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 5:19 (ESV)
“addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,”
Ephesians 5:19 continues to elucidate actions that accompany the work of the Spirit in the lives of believers. The act of singing in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody with your heart to the Lord are all activities that are filled with the Spirit. Though it is known that all of these activities are worship, the deeper understanding of the specific terms are not easily distinguishable. The three terms could be used to mean the same thing or to mean three different things. For example, Psalms could mean the Psalms of David; hymns may be a synonym for psalms; and songs or odes, is the term that would be found in Revelation 5:9; 14:3 and 15:3 to describe the praises in the heavenly liturgy. The use of the term spiritual is to emphasize the need for the flourishing finish of the list at hand.
As recorded throughout the Old Testament, the Jewish worshipers of God used hymns— a tradition that was kept and passed onto early Christian believers, alongside the emphasis that singing was an important part of worship in the Jerusalem Temple. For the early church to distinguish themselves from the pagan rituals and worship, there was an outpouring of baptisms over worship, as in speaking in tongues which is worship to God, as expounded upon in 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 13:2 and 14:7 go on to discuss worship, musical instruments, singing in tongues or prophecies.14 Yet, it is apparent that in addition to the hymns there was also a connection to songs of new, in the Spirit and manner of old psalms. Every expression of Christian joy that comes from the heart is acceptable to God.
The early church’s apparent song writing are recorded as follows: Acts 16:25; 1 Corinthians 14:26; Colossians 3:16 and James 5:13. Every new movement of the Spirit has brought forth a new outburst of song.
All three participles are dependent upon the main verb, “be filled,” which relates to the early Christians that sang songs to Christ as God. The reflexive pronoun, to each other, raises the observation that Christian praise and worship is a dual function. While believers are praising God they are also communicating with one another. The ultimate goal for believers is eternal worship of God, by this recognizing that our sin delays or disengages us all together from obtaining that goal.
Romans 8:26,27 proclaims that without the Spirit’s intervention, believers cannot address God properly. It also is made clear that by being filled with the Spirit of God, that believers can strive to educate each other on properly praising God. Praising God in a communal way simultaneously engages the encouragement to one another— by this believers are building up one another in the eternal practice of praising God. Through Paul’s writings in 1 Corinthians 12:1-33, he parallels this and builds up this notion more so. Paul echos that believers who are filled with the spirit delight in brining praise to God from the innermost being, from the heart— where the Spirit resides, by this believers who are filled will also pour forth thanks.
Ephesians 5:20 (ESV)
“giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,”
Paul begins with each of his letters giving thanks and offering up praise through his writings to Christ Jesus. By this written example, Paul urges that believers as they are filled with the Spirit to engage in a form of thanksgiving that pours not only forth from speech and song but from a heart of thanksgiving in any and all things. By this he is producing an alternative to destructive ways of speaking. The manifestation of being filled with the Spirit is again present here. The very nature of this thanksgiving that Paul refers to is comprehensive, “at all times,” and particular, “in the narrow of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father.”
This reminds the believers that all things are summed up in Christ. All thanksgiving is being urged to be properly offered up to God which has its source in Christ. To give thanks always and for everything presupposes the character, nature and faith that is found in God— this also taps into the reality of emotion and how this instruction encompasses a holistic response of the believers. Paul’s other writing in suffering, affliction and persecution can be paralleled to the fluid instruction of giving thanks in all circumstances, as noted in 2 Corinthians 11:18 and 12:5-10 as well as recorded throughout the letter to the Philippians and to the Colossians.
Paul’s instructions however to give thanks cannot be reprimanded from the clear statement of our Lord Jesus Christ— by this the clarity that thanks is not being offered up to man, other gods or the air, but until Christ Jesus Himself.18 By this specific phrasing, to our Lord Jesus Christ this points to also an official gathering of corporate worship of the believers. Looking at Colossians 3:17, this passage connects “in the name” and “whatever you do in word or deed,” and ends with “giving thanks to God, Father through Him.”
Keep Reading: Ephesians 5:21
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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