Ephesians: a Visual Introduction($22.99Value)

Description

An Illustrated Commentary in Plain English When Biblical scholars comment on Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians , their tone changes, exhibiting excitement. I think this is because Paul’s text captures the elegant and majestic theology of the Church as the body of Christ. The theologian Peter O’Brien opens his commentary on Ephesians, saying, “ The Letter to the Ephesians is one of the most significant documents ever written.” F. F. Bruce, borrowing from A. S. Peake, calls it “The quintessence of Paulinism,” explaining that “It sums up in large measure the leading themes of the Pauline writings.” William Barclay refers to the letter as “The Queen of the Epistles” also noting the English poet, philosopher, and theologian Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s assessment of Ephesians as “The divinest composition.” Ephesians is special. The text is the product of an extraordinary mind inspired by the Spirit over a long period of time. By the time Paul writes Ephesians, he has completed three major missionary journeys. Paul has gone out to be among the people. In doing so, he has spread the Gospel, established new communities of believers, built relationships, and come to a deep understanding of the spiritual needs of those communities. Furthermore, the Spirit has been Paul’s companion for nearly three decades, bringing increasingly profound theological insights to his exceptional mind, enabling him to address the growing pains of the churches he has planted. As Paul sits in prison, unburdened by the demands and hardships of travel, he has time to meditate and reflect on what has gone before. His network of brothers and sisters from around the Mediterranean brings him updates. He likely feels joy in knowing that his work has helped bring the gospel to “the whole world,” where it is “bearing fruit and increasing.” The growth of the Church has resulted in new challenges. The Spirit supplies Paul with thoughts and insights to address the needs of the growing and developing body of Christ. Most notably, Ephesians emphasizes the importance of unity among the diverse sets of believers who comprise the early Christian Church. To meet the needs of the Church, Paul appears to draw on the thought found in the Letter to the Colossians and writes a new, more universal letter. A letter suitable to be carried to churches throughout Asia, and directed to a Gentile audience. With Ephesians, the great apostle gives us “the distilled essence of the Christian faith.” An introductory fictional story sets up the overall context for Ephesians. The commentary uses plain English to unpack the meaning of each chapter of the Letter. Fine art and other visuals are used to aid in understanding Paul’s great letter. Exploring Ephesians, I hope you will find yourself caught up in this beautiful epistle.