The Provision of Spiritual Blessing in Messiah
1: 3

The provision of spiritual blessing in Messiah DIG: What is the problem with comparing ADONAI, your heavenly Father, with your earthly father? How do we get “every spiritual blessing?” What can you do to gain all that Messiah has for you as you study Ephesians?

REFLECT: What are some situations in your life where you have vividly felt you didn’t belong? How did you discover you were highly regarded by someone? What did that feel like? How did it affect you? What are some of the spiritual blessings you have in Messiah?

We receive our heavenly blessing by living in the power of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh.

As Rabbi Sha’ul begins his letter to these followers of Yeshua, it is not surprising that his first thought is to recount some of the blessings that have come from our Father in heaven. This also explains why verses 3-14 are actually one long Greek sentence. Praised be ADONAI, Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who in the Messiah has blessed us with every spiritual blessing . . . in the heavenly places.

Praised be ADONAI: This is another common Jewish phrase seen in such central prayers as the Amidah or the blessing before any meal (Baruch Atah ADONAI – Blessed are You, O LORD our God). There is an entire Tractate of the Oral Law (see the commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Ei – The Oral Law) that teaches the details and importance of saying such blessings (Tractate Berachot). Among the interesting suggestions is that the lover of God should say at least a hundred blessings per day in thanks to God, a custom said to have been started by King David (Tractate Menachot 43b; Numbers Raba 18:21).⁵⁴

Long before Yeshua’s day, the word ADONAI had, out of respect, been substituted in speaking and in reading aloud for God’s personal name, the four Hebrew letters yod-heh-vav-heh, variously written in English as YHVH. The Talmud (Pesachim 50a) made it a requirement not to pronounce the Tetragrammaton, meaning the four-letter name of the LORD, Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey, since the ancient manuscripts do not give any vowel sounds, and this remains the rule in most modern Jewish settings. In deference to this tradition, which is unnecessary but harmless, I will be using ADONAI where YHVH is meant. In ancient times when the scribes were translating the Hebrew Scriptures, they revered the name of YHVH so much that they would use a quill to make one stroke of the name and then throw it away. Then they would make another stroke and throw that quill away until the name was completed. His name became so sacred to them that they started to substitute the phrase the Name, instead of writing or pronouncing His Name. Over centuries of doing this, the actual letters and pronunciation of His Name were lost. The closest we can come to is YHVH, with no syllables. The pronunciation has been totally lost. Therefore, the made-up name “Yahweh” is only a guess of what the original name sounded like. Both ADONAI and Ha’Shem are substitute names for YHVH. ADONAI is more of an affectionate name like daddy, while Ha’Shem is a more formal name like sir. Therefore, Jews, being respectful of the Third Commandment, use these words as replacements. The Talmud explains, “In the Sanctuary, the Name was pronounced as written; but beyond its confines a substitute Name was employed (Tractate Sotah VII.6). God has only one name, YHVH. All His other “names” like ADONAI Elohei-Tzva’ot, ADONAI Elohim, ADONAI Nissi, ADONAI Tzidkenu, and ADONAI-Tzva’ot, merely reflect His attributes.

Contrary to what some religious groups say today, no one can say with confidence how to pronounce God’s Name. The “name” Jehovah, for example, is a made-up word by a Franciscan monk in the dark ages. He took YHVH, and inserted vowels between the known letters to invent a new word: YeHoVaH. Jews never, NEVER, use this made-up word. The last book of the B’rit Chadashah tells us that when Yeshua returns to the earth, He will reveal the Name that no one knew but Himself (Revelation 19:12). It seems best to leave this lost pronunciation unresolved until the Messiah comes.

Every spiritual blessing: God has done so much for His children, yet some seem discontented, as if the Father is holding out on them. Some believers are always looking for a new blessing or experience to validate their faith in Messiah. Sha’ul emphasizes here that we already have every blessing available through the work of Yeshua. True, we may not always be experiencing all those blessings, but the problem is not that God is withholding from us but that we are not fully appropriating those spiritual blessings. Evidently, we do not need more of God, but He needs more of us.⁵⁵

In the heavenly places: The abundant, unlimited blessings from God are in the heavenly places. More than heaven itself is included. The heavenly place (Ephesians 1:20, 2:6, 3:10) encompass the entire supernatural realm of ADONAI, His complete domain, the full extent of His divine operation. Therefore, believers have a paradoxical, two-level existence – a dual citizenship. While we remain on the earth, we are citizens of the earth. Yet, in Messiah, our primary and infinitely more important citizenship is in heaven. But we are citizens of heaven, and it is from there that we expect a Deliverer, the Lord Yeshua the Messiah (Philippians 3:20). That is why we are to seek things above, where the Messiah is sitting at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1). Because we are members of God’s domain, unlike the worldly (Luke 16:8), we are able to understand the supernatural things of God, things which the natural man does not accept and cannot understand . . . because they are spiritually discerned (First Corinthians 2:14).

As citizens of God’s heavenly dominion, believers hold all the rights and privileges that citizenship grants, even while we are living in the “foreign” and sometimes hostile land of earth. Our true life is in the supernatural, the heavenly places. Our Father is there, our Savior is there, our saved family members and loved ones are there, our name is there, and our eternal dwelling place and throne are there. But we are presently trapped in the tension between the earthly and the heavenly. Paul reflected this tension when he said: We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed . . . as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor, yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things (Second Corinthians 4:8-9 and 6:10). The key to living as a heavenly citizen while living in an unheavenly situation is walking by the Ruach. Rabbi Sha’ul declares that we should walk by the Ruach (see the commentary on Galatians Bv – Walk by the Ruach, and Not the Desires of the Flesh). When we walk in His power, He produces fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). We receive our heavenly blessing by living in the power of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise Your Awesome love to bless me with every spiritual blessing “in Messiah”! Your gracious love is so big that You promise me Every spiritual blessing and You deliver that promise “in Messiah.” His sacrificial death and resurrection opened the path to heaven. You chose the path to be “in Messiah”. The path to heaven is not in just anyone, but only thru the one sinless and spotless Lamb of God (John 1:29). All those outside of Yeshua died and are still dead. Only Messiah Yeshua has conquered/defeated death and only Messiah Yeshua lived a perfect life without sin.

Before You created the world, You knew that mankind could never be good enough to save itself. Since You are holy, the only way for You to fellowship with anyone is if they are holy and so you planned for Holy Messiah Yeshua to bear the sins of mankind. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast – all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world (Revelation 13:8). All who choose to love and trust Messiah Yeshua, get on His path of holiness by being adopted as God’s children. Thank you for my adoption, giving me the right to enter Your holy heavenly home and live with You eternally!

Praise You for Your Awesome Love! I want to thank You for Your love and blessings by blessing You back by living my life in loving obedience as best I can, sharing Your greatness with others and making time to talk with You in prayer. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Blessing in Messiah
1: 3-14

These four paragraphs form a single sentence in the Greek text and it is possibly the longest sentence of connected dialogue in existence. Here we have some of the most important doctrinal words, the most profound and richest truths regarding what ADONAI has done for believers in all of Paul’s writings. Their form is that of a Jewish b’rakhah, or blessing. This is signaled by the first words: Praised be ADONAI, Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, which echoes the initial phrases of the ‘Amidah, the central prayer of the synagogue liturgy, recited three times daily. Other expressions are also reminiscent of the synagogue prayers. Two examples, first, He chose us in love, resembles the close of the ‘Amidah blessing immediately preceding the recital of the Sh’ma (see the commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Bw – Sh’ma Isra’el). And secondly, the words: In all His wisdom and insight, He has made known to us, recalls the fourth blessing of the ‘Amidah, “You favor humanity with knowledge and teach people understanding and insight from Yourself. Praise be You, ADONAI, the gracious Giver of knowledge.”⁵²

Praised be ADONAI, Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who in the Messiah has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heaven. In Messiah He chose (adopted) us in love before the creation of the universe to be holy and without defect in His presence. He determined in advance that through Yeshua the Messiah we would be His sons – in keeping with His pleasure and purpose – so that we would bring Him praise commensurate with the glory of the grace He gave us through the Beloved One.

In Him, through the shedding of His blood, we are set free – our sins are forgiven; this accords with the wealth of the grace He has lavished on us. In all His wisdom and insight, He has made known to us His secret plan, which by His own will He designed beforehand in connection with the Messiah and will put into effect when the time is ripe – His plan to place everything in heaven and on earth under the Messiah’s headship.

Also in Him we were given an inheritance, we who were picked in advance according to the purpose of the One who affects everything in keeping with the decision of His will, so that we who earlier had put our hope in the Messiah would bring Him praise commensurate with His glory.

Furthermore, you who heard the message of the truth, the Good News offering you deliverance, and put your trust in Messiah were sealed by Him with the promised Ruach Ha’Kodesh, who guarantees our inheritance until we come into possession of it and thus bring Him praise commensurate with His glory.

From Max Lucado’s book The Great House of God, he writes: And you thought God adopted you because you were good looking. You thought He needed your money or your wisdom. Sorry. God adopted you simply because he wanted to. You were in his good will and pleasure. Knowing full well the trouble you would get yourself into and the price He would have to pay, He signed His name next to yours and changed your name to His and took you home. Your Abba adopted you and became your Father.

May I pause here just for a minute? Most of you are with me . . . but a couple of you are shaking your heads. I see those squinty eyes. You don’t believe me, do you? You’re waiting for the fine print. There’s got to be a catch, a gimmick. You know life has no free lunch, so you’re waiting for the check.

Your discomfort is obvious. Even here in God’s living room, you never unwind. Others put on slippers, you put on a front. Others relax, you stiffen. Always on your best behavior, ever anxious that you’ll slip up and God will notice and out you’ll go.

I understand your anxiety. Our experience with people has taught us that what is promised and what is presented aren’t always the same. And for some, the thought of trusting a heavenly Father is doubly difficult because your earthly father disappointed or mistreated you.

If such is the case, I urge you: Don’t confuse your heavenly father with the fathers you’ve seen on earth. Your Father in heaven isn’t prone to moodiness and temper tantrums. He doesn’t hold you in His arms one day and hit you the next. The man who fathered you may act that way, but the God who loves you never will.⁵³

Sha’ul’s Greeting
1: 1-2

Sha’ul’s greeting DIG: Who was Sha’ul, what was his background, and where did he come from? Who did he study under? As an apostle, who was he sent to minister to? Why is that important to understand? What does “hagios” mean? What was the city of Ephesus like?

REFLECT: What does the word shalom mean? To whom would you like to give that message? Why does Sha’ul address his readers as “the people of God?” Explain. Is it helpful to think of yourself as a “hagios?” Why or why not? When were you justified for all time?

Sha’ul was a Jewish follower of Yeshua, or in modern terms, a Messianic Jew.

All Sha’ul’s letters begin in a similar way. Following the style of the letter-writing of the day, he mentions first the writer, then the readers, and then comes to the greeting. But the conventional manner of the time is lifted to a higher level. Writer and reader are described from the standpoint of their relationship to Messiah Yeshua; and the conventional greeting became a blessing for all believers.⁴⁷ There are seven important points in Sha’ul’s greeting. From: Sha’ul, by God’s will an apostle of the Messiah Yeshua. To: God’s people living in Ephesus, that is, those who are trusting in the Messiah Yeshua: Grace to you and shalom from God our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

1. Sha’ul: This is the Hebrew name of the writer commonly called Paul. He was born to a traditional Jewish family outside of Isra’el in the city of Tarsus in Asia Minor (modern Turkey). As a young rabbinical student, he was invited to study in Jerusalem with the top Pharisaic Rabbi of the day, Gal’liel (Acts 22:1-3). He must have been a promising and charismatic leader, as he was on the forefront of opposing the new Yeshua movement within the Jewish community (Acts 9:1-2). Sha’ul comes to personal faith in Yeshua as the Messiah through a dramatic encounter on a journey to Damascus (see the commentary on Acts, to see link click Bc – Sha’ul Turns from Murder to the Messiah). From there, he received his new calling to be a leader in the Yeshua movement, not only among his Jewish brothers, but he would be especially instrumental in taking that message of the Messiah to the Gentile world of the first century.

As with any Jew of his time (and still today), Sha’ul received two names at birth: a Hebrew name plus a name of the common language of his community. Sha’ul was clearly his given Hebrew name that he would have used in the Jewish community, especially in Jerusalem. Some commentators believe in Acts 13:9 that Sha’ul took the name of Paul (Greek Paulos) to prove his “conversion” to a new religion and as a rejection of his previous Jewish life. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sha’ul did not look up his Messianic faith as a conversion to a new religion, but as a fulfillment of the Jewish hope in the Messiah. In Acts 23:6, Sha’ul proclaims (in the present tense): I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead.” He thus affirmed that he still lived as a traditional Jew even with his new faith perspective. Simply put, Sha’ul was a Jewish follower of Yeshua, or in modern terms, a Messianic Jew. It is important to note that the switch of names in Acts 13 from Sha’ul to Paul is therefore not a statement of conversion, but simply reflects the use of the Greek name as he is embarking on his First Missionary Journey (see Acts Bm – Paul’s First Missionary Journey) among the Gentiles.

2. An apostle: The Greek word used here is apostolos, meaning, one sent out for a particular purpose. In Sha’ul’s case, he was designated as one sent out to share the message of Yeshua as the Messiah. However, the foundational Hebrew word, shaliach, has a stronger emphasis. A shaliach is a person sent out, but is considered “equal to the sender himself” (Tractate Berachot 34). It is an amazing statement of Sha’ul that he considered himself called to directly represent Yeshua Himself. Yeshua, having ascended to the Father, delegated His Kingdom work to His hand-chosen sh’lichim (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Mo – The Great Commission). The allusion to his apostleship was for the purpose of giving the letter an official character. Sha’ul was chosen a bit later to help fulfill this Messianic mission (First Timothy 2:7). By using the word apostle to describe his calling, Sha’ul was also emphasizing that he spoke the very words that Yeshua had given him. There are those today who believe that the words of Yeshua are truth and that somehow Sha’ul deviated away from His message. Many times people compare the teachings of Yeshua to some apparently contrary teachings of Sha’ul. But these questions are resolved when one remembers the original context of the writers. Yeshua’s focus was on the Jewish community of Isra’el, while Sha’ul’s focus was on the Gentile communities abroad. A careful study of both Yeshua and Sha’ul will confirm that they are in complete agreement on the message of the Good News and the broader B’rit Chadashah. Sha’ul’s claim to be an apostle underscores this perspective.

