The Seaport City of Ephesus
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The city of Ephesus was a major seaport in the first century Roman empire, located on the Cayster River. The river brought down much silt, forming a fertile plain, which also contributed to the wealth of the city. (Ironically, this same silt eventually filled the harbor and the coast is now three miles west of the city.) However, at the time of Paul's arrival in Ephesus it was a thriving metropolis with a long (and checkered) history. That Paul found any converts in Ephesus is itself a miracle considering both the wealth and the pagan religion that Ephesus was steeped in. Besides its position as a land and sea trading center (being the terminus of one land route and easily accessed by two others, in addition to its favorable port) Ephesus had a unique history with Rome. "Partial recovery came to the western edges of the province only after Pompey's victory over the pirates at Korakesion off Kilikia in 67 BC cleared the eastern Aegean of that particular menace [pirates of the eastern Mediterranean]" (Rogers 7). Thus, while Ephesus' early history involved being severely punished for perceived abuses of Roman citizens and religion, its prosperity at the time Paul entered it was because of Roman actions on its behalf. Additionally, when Ceasar visited the city in the late summer of 48 BC he "remitted one-third of the tax Asia had previously paid" and revised the method of collecting taxes to make it harder to abuse (Rogers 7). Religion was crucial to the economic life of Ephe
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cular audience for this letter, as he did in the epistle to the Galatians where he was specifically confronting a specific people on their specific errors.
Another, thornier question over the authorship of Ephesians is an apparent difference between the theology here and the more overtly grace based salvation of Galatians and Romans. Statements such as "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of god" (Eph. 3:10). Many Protestants saw not heavenly governments but earthly, and therefore saw ecclesiastical or Catholic style government. Barth notes the contradiction in thinking: "can [Protestant scholars] claim that infallibility which among Protestants is denied the Pope and the Papal Bible Commission, but is de facto claimed for 'objective,' scholarly, historical-critical research" (46-47). Still, the best argument that Paul wrote the epistle to the Ephesians is that those who knew him and were closest to him and his time say so.
Perhaps the two most quoted section of Ephesians are Paul's statements on marriage and his description of the spiritual armor the Christian must put on each day. The presence of the former section, in both Colossians an
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Paul Polemos, Christ Rom, Christ Acts, Satan Ye, Cayster River, Galatians Romans, Ephesians Gnosticism, Additionally Ceasar, Roman Empire, Emperor Constantine, bride church, roman empire, terms peace, ff 398 ff, woman woman, galatians romans, acts 1923-41, economic life, rome athens, century roman empire, rogers 7, city ny,
Approximate Word count = 2347
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page)
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