OPENING REMARKS
- We desire an interactive, in-depth, verse-by-verse study of the Bible.
- Some questions we need to ask ourselves: Am I an “authentic” Christian? What should the church look like? How should we live in the world? What do we believe? How important is the truth we have in the Bible?
EPHESUS IN THE ANCIENT WORLD
1. CONQUEST OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT / HELLENISM IN THE ANCIENT WORLD
- Some important dates
430-004 Inter-testamental Period.
469-322 Socrates, Plato, Aristotle.
336-323 Conquests of Alexander the Great.
33 Crucifixion of Christ - Hellenization of the ancient world.
“In his vision of himself as a bearer of Greek civilization rather than as a conqueror, Alexander also brought along with him scientists, engineers, and explorers, and these people had to be paid as well. In addition, he expanded his civilian rule over conquered territories by establishing more than seventy new towns in a great arc from Egypt to India…” Peter Bernstein, The Power of Gold, pg 42).The Greek establishment of cities (Polis) in Asia which meant the Greek gymnasium, Greek art (theater, sculpture, literature etc), Greek thought.
Meaning of Hellenism, Hellenization, to Hellenize.
Hellenism: Greek civilization especially as modified in the Hellenistic period by oriental influences.
Learn to speak Greek, send children to Greek Gymnasium, and reverse circumcision in The Source by J. Michner etc.
Philo (30 B.C./ 50 A.D.0, Jewish- Platonic philosopher of the Alexandrian school, a “Greek Hellenist” in thought, mixed with a natural Judaism.
Translation of the Old Testament into Greek – The Septuagint.
2. BACKGROUND OF EPHESUS
- Overview of Ephesus in Pre-Christian times.
The most important city in the Roman Province of Asia. A magnificent road 70 feet wide and lined with columns ran down through the city to the harbor which serve both as a great export center and the end of the Asiatic caravan-route and also as a natural landing point from Rome. Population calculated to be 330,000 people. Theater would seat between 25,000 and 50,000 people.
- Warden of the Temple of Diana (Artemis) which was considered one of the wonders of the world. The splendor of the temple was proverbial in the ancient world (Acts 19:27). But also the imperial cult (temple to Claudius), Zoroastrianism & Mithraism, Judaism, Buddhism, paganism?
In 1951 a group of archaeologists working in the great Ionian city of Ephesus came upon a huge hoard of Lydian money buried under the ruins of the temple of Artemis, which had been built about 600 BC. Over three thousand items came into view, including unstamped dumps, stamped dumps, and a mass of coins with the lion’s head struck up them, in addition to a substantial pile of jewelry and statuettes fashioned of gold and silver. (Peter Bernstein, The Power of Gold, pg. 32.)
- An industry to develop small images of Diana was set up in Ephesus, a real money maker.
3. PAUL’S THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY
52 AD A quick stop at Ephesus (where he left Aquila and Priscilla) on his way from Corinth to Jerusalem (Acts 18:19).
52 AD Apollos visits Ephesus, goes on to Corinth. Paul arrives in Ephesus (Acts 18:24-26)
52-55 AD Paul in Ephesus for three years
55 AD Paul leaves Ephesus for Greece due to riot, but speaks with Ephesian elders at Miletus, port of Ephesus, on his way to Jerusalem.
57-59 AD Paul imprisoned in Caesarea Maratima in Israel.
59 AD Paul under house arrest in Rome, writes “Captivity Letters” (Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians).
63 AD Paul released from Roman imprisonment, visits Ephesus, finds error, and leaves Timothy to clear it up.
Evangelizes Crete and leaves Titus there. Returns to Macedonia, and from there Writes I TIMOTHY AND TITUS.
63 AD Paul re-arrested in Asia Minor or Macedonia / taken to Rome.
64 AD WRITES II TIMOTHY
4. OVERVIEW OF PAUL’S EPHESIAN MINISTRY IN ACTS
READ/ASK: What do we learn about Paul’s ministry, the type of people he taught, his strategy for ministry and key events during his time in Ephesus?
- Short visit while on way to Jerusalem (18:19-21).
- Ministry of Apollos who spoke in synagogue (18:24-26).
- Two years (19:9-10) + 3 months (19:8) or “3 yrs with tears” (20:31) & with elders at Miletus.
- What were the people like that Paul reached out to?
Jew and Gentile, slaves and free. Lived in sin, followed ways of world, followed Satan and gratified cravings of sinful nature (Eph. 2:1-3). Gentiles and “uncircumcised” (Eph. 2:11). Foreigners and aliens from God’s household (Eph. 2:19) Indulged in every kind of impurity, sensuality, lust for more impurity (Eph. 4:19), liars, angry, thieves, brawlers, slanderers (Eph. 4:25-32). Drunkards (Eph. 5:18).