3. Messiah Yeshua: Both of these words are key to a Jewish understanding of Sha’ul’s writings. The original Hebrew, Mashiach, or Aramaic, Messiah, was translated by the Greeks as Christos. That is why the English word Christ often seems foreign or confusing to the average Jew. It seems to speak of a Greek religion or even a foreign god. By using the Anglicized term Messiah, we are putting the world back closer to the original understanding of all that is implied to the Jewish reader. Certainly, the phrase Messiah Yeshua would hold special significance to Sha’ul as a traditional Jew who embraced Yeshua as the Promised One.

The second term, Yeshua, is the Hebrew personal name for Jesus and means salvation. This was the original name given to Him, as Hebrew names in biblical times were considered descriptive or even prophetic. This One is to be called Yeshua because of His mission to His people and ultimately the entire world (Matthew 1:21). As the message of Yeshua went international, it is to be expected that the name would be translated into various languages. The name Yeshua became Yesus in Greek primarily because the Greek language has no shin/sh sound, but only a sigma/s. Also European languages often wrote their “y” sound with a “j” that ultimately led to the spelling “Jesus” in English. All these transliterations are acceptable, as ADONAI is certainly multi-lingual! Yet, while it is acceptable, it is preferable that His original Hebrew name be used as a witness to the Jewish people who hear the name “Yeshua” in their synagogue prayers. Also, the name Jesus has negative connotations to Jews because of the persecution they have endured in that name.⁴⁸

4. God’s people: Paul addresses his letter to God’s people. The Greek word is hagios. He took it right out of the terminology of the pagan Greek religions. He had to. There were no other terms that he could have used in the Greek language. There it meant devoted to the gods. The term was also used for persons who were devoted to the service of a god. This is the genius of the Greek word that many Bibles translate as “saints” in the B’rit Chadashah. The parallel words in the TaNaKh are “the kedoshim” and “the righteous of the TaNakh” meaning holy ones. Here, the Complete Jewish Bible translates hagios as God’s people.

The words “saint, sanctify, sanctification, hallow, holy, and holiness in the B’rit Chadashah are all translations of the same Greek root hagi. The verb means to set apart for God, and refers to the act of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh setting apart for ADONAI the sinner who has been adopted in the family of God to salvation, taking him out of the first Adam and placing him in the Last Adam (see Ao – Chosen in Messiah). This is where the new believer is justified, an act performed once for all time at the moment the sinner places his faith in the Lord Yeshua Messiah as his Savior. This is followed by progressive sanctification, a process that goes on all through the earthly life of the believer, in which that person is being gradually conformed into the image of Messiah. That person is called a hagios.⁴⁹

5. In Ephesus: The city was a thriving harbor of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Being far from Isra’el, both in distance and in religious lifestyle, Ephesus was primarily a pagan city (see Ah – The Church at Ephesus). It even boasted one of the wonders of the ancient world: the Temple of Diana. While that pagan influence was very observable in the biblical accounts, many forget that the earliest followers of the Yeshua movement were from the significant Jewish community of the city. We are told that Sha’ul visited the local synagogue there for one week as his introduction to the city (Acts 18). Subsequently, he was invited to spend three months in the Jewish community teaching in the synagogue. As a byproduct, the Gentile community was up in arms, as this religious rival was bad for their pagan businesses (see Ag – Idol-Makers Start a Riot in Ephesus).

But Sha’ul was encouraged by the open doors at Ephesus and later spent three full years teaching and mentoring those growing Yeshua followers (Acts 20). It is ironic that as Sha’ul made his pilgrimage to Jerusalem, it was some of the Jewish community of Ephesus who would stir up a riot leading to his arrest (see Acts Co – Paul’s Arrest in Jerusalem). It seemed to be poetic justice, as Sha’ul, serving out his prison sentence in Rome, wrote this letter to the Yeshua followers in Ephesus.⁵⁰

6. Grace: Now we come to one of the most important words in this letter, and indeed in the entire B’rit Chadashah – grace (Greek: charis). In short, grace means getting what we don’t deserve, opposed to mercy, meaning not getting what we do deserve. Both Luke, in Luke 19:9, and Sha’ul in Romans 6:17 and Second Corinthians 8:16 use grace in its classical meaning of thankfulness. But how this purely classical meaning of the word describes the crucifixion (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ls – Then They Brought Jesus to Golgotha, the Place of the Skull). All the human race could expect in view of its sin, was the righteous wrath of a holy God, that and eternal banishment from His glorious presence. But instead, that holy God stepped down from His judgment seat and took upon Himself the guilt and penalty of human sin, thus satisfying His justice and making possible to bestow His grace to all who would believe in Him.

Thus, the word charis comes to its highest and most exalted meaning in the B’rit Chadashah. It means that there is no room for good works on the part of the sinner as a means of obtaining his salvation. Sha’ul sets grace over works as things directly in opposition to one another so far as the means to salvation is concerned (see the commentary on Romans Bd – Justification in the TaNaKh). But Sha’ul is very careful to make plain that good works naturally flow from grace (Titus 2:11-12). Furthermore, he shows that this grace is unlimited in its resources. In Romans 5:20 he says: Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. The word increased is from a different Greek word than that which is translated abounded. It is a compound word made up of a verb which means to exist in superabundance, and a prefixed preposition which means above. Therefore, the translation could read: Where sin increased, grace existed in superabundance, and then more grace was added to this superabundance.

7. Shalom: The word is, of course, a common greeting among Jews, but it is more than that. The root word shalem means wholeness, health, well-being, and tranquility. The Greek noun is eirene the verb eiro. The latter means to join. That is, when things are disjointed, there is a lack of harmony and well-being. But when they are joined together, there is both. Our Lord made shalom through the blood of His cross (Colossians 1:20) in that He, by His death, satisfied the demands of the Torah, which we broke, thus making it possible for a righteous and holy God to bestow mercy upon the believing sinner and to do so without violating His justice. ADONAI thus bound together against the believing sinner and YHVH, thus making shalom. There is therefore, a state of untroubled and undisturbed well being for the sinner who places his faith in the Savior. The Torah of God has nothing against him, and he can look to the Father unafraid and unashamed. This is justifying shalom.

But Sha’ul, in writing to the Ephesian believers, was writing to those who were already enjoying this kind of shalom. Therefore, the shalom he is speaking about is sanctifying shalom, that state of untroubled, undisturbed tranquility and wellbeing produced in the heart of the yielded believer by the Ruach Ha’Kodesh (see the commentary on Galatians Bv – Walk by the Ruach, and Not the Desires of the Flesh). We have this shalom to the extent that we are yielded to the Spirit and are conscious of, and dependent on, His ministry for us. ⁵¹ Sha’ul wishes his readers the shalom that can only come from the Ruach Ha’Kodesh, God the Father, and Yeshua, the Prince of Peace (see the commentary on Isaiah Ck – He Will Be Called the Prince of Peace).

Dear Heavenly Father, Your grace is absolutely fantastic! Praise and worship from the depths of our hearts for Your gracious offer of adoption as Your sons/redemption thru the blood of Messiah Yeshua (Ephesian 1:4-7) and your purpose to unite all things “in Messiah” (Ephesians 1:10). Your Great Grace and Mercy causes me to humbly bow and lift up my heart to worship You with all we have! We praise You for being Holy (Isaiah 6:3), Almighty – Red Sea crossing for Isra’el while Egyptians drown (Exodus 14:21-30), All-Powerful – You helped young David defeat the giant Goliath (First Samuel 17:33;51), All wise – God knowing how to get Jonah to serve You when he ran away. Your children delight in praising You for Your marvelous grace and for how wonderful You are always! In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Doctrinal Section
1:1 to 3:13

All knowledge may be divided into two categories: pure or theoretical knowledge and applied or practical knowledge. In most of his letters, Paul begins with the pure doctrinal knowledge and ends with applied or practical knowledge. In Rabbi Sha’ul’s letter to the Ephesians, from Chapter 1 verse 1 to Chapter 3 verse 13, the apostle deals with doctrine (the calling of the Church), and from Chapter 3 verse 14 to Chapter 6 verse 24, he deals with the application of those doctrines (the conduct of the Church).

The One New Man Movement
Ephesians 2: 14-15

For Messiah Himself is our shalom – He has made us both one and has broken down the middle wall of hostility that separated us. By setting aside in His flesh and the legalized interpretation of the Torah with its statutes and ordinances, His purpose was to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace.

Messianic congregations must be appealing to unsaved Jews.

This is my position on the One New Man movement. I believe that the dividing wall of hostility which had marked radical alienation and enmity between Jews and Gentiles was divinely obliterated by Yeshua’s accomplishment on the cross. Gentile believers are now grafted onto Isra’el’s Olive Tree (see the commentary on Romans, to see link click Cz – The Illustration of Isra’el’s Future), enjoy membership in God’s New Covenant with Isra’el and spiritually function as full and equal team members in the household of ADONAI (see the commentary on Jeremiah Eo – The Days are Coming, declares the LORD, When I Will Make a New Covenant with the People of Isra’el: The Church’s Relationship to the B’rit Chadashah).

I believe that the Jewish New Covenant body of Messiah is composed of both Jews and Gentiles who have accepted Yeshua Ha’Mashiach as the promised Redeemer and are now at liberty to worship God together. Here are additional scriptures that support my position.

This mystery is that the Gentiles are joint heirs and fellow members of the same body and co-sharers of the promise in Messiah Yeshua through the Good News (Ephesians 3:6).  

For in one Ruach we were all immersed into one body – whether Jew or Greek, slave or free – and all were made to drink of one Ruach (First Corinthians 12:13).  

And do not neglect meeting together, as is the habit of some, but encourage one another – and all the more so as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:25).

However, there are problems within the movement. A Jewish rabbi named Curt Landry started a ministry dedicated to the biblical one new man concept. But, he, and others in this movement, has encouraged Jewish and Gentile believers alike to be Torah observant, creating a negative ripple effect throughout the entire movement. The original vision of the Messianic Jewish Movement (MJM) was designed for Jewish believers with accommodations for Gentile believers. In time, however, many more Gentiles flocked to Messianic congregations than Jews. As a result, it is common today for there to be more Gentile believers in Messianic congregations than Jewish believers. Nothing is inherently wrong with that, but the resulting problem is that it’s increasingly difficult to reach unsaved Jews.

Unfortunately, many Gentile Messianic believers could care less about winning unsaved Jews, whether it be secular or religious, to their Messiah. They have their fantasy Messianic personas and support groups that seem to have attracted the likes of people who are Seventh Day Adventist’s or affiliate with the Hebrew Roots movement (see the commentary on Galatians Ak – The Hebrew Roots Movement: A Different Gospel). Shockingly, there are congregations totally composed of Messianic Gentiles with the full support of MJM organizations.⁴⁶ And the Southern Baptist Messianic Fellowship even recognizes Gentile rabbis.

Therefore, I believe that the One New Man movement is basically good as long as it keeps its focus on reaching unsaved Jews for Messiah, approaching the Scriptures from a Jewish perspective, and doesn’t insist that Gentiles be Torah observant (see the commentary on Galatians Ag – Who Were the Judaizers?). Messianic congregations must be appealing to unsaved Jews, and not be merely a bunch of Gentiles wearing yamaka’s and prayer shawl’s. Men need to be men; women need to be women; Jews need to be Jews; and Gentiles need to be Gentiles. In other words, stay in your lane and be the person God created you to be.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise Your love and wisdom that had Messiah Yeshua break down the wall of hostility between Jews and Gentiles. It was not Torah observance but Messiah’s blood, sacrificed as the Lamb of God (John 1:29), that is the access point to bring us near to God. But now in Messiah Yeshua, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah . . . for through Him we both have access to the Father by the same Ruach (Ephesians 2:13,18). Messiah fulfilled all the Torah by his righteous life for Messiah is the end-goal of the Torah as a means to righteousness for everyone who keeps trusting (Romans 10:4). Thank You Father that Messiah Yeshua was willing to suffer great pain and shame to reach the goal of perfectly fulling the Torah’s requirements. Messiah was slain as the Lamb of God (Revelation 5:6-8) then rose/conquering death – so You could offer His righteousness to all who would love and follow You as their Lord and Savior (Rom 10:9-10). Thank You for our redemption being thru Messiah’s blood (Eph 1:7). In Messiah Yeshua’s holy name and His resurrection. Amen

The Church at Ephesus
Revelation 2: 1-7

The church at Ephesus DIG: What do you know about the church at Ephesus (see Acts 18:23-28 and 19:1-41)? What good characterized these believers? How might the strengths of the church have been the cause of its failure? What do you think their worship was like? Who were the Nicolaitans? What is repentance? Why was it necessary for the Ephesian church? How do you think unbelievers viewed the church? Do you think they were saving souls?

REFLECT: Of the positive qualities mentioned about this church, which best describes you? Your church? Your messianic synagogue? Is there anything that can be substituted for Yeshua’s love in your life? Is He still number One? Or two? Or three? Is there any way in which you have left your first love for Him? Has something or someone else taken His place? Has God removed your testimony? What secrets have you found to keep that love alive?

You have persevered and have endured hardships for My name,
but you have left your first love.

Today, believing in ADONAI can mean just about anything. It has been reduced to believing in practically everything, yet at the same time, it means nothing . . . because it means so little. But though the world may be confused about what a believer in Yeshua is, the Bible is clear. They are those who are united to God through Messiah. They have repented of their sins and are saved by faith alone in Yeshua Messiah. As a result, ADONAI has forgiven their sins and made them His children and transformed them into new creatures indwelt by God the Holy Spirit.

Many things characterize a believer in Messiah, but the foremost characteristic is the love of God. When challenged to name the single greatest commandment of the Torah, Yeshua replied: Love ADONAI your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (Matthew 22:37). Those who love Yeshua Messiah are blessed (Ephesians 6:24), and those who do not are cursed (First Corinthians 16:22). But while the love of God will always be present in true believers, it can fluctuate in its intensity. Believers will not always love Yeshua Messiah with all their heart, soul and mind, which is a sin. There is no better illustration in Scripture of the seriousness of allowing love for Yeshua to wane than this letter to the church in Ephesus.³⁶

1. The description of Messiah: Although He is not specifically named, it is obvious that this is Yeshua Messiah as He was depicted in the vision of Revelation 1:9-20. It could only be the Messiah who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands (Rev 2:1c). In fact, Messiah identifies Himself to each of the first five churches by using a phrase from that vision (Rev 2:8 with 1:18; 2:12 with 1:16; 2:18 with 1:14-15 and 3:1 with 1:16). That reinforces the truth that He is the author of the letters. They are His direct word, through the John, to those local congregations, to other churches like them in years beyond, even all the way down to us today. The Messiah walked among the seven churches in Asia Minor at that time. He was in full control, and those first century believers had nothing to fear. Not even Domitian.

