St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians, part 1
When people have a lot of time on their hands, they begin to get things done that have been on their mind for a while. And they begin to contemplate things more deeply. This may have been the case with the great St. Paul who, while in prison, wrote his letter to the Christians living in Ephesus. You may know this letter as the book of Ephesians, the tenth book of the New Testament.
On a beautifully warm day, my husband and I took a private tour of Ephesus. Our guide then took us through the Ephesus Museum. She brought us to a bust of a woman’s face and asked, “Who do you think this is?” I thought on it for a moment, and knowing that Mary, the mother of Jesus, had a home just outside of Ephesus, it seemed only natural to answer that it was a bust of Mary. “Wrong,” she said, “it is Artemis!” This brought home to us the point that the general belief system of the Ephesians was the worship or Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, the moon, and chastity. With such a multi-talented and faceted goddess it would seem the worshippers had a goddess, that covered most, if not all, their problems!
At its climax, Ephesus was known for its opulent terrace houses, for being the center of medical education, for its vast library, and for being a center for trade, religion, and commercialism. Its position on the Aegean Sea made it an important port. Ephesus’ Temple of Artemis was filled with prostitutes, and locals sold trinkets and icons of Artemis. The city had theaters and gladiator contests. The amphitheater, where Paul preached, is large and looks out over the beautiful Agean Sea.
St. Paul preached about three years in Ephesus. So, he shows his concern for what he witnessed first-hand, when he writes about Ephesian-Christians losing their love for Christ’s body, the church. Naturally, he was concerned. Perhaps this is why St. Paul's letter to them was so important. He wanted to support them, teach them how to live Christianity in their daily lives, outline for them their way of life, and explain how to grow and maintain the church. With so few standing up for Christ’s body, the church, and its teachings, Paul may have felt that he needed to strengthen them. They were deeply in the midst of idolatry, commercialism, material education and mortal knowledge.
The book of Ephesians re-tells St. Paul’s experiences. Recounting all that Christ Jesus did for himself and for humanity must have intrigued the Ephesians who were so dependent on worshipping an idol. Learning of their joint inheritance with Christ Jesus, the gospel of salvation, and reminding them that each one must learn of his and her calling as Christians, re-centered their affections toward Christianity, one God, rather than idolatry.
Isn't this true for us today, as well? As we learn of our calling as Christians, we, too, find ourselves re-centered in our affections toward Christianity, toward one God, and we learn to put off all thoughts and acts that lead us into sin, into the worship of anything besides God, good.
It would have been a new concept to the Ephesians, too, to learn that, as Christians, they would become a part of Christ's body, Christ's church, and so it would be expected of them to follow in the words and works of Christ Jesus. In other words, by turning from the worship of Artemis they would be turning toward Christ Jesus. But it wouldn't be a mere exchange of idols, but rather a change of base in thought from matter-worship to Spirit-worship, -- the worship of one God, Spirit, Life, Truth, Love. This would be in concord with what Christ Jesus, God's son, taught and demonstrated.
Even more astounding is that the Ephesians needed only to accept this relationship with God, Spirit, as God's children. It is through God's great love and grace, His unmerited favor toward His creation, that each one is protected and saved from the flesh, false knowledge, anger, and fear. Overcoming the flesh, or idol worship, reveals a new man, -- the new man -- made in God's image and likeness. Then true reconciliation to God takes place.
We're all too familiar with the old man that needs to be put off if we're going to gain the spiritual temple, which Paul discusses. The old man of anger, hatred, revenge, and fear must be set aside for the new man, -- the man of God's creating. This new man is made in God's image: peaceful, loving, forgiving, and fearless. But, more, it is man wholly spiritual and pure. It is God's creation which each of us expresses and embodies as we learn to turn from the old and put on the new.
How do we do this?
Through true communion with God. True communion with God unveils the false belief of mortality and shows forth the true idea of each one being His child. This elucidates the spiritual fact that no longer are we strangers to God, but heirs of God. By putting off the old man and putting on the new, we find our real relationship with God -- we are, in fact, God's temple!
This spiritual temple, or body, is here and now. It is the new man, the man of God's creating. It is you and me as God's spiritual image. In this temple, the old garment is put off, set aside, and the new garment of Christly being and doing is put on.
There's more to come about St. Paul in Ephesus, but for now let's consider this coming week what it means to put off the old man and put on the new. Let's consider what it means to be a part of this holy temple, and to be "fitly framed together (Eph 2:21).