- His strategy?
ASK: What was Paul’s strategy for the evangelization of Ephesus and the surrounding area? Read Acts 19:8-10, 20:17,20 and I Tim. 2:8.
Taught in the synagogue for 3 months (19:8); Taught publicly (20:20) in school of Tyranus (19:9-10) and house to house, whole counsel of God to both Jews & Greeks. Produced house churches lead by elder Shepherds (20:17, cf. I Tim. 2:8) “everywhere.”
- What did he teach?
Paul refers to the content of his teaching as “the good deposit that was entrusted to you” and tells us to “guard” it (I Tim. 6:20, II Tim. 1:12,14).
ASK: According to Luke’s record what was the main content of the teaching of Paul In Ephesus? Write answers on transparency.
Kingdom of God (19:8), Word of the Lord (19:10), man made Gods not gods at all (19:26), turn to God in repentance and have faith in Christ (20:21), whole will of God (20:26), church is bought with the blood of Christ (20:28), Christians have an eternal inheritance (20:32)
- Other significant matters
- Friends with provincial officials (19:31).
- Miracles with aprons/handkerchiefs (19:11-12); Demons cast out e.g. sons of Sceva; burning of occultic books (19:13-20).
- All this time worked with own hands to provide for his physical needs (20:34).
- It appears the preaching of the Gospel threatened the arts and crafts industry as it related to the Temple of Diana. Demetrius & riot (19:23-41) charging that the temple was being threatened. Paul had to leave Ephesus. Some feel his second arrest was specifically related to the threat to the temple industry and Alexander the metal worker (II Tim 4:14).
Spent 18 months in Madiun, city of 250,000; Produced “Madju”, visited out churches every month, ran “SARI”, re-initiated elder meetings for area, produced “Mormon Letter.”
5. WHAT CHURCH IN EPHESUS LOOKED LIKE DURING PAUL’S FIRST ROMAN IMPRISONMENT
READ/ASK & WRITE ON WHITE BOARD: What characteristic of the Ephesian church is noted in each verse?
- Saints in Ephesus, faithful in Christ Jesus (1:1)
- Faith in Lord Jesus, Love for the saints (1:15)
- Brought near through the Blood of Christ (2.13)
- Fellow citizens with God’s people (2:19)
- Members of God’s household (2:19)
- A dwelling in which God lives (2:19)
- Heirs with Israel (3:6)
- Members of one body (3:6)
- Sharers in the promise (3:6)
- Some tendencies to disunity (4:2)
- Several gifted people in the church (4:11)
- False teaching challenging the church (4:14)
6. SO WHY THE LETTER OF I TIMOTHY OR “II EPHESIANS?”
“I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard (Acts 20:29-31a).
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming (Eph. 4:14).
“As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies” (I Tim. 1.3).
Example: Hymenaeus & Philetus wandered away from the truth teaching that the resurrection has already taken place (2.2.17-18)
“… you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false” (Rev. 2:2).
“… I am writing you these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household” (1.3.14).
QUOTE / TRANSPARENCY: “… religious syncretism was in the air in the Hellenistic world, and many Hellenistic Jews appear to have been involved in such speculations (genealogies). When Gentiles were converted, they, too, brought to the faith a lot of foreign baggage, both philosophical and religious, that to them seemed easy enough to absorb within their new faith in Christ” (Fee, pg 9).
It will be clear from any careful reading that a concern for the gospel is the driving force behind the Pastoral Epistles. Preserving and reaffirming “the glorious gospel of the blessed God” (1:11) against errors absolutely dominates I Timothy, is still a vital concern in Titus, and returns in 2 Timothy as the crux of everything. (Fee, 15)
QUOTE / TRANSPARENCY: “History is little more than the rise and fall of great ideas — the worldviews — that form our values and move us to act. …. The real war is a cosmic struggle of worldviews — between the Christian worldview and the various secular and spiritual worldviews arrayed against it” (17) …the drama of history is played out along the frontiers of great belief systems.
7. SO WHAT?
- Remember we are greatly influenced by the world around us…. not the Hellenization of the church in this age but the secularization of the church (Post-Modernism / Naturalism) is the challenge.
- “Sooner or later the spirit of the world will enter the church” (Francis Schaeffer).