2. The church: To the angel of the church in Ephesus write (Revelation 2:1a). Perhaps no church in history had as rich a testimony and heritage as this one. The name Ephesus means desired one. The balance of authority and ministry had shifted from Jerusalem to Ephesus after Jerusalem had been destroyed in AD 70. Ephesus was then the primary center of Church teaching and practice. It was a great church that began in the home of Aquila and Priscilla who had come there with Paul (Acts 18:18-19). Actually the churches at Corinth, Ephesus and Rome all began in the home of Aquila and Priscilla. Paul spent about three years in Ephesus (Acts 20:31) and it became the center of evangelism for all of Asia Minor (Acts 19:10). There is little doubt that the other six churches in Asia Minor were founded as a result of Paul’s ministry in Ephesus. Later, the ministry there was carried on by Paul’s companion Timothy (First Timothy 1:3), and according to the fathers of the faith, Irenaeus and Eusebius, after Paul’s death, by the apostle John. No doubt John was leading the Ephesian community of believers when he was arrested and exiled to Patmos.

3. The city: While not its capital (Pergamum was the province’s official capital), Ephesus (2:1b) was the most important city in Asia Minor. In fact, since the Roman governor lived there, it could be argued that Ephesus was the de facto capital. Its population in New Covenant times was estimated between 250,000 and 500,000 people. Situated at the mouth of the Cayster River on a gulf of the Aegean Sea, it had a great seaport on its harbor. From its elevation of 450 feet it dominated the view, the most striking and picturesque feature of the city.³⁷ Four great trade routes converged on Ephesus, as a result, it was called the metropolis of Asia and the Romans felt it was the greatest center of trade east of Rome. The city’s theater, where Rabbi Sha’ul and his companions were dragged (Acts 19:29), seated some 25,000 people. Athletic events, rivaling the Olympic games, were held in a stadium there. As a free city, it was granted self-government by Rome and no Roman troops were stationed there. It also served as a legal city in which the Romans tried important cases and dispensed justice on a regular basis.³⁸

It was also a religious center. The cult of emperor worship was very strong there, and temples were built for Claudius, Hadrian and Severus. No matter what gods they worshiped, each individual was required to swear allegiance to Cesar as the supreme lord over all. It was also known for its magical arts and was one of the centers of occultism. It had long been the home of the Mother Goddess, who was identified by the Greeks as Artemis, or Diana in Latin (Acts 19:35). To this goddess was dedicated a huge temple that was known as one of the wonders of the ancient world with a tree of “salvation” in the midst of it. About four times the size of the Parthenon, it was 425 feet long, 200 feet wide, and 60 feet high. It had 127 marble pillars, 36 of them overlaid with gold and jewels. Because its inner shrine was supposedly sacred, this temple served as one of the most important banks in the Mediterranean world. The temple also provided sanctuary from criminals. Further, the sale of little idols used in the worship of Artemis provided an important source of income for the city (Acts 19:24). Every spring a month-long festival was held in honor of the goddess, complete with athletic, dramatic and musical events.³⁹

The worship of Artemis was unspeakably evil. Sexual immorality was rampant in Ephesus, and it was one of the most immoral cities of the ancient world. This temple also became the site of the worship of the goddess Roma and of the Roman Emperor.⁴⁰ Thousands of priestesses, who were little more than ritual prostitutes, played a major role in the worship of Artemis. The temple grounds were a chaotic scene made up of priests, prostitutes, bankers, criminals, musicians, dancers and frenzied, hysterical worshipers. The philosopher Heraclitus was called the weeping philosopher because he said no one could live in Ephesus and not weep over its immorality. Huddled in the midst of such pagan idolatry that characterized Ephesus, was a group of faithful believers. It was to them that the Messiah addressed the first of His seven letters.⁴¹

4. The commendation: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. The Greek word for hard work is kopos, which means toil that exhausts. Perseverance means endurance. Despite their difficult circumstances, they were faithful to ADONAI and had toiled long and hard for the Gospel. But hard work can never be substituted for the love of the Lord in their lives, in my life or in your life. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false (Revelation 2:2). Apparently the Ephesian church had the ability to discern spiritual truth. They could recognize false teachers and teachings. Many years earlier Paul had told them: I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears (Acts 20:29-31). False doctrine would be on its way and they fought against it. They believed in theological truth and sound doctrine. They tested the spirits to see if they were from God (First John 4:1-3). The Ephesian church did not tolerate wicked men. But as great as its doctrinal stand was, there was something fundamentally wrong with them.

In the second commendation, Yeshua says: You have persevered and have endured hardships for My name, and have not grown weary (Revelation 2:3). This problem with false teachers was not a temporary one; the problem had been ongoing. Because they refused to bow-the-knee to the goddess Diana or the images of the emperor, they found themselves maligned, slandered, boycotted, and abused. Like the Jew merchants in Berlin in the 1930s, the believers in Ephesus would have been objects of physical violence, social ostracism, and economic repression. Nonetheless, they endured; they bore up under the load and had persevered and endured hardships for Messiah’s sake for over thirty-five years. Now you would think that it would have been an expression of love. Yet according to this, Revelation 2:4 it was not. It was a strange paradox, but they had left their first love even though they had endured hardships for the sake of the Lord. Nothing can substitute for our relationship with Yeshua. Absolutely nothing.

Messiah’s third commendation related to doctrinal discernment. The Ephesians sniffed out, rejected and put those so-called “apostles” to the test. They took their stand against a group of false teachers active in Asia Minor in the late first century. Yeshua said: You have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate (Rev 2:6). The word Nicolaitans comes from two Greek words, one laos, meaning the people, and the other, nikao, meaning to conquer. We get our word laity from the last part of that word. It seemed to be an effort to usurp the authority of the church leaders and to rule over the people.

John had sent out itinerant teachers to his converts in Asia Minor and they were rebuffed by a dictatorial leader named Diotrephes, who even excommunicated believers who showed hospitality to John’s messengers. So, John communicated: I wrote to you, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome his brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church (3 Jn 9-10). The Nicolaitans were false prophets who came into these early churches with the purpose of usurping the authority of Paul and even Messiah Himself. To accomplish this, they claimed to have divine powers, even working pseudo-miracles. The Nicolaitans were eloquent and persuasive men. Peter said they would introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord, being able to exploit the flock with stories they had made up by mouthing empty, boastful words (Second Peter 2:1, 3, 18). By such means these conquerors of the people tried to change the grace of our God into a license for immorality (Jude 4). But the Ephesians were well taught in doctrine, by Paul, by Timothy, and then by John. They recognized those false prophets and they hated their practices. Thus, Yeshua commended them for it.

This danger was not unique to the early churches, and Yeshua desires that all believers watch for, and reject, the practices of the Nicolaitans. The dangers are just as real today. False prophets, pseudo-miracles, people conquerors, false teachers who deny the deity of Messiah, antinomian teachers who say that God’s grace covers deliberate immoral behavior, men and women who take authority to themselves that the Messiah never intended, are at least as great a problem in the Church today as it was then. The glimpse of Messiah’s stand against the sin and the embrace of the sinner should give us confidence to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), while letting ADONAI alone judge the world (First Corinthians 5:9-12).⁴²

5. The concern: Like an unexpected twist in the road during a pleasant drive through the countryside, Messiah interrupted His commendations of the Ephesians with one abrupt word: But. The small Greek word alla indicates a sharp contrast, and in the case of Ephesus, it was very significant: But I hold this against you . . . You have left your first love (Revelation 2:4). There was something missing in their lives. They got busy with other things. How did this happen? Martha could certainly be commended for her faithfulness in the kitchen. But the Lord told her that she had left out the very best thing. Mary sat at the feet of Yeshua in relationship with Him, and Yeshua said that was better than all of Martha’s busy work. She had settled for something good, instead of something better. The first thing that goes in the believer’s life is their first love. You can still be active and accomplish a great deal for ADONAI. But the first thing that goes is the love for Messiah Himself. We are all grateful for what He has done. We love Him for His death on the cross. We love Him that He rose from the dead. We love Messiah in the sense that one day He is going to come back and we are going to see Him. However, there is more here than loving Him for what He has done . . . past tense. You have left your first love. Was Yeshua your first love? If anything gets in the way of your love for Him, He wants it out of the way.

We are not told why this happened to the Ephesians. Some have said they were too busy heresy hunting. They were very interested in orthodoxy. However, I have known people who are very orthodox, but they hold their theological views with less than a loving attitude. To them, it is more important to win their theological argument than anything else. Maybe they were just careless. This happens sometimes, we can become careless about our faith if we are not careful. This erosion doesn’t happen overnight. No one suddenly wakes up one day and says, “I don’t love Yeshua anymore. I’m tired of Yeshua and I’m finished with Him.” We wake up one day and find ourselves somewhat distant in our relationship with Messiah. It doesn’t happen like that. It happens over the years – after hardship, questions you can’t answer, trials that don’t seem to have any purpose, the loss of hope, or the loss of a loved one. To avoid this we need to constantly remind ourselves of what Yeshua Messiah has done for us. That is to say, every day we need to renew our faith.

In the midst of the Ephesians’ hard work and perseverance for Messiah, their love for Him began to fade. Thirty-five years earlier, Paul had written the church in Ephesus, commending them for their love (Ephesians 1:15-16, 6:23-24). Ephesus means darling. Think of the love between two newlyweds. The effort to set up a household, adjust to one another’s habits, and develop a new work schedule often occurs under difficult situations, yet first love causes the couple to remember these early times with humor and tenderness. The Ephesians had lost that kind of love. It wasn’t enough that they continued through the motions. Yeshua wanted more than their doctrinal discerning deeds. He wanted the devotion and adoration of their hearts.

Don’t we all know “religious” people who seem burdened and grim as they try to please ADONAI? They are so busy doing the King’s business, that they have no time for the King. Perhaps they have lost some of that first love that brings joy into even difficult tasks. Maybe they need to make some adjustments in the way they live, in order to renew and nurture their love for God. King David said it best: Restore to me the joy of Your salvation (Psalm 51:12a).

What about you? Are there moments when you can pursue and allow Yeshua’s presence to fill your heart? It might be a reflective moment after services, or prayer, or a brief moment of quiet that gives you a chance to rest in the Lord’s loving embrace. Do you need to repent of a sin? Seek forgiveness, and know the joy that comes from a heart made light by Yeshua’s love. Be attentive to the Spirit, and come back to your first love!

6. The command: After charging the Ephesians with abandoning their first love, Messiah pointed out three simple ways to swing a U-turn and reestablish their walks in the right direction: remember, repent and rekindle. First, they were to remember the height from which they had fallen! The Ephesians had wandered far from the roots of love, and Messiah was calling them to come to their senses and return home. They were told to remember because they had forgotten. The love that they had for the Lord had grown cold. As believers, sometimes remembering the way life used to be can be the first step on our way back to our first love for Yeshua and an energetic love for others.

Secondly, they were told to repent, that is, turn around and go in a different direction, and do in obedience the things you did at first. A new attitude must be the first step in any authentic change of actions. Repentance is a true inward change, not a fake outward modification of behavior. It is a work of grace created by God the Holy Spirit, which involves a deeply personal decision. This would suggest that the cooling off in our love for Messiah is a sin, something to be repented of. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your menorah from its place (Revelation 2:5). If they did not repent, it would lead to the destruction of the witness, the testimony, and the effectiveness of that church in the world. Its angel would be removed and the Messiah would no longer dwell in their midst. Yes, a group of people did continue to meet in Ephesus for many years afterwards, even calling themselves a church. But it would no longer belong to Yeshua. Eventually the city of Ephesus became a ruin. This correction to the Ephesian church represents every other person whose love for Messiah has grown cold. This warning still applies to us today.⁴³

Thirdly, an unspoken response by the Ephesians was to rekindle their love relationship with the Lord. After remembering and repenting, believers who had left their first love needed to rekindle it again. How is that done? You have to work at it. You have to do the things that you did when you first came to know and love Yeshua. Emotions are the caboose on this and not the engine. Once you have committed yourself to action and are faithful, after a time, the feelings will inevitably follow.

7. The counsel: Listen! This is for you! He who has an ear, let him hear what the Holy Spirit says to the churches then and now. It is a spiritual principle that only those who desire to know God’s will can know it (John 7:17). Only those who have spiritual ears can hear what the Holy Spirit says. This is a promise from Yeshua. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life (Genesis 3:22-24), which is in the paradise of God (Revelation 2:7). Believers are overcomers. For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only those who believe that Yeshua is the Son of God (First Yochanan 5:4-5).

This would have been especially comforting to those believers living in Ephesus because they knew full well of a tree-shrine in the center of the temple of the goddess Artemis. That tree-shrine was supposed to be a place of salvation for the criminal, a place of refuge, surrounded by a wall. But that “salvation” had corrupted the city. The Ephesian who had to live in that immoral city understood well the contrast to the Holy City, where nothing impure would ever enter it, nor would anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those names are written in the Lamb’s book of life (Revelation 21:10 and 27). To those Ephesians, the salvation of the cross stood out in marked contrast to the “salvation” of Artemis, which gave the criminals immunity to continue their crimes even if they were about to die.⁴⁴ It is the same for us today. If you have overcome the world by faith in Yeshua the Messiah, you will have eternal life. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life (First John 5:12).

Lord of my salvation, perfect Lover, fill me with more of Your love and presence. May I never forget that You are the source of life. In the name of Him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden menorahs. Amen.

