I see the book of Ephesians and for that matter it's author, Paul, as more than theology. I have begun to see an incredible love story, written by a loving God, and expressed by a man given the grace by this God, to love a people that in his earlier life, he could not have even had a meal with. These people, the Gentiles, were always considered as somehow 'lesser' and alienated from the God of Israel. Paul is given the responsibility to reach into the nations (Gentiles) and bring a remnant into the household of God, which before the first coming of Jesus Christ, was the sole domain of the Jewish people. The book of Ephesians is an eloquent and beautiful dialogue with the believing community in Ephesus; made up of Jews and Gentiles. Sometimes Paul is speaking to both Jews and Gentiles, sometimes just Gentiles, and sometimes just Jews. I believe the underlying message of the book is two fold: to help Gentiles know how much they matter to God and are vital to this community and how much God has waited for the two: Jew and Gentile, to share love for each other and the presence of God, to fulfill His 'mystery' upon the earth in flesh and blood.
I see the book of Ephesians and for that matter it's author, Paul, as more than theology. I have begun to see an incredible love story, written by a loving God, and expressed by a man given the grace by this God, to love a people that in his earlier life, he could not have even had a meal with. These people, the Gentiles, were always considered as somehow 'lesser' and alienated from the God of Israel. Paul is given the responsibility to reach into the nations (Gentiles) and bring a remnant into the household of God, which before the first coming of Jesus Christ, was the sole domain of the Jewish people. The book of Ephesians is an eloquent and beautiful dialogue with the believing community in Ephesus; made up of Jews and Gentiles. Sometimes Paul is speaking to both Jews and Gentiles, sometimes just Gentiles, and sometimes just Jews. I believe the underlying message of the book is two fold: to help Gentiles know how much they matter to God and are vital to this community and how much God has waited for the two: Jew and Gentile, to share love for each other and the presence of God, to fulfill His 'mystery' upon the earth in flesh and blood.
