Who was behind the Ephesians Church?
Acts 18:18-28 describes how Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila traveled together from Corinth to Ephesus. Paul left them behind to continue making tents and to share the Gospel. While in Ephesus, Apollos, a Jewish Christian from Alexandria, came to the city and began to teach about Jesus. Priscilla and Aquila instructed Apollos so that he proclaimed the Gospel more accurately.
Paul, also known as Saul, was a Jewish leader who once persecuted Christians. He was encountered by Christ on the road to Damascus, committing his life to following Jesus. Paul was imprisoned for Jesus in Rome around 61 AD. During this time, he wrote the letter to the Ephesians. In this letter he addresses a community he establish alongside Aquila and Priscilla.
Aquila and Priscilla were a Jewish married couple originally from Rome. Tent makers by trade(like Paul) and influential missionaries in the early Church. They went to Ephesus with Paul and welcomed him and the early Corinthian church into their home. Together, mentoring new believers and demonstrating their deep theological understanding and commitment to discipleship!
Get to know Ephesus
Ephesus was a cosmopolitan city and was religiously diverse. Situated on the western coast of modern day Turkey. It was known for its worship of the goddess of hunting and fertility, Artemis. The practice of magic and pluralistic worship was embedded in this ancient New Testament world. Ephesus thrived as a prosperous commercial hub. It served as the capital of Asia Minor. The city attracted various cultures. It held significance in both the spiritual and economic life of the Roman Empire.
For more on the context of Ephesians, check out our prior article: Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians (5:15-21): Magic & Religious Pluralism
Ephesians 5:15 (ESV)
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise…”
Ephesians was written by Paul, the Apostle of Christ Jesus to the church in Ephesus. Chapter 5 begins with Paul listing qualities like immoral, impure, or covetous persons will not inherit the kingdom of God. Paul warns against empty words and affirms that the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.
Paul commands his readers to not be like those who bear these negative qualities. He reminds them that they used to walk in the darkness. Now, they are light in the Lord. By this, he encourages us to discern what pleases God. He shares insights about what is good, right, or true. Paul shares the fruit of the light (v 5:11), he speaks about exposing the unfruitfulness of darkness. How it is shameful to even speak of the darkness. He declares that anything exposed by the light becomes visible by the light is of the Lord, which is good, right, and true.
Paul mentions the sins of the sons of disobedience and pairs this statement with how the wrath of God will come upon them. He speaks to the Ephesians in reference to their past and how they once walked in darkness. They should not be partners with darkness. Instead, they must embrace being within the light of the Lord.
Paul urges the Ephesians to walk in the light.
When the light exposes anything, it will become light itself. V 15 begins with the adverb, “therefore,” Paul uses this to link the present verse to his instructions. He links it to the previous overall exhortation. This exhortation encourages them to walk as children of the light. It also urges them to expose the darkness. His entire argument presumes the cultivation of wisdom within the wider scope of culture. Paul avoids renewed legalism while still obtaining the standard by which followers of Christ are to conduct themselves. They do this by watching closely, or strictly, the way that they conduct themselves.
The urgency to be careful in how they walk highlights Paul’s expectations. He expects the Ephesians to conduct themselves properly. Paul refers to walking in darkness mentioned in Ephesians 5:3-5, including immorality, impurity, greed, filthy talk, coarse joking, and coveting as idolatry. He also looks forward to his incoming writing. As referred to in Ephesians 5:18, he advises not to get drunk on wine, which is dissipation. This contrast between unwise and wise is a feature of Jewish ethical instruction that can be found in Proverbs 4:10-19.
The Greek word for wise in this account is better described as someone who is skilled or an expert. They are cultivated and use the best way of execution. Paul uses this specific word to counter walking in a wise behavior. He explains to the believers his desire for them. He wants them to be highly skilled or experts in their walk. He wants them to be experts at conducting themselves in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. This contrast between wise and unwise has its roots in the wisdom tradition. It contrasts two ways. These comparisons can be found in Prov. 4:10-14;9;10:8, 14.