The Ephesian messianic community is a picture of believers during the Apostolic Church Age from AD 30 to 96. When this letter was written, the church in Ephesus was then in its second generation, those who had come into that church in the thirty years since Paul had ministered in their midst. Though they continued to labor faithfully as those who had preceded them, the love of God that had characterized the first generation was missing. This cooling of heart was a dangerous forerunner of spiritual apathy and eventual removal of their menorah from its place. Unfortunately, this became the pattern of the Church from then on: First a cooling of spiritual love, then the love of God replaced by a love for the things of the world, with resulting compromise and spiritual corruption. This was followed by departure from the faith and loss of effective spiritual testimony.⁴⁵ Believers during the Apostolic Church Age preached the gospel around the world, but with successive generations, it left its first love.

The right response when receiving a gift of love, is to love the person back, and not to selfishly keep the gift. That does not work. Neither does it work to do good things, but not to do them with love. Love is most important. The church of Ephesus was commended for testing those who claimed to be apostles, and finding out which ones were false, and they were also praised for enduring patiently. But because they had left their first love, Messiah cautioned that if they did not return to their first love – their menorah would be removed. Let us respond in love to God for all that He has given to us in uniting us with His Son. Love for God’s love is unconditional, but He disciplines those who He loves. God is so willing to pour His love on all who will love Him and open their hearts to Him. It is a joy to love You Awesome Heavenly Father. In Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Idol-Makers Start a Riot in Ephesus
Acts 19: 23-41

54-56 AD

Idol-makers start a riot in Ephesus DIG: Why would Demetrius rally people against Paul (see Acts 17:29)? Since this temple was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, what businesses would be affected by Paul’s teachings? What do you think the crowd was seeing and hearing? Why are they there? Why are the Jews trying to get a speaker to represent them? Why would Paul be shouted down? How is the concern of the town clerk unlike that of Demetrius?

REFLECT: Success, money and independence are some cultural “idols” (values most people accept without question). What others come to mind? How has your faith affected your relationship to these idols? Could Demetrius have become a believer and kept his business? Can you think of situations today where someone in a “respectable” trade would be forced to choose between that trade and Messiah? How have you seen religious and patriotic loyalties used as a cover for economic concerns? What does it mean to follow Yeshua in those times? What originally started as Artemis-worship became Artemis-business. How might believers fall into the same trap?

Whenever the Church boldly and faithfully proclaims the Gospel it faces Satanic opposition.

One lesson that history teaches is the paradoxical truth that the Church thrives under persecution. Effectiveness and persecution usually go hand in hand, since an effective church is a bold church, and a bold church is often a church made strong through suffering. The Lord Yeshua Messiah called His Church to be salt and light in the world (Matthew 5:13-14); salt stings when rubbed in wounds, and light reveals the evil deeds done in darkness. Both can provoke a hostile reaction.

The early Church faced persecution from its inception. In Yerushalayim, that persecution came from pharisaic Judaism (Acts 4:1-31, 5:17-42, 6:9-15, 8:1-4). In Pisidian Antioch, it stemmed from prejudice and envy (Acts 13:44-52). In Lystra, it was the result of ignorant paganism (Acts 14:8-19). In Philippi, it was the reaction to a victory over the demonic realm (Acts 16:16-40). In Thessalonica, it came from an unruly mob, urged on by jealous religious leaders (Acts 17:1-9). In Athens, the Gospel faced the opposition of worldly philosophy (Acts 17:16-34). In Corinth, as in Jerusalem, it came from pharisaic Judaism, not a Roman court (Acts 18:5-17). Whenever the Church boldly and faithfully proclaims the Gospel it faces Satanic opposition. It comes as no surprise that persecution also arose in Ephesus, stemming from a pseudo-religious materialism.²⁷

1. The cause of the riot: Luke informs us that around that time – before Paul left Ephesus as he had planned (Acts 19:21-22) – there arose no small uproar concerning the Way (Acts 9:2, 19:9, 22:4, 24:14-22). This is probably the context that Paul refers to figuratively in First Corinthians 15:32 when he said: For I fought wild beasts in Ephesus. She was not only the capital of the Izmir province, but also the capital of occultism, witchcraft and idolatry. The city’s greatest claim to fame was the temple of Artemis, the goddess of love, fertility, and nourishment. This temple was larger than a football field. It was an impressive building, some 165 feet by 345 feet in dimension and built on a platform 240 by 420 feet. Its roof supported by 127 sixty-foot-high stone columns. The entire edifice was elaborately adorned in brilliant colors and gold leaf. The altar was 20 feet square and contained a massive image of the goddess with a veiled head, with animals and birds decorating her head.²⁸

While the Diana of the Romans corresponded to the Artemis of the Greeks, the Artemis of the Ephesians was a totally distinct deity. The original Ephesian image was said to have fallen from heaven (Acts 19:35). The temple statue of Artemis also wore a zodiac necklace indicating her power over the control of the stars (see the commentary on Genesis, to see link click Lw – The Witness of the Stars). She was a multi-breasted goddess who was supposed to be the goddess of fertility in mankind, animals and nature. She was known as the Great Mother. Every year in May there was a great festival in her honor.

Artemis worship was not confined to Ephesus. Scores of priests and prostitute-priestesses served worshipers and tourists from all over the world. There was a sanctuary in Rome also and a similar festival there every April. All told there were at least thirty-three shrines to the mother goddess throughout the Roman Empire. Ephesus, however, was considered to be the center of the cult, and pilgrims flocked from all over the empire to worship at its famous temple, which was the center of everything in Ephesus, including religion and the arts.²⁹ The temple of Artemis was also a major treasury and bank of the ancient world, where merchants, kings, and even cities made deposits, and where their money could be supposedly kept safe under the protection of their deity.³⁰

The “lusty month of May” brought the annual month-long Festival of Artemis, honoring the goddess. The highlight of the festival was a solemn processional in which the image of the goddess was carried through the streets between the theater and the temple. Nearly the whole province converged on Ephesus to “worship,” and indulge in sin of every imaginable kind . . . and spend money. Souvenir salesmen and merchants depended on the festival for their yearly prophets. Tens-of-thousands bought trinkets and such to remember the occasion. Especially popular were wooden, silver, or gold images of the goddess and the temple.³¹

The instigator of the riot was a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, a maker of silver shrines of Artemis – was providing no small amount of business to the craftsmen (Acts 19:23-24). These silver shrines were miniature representations of the most sacred portion of the pagan temple; that part of it where the statue of the goddess stood. They were set up in homes and worn as good luck charms.

Concealing his real motive, which was greed, Demetrius concealed this with the appearance of civic pride. Being the leader of the silversmith guild, he gathered these together, along with those of related occupations, and he said, “Men, you know that our wealth is from this business, thus revealing that it wasn’t a religious issue, but an economic issue. They had become wealthy because of idolatry. You see and hear that not only in Ephesus but also throughout all Asia (Acts 19:10), Paul has persuaded and perverted a considerable crowd, saying that handmade gods are not gods at all (Acts 17:29). Not only is there a danger that this trade of ours might come into disrepute, but to also seem that it was a religious issue, he said that the temple of the great goddess Artemis might be considered as nothing. She whom all Asia and the world worships might even be thrown down from her majesty (Acts 19:25-27). All this was going to be set aside by only one man . . . and a Jew at that.³²

2. The characteristics of the riot: Demetrius’ scheme worked. The specter of financial disaster, the challenge to their fervently held religious beliefs, and the threat to their civic pride were too much for the mob to bear.

The first characteristic is anger: When they heard his lies, they were filled with anger and began shouting and kept yelling, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians for hours (Acts 19:28)!” Demetrius had accomplished his goal and whipped the crowd into a frenzy. Inflamed by his incendiary speech, the people surged into the streets, invoking the name of their goddess. Like Jeremiah’s far eschatological prophecy of the end times, people will go mad as a result of their own hand made idols (see the commentary on Jeremiah Fc – Babylon’s Enemy and Isra’el’s Redeemer). This is the typical response to the Gospel. When the Jewish leaders heard Stephen’s speech in defense of the Good News, they were cut to the heart (literally sawed in half). And began gnashing their teeth at him (Acts 7:54). The Gospel makes people angry because it confronts them with their false religion, and their sin, and it forces them to recognize the inadequacy of their world view, exposing the emptiness of their lifestyle.

The second characteristic is confusion: As the frenzied rioters swarmed through Ephesus, the city was filled with confusion. Then surging through the main streets, they came down the hill where the mob rushed into the open-air theater, which could seat 25,000 people. Many didn’t have any idea what all the confusion was about, but they joined the mob. They didn’t want to miss whatever was happening. Unable to find Paul, they dragged with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were travel companions of Paul (Acts 19:29). This the theater in Ephesus where Paul faced the mob.

When he heard what was happening, Paul wanted to enter among the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. He wanted to face that howling mob even though it could mean certain death. This is the background of Paul’s comment in his letter to the Corinthians, “For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our trouble that happened in Asia. We were under great pressure – so far beyond our strength that we despaired even of living. In fact, we had within ourselves the death sentence – so that we might not rely on ourselves, but on God who raises the dead” (2 Cor 1:8-9). But some of the high-ranking government officials of Asia, being his friends, sent a message to him and insisted over Paul’s protest, begging him not to surrender himself in the theater. In doing so, they probably saved Paul’s life. Now some of the mob continually cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in utter confusion. Most did not know why they had come together (Acts 19:30-32). 

The third characteristic is closed-mindedness: Some of the unbelieving Jews, fearing that the mob might turn on them as well, solicited Alexander to try and explain that they didn’t believe in Yeshua. He motioned with his hand to the crowd because he wished to offer a defense to the crowd, but never got a chance. The mob might have recognized that he was Jewish, but it made little difference. To the pagan crowd, Messianic believers worship an invisible God and reject idolatry. Their minds were closed to whatever Alexander might have said.³³ Instead, they drowned him out and for about two hours they all with one voice cried out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians,” not letting him speak (Acts 19:33-34)!

3. The calming of the riot: Finally, after two hours of riotous confusion, order was restored by the town clerk. As the chairman of the city government (the equivalent of the mayor of a modern city) and liaison between the city council and the Roman authorities, he was the leading citizen of Ephesus. As such, he knew the Romans would hold him personally responsible for what happened. After quieting the crowd because his presence demanded respect, he said: Men of Ephesus, what man is there who doesn’t know that the city of the Ephesians is the temple keeper of the great Artemis and of her image fallen from heaven?  Since these things are undeniable, you must be calm and do nothing reckless. For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor revilers of our goddess. Even this pagan official testified to the character of Paul and his Macedonians traveling companions (Acts 19:29), they were not thieves, nor did they use insulting language. Despite the claims of Demetrius, they had not acted improperly. Having reassured the crowd, he next criticized Demetrius and the craftsmen for sparking the riot. Rather than resorting to mob violence, they should have followed the due process of the law.³⁴ After all, he reminded them, if they had a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them accuse them. But if you seek anything further, it will be settled in the lawful assembly. This assembly was clearly an unlawful one. Ephesus was permitted by Rome to exist as a “free city” with its own elected representatives. But if riots were to occur, Rome would move in and reestablish order and with it, Roman taxes. Therefore, the town clerk concluded his speech with a sobering warning: For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, there being no reason which we are able to give to justify this mob. Upon saying this, he dismissed the assembly and they went quietly (Acts 19:35-41). The same tactics that the silversmiths used to arouse the mob, the town clerk used to quiet and reassure them – the greatness of their city and their goddess.

Luke records the official statement that the believers were innocent of any crime, either public (Acts 19:27) or private (Acts 19:38). Paul had this same kind of “official approval” in Philippi (Acts 16:35-40) and in Corinth (Acts 18:12-17), and he would receive it again after his arrest in Jerusalem. Throughout the book of Acts, Luke makes it clear that the persecution of the Church was incited by unbelieving Jews, not by the Romans. In anything, Paul used his Roman citizenship to protect himself, his friends, and the local congregations of God.

The crowd was dismissed, and no doubt the people went home congratulating themselves that they had successfully defended their great city and their famous goddess. It is doubtful that any of them questioned the truthfulness of their devotion to Artemis or were determined to investigate what Paul had been preaching for three years. It was much easier to believe a lie and follow the crowd.

But Ephesus is gone, and so is the worldwide worship of Artemis of the Ephesians. The city and the temple are gone, and the silversmith’s guild is gone. Ephesus is a place visited primarily by archeologists and people on Holy Land tours. Yet the Gospel of God’s grace and the Church of Yeshua Messiah are still here! We have four inspired letters that were sent to the believers in Ephesus – Ephesians, First and Second Timothy, and Revelation 2:1-7. The name of Paul is honored, but the name of Demetrius is forgotten (were it not for Paul, we would have never heard of Demetrius in the first place)! The Church ministers by persuasion, not propaganda. We share ADONAI’s truth, not mankind’s religious lies. Our motive is love, not anger; and the glory of God, not the praise of mankind. We have an audience of One. This is why the Church goes on, and we must keep it so.³⁵

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise and thank You for Your great wisdom that uses percussion to Your glory to refine me and to honor Your holy name by standing for You in the midst of life’s trials. You never waste anything that happens in my life, but as I yield to Your touch, You use the trial to draw me closer to You, increasing my trust in You and leaning on You for Your wisdom on how to handle each and every situation. You are the Master of refining! You get rid of the dross and make me of purer gold. These trials are so that the true metal of your faith (far more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire) may come to light in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Messiah Yeshua (First Peter 1:7).

You place greater value on giving an Eternal reward, than giving me a comfortable life on earth that will be over in a blink. For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). You are so wise to value my eternal happiness over a momentary pleasure which I will quickly forget. I know that I will be rewarded for my patience and love for You.

You love to bless me and trials are one means that You use to bring my eternal reward. You allow trials in my life where my positive attitude of love and trust in You will open the door for you to give me eternal joy in a reward that lasts forever! For no one can lay any other foundation than what is already laid – which is Yeshua the Messiah.  Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear. For the Day will show it, because it is to be revealed by fire; and the fire itself will test each one’s work – what sort it is. If anyone’s work built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward (First Corinthians 3:11-14).

Thank You for being with me in my trials and in turning the hardness of the trial into an eternal joy as you reward me for my steadfast love and trust in Your steadfast love for me -even in trials. In the midst of David’s great trial of being sought after by King Sha’ul, he focused his attention on God’s steadfast love for him and praised God. David knew God’s love for him was real, even in the midst of a trail. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. For you have been my help . . . and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy (Psalms 63:3, 7). In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

God’s Power Displayed in Ephesus
Acts 19: 1-22

54-56 AD

God’s power displayed in Ephesus DIG: Since Paul had to teach these people about Yeshua, they apparently had not heard about him or the Ruach Ha’Kodesh. From Acts 2:38 and 10:43-44, as well as this section, what do you learn about the relationship between faith in Yeshua and receiving the Ruach? What seems to be the signal throughout Acts for Paul to stop teaching in the synagogue? Why? What do these “stop and go” signals teach you about ministry in general? From the reaction of the crowd, how would you describe the general response to Yeshua prior to verses 13-16? Why would those events change people’s ideas?

