Day 339  Reading Schedule: Ephesians 1-3

Ephesians 1: Christ, the Head of the Church 

[Overview]

Some scholars say that this letter contains the most mature and profound thoughts among Paul's letters, but unlike other letters of Paul, it does not contain any argumentative or offensive content or tone. This is because the focus of this letter is not on debate, but on preaching the mysterious meaning of the church, the noble status of the saints, and the religious life of the saints appropriate to that status. In this context, this chapter mentions God's great plan of salvation that determines the status of the saints. The content of this chapter can be largely divided into two parts. The first part is a greeting and praise for God's plan of salvation (verses 1-14), and the second part is a prayer for the realization of Christ's glory and superiority in God's plan (verses 15-23).

Ephesians 2: Saints Become One in Christ 

[Overview]

This chapter deals with the issue of human salvation from the perspective of God’s cosmic plan. In his early letters, Paul had already presented the naked state of human beings under God’s wrath and a specific path to salvation, but in this chapter in particular, he reveals that human beings who had been cut off from God due to sin and iniquity are reconciled with God through the merits of Christ. The reconciliation of God and human beings in Christ signifies the fulfillment of God’s plan for redemption from the beginning and God’s cosmic plan to be fulfilled through the final judgment. This chapter is largely divided into two parts. The first paragraph talks about the history of redemption in which God raised humans from death and reconciled them to Himself through Christ as part of His eternal ministry (vv. 1-10). The second paragraph mentions the fact that Christ, the messenger of peace, reconciled Jews and Gentiles, and the church established on the foundation of the apostles and prophets (vv. 11-22).

Ephesians 3: Paul's Apostolic Office and Prayer for the Saints 

[Overview]

In this chapter, Paul mentions the mission that the church called by God's grace must fulfill. What Paul especially emphasizes in discussing the mission of the church in this chapter is his unique role for the Gentiles. In the previous chapter, Paul explained the double alienation of the Gentiles who were alienated from God and Israel and their reconciliation through Christ. And in this chapter, he confesses that he is captivated by Christ both externally and internally for the reconciliation of the Gentiles. In addition, Paul's main concern in this chapter is the issue of the composition and unity of the church. Gentiles, like Jews, become members of the church, the body of Christ, and form the universal church. The church becomes the most important tool in fulfilling God's plan of salvation and a symbol of a unified community. The content of this chapter is as follows: in the first paragraph, Paul reveals that he was called to be an apostle who suffers for the Gentiles (verses 1-13), and in the second paragraph, Paul's prayer is recorded for the saints to deeply understand God's will and plan for the church and to reach spiritual fulfillment and maturity (verses 14-21).