Cultivate Discernment
As Paul instructs this new exhortation to walk not as unwise men but as wise he is also paralleling Colossians 4:5 which says, “conduct yourselves wisely towards outsiders.” This recommendation towards outsiders implies a tolerance and an increased need to accommodate to the world as they are called to be in the world but not of it.3
Paul is emphasizing the crucial need for the new believers to watch how they walk especially keeping in mind the non-believers who are watching. By this, he echos the need for cultivation in discernment on how to engage with the wider culture, the first instance would be walking wisely requires steps toward making the most of every opportunity.
Ephesians 5:16 (ESV)
“making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”
Paul speaks to the need of not only having knowledge but obtaining wisdom that reflects through the skills of living. He uncovers a need for ethical insight into what is pleasing to God.
This insight is according to His will. The preceding verses set the context. Paul is addressing those within the church. He narrows down from the wider context and broader culture. He points to those who have insight. They have obtained the correct attitude towards time. They know how to beneficially engage with time in pleasing the Lord. The literal Greek meaning of “making the most of” can be better understood as “redeeming or buying out time.”
This same expression, as in Daniel 2:8, can be negative— yet as Paul uses the verb, he embellishes it for the positive, contrasting the notion of the days being evil. The cultural contextual emphasis can be noted in eagerness to getting to the market in time or to making the most of every opportunity.
A humanistic understanding for such an injunction is also in light of how short life is, like stated throughout the entire book of Ecclesiastes— life is like a vapor. In terms of Paul’s usage though would land heavier in the eschatological sense, as the frequent illusion of darkness in contrast to light is quite apparent throughout the entire letter: Ephesians 2:2, 12; 4:17; and 5:3.
Paul is extremely practical in reference to walking in wisdom which emphasizes the proper use of time, the fit time, the God given opportunity time. Here we see a parallel in another prison epistle of Paul. Galatians 6:10 states, “as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men.”As Paul adds, the reminder of the days are evil. He shows his awareness and adds the needed pressure in the misuse and opportunities. Paul is calling his readers to understand the power they have as children of the Light. We truly are predestined to expose the very darkness that covers the Earth. Another relation would be in Amos 5:13, in reference to the affects of a time of evil.
The motivation relates back to the Jewish and early Christian understanding of the last days in general. Their view of the last days were characterized by evil being more and more apparent. The notion of evil is linked with the apocalyptic tradition. This tradition was understood to endure for a limited period of time. It is more likely that Paul was producing a notion that is more general while still eschatologically rich. Paul mentions in Eph. 2:2, that the present is under the control of the prince of the powers of the air. Believers must endure this reality within the present age while being surrounded by evil.
In contrast, to literally make the most of the time is to take hold of the present opportunities for believers. As Paul proclaims in 2 Corinthians 6:2, this is the hour for salvation and to be active in producing good works. By this call, believers are given the power to counter act the days of evil.
For these are the positive aspects of living as children of the Light— exposing evil, for darkness will only increase in intensity until Christ renews all things. Paul recognizes that as time continues, opportunities for good deeds in relation to the broader scope of culture will decrease. When opportunities to act in wisdom, goodness, righteousness and truth show themselves— cease those very opportunities!
Further examples of not taking every opportunity would be the business found in sleep and drunkenness. As Paul continues further in the epistle, as in Ephesians 6:10-17, he further more develops the desperation of putting on the sobriety of a soldier of Christ. The Christians in Ephesus, by this, are being charged to cultivate the wisdom needed to discern when, where, how to affirm, criticize or otherwise engage the evil around them to make the most time while keeping in step within their own faith and community.
Keep Reading: Ephesians 5:17-18
Have any thoughts or questions? Leave a comment below! I pray that your study of scripture, dedication to faithfully live out your call as a child of the Light, and love for Christ and His Church would only increase. In Jesus name!
In Christ,
Cosette
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