REFLECT: How do people today try to use Yeshua for their own purposes? What is the difference between that and real faith in Messiah? What did you have to change in your lifestyle when you first began to follow Yeshua? Are there still some things you’re reluctant to do away with in order to be really honest with God? What would it cost you to do away with them? How has God personalized His revelation of Himself to you? Think of an example when He met you at a particular point of need, showing His complete knowledge of both you and your situation. What are some things this tells you about Him?

God was doing extraordinary miracles by Paul’s hands.

After the interlude describing Apollo’s conversion and ministry, Luke returns to the story of Paul for his final example of transition. While Apollos was at Corinth (to see the link click Ae – The Founding of the Church of Ephesus), Paul traveled through the upper region and came to Ephesus (Acts 18:27-28). The upper region is a term used for the highlands of the Ephesian area. This meant that Paul didn’t travel on the usual Roman road, but took the more direct route through Colossae and Laodicea (Colossians 2:1). And he came to Ephesus in fulfillment of his promise in Acts 18:21. He found some disciples and said to them, “Did you receive the Ruach Ha’Kodesh when you believed?” Paul recognized them as believers of some sort. But there was something obviously lacking in their faith. They replied to him, “No, we’ve never even heard that there is a Ruach Ha’Kodesh (Acts 19:1-2).

As soon as Paul heard their response, he began to probe. Then he asked, “Into what were you immersed?” They said, “Into John’s back to God immersion” (Acts 19:3). Like Apollos, these were disciples of John-the-Immerser, and had been immersed as Apollos had been. But Apollos was with John long enough to know that Yeshua was the Messiah. He was with John when he declared: Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). These disciples of John, however, had left the Land beforehand and never even heard of Yeshua. In other words, they had even less knowledge about the Gospel than Apollos. But they were remnants of the righteous of the TaNaKh, still hanging on, still looking for their Messiah twenty years after John-the-Immerser had died.

After Paul recognized who those men were, he spoke about Yeshua Messiah, not the Ruach Ha’Kodesh. He said: John immersed with an immersion of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the One coming after him – that is, in Yeshua (Acts 19:4). Because they had identified with John’s back-to-God movement, they were also committing themselves to accepting whomever John pointed out as the Messiah. But then Paul taught them concerning the One John identified – Yeshua Messiah.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for the wonderful gift of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh for all believe in Yeshua as their Messiah. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Ruach – if indeed the Ruach-Elohim dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Ruach of Messiah, he does not belong to Him (Romans 8:9).

Thank you that Your great gift of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh lives in me helping, guiding and declaring to me what Messiah has said. But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; but whatever He hears, He will tell you. And He will declare to you the things that are to come.  He will glorify Me, because He will take from what is Mine and declare it to you.  Everything that the Father has is Mine. For this reason I said the Ruach will take from what is Mine and declare it to you (John 16:13-15). Thank You for Your abiding Presence in me and that You can always be counted on to be there when I need You. For God Himself has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5c).

What a comfort it is that the Ruach Ha’Kodesh never is too busy, nor falls asleep. He is always right there with me, ready for action, and works in the most loving way for me. Even in David’s great trial of being sought after by King Saul, David did not give up hope but he focused his attention on God’s steadfast love for him and he praised God. David knew God’s love for him was real, even in the midst of a trail. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. For you have been my help . . . and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy (Psalms 63:3, 7). Thank You for the abiding Presence of your Ruach Ha’Kodesh in me. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

When they heard the Gospel, they were immersed in the name of the Lord Yeshua. They had been immersed in John’s immersion, but they had not immersed themselves in believer’s immersion in the name of the Lord Yeshua. They served as a mini-Shavu’ot for this pocket of Jewish believers who had not yet heard that Yeshua, the Messiah, had come. When Paul, an apostle, laid hands upon them, the Ruach Ha’Kodesh came upon them. And the evidence that they had received true Spirit immersion was that they began speaking in different languages (nowhere does the Bible teach that the gift of tongues is anything other than known human languages)¹⁵ and prophesying, receiving direct revelation from God.  In all, there were about twelve men (Acts 19:5-7). The historical situation makes this a unique experience during the transitional period of Acts.

As we proceed through the book of Acts we will be comparing the way salvation comes to the Jews, the Samaritans and the Gentiles, showing, as was the case with the way Yeshua healed, there is no set order. Acts is a transitional book and a historical book, and you can’t establish doctrine based upon history. You base doctrine on clear theological statements. The historical facts can illustrate the doctrine but they cannot develop doctrine on their own.

The development of the opposition to the Gospel within the synagogue was relatively slow in coming – it took three months. But when it did come it grew strong enough to cause Paul to strategically withdraw to Tyrannus’ yeshivah. The Hebrew word yeshivah comes from the word that means sit and it signifies a place for learning Torah. The Greek word schole, which gives us the English word school, means lecture hall. No English word really comes close to the real meaning of yeshivah, but the Yiddish word shul, or school, comes the closest.¹⁶

This section gives a brief summary of Paul’s long period of ministry in Ephesus, covering both his testimony to Messiah (19:8-10) and the miracles accomplished through him (Acts 19:11-12). Paul went into the synagogue for three months and continued to speak boldly, debating and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when they were hardening and refusing to believe, speaking evil of the Way (Acts 9:2, 19:23, 22:4, 24:14-22) before the whole group, Paul withdrew from the synagogue, taking his new Jewish believers with him. Thus, the church at Ephesus was planted. They moved to the public lecture hall (Greek: schole, meaning a school) of Tyrannus, who was probably a God-fearing Gentile (see the commentary on Acts Bb – An Ethiopian Asks about Isaiah 53). There, Paul set up a yeshivah in Tyrannus’ school and continued teaching them daily. He evangelized all who would listen for two years, so that all the residents of Asia Minor heard the word of the Lord – Jewish as well as Greek people (Acts 19:8-10). Yet later when addressing the elders of Ephesus in 20:31, Paul comments that he ministered to them for three years. But there is no real discrepancy between the two accounts. Paul arrived in Ephesus in the spring of 53 AD and remained there until the spring of 56 AD, a period of three years. The two years mentioned here refers to the period of his teaching in the yeshivah in the home of Tyrannus.¹⁷

Therefore, without ever leaving Ephesus, Paul, through his converts, evangelized the entire province of Asia Minor. During that time the churches of Colossae, Hierapolis, and probably also the seven churches of Revelation 2-3 were founded, and First and Second Corinthians were written. Paul’s very effective strategy for evangelism was to teach the Word . . . make disciples . . . and then let them spread the Gospel.¹⁸

It is important for modern Messianic Judaism to have available the concept of a Messianic yeshiva. Restoring the Jewishness of the Gospel should involve presenting it in a Jewish religious, cultural and social environment. While today the word yeshivah, to most Jewish people, means a school for Jewish studies, particularly Torah, Talmud, halakhah, and so on, it is right for Messianic Judaism to adopt this term and apply it to Messianic Jewish institutions of learning that relate to Jewish and New Covenant materials. This is the way to meet the challenge of Matthew 13:52: Therefore, every Torah-teacher who has been instructed about the kingdom of Heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.

To provide undeniable evidence that the message was true, God was doing extraordinary miracles by Paul’s hands (Acts 19:11). Such miraculous confirmation was a standard feature of the preaching of the apostles. In the absence of a written B’rit Chadashah by which to measure someone’s teaching, God used signs and wonders to authenticate His message and authority as an apostle (Second Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:3-4; Acts 2:22). One goal of Acts is to show that in every way Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, had a ministry equal to that of Peter, the leading apostle to the Jews. These extraordinary miracles compare to Peter’s healing miracles in Acts 5:15-16. That shows that these powers were limited to the apostles. There are no examples in the book of Acts where regular believers are able to do these types of miracles. In fact, Paul himself did not even possess those powers (Second Corinthians 12:8; Philippians 2:27; First Timothy 5:23; 2 Timothy 4:20).¹⁹

Paul healed like Yeshua healed – with a word or a touch, he healed organic diseases from birth, he healed instantly and completely, and he raised the dead. Strangely those who claim the gift of healing today rarely, if ever, come out of their television studios. They always seem to exercise their “gift” only in a controlled environment, staged their way, and run according to their schedule. Why don’t we hear of the gift of healing being used in hospital hallways? Why aren’t more healers using their gift on the streets in India or Bangladesh? Why aren’t they in the leper colonies and AIDS hospices where masses of people are racked with disease? Why? Because those who claim the gift of healing do not really have it.²⁰

Steeped in superstition and failing to understand that Paul was merely the human channel for God’s power, the Ephesians did some amazing things. The handkerchiefs, or sweatbands, and aprons Paul wore during his tent making labor were carried from his body to the sick. The idea that healing power could be so magically transmitted was prevalent in the ancient world (Matthew 9:21; Acts 5:15). The fact that the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them through those means does not commend the method (as some today would have us believe). It must be viewed as nothing more than God’s accommodation to the mentality of those people at that time. And further proved that Paul was from ADONAI and thus spoke for Him (Acts 19:12). As a doctor, Luke carefully distinguishes between diseases and afflictions caused by evil spirits to make clear that not all illness comes from demonic causes. The miracles YHVH performed through Paul were essential to convince the Ephesians that he was from God. Impressed with him as the messenger of Ha’Shem, their hearts were prepared to hear his message of salvation.²¹

The example of Paul’s miracle-working is followed by two episodes that involve false attempts to accomplish the miraculous. The first relates the unsuccessful attempt by a group of Jewish exorcists to use the name of Yeshua in their practice (Acts 19:13-16). The second shows the triumph of the Gospel over magic and the occult (Acts 19:17-19). There were imposters who went around making a living by various kinds of pseudo-scientific or clairvoyant powers, including the practice of exorcism. They were ready to call on the names of any and every god or divinity in their chants – and often they recited long lists of the names so as to be sure of including the right god in any particular case. Even pagans used the various names of God.²² These Jewish exorcists (Luke 11:19) now proceeded to use the name of Yeshua in an effort to match Paul’s powers. But some traveling Jewish exorcists also tried to invoke the name Yeshua, by using the formula: I charge you by the Yeshua whom Paul preaches. Unlike Paul, they did not know the Person they named nor have His power delegated to them. Seven sons of a Jewish ruling kohen named Sceva were doing this. Sceva was a Latin name. He was a Jew but had perverted Judaism in Ephesus because any acting high priest would be ministering in the Temple, not Ephesus.²³ Like Simon (see Acts Ba – Simon the Sorcerer), he was power hungry. But the attempted formula failed. The evil spirit answered them, “I recognize Yeshua and I am acquainted with Paul, but you, who are you to give me this order” (Acts 19:13-15)?

The result may be described as the comic relief in an otherwise serious narrative. The evil spirit realized that those phony exorcists had no real power or authority, so they turned the tables on them, driving them out! Then the man who was controlled by the evil spirit sprang at them, subduing and overpowering all seven of them, so that they fled out of that house naked and traumatized. This became known among both Jews and Greeks who lived in Ephesus, and the effect among superstitious people was to cause both fear and the name of the Lord Yeshua to be magnified. As a result, many also of those who had believed kept coming one after another confessing and recounting their practices. So even some believers had been caught up in the occult practices of Sceva and his sons. It took time for the Church to purify the concept of God from their pagan ways of thinking. In fact, this is still true today. We still have the tendency to let our ideas of God be influenced by contemporary thinking.²⁴

The demonstration of the futility of pagan attempts to master evil spirits led many of those who practiced magic arts to bring their books together in a heap (Ephesus was the great center of sorcery in the time of Paul) and burn them completely before everyone. The books mentioned were probably made up of directions for producing magical results and were of great value to all who practiced sorcery. They totaled the value of the books and found it to be about fifty thousand pieces of silver, or the equivalent to fifty thousand days’ wages for an average laborer (19:16-19). The destruction of these books was one of the best investments believers have ever made. Not only did they publicly give up their pagan ways, but the demonic contents of those books went up in flames, never to poison the minds of anyone again.²⁵

This is a transition statement that provides reasonable clues to the development of Luke’s material that follows, the Gospel is declared in Europe (but with a return to Ephesus). So the word of the Lord kept on growing in power and prevailing (19:20). On this high note Luke ends the account of Paul’s successful ministry in Ephesus, although the story of what happened there is not yet complete (see Ag – Idol-Makers Start a Riot in Ephesus).

Now after the three years of ministry in Ephesus, Paul resolved in the Ruach to go to Jerusalem after passing through Macedonia and Achaia. Many in the Messianic community in Yerushalayim were poor and in need of financial assistance. To meet that need, Paul wanted to take to Tziyon a collection from the largely Gentile churches that he had founded. So before returning to Jerusalem, he revisited Macedonia and Achaia to collect that offering (Romans 15:25-27; First Corinthians 16:1-4; Second Corinthians 8-9). By contributing to the financial needs of the Jewish believers at Jerusalem, those Gentile believers would emphasize the unity of the Church (First Corinthians 12:26).

But the City of David was not Paul’s ultimate goal, saying: After I have been there, I must also see Rome (19:21). This is a major turning point in the narrative of Acts. From here on, Rome becomes the major focal point. In keeping with his desire to proclaim the Good News not where Messiah was already named, lest I build on another man’s foundation (Romans 15:20b), he had not yet visited the imperial capital. Rome was so strategic, he could not stay away indefinitely. As he explained to the believers there: I long to see you, so I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you (Romans 1:11). Paul’s brief mention of his desire to visit Rome marks a turning point in Acts. From this point on until the end of the book, the target in his mind was Rome. He would eventually get there, although not by the means he envisioned.²⁶

So after sending Timothy and Erastus ahead of him so that the collection could be gathered before he arrived in Jerusalem, Paul himself stayed in Asia for a while (19:22). Paul delayed all his travel plans temporarily because as he wrote at this time to the Corinthians, “But I will stay on at Ephesus until Shavu’ot, for a great door has opened wide for me, though many are in opposition (First Corinthians 16:8-9). Those opposing Paul would soon make themselves known in the next file, as a riot erupted in Ephesus over the success of Paul’s ministry.

