Volume IV
The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians.
With John Brown’s marginal references, notes and reflections · Vol. IV, p. 400
Ephesus was the chief city of Proconsular Asia, famed for human wisdom and knowledge, but more for idolatry, lasciviousness, and magical arts. Here Paul planted a Christian church, to the elders of which he afterwards gave a solemn charge to attend to their work, Ac. xix. xx. To caution them against those seducers who very early crept in among them, and to confirm them in the doctrines which he had preached to them, he, while a prisoner at Rome, wrote them this excellent letter. In the first three chapters of which he represents to them, in the most enraptured and affecting manner, the riches of God's grace, in their conversion, regeneration, calling, fellowship with God and with his church. In the last three he exhorts them to improve their mercies, in the conscientious performance of all necessary duties, personal and relative, religious and civil, answerably to their Christian character, privileges, assistances, and obligations.
[Ephesus was a city of Ionia, and, under the Roman government, the capital of a large district of Western Asia. It was famous for its temple of Diana. which was reckoned one of the wonders of the world, Ac. 19. 27. It is said to have been more ancient than the time of David, and to have been peopled by a Greek colony.
In the time of Paul Ephesus still retained much of its ancient architectural and commercial grandeur; but the inhabitants were, like those of Athens, wholly given to idolatry. History describes them as licentious in morals and addicted to sorcery; whence 'Ephesian letters' came to be a name for all those superstitious charms and spells by which those ignorant and foolish people who know not God have, in all ages, been affrighted and deceived. In such a city the preaching of the gospel seemed all but hopeless; for idolatry and self-interest combined to instigate the heathen zealots to every riotous opposition, Ac. 19. 24; yet, through the labours of Paul, Apollos, and others, the gospel triumphed; and the Lord established a church which continued until his early-threatened and long-suspended judgment at last overtook the city, and has left it a splendid ruin without church or inhabitant. It was situated about twenty-three miles north of Miletus, to which place Paul called the elders to deliver them his parting charge, about A.D. 58.
This epistle was written about A.D. 62, and, as appears from various allusions, when Paul was a prisoner at Rome. It has been pronounced the richest and noblest of the epistles. And certainly in variety and depth of doctrine, sublimity and fervour of expression, and the intense earnestness of apostolic exhortation, it stands eminently conspicuous. The reason for its peculiar character seems to be that assigned by Scott, namely, 'that the apostle's heart was much enlarged in writing to those whom he had no occasion to rebuke, and with whom he was not under the necessity of joining in controversy; so that entire confidence took place of the caution, reserve, or sharpness which were requisite in the three preceding epistles.' It appears to have been written to confirm the Ephesian and other Asiatic churches in the true doctrine and practice of the gospel. And as every epistle seems to have had some peculiar object, and is consequently distinguished by some peculiar feature, so this epistle is distinguished by its special illustration and enforcement of the blessed doctrine of the headship of Christ over all things to the church, and the union of believers with him in one mystical body.
As to the particular church to which this epistle was originally addressed, expositors are not agreed. Some think it was addressed to the Laodiceans, Col. 4. 16; while others suppose it to have been a circular letter generally addressed to all the churches of Asia. For this opinion, however, there is not a shadow of external proof—the whole current of evidence uniting in inscribing it specially to the Ephesians—though, no doubt, it was intended for the use of the other surrounding churches. And if the apostle directed the Ephesians to send a copy to the Laodiceans, which should afterwards be transmitted to the Laodiceans—and no supposition can be more natural—all idea of the loss of any apostolical epistle is at once removed. C.]