EPHESIANS, EPISTLE TO THE.
(1) Structure and Content. This writing be gins with the usual superscription of the Pauline letters including a self-naming of the writer and a benediction upon the readers (i:t, 2). This is immediately followed by a doxology or thanks giving section, also characteristic of Paul's letters. In this case, however, the thanksgiving is some what lengthier and more meditative in its tone, including the writer's thoughts on the subject of God's grace as exhibited in the foreordination of believers to be holy and without blemish before him. The ground of foreordination is God's "good pleasure." and the end of it, "the praise of his glory." The means through which it is realized in the world is the redemption secured through the Beloved ( i From this thanks. giving for the foreordaining grace of God the writer passes to a prayer for the readers that they might appreciate and "measure the whole range of the work accomplished in them by faith. the greatness of the Divine power that has been dis played in their behalf, and the beauty of the hope to which this change entitles them" (i:15-23). Thus far the writer introduces himself to his read ers and makes known his hopes and prayer for them. From this point on he conveys to them his special message. This is given in two parts-a didactic and a practical one. In the didactic part of this message, the apostle begins with the thought already expressed in his prayer for a sense of appreciation of the magnitude of Goal's grace. Ile calls their attention to the nature of this grace (ii :1-1n) ; the former alienation of the read ers from God and their present reconciliation with Him as a result of this grace (ii:11-22); his own share in the work of transmitting this grace to men and building up the community of those who accept it into a living body (iii :1-13) ; and his new prayer for them that they might know their privileges and be strengthened spiritually and filled with the fulness of God (iii :14-21). The prac tical part of the Epistle which begins with ch. iv urges upon the readers the realization of their membership in the one church which is the body of Christ. This should issue in endeavors to
maintain the unity of the body (iv :1-6), and is the one of the various gifts bestowed upon them towards the healthy growth of the whole body (iv: 7-16). All this they should do as a church, but also as individuals they should live worthily of their membership in Christ by cultivating a pure and spotless morality (iv ;t7; v :at). Then, as families, they should obey those laws of mutual subordination and consideration which are to make their domestic relations perfect. First, hus bands and wives (v :22-33), then children and parents (vi:t-4) and finally servants and masters are thus urged to a perfect life. These exhorta tions the apostle brings to a conclusion by return ing to the thought of the church and her warfare and calling on his readers to gird themselves for this warfare (vi:ro-2o), and closes with a few words of a personal import to which he appends the usual benediction (vi :21-24).
(2) To Whom Addressed. But who were the readers thus addressed by the apostle? The question has received different answers. The oc casion for difference of opinion is the doubt cast on the genuineness of the words iv 'Dpiaqt, in Ephe sus, in i:i, through the omission of these words in a combination of ancient MSS. characterized by Lightfoot as almost always representing the origi nal text in the Epistles of Paul. The various views proposed on the subject are briefly : (r) That the letter was addressed as traditionally held to the Church at Ephesus and that the omission of the words in question from the ancient MSS. and versions is due to some critical conjecture of an ancient copyist who thought that the contents of the Epistle did not bear out this address and therefore left them out. This view, however, has not found favor. Critically, such omission must have been made late, but, as a matter of fact, it is the earlier MSS. that makes it. Moreover, this view is based on the existence of a critical spirit in the early church which cannot be proved. A mere acci dental omission is not probable and in general no sufficient reason can be given for such omission.