I receive Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians as my own today, asking that You give me a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You. I pray that the eyes of my heart may be enlightened so I may know what is the hope of Your calling, what are the glorious riches of Your inheritance among the believers everywhere, and what is the immeasurable greatness of Your power to us who believe, according to the working of Your vast strength. You demonstrated this power in Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at Your right hand in the heavens – far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age, but also in the age to come (Ephesians 1:17-21).

The Founding of the Church of Ephesus
Acts 18: 23-28

52-53 AD

The Founding of the church of Ephesus DIG: These verses sum up a lot of traveling. How far did Paul travel at this time? What do you make of his companions Priscilla and Aquila? What kind of a man was Apollos? What type of influence did Apollos have in Achaia, specifically Corinth (see verses 27-28)? How effective would he be in the intellectual circles?

REFLECT: Who was very helpful to you when you were young and enthusiastic about your faith? How did this person help? Who are you helping now? How? Where do you sense God has equipped you to serve? How can you do so this week? How does your place of worship balance evangelism with the strengthening and equipping of believers? What makes one preacher or Bible teacher more “popular” than another? And which of these attributes should have little or nothing to do with how accepted their teaching is?

Ephesus was a commercial center, a legal center, and a religious center.

After spending some time in Antioch, probably from the early summer of 52 AD to the early spring of 53 AD, and having doubtless given his church a full account of his Second Missionary Journey (see the commentary on Acts, to see link click Bu – Paul’s Second Missionary Journey), Paul departed from there, on what proved to be his Third Missionary Journey (see Acts Ce – Paul’s Third Missionary Journey). His ultimate destination was Ephesus. He had been prevented from going there before (16:6). He had to cut his first visit there short (Acts 18:20) and was eager to begin his mission in the city. Nevertheless, his desire for the new ministry did not prevent him from neglecting the old.⁶ Paul returned to his former fields and further ministered from one place after another throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, and discipled all the believers (Acts 18:23). In this one verse Luke summarizes about 1,500 miles of travel. Luke does not give us all the cities Paul visited, but what he does tell us is that when traveling through this region Paul discipled all the churches that were planted during the First Missionary Journey (see Acts Bm – Paul’s First Missionary Journey). In any case, this trip through the Cilician gates and on to Ephesus would have happened during the summer of 53 AD when the passage through the gates was possible.

Ephesus was a deceptively beautiful metropolis. The magnificent temple to the fertility goddess Artemis – one of the seven wonders of the ancient world – dominated the skyline and religious social and economic life (see Acts Ch – Idol-Makers Start a Riot in Ephesus). No sensual pleasure was denied. It was a world financial center. Dreams of material success and affluence captured the minds and consumed the energies of its populace. All the happiness money could buy was at their fingertips.

But when the early believers looked at Ephesus, they saw something very different. They saw a culture of fear barely veiled by the architectural, artistic, and sensual beauty on display. Messiah’s followers saw a half a million souls trapped in a Satan-dominated world of necromancy, occultism, witchcraft, and useless worship of a lifeless, powerless goddess. Magic symbols and incantations failed to give them control over their world. Their false worship failed to connect them to the One True God. Nearly the entire population lived on a treadmill of superstition, confusion and terror. Into this environment walked Paul.⁷

With the knowledge that Paul was making his way towards Ephesus, Luke fills in the background to the events that had been taking place in his absence. Now a Jewish man named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, Egypt, where a million Jews lived, came to Ephesus. Highly educated, he was well-versed in the TaNaKh. A skilled speaker, he was a fiery, courageous preacher. A student of John the Baptist, Apollos knew the basics about Yeshua, but he lacked some important facts needed to effectively communicate the Gospel.

While not its capital (Pergamum was the province’s official capital), Ephesus was the most important city in Asia Minor. In fact, since the Roman governor lived there, it could be argued that Ephesus was the de facto capital. It had a natural harbor situated at the mouth of the Cayster River on a gulf of the Aegean Sea.⁸ Located on the main highway, Ephesus connected the Four great trade routes in the east, and as a result, it was the main commercial center of Asia. In fact, no better site could have been picked for the evangelization of all of Asia Minor than Ephesus. The seven churches there (see the commentary on Revelation Ay – Write, Therefore, What Is Now) may well have owed their origin to Paul’s Ephesian ministry.⁹

The city’s theater, where Paul and his companions were dragged (Acts 19:29), seated some 25,000 people. Athletic events, rivaling the Olympic games, were held in a stadium there. As a free city, it was granted self-government by Rome and no Roman troops were stationed there. It also served as a legal center in which the Romans tried important cases and dispensed justice on a regular basis.¹⁰

It was also a religious center. The cult of emperor worship was very strong there, and temples were built for Claudius, Hadrian and Severus. No matter what gods they worshiped, each individual was required to swear allegiance to Cesar as the supreme lord over all. It was also known for its magical arts and was one of the centers of occultism. It had long been the home of the Mother Goddess, who was identified by the Greeks as Artemis, or Diana in Latin (Acts 19:35). To this goddess was dedicated a huge temple that was known as one of the wonders of the ancient world with a tree of “salvation” in the midst of it. About four times the size of the Parthenon, it was 425 feet long, 200 feet wide, and 60 feet high. It had 127 marble pillars, 36 of them overlaid with gold and jewels. Because its inner shrine was supposedly sacred, this temple served as one of the most important banks in the Mediterranean world. The temple also provided sanctuary from criminals. Further, the sale of little idols used in the worship of Artemis provided an important source of income for the city (Acts 19:24). Every spring a month-long festival was held in honor of the goddess, complete with athletic, dramatic and musical events.¹¹

The worship of Artemis was unspeakably evil. Sexual immorality was rampant in Ephesus, and it was one of the most immoral cities of the ancient world. This temple also became the site of the worship of the goddess Roma and of the Roman Emperor.¹² Thousands of priestesses, who were little more than ritual prostitutes, played a major role in the worship of Artemis. The temple grounds were a chaotic scene made up of priests, prostitutes, bankers, criminals, musicians, dancers and frenzied, hysterical worshipers. The philosopher Heraclitus was called the weeping philosopher because he said no one could live in Ephesus and not weep over its immorality. Huddled in the midst of such pagan idolatry that characterized Ephesus, was a group of faithful believers. It was to them that the Messiah addressed the first of His seven letters (see Revelation Az – The Church at Ephesus).¹³

Apollos (a shortened form of Apollonius) was a learned man, well versed in the Scriptures. He had been orally instructed in the way of the Lord in general as far as the TaNaKh was concerned. With a fervent spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the facts about Yeshua – while only being acquainted with the immersion of John. This fervent scholar exploded like a bombshell on Corinth’s unconverted Jewish community. But what was his message? First, John was the forerunner of the Messiah; Secondly, John has pointed out that Yeshua was the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Bm – John Identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God); and thirdly, he knew that Yeshua was the Messiah. So, Apollos did not have believers’ immersion, only John’s back to God immersion. However, this man began speaking out boldly in the synagogue (Acts 18:24-26a). In other words, he was faithful in what he knew. His error was not understanding about believers’ immersion.

Priscilla and Aquila had remained in Ephesus to carry on the ministry until Paul returned (Acts 18:18ff). Evidently the ministry there had not yet extended beyond the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard Apollos’ preaching, they immediately took him aside privately and explained the way of God concerning immersion more accurately (Acts 18:26b). The fact that both Priscilla and Aquila instructed Apollos is significant. Both men and women can have the New Covenant gift of teaching. When Paul writes: I do not permit a woman to teach (First Timothy 2:12a), he uses the present infinitive, and is not forbidding a woman to teach universally. In other words, he does not forbid all teaching, but because the present tense is used, Paul is saying, don’t become the teacher. Priscilla was not Apollos’ sole teacher, she taught alongside her husband (even though it seems counterintuitive, see the commentary on Genesis Lv – Women and Spiritual Gifts). Additionally, Luke wishes to show the variety of roles women played in the early Church. Luke presents five cameos of important believing women in a variety of roles they assumed (see Acts Bd – Signs and Miracles Follow Peter: A closer look at Luke, Women and Ministry), and Priscilla was one of them. After that, Apollos was an unstoppable apologist for Messiah.

Once he understood about believers’ immersion, Apollos wanted to cross over the region of Achaia on his way to where Corinth (19:1) and Athens were located. The brothers in Ephesus encouraged him and wrote a letter of recommendation to the believers in Corinth to welcome him. Upon arrival, he greatly helped those who by grace had believed (1 Cor 3:5-6 and 4:6). Apollos’ power in scriptural interpretation (Acts 18:24) suited him for debate with the Jews of Corinth. Much like Peter with the Jews of Jerusalem (see Acts An – Peter Speaks to the Shavu’ot Crowd), he would have used the TaNaKh to demonstrate that the Messiah must suffer and be raised from the dead, which was, in the final analysis, the fulfillment of the Jewish Scriptures.¹⁴ And he also powerfully refuted (Greek: diakatelencheto, meaning to overwhelm someone in an argument) the Jewish people in public, demonstrating through the Scriptures that Messiah was Yeshua (Acts 18:27-28).

God is wooing people to His table for the meat of His Word like never before. He is joyfully using many different methods and styles to accomplish His goal of equipping His Church to be effective and holy during difficult days. God has raised up many fine teachers and preachers for our day. Let’s reap the benefit of as many as possible and value their contributions whether they are magnetic like Apollos, analytical like Luke, forthright like Paul, or warm like Priscilla and Aquila.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for You are Awesome Always! You wisely sent John the Baptist as the forerunner of Messiah to prepare people’s hearts for the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. The first step of drawing near to God is to turn from our sins, there is so much more to life than turning away from sin. There is also a drawing near into the intimate relationship with God as our Lord and Savior. How wonderful that when someone turns from loving themselves as first in their lives to trusting Messiah as first place in their lives – You adopt them as your child (Ephesians 1:4-5). Children have special places in families. They are loved and cared for and watched over. You love, watch over and care for Your children. John’s baptism was good and important to show people that they needed to turn away from wrong and then be united to God as his child when they believed/ trusted in him (John 1:12, Romans 10:9-10).

Wow! What a privilege to be God’s child! Being a child of God means being united into the family of God and also united to Messiah in his glorious resurrection! John could only immerse people as a turning from their sins, but Messiah’s immersion is an immersion of unity. Or do you not know that all of us who were immersed into Messiah Yeshua were immersed into His death? Therefore we were buried together with Him through immersion into death – in order that just as Messiah was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become joined together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also will be joined together in His resurrection. . . Now if we have died with Messiah, we believe that we shall also live with Him (Romans 6:3-5, 8). To have had only John’s baptism of remission of sins is a good start, but God has so much more in your offer to adopt as your sons thru the blood of Messiah (Ephesians 1:7) those who love/ believe in You. You are an awesome father! In Yeshua Messiah’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Abba: An Aramaic word used as an affectionate term of address to someone’s father. Yeshua used it to refer to God as His Father, and believers in Jesus also use it today to address God as Father. In modern Hebrew, this common name means Dad, Daddy, or Papa (also see Mark 14:36 and Romans 8:15).

Adar: the twelfth month of the Jewish biblical calendar.

Adonai: literally, my Lord, a word the TaNaKh uses to refer to God.

ADONAI: The Tetragrammaton, meaning the four-letter name of YHVH. God does not have many names, He has only one name – YHVH (Yud Hay Vav Hay). All the other names in the Bible describe His characteristics and His attributes. Since its pronunciation is not known, and also out of respect for God’s name, Jews traditionally substitute the words ADONAI and Ha’Shem. ADONAI, however, is more of an affectionate name like daddy (also see Exodus 3:15; Jeremiah 1:9; Psalm 1:2; Matthew 1:22; Mark 5:19; Luke 1:5; John 1:23).

ADONAI Elohei-Tzva’ot: the LORD God of heaven’s angelic armies.

ADONAI Elohim: This is the Hebrew word for LORD God. This title links Isra’el’s God, the God of the Covenant, with God as Creator of the universe (also see Genesis 2:4; Isaiah 48:16; Psalm 72:18; Luke 1:32; Revelation 1:8).

ADONAI Nissi: the LORD my Banner (see Exodus 17:15; Psalm 20:1).

ADONAI Shalom: the LORD of Peace.

ADONAI Tzidkenu: the LORD our Righteousness.

ADONAI-Tzva’ot: The LORD of heaven’s angelic armies (see Joshua 5:13-15; Second Kings 19:31; Psalm 24:10; Second Corinthians 6:18).

Adversary: Satan, the devil, the prince of the power of the air, and the old dragon.

Afikomen: Literally, “That which comes after.” Piece of matzah that is hidden during the Seder, to be found and eaten after the third cup of redemption.

Amen: At the end of a prayer, this word means, “It is true,” or “Let it be so,” or “May it become true,” indicating that the readers or listeners agree with what has just been said. Although everything Yeshua said was true, “amen” adds special emphasis (also see Deuteronomy 27:25; Jeremiah 28:6; Psalm 41:14; Nehemiah 8:6; Matthew 5:26; Mark 10:15; Luke 23:43; John 10:1).

Anti-missionaries: Today they are Orthodox Jews who champion Jews for Judaism. They do not limit their mischief to harassing missionaries; any Jewish believer is a target. It is unfortunate that so many of these anti-missionaries feel their ends justify certain unethical means. In order to “protect” Judaism, they do or encourage others to do what Judaism condemns. In Paul’s day, they were the Judaizers who wanted Gentile believers to add obedience to the 613 commandments of Moshe, circumcision, and eating kosher to Paul’s salvation equals faith-plus-nothing gospel.

Ariel: lion of God, fireplace on God’s altar.

Aviv: the first month of the biblical year, corresponding to the modern Jewish month of Nisan.

Avraham: Abraham

Azazel: a scapegoat or goat demon sent out in the wilderness on Yom Kippur.

Ba’al: the chief male god of the Phoenicians and Canaanites. The word means lord or master.

Bar Mitzvah: Hebrew for “Son of the Commandment.” Although not specifically mentioned in the Bible, it is a Jewish coming of age ritual in which a young man, or Bat Mitzvah for a young woman, chooses to follow the commandments of their forefathers and takes responsibility for their own relationship with the God of Isra’el. This ceremony normally takes place at age 13 for boys or age 12 for girls. Afterwards, he/she is theoretically considered to be an adult, but in modern Judaism this is mostly symbolic, and a twelve-year-old is not treated like an adult.

