paul, Timothy
Outcomes: Guidance for Pastoral Leadership and Development of Disciples
Chapter Six: ca. 90 AD
Author: John
Leadership: John, Ephesian "Angel"
Outcomes: Warning: A Qualified Audit Letter!
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