- Ill: The “User-Friendly” Church. J. MacArthur”
I recently read through a stack of newspaper and magazine articles about the user-friendly phenomenon (church), and a common thread began to emerge. Here are some quotations from clippings describing the preaching in user-friendly churches”:
“There is no fire and brimstone here. No Bible-thumping. Just practical, witty messages.” “Services at [the church featured in the article] have an informal feeling. You won’t hear people threatened with hell or referred to as sinners. The goal is to make them feel welcome, not drive them away.”
“As with all clergymen [this pastor’s] answer is God – he slips Him in at the end, and even then doesn’t get heavy. No ranting, no raving. No fire, no brimstone. He doesn’t even use the H-word. Call it Light Gospel. It has the same salvation as the Old Time Religion, but with a third less guilt.”
“The sermons are relevant, upbeat, and best of all, short. You won’t hear a lot of preaching about sin and damnation and hell fire. Preaching here doesn’t sound like preaching. It is sophisticated, urbane, friendly talk. It breaks all the stereotypes.”
“[The pastor] is preaching a very upbeat message It’s a salvationist message, but the idea is not so much being saved from the fires of hell. Rather, it’s being saved from meaninglessness and aimlessness in this life. It’s more of a soft-sell.”
“The idea, [the pastor] says, is to get people through the front doors, then disprove the stereotype of the sweating, loosened necktie, Bible-thumping preacher who yells and screams about burning in hell for eternity.”
Please understand, I’m not suggesting preachers ought to be sweaty, unkempt ranters and ravers who scream yell, pound the pulpit, and thump the bible. But let’s face it, except in very narrow, hyper-fundamentalist sects, such preachers are hardly in abundance these days. The imagery of the Bible-thumper has become an easy stereotype that is often used against those who simply believe straightforward proclamation is more important than making “unchurched Harry” comfortable. (J. MacArthur, Ashamed of the Gospel, 47-8)
- We must remember who we were / would have been without Christ.
Amazing Grace how sweet the sound, / That saved a wretch like me. / I once as
lost but now am found,/ Was blind but now I see. - Always be aware that teaching that attacks the foundation of Christian faith must be challenged.
SHORT REVIEW OF INTRODUCTORY LESSON
- The Hellenization of the ancient Middle East had a direct impact on all peoples including in a major way on the inhabitants of Ephesus and the newly planted Christian church in Ephesus.
- Ephesus was a major port city of possibly 330,000 people with a mixture of religions and a sizable Jewish community.
- Ephesus was famous for the temple to the Greek fertility goddess Diana.
- What did Paul preach / teach during his 3 years in Ephesus? The gospel!
- What is the “core” of the Gospel? The death and resurrection of Christ. His “blood” is often used to refer to His “death” in the New Testament.
EMPHASIS ON CORE MESSAGE “DEATH/BLOOD OF CHRIST” AT EPHESUS
- Whenever any doctrine is neglected, especially the core message, the church falls into error.
- SBC Pastor: No hell the need for the death of Christ becomes irrational.
- Verses relating to the death of Christ in Acts, Ephesian, I & II Timothy
“…God’s church, which he bought with His own blood” (Acts 20:28)
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Eph. 1:7).
“…been brought near through the blood of Christ” (Eph. 2:13)
“…to reconcile both of them to God through the Cross” (Eph. 2:16).
“…Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her…” (Eph. 5:25).
“…Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (I Tim. 1:15).
“…who gave himself a ransom for all men” (I Tim. 2:6).
“…Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David,. This is my Gospel” (II Tim. 2:8).
A new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9)
DEPTH OF MERCY
Depth of mercy! Can there be
Mercy still reserved for me?
Can my God His wrath forbear,
Me, the chief of sinners, spare?
I have long withstood His grace,
Long provoked Him to His face,
Would not hearken to His calls,
Grieved Him by a thousand falls.
I my Master have denied,
I afresh have crucified,
Oft’ profaned His hallowed Name,
Put Him to an open shame.
Whence to me this waste of love?
Ask my Advocate above!
See the cause in Jesus’ face,
Now before the throne of grace.
If I rightly read Thy heart,
If Thou all compassion art,
Bow Thine ear, in mercy bow,
Pardon and accept me now.
Jesus speaks, and pleads His blood!
He disarms the wrath of God;
Now my Father’s mercies move,
Justice lingers into love.
There for me the Savior stands,
Shows His wounds and spreads His hands.
God is love! I know, I feel;
Jesus weeps and loves me still.
Now incline me to repent,
Let me now my sins lament,
Now my foul revolt deplore,
Weep, believe, and sin no more.
THIS MESSAGE IS VITAL: “And of this Gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. … Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you – guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us” (II Tim. 1:11,14).