The Letter to the Ephesians is one of the most significant documents ever written. Not because it is a theological masterpiece, though it is, and not because of the social, economic, religious, cultural, and civil importance placed on ancient Ephesus, though that is true as well. The importance of the Apostle Paul’s letter to Ephesus lies in Paul’s Spirit-inspired blueprint of what God is building – His Church.

First century Ephesus was a boomtown. The temple of Artemis (one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world), grandiose theaters, extravagant temples and religious structures, statues, and memorials covered the seaside landscape. With this multicultural and multiethnic background, Paul writes what is involved in the formation of the church, not so much the way the church appears in our towns and cities, but the essence that is behind all biblical churches: God’s will, Christ’s presence, and the Holy Spirit’s work.