Beit-Lechem: Bethlehem, the birthplace of David and Yeshua, meaning house of bread.

Bnei-Yisrael: The children of Israel.

B’rit Chadashah: Hebrew for the New Covenant. Christians commonly call it the New Testament.

Challah: Challah is a special bread of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, usually braided and typically eaten on ceremonial occasions such as Shabbat and major Jewish holidays. Ritually acceptable challah is made of dough from which a small portion has been set aside as an offering.

Chesed: “mercy,” “lovingkindness,” and/or “covenant-loyalty.” It is a complex word that summarizes God’s complex and overwhelming love for His people, going beyond the concepts of love, mercy or kindness all together (also see Isaiah 63:7; Zechariah 7:1; Psalm 13:1; Psalm 86:1; Psalm 107:1; Psalm 118:1; Psalm 136:1).

Clear oil: In the oil pressing process this would have been oil from the first of three or pressings. The first pressing, most likely done by adding one stone weight to a wooden beam which then put pressure onto a bag of olives by being forced downward by the weight, was the one which produced the purest oil. This was traditionally the oil used in the Temple.

Cohen of Ha’Elyon: Priest of the God Most High.

Cohen Rosh Gadol: The Great High Priest who served as the head religious official, the only one to enter the Most Holy Place. Aaron, the brother of Moses, was the first man appointed as the Cohen Gadol. In later times, the Cohen Gadol was in charge of the Temple and its administration. The Cohen Gadol Caiaphas, played a key role in questioning Yeshua at His trial. The writer of Hebrews describes Messiah as our great Cohen Gadol, who gives us access to God’s throne in the heavenly sanctuary (also see Leviticus 21:10; Haggai 1:14; Nehemiah 3:1; Matthew 26:57ff; Mark 14:61ff; John 18:19ff; Hebrews 4:14ff and 10:19-22).

Cohen: A priest, a man who offered sacrifices and performed other religious rituals at the Temple in Jerusalem.

Cohanim: The Cohanim, priests, the priesthood, were descended from Aaron, the brother of Moses. The Sadducees were from the priestly sect of Judaism.

Covenant: Theologically, it speaks of the contractual relationship between God and His people. The Hebrew term is b’rit. Also see B’rit Chadashah, Hebrew for New Covenant (see Genesis 6:18 and 17:2; Jeremiah 31:30; Nehemiah 9:32; Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 1:72).

Defile, or tam’ei in Hebrew: This is not a sinful condition, but a condition of life. From this we can see that being tam’ei is merely a state of being unable to participate in the Temple service until cleansed because the person has come into contact with the realm of sin and/or death, not necessarily because the person has sinned himself.

Diaspora, the Dispersion: the scattering of the Jewish people in exile throughout the world. Today almost 7 million Jews live in Isra’el, and over 8 million more Jews live in the Diaspora (also see Isaiah 11:10; John 7:35).

Drash: A drash is a long d’var.

D’var: Is a short talk on topics relating to a parashah, the weekly Torah portion.

Echad: The Hebrew word for “one” or “unity.” Echad is used in the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4).

Elyon: A title for God, meaning the Most High God (see Luke 1:35 and 76; Acts 7:48). A longer form is El Elyon, God Most High (also see Deuteronomy 32:8; Isaiah 14:14; Psalm 91:1; Acts 16:17).

Elohim: “God” in general terms, or as Creator. Compared with ADONAI, God’s “covenant name” used especially in His relationship to the Jewish people. Elohim is the plural form of El, also found in the Bible occasionally with the same meaning. Yeshua is sometimes called Ben-Elohim, the Son of God (also see Genesis 2:19; Isaiah 61:11; Matthew 4:3; Mark 1:1; Luke 1:35; John 11:4).

El Shaddai: God Almighty

Emissaries: Apostles

God-fearers: These were Gentiles who became convinced that ADONAI was the only true God, they abandoned their paganism and idolatry, but they did not choose to become a proselyte in any form, and hence there was no adoption of Jewish customs or practices (see the commentary on Acts, to see link click Bh – An Ethiopian Asks about Isaiah).

Goyim: Nations, non-Jews, Gentiles

Gehenna: The word for “hell,” the place of perpetual misery and suffering after this life. It comes from the Greek word Genna and the Hebrew word Gei-Hinnom, which means the valley of Hinnom. There was actually such a valley by that name south of the Temple in Jerusalem. It was used as a garbage dump, and fires were always burning there, making it a suitable picture of life in hell. In Jewish sources, the term is used as the opposite of Gan-Eden, or the Garden of Eden or Paradise (Matthew 23:33; Mark 9:43).

Gentiles: A term for individuals or groups who are not Jewish. In Hebrew a common word for Gentile is goy or goyim is the plural form (see Isaiah 8:23; Matthew 10:18; Mark 10:33).

Go’el: Literally, a redeemer, used both for God and of people. In the book of Ruth, go’el means the kinsman-redeemer, a close relative obligated to defend and protect his kin. The go’el could buy back (redeem) land or someone who sold himself into slavery, and could marry a widow in the family in order to protect her future. The human go’el is a picture of God the greater Go’el who protects and redeems us, the members of His family (see Ruth 3:9-12).

Hag ha’Matzah: The Feast of Unleavened Bread

Halakhah: are mitzvot governing Jewish life and comes from the Hebrew root to walk. The rabbis used the term to refer to the legal way to walk out the commandments of the Torah. It can also refer to the Oral Law (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ei – The Oral Law). A (one) halakhah is a specific ruling given regarding a particular issue, “the halakhah” being the ruling accepted and observed by the Jewish community.

Hametz or Chametz: The Hebrew word for leaven, or yeast, which makes bread rise. God commanded Isra’el not to eat hametz during Passover, Yeshua teaches that both good and evil spread, the same way hametz leavens the whole batch of dough (Also see 16:6-12; Mark 8:15; Luke 12:1 Exodus 12:20; Leviticus 7:13; Amos 4:5; Matthew 13:33 and 13:21).

Hanukkah: Meaning dedication, the feast commemorating the victory of the Maccabees over the armies of Antiochus Epiphanes in 165 BC and the rebuilding and dedication of the Temple after its desecration by Syrian invaders.

Ha’Shem: The Tetragrammaton, meaning the four-letter name of YHVH. God does not have many names, He has only one name – YHVH (Yud Hay Vav Hay). All the other names in the Bible describe His characteristics and His attributes. Since its pronunciation is not known, and also out of respect for God’s name, Jews traditionally substitute the words ADONAI and Ha’Shem. While ADONAI is more of an affectionate name like daddy, Ha’Shem is a more formal name like sir (also see Exodus 3:15; Jeremiah 1:9; Psalm 1:2, Matthew 1:22; Mark 5:19; Luke 1:5; John 1:23).

Hellenist: In the B’rit Chadashah, it refers to Jews who lived in the Diaspora, or had moved to Isra’el from the Diaspora, spoke Greek, and were more Greek in their culture, than traditional Jewish people brought up in Isra’el (Acts 6:1, 9:29, 11:20).

Immerse: To dip the whole body under water as an act of dedication to the LORD, or as a profession of faith in Yeshua. The word is often seen in other translations as “baptize.” The ceremony of dipping is called “immersion” or “baptism.” Yeshua’s cousin was known as John the Immerser (Matthew 3:1; Mark 6:14; Luke 7:20).

Imputation: To reckon or charge to one’s account. When the Spirit gives life (John 6:63a), that means that all the righteousness of Christ is transferred to your spiritual account at the moment of faith. What is true of Messiah is true of you, minus His deity.

Incarnation: The divine revelation (Hebrews 1:1-2) of YHVH becoming one with humanity as an ordinary human being in the person of Yeshua Messiah. He was one-hundred percent man and one-hundred present God. The Triune God knew that the Second Person would come to earth to be subject to numerous evils: hunger, ridicule, rejection, and death. He did this in order to negate sin, and therefore, its evil effects.

Judaizers: Jewish false teachers, who taught that obedience to the 613 commandments of the Torah were necessary to have a relationship with God, and opposed Paul at every turn. Everywhere Paul went, the Judaizers were sure to follow. Once Paul established a church in Galatia, as soon as he left, they would come in and distort the gospel of Messiah (1:7).

Justification: The act of God whereby, negatively, He forgives the sins of believers and, positively, He declares them righteous by imputing the obedience and righteousness of Messiah to them through faith (Luke 18:9-14). It is not a reward for anything good we have done. It is not something we cooperate with God in (in other words, it is not sanctification). It is an utterly undeserved free gift of the mercy of ADONAI (Romans 3:24; Titus 3:7). It is entirely accomplished by God, once and for all, at the moment of salvation. It results in good deeds (James 2:14-26) and sanctification over our lifetime.

Kadosh: The Hebrew word for ‘holy.” This term describes the people set apart for God. ADONAI Himself is kodosh (Leviticus 19:1-2). Many letters to Christ’s newly formed communities (churches) address Yeshua’s followers as the Kedoshim (also see Jeremiah 2:3; Nehemiah 8:10; First Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:2).

Kedoshim: The holy ones

Korban: The root of the word korban, can be translated to bring near. A korban, then, should be defined as something brought near. The reason it is so named is that the person bringing an offering did so in order to be brought near to God. It was a sacrifice or offering dedicated to God, especially to fulfill a vow. If something was to be dedicated to God, it generally could not be used for other purposes. Some Pharisees and teachers of the Torah wrongly used this as an excuse not to provide for their parents in their old age, even though Jewish teaching insisted that the commandment to honor one’s father and mother extended to providing for their physical needs (see Mark 7:11).

Kosher: Kosher foods are those that conform to the Jewish dietary regulations of kashrut, primarily derived from Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Food that may be consumed according to halakha is termed kosher in English, from the Ashkenazi pronunciation of the Hebrew term kashér, meaning “fit”.

Levite: Descendants of the tribe of Levi, who served in the Tabernacle and Temple as gatekeepers, musicians, teachers, and assistants to the priests. The scribes, or Torah-teachers, originally came only from among the Levites and were the forerunners of the Pharisees. The Pharisees later expanded to include members who were from all tribes, with no affiliation with Levi required. (Also see Exodus 4:14; Ezeki’el 48:12; Ezra 1:5; John 1:19).

LORD: When the translators of the King James Bible in the 1600’s came to the Hebrew word YHVH, they needed to distinguish it from the word Lord, meaning master. So, they capitalized it. Therefore, LORD is actually the Tetragrammaton, meaning the four-letter name of YHVH. God does not have many names, He has only one name – YHVH (Yud Hay Vav Hay). All the other names in the Bible describe His characteristics and His attributes.

LXX (Septuagint): The “official” Greek translation of the TaNaKh, dating from the third century BC through the fourth century AD. The original translation was of the Torah (the five books of Moshe), which the Letter of Aristeas records was allegedly made by seventy Jewish scholars in Alexandria (Egypt) from which it gained its name (Septuaginta). It is commonly referred to by the abbreviation, LXX (70).

Malki-Tzedek: Melchizedek.

Mashiach (Hebrew): Messiah, the Anointed One (Matthew 26:63; Mark 1:1; John 20:31).

Matzah (singular) or Matzot (plural): Unleavened bread, which is made without yeast, eaten especially during the feast of Passover. Also see hametz (also see Exodus 13:6; Leviticus 2:5; Ezeki’el 45:21; Matthew 26:17; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19; John 13:26).

Masoretic Text: The official text of the TaNaKh edited by the Massoretes, or Jewish grammarians, during the sixth to tenth centuries AD. This text is “pointed” with various vowel signs and accents which were lacking in the previous texts.

M’chitzah, the: The middle wall of separation (see the commentary on Acts Cn – Paul’s Advice from Jacob and the Elders at Tziyon).

Megillah (singular) or Megillot (plural): The five books in the Writings used for special readings during the holidays: Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and Esther.

Menorah (singular) or Menorot (plural): The seven branched lampstand(s) designed and commanded by God for service in the Tabernacle/Temple (Exodus 25:32; First Kings 7:49; Zechariah 4:2).

Messiah (Greek): Christ, the Anointed One, often used in speaking of a Redeemer sent from God to free His people from exile and oppression (also see Matthew 1:16; Mark 8:29; Luke 2:11 and John 1:41).

Midrash (singular) or Midrashim (plural): allegorical interpretation or application of a text. The listener is expected to understand that the writer of the midrash is not expounding the plain meaning of the text, but introducing his own ideas.

Mikveh: a bath or pool with a flow of fresh water; used in Orthodox Judaism to this day for ritual purification or ceremonial cleansing, performed at various times in a person’s life (see Matthew 3:13 and Titus 3:5).

Mishnah, The: is the first major written collection of the Jewish oral traditions that are known as the Oral Law (see below). 

Mitzvah (singular) or mitzvot (plural): Primarily a commandment from God in the Torah. (Deuteronomy 11:22; Second Kings 17:37; Proverbs 6:20; Matthew 26:10; Mark 14:6). Today, a more modern meaning would be “a good deed,” more broadly, a general principle for living.

Moshe: Moses.

Olam haba: “The age to come,” or “the world to come.” It describes a time after the world is perfected under the rulership of Messiah. This term also refers to the afterlife, where the soul passes after death. It can be contrasted with olam ha-zeh, “this world” (Matthew 12:32; Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30 and 20:35; Ephesians 1:21; Hebrews 6:5; Revelation 20-21).

Omer: Meaning “sheaf,” the bundle of barley used in the Firstfruits offering. After the Temple period it came to be identified with Sefirat ha’Omer, or the counting of the omer, the counting of the days from Firstfruits to Shavu’ot.

Oral Law: The Oral Law refers to the Talmud, which is a compilation of rabbinic commentaries on the first five books of Moses, called the Torah. The Talmud, completed around 500 AD, consists of the Mishnah and well as commentary on the Mishnah called Gemara (Mishnah + Gemara = Talmud). The tradition grew to include a further compendium called Midrash until about the 12^th century. The rabbis taught that when the Messiah came, He would not only believe in the Oral Law, but He would participate in the making of new Oral Laws.

Pesach: Passover. The Jewish festival commemorating deliverance from Egyptian bondage. In Biblical times Jews used to journey to the Temple, sacrifice lambs there, and eat a special meal commemorating the departure of the Jews from slavery in Egypt. It was one of the three “pilgrimage festivals” that all able-bodied Jews were expected to celebrate before YHVH in Yerushalayim. Today, Passover is celebrated at home with a special meal called a seder. Yeshua celebrated Passover with His apostles (Matthew 26:18; Mark 14:12; Luke 22:7; John 13:1).

Pharisees: One of the sects of Judaism in the first century. The Pharisees had their own views of how exactly to keep Torah. They were especially concerned with ritual impurity and (unlike the Sadducees) they believed in the resurrection of the dead. While the Sadducees were more involved with the Temple, the Pharisees were concerned more with home and synagogue life.

Propitiation: The averting of God’s wrath by means of the substitutionary and efficacious (producing the desired effect) sacrifice (death) of Yeshua Messiah (the atonement). It is the work of Messiah that satisfies every claim of God’s holiness and justice so that Ha’Shem is free to act on behalf of sinners.

Proselytes at the Gate: There were three levels of Gentile relationship to Judaism. After God-fearers and proselytes of the Gate were the second level. The Gate was the middle wall of separation (Ephesians 2:14) in the Temple compound that Gentiles were not allowed to go beyond under penalty of death (see the commentary on Acts Bb – An Ethiopian Asks about Isaiah 53). These were Gentiles who adopted many Jewish practices like celebrating Shabbat and the feast of Isra’el, but did not become a full proselyte. Most of these were men because it didn’t require circumcision.

Proselytes of the Covenant: In the third level of Gentile relationship to Judaism (see above), there were proselytes of the Covenant. They entered into the Covenant of Sinai as a full Jew, so to speak. Most of these were women because this level required circumcision.

Purim: Meaning “lots,” is the holiday based on the story of Esther.

Qumran: A site overlooking the Dead Sea where Jewish sects lived in religious communities from 135 BC to 70 AD and from which we have numerous documents which are frequently referred to as the Dead Sea Scrolls. These texts include partial copies and fragments of most of the biblical books (the only whole copy is Isaiah), apocryphal writings such as Enoch, and texts produced by the community itself (the manual of Discipline and the Thanksgiving Hymns). The texts are referred to according to the number of the cave in which they were discovered (for example, 1Qs [Community Rule], 11Q Temp [Temple Scroll]).

Rasheet: One of several names for the Festival of First Fruits.

Redeemed: Setting free from slavery, buying back something lost, for a price.

Righteous of the TaNaKh: Old Testament believers.

Rosh Ha’Shanah: Hebrew for “Head of the Year.” Known as the Jewish New Year, or the Feast of Trumpets.

Ruach: The Hebrew word for “spirit,” “breath,” or “wind.” Yeshua explains wind and Spirit to Nicodemus in John 3:5-8. Scripture frequently refers to the Ruach Ha’Kodesh, the Holy Spirit (Exodus 35:31; Numbers 11:25; Malachi 2:15; Acts 2:2 and 10:44; Romans 8:4-17).

Ruach Ha’Kodesh: The Hebrew name for the Spirit of God, or the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 63:11; Psalm 51:13; Matthew 1:20; Mark 1:8; Luke 1:16; John 14:26).

Sadducees: One of the sects of Judaism in the first century. From the Sadducees came the leading priests who managed the affairs of the Temple. In contrast to the Pharisees, they did not believe in the resurrection of the dead (Matthew 16:12; Mark 12:18; Luke 20:27).

Sanhedrin: Literally, the gathering of the seated, like being a judge seated on a bench – a legal term for an officiating judge. This was the Supreme Court of ancient Isra’el. It exercised legislative and judicial authority (Matthew 26:59; Mark 15:1; Luke 22:66; John 11:47).

Sanctification: To be set apart, specifically, to the holy use and purposes of God. It is a process that takes a whole lifetime. It is the work of God in which you cooperate (Romans 12:1-2; First Corinthians 10:13; Hebrews 12:3-4; First Peter 5:8-9); and is a process Ephesians 4:11-16), trusting in God, apart from whom we can do nothing (John 15:5; Ephesians 3:16; Colossians 1:11; Hebrews 2:18 and 4:14). He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil 1:6).

Septuagint: The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures and was presumably made for the Jewish community in Egypt when Greek was the common language throughout the region. It is also called the translation of the Seventy because tradition states that the Septuagint was translated by seventy rabbis. In academia, the Septuagint is often abbreviated as LXX (the Roman numeral for seventy) in honor of this translation.

Shabbat: The Sabbath Day, the seventh day of the week, when work ceases. On this day God’s people are beckoned to rest and renew our relationship with our Creator, who also rested on the seventh day. Shabbat begins on Friday evening at sundown and ends Saturday evening after three stars appear (Exodus 20:10; Nehemiah 9:14; Matthew 12:10; Mark 1:21; Luke 23:56; John 9:14).

Shaddai: A common name for God in the TaNaKh, usually translated as Almighty. The name is often used in a combination such as El Shaddai, or God Almighty (Genesis 17:1; Ezeki’el 1:24; Job 11:7).

Shall be cut off: This phrase may mean that the person is stoned to death, or that he is barred from returning to the Tabernacle or Temple to offer sacrifices. This person would be cherem, literally set apart for destruction, either physically or culturally.

Shalom: The Hebrew word for peace, wholeness, wellness; a greeting used when meeting or departing (Genesis 26:31; First Samuel 16:4; Second Chronicles 18:16; Matthew 10:13; Mark 9:50; Luke 1:28; John 14:27).

Sh’khinah: The visual manifestation of the glory of God.

Shavu’ot: the festival of Weeks (Hebrew) or Pentecost (Greek), since it comes seven weeks after Pesach; also called Pentecost, from the Greek word for fifty because one counts fifty days after Passover. It is one of the three “pilgrimage festivals” that all able-bodied Jews were expected to celebrate before YHVH in Yerushalayim. It originally celebrated the harvest, but later commemorated the day God gave the Torah to Isra’el. After Yeshua’s resurrection, the disciples waited for God’s gift of the Ruach ha-Kodesh, which also came on Shavu’ot (Exodus 34:22; Second Chronicles 8:13; Acts 2:1 and 20:16; First Corinthians 16:8).

Sh’ol: The Hebrew equivalent of the Greek “Hades,” the place where the dead exist.

Shofar: A ram’s horn, used in the Bible for summoning armies, calling to repentance, and in other situations. Blasts of various lengths and numbers signified different instructions. Metal trumpets were also used for similar purposes, but exclusively by the cohanim. Today, the shofar is used on Rosh ha-Shanah of Yom Kippur, the Jewish High Holy Days. The shofar also ushers in the Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:9-10; Zechariah 9:14; Matthew 24:31; First Corinthians 15:52; First Thessalonians 4:16-17).

Sinai: the mountain in the desert between Egypt and the land of Isra’el.

Shuwb: turn, turning, and the big idea of Jeremiah.

Son of Man: A name that Yeshua commonly used to refer to Himself. It comes from Dani’el 7:13-14, in which the Son of Man is given all authority. This name sometimes emphasizes Yeshua’s humanity and sometimes His deity (Matthew 9:6; Mark 9:31; Luke 21:36; John 6:27).

Sukkot: the festival of Booths or Tabernacles, celebrating the forty years when the people of Isra’el lived in booths, tents, shacks, in the desert between Egypt and the land of Isra’el. The Hebrew word sukkah means booth and sukkot is the plural and means booths. Sukkot is one of the three “pilgrimage festivals” that all able-bodied Jews were expected to celebrate before YHVH in Yerushalayim (Leviticus 23:34; Zechariah 14:16; Second Chronicles 8:13; Matthew 17:4; Mark 9:5; Luke 9:33).

Synagogue: A place of assembly for Jews for hearing the Torah, praying and worshiping God. There were many synagogues throughout Isra’el and the Greco-Roman world (Matthew 4:23; Mark 5:22; Luke 4:16; John 9:22).

Tabernacle: A temporary dwelling, such as the booths constructed during Sukkot. It is also used in the TaNaKh of the tent in which God dwelt among the Jewish people, both in the wilderness and in the land of Isra’el. When the word is used as a verb, it refers to Yeshua coming to dwell among His people (John 1:14), reminding us of the wilderness Tabernacle and also of the Feast of Tabernacles (Exodus 25:9; First Chronicles 6:17; John 1:14 and 7:2).

Talmid (singular) or Talmudim (plural): Student or students.

Talmud: The codified body of Jewish Oral Law; includes literary creations, legends, scriptural interpretations, comprising the Mishnah and the Gemara.

TaNaKh: The Hebrew word TaNaKh is an acronym, based on the letters T for “Torah“, N for “Nevi’im” (Prophets), and K for “Ketuv’im” (Sacred Writings). It is a collection of the teachings of God to human beings in document form. This term is used instead of the phrase, “the Old Testament,” which sounds “old” and outdated.

Torah: Literally, this Hebrew word means teaching or instruction (Exodus 13:9; Isaiah 2:3; Psalm 1:2; Matthew 5:17; Mark 1:22; Luke 24:44; John 7:19; Romans 7:1ff; First Corinthians 9:20-21; Galatians 3:21). It can be used for the five books of Moshe, or more generally to God’s commandments, or the whole TaNaKh (John 10:34). Uncapitalized, torah can be understood generally as a law or principle (Romans 7:21-8:2).

Torah-Teacher: A Torah scribe engaged in interpreting and transmitting the Torah. They wrote Torah scrolls, bills of divorce, and other legal documents. The Hebrew term is sofer.

Tree of Life: The tree at the center of the garden of Eden (Genesis 2:9, 3:24), the source of eternal life. Scripture points to a future in the B’rit Chadashah, with access to the Tree of Life. In the meantime, the Torah is like the Tree of Life to those who embrace her, and blessed will be all who hold firmly to her (Proverbs 3:18 also see Revelation 2:7, 22:2 and 14).

Tzedakah: Is a Hebrew word meaning righteousness, but commonly used to signify an ethical obligation to do what is right, and is commonly used to signify charity.

Tzitzit: A fringe that was put on a garment in accordance with Numbers 15:37-41.

Tziyon: Zion, Mount Zion, was originally the City of David, south of the modern Old City of Yerushalayim. Later the name Tziyon came to refer metaphorically to the Temple Mount, Jerusalem, or the people of Isra’el. The hill now called Mount Tziyon was given its name in the fourth century AD (Isaiah 1:27; Psalm 65:2; Matthew 21:5; John 12:15).

Yeshivah: The Hebrew word yeshivah comes from the word that means sit and it signifies a place for learning Torah. The Greek word schole, which gives us the English word school, means lecture hall. No English word really comes close to the real meaning of yeshivah, but the Yiddish word shul, or school, comes the closest.

Yeshua: The Hebrew name for our Messiah, known in English as Jesus, and is a masculine form, and a word play on yeshu’ah (salvation) (Matthew 1:21; Mark 6:14; Luke 2:21; John 19:19).

Yerushalayim: Jerusalem.

Y’hudah: Judah.

YHVH: The Tetragrammaton, meaning the Name, the four-letter name of God. Therefore, God does not have many names, He has only one name – YHVH (Yud Hay Vav Hay). All the other names in the Bible describe His characteristics and His attributes.

Yisra’el: Isra’el.

Yochanan: John.

Yom ha’Bikkurim: One of several names for The Feast of Firstfruits.

Yom Kippur: The Day of Atonement, the close of the High Holy Days, and considered the holiest day of the year in traditional Judaism.

Ephesians from a Messianic Jewish Perspective

To Sarah, my daughter, who loves the Lord and loves her family. She is training up her girls and my granddaughters in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6).

Ephesians resembles a typical rabbinic drash (discourse). In Chapters 1-3, Sha’ul or Paul (see the commentary on Acts, to see link click Bm – Paul’s First Missionary Journey: Paul is Sha’ul and Sha’ul is Paul), the respected rabbi, gives Torah instruction about who YHVH is and how to relate to Him as individuals and as the collective Body of Messiah. The rest of the letter lays out halakhah (mitzvot governing Jewish life), practical ways to live according to the Torah that Sha’ul has just taught. The first half of the letter has few, if any, direct quotes from the Torah, but there are many concepts from it. In the second half, which deals more with how the community functions with God and one another. Sha’ul includes several important quotations, basing his instructions squarely upon the Torah.

In 2:11-22, Sha’ul cites several problems Gentiles had, mainly because of their spiritual separation from ADONAI, their physical separation from the commonwealth of Isra’el, and their resulting separation from Isra’el’s covenants (see the commentary on Jeremiah Af – The Covenants of the TaNaKh). The verses that follow describe how in Yeshua, the Gentile’s problems are solved. Not only are they brought to God and the Messiah, but they also become fellow citizens with God’s people. Sha’ul reminds believers of this reality, and that this union of Jewish and Gentile believers as equals in the Body of Messiah is accomplished through Yeshua.

Finally, as a member of the people of Isra’el, Sha’ul welcomes the Gentiles into their midst by using familiar Torah language in 2:19. In the Torah, those who are not native-born Israelites are called foreigners and strangers (Hebrew: gerim). But in Ephesians, Sha’ul proclaims that Jewish believers in Yeshua are to consider Gentile believers as brothers and sisters in the faith.¹

Authorship: Twice in this letter Paul/Sha’ul referred to himself by name as the author of the book (1:1 and 3:1). Yet, the Pauline authorship of Ephesians has been greatly disputed in recent years (It sounds to me that some people needed a topic for their doctrinal thesis!). Some critics think that the book reflects aspects of vocabulary, style, and doctrine that differ from Paul’s other writings. Though the book has a close affinity to Colossians (see below), critics claim that Ephesians is uncharacteristic of Sha’ul. They suggest that the book was pseudonymous, that is, written by someone who did not use his own name, but who instead claimed to be Paul. However, pseudonymity was not practiced by the early Church. Also, this book is regarded by many as the crown jewel of all Sha’ul’s writings. Thus, it seems strange that a disciple of Paul would be greater than the apostle in theological and spiritual perception. Furthermore, Ephesians was extensively and indisputably accepted by the early Church as Sha’ul’s letter. Sha’ul mentions that he was a prisoner of Messiah (3:1), a prisoner of the Lord (4:1), and an ambassador in chains (6:20). There is not strong reason for rejecting the Pauline authorship of Ephesians.²

Date and Destination: Paul wrote this letter from prison in Rome in 60 AD (see the commentary on Galatians Ae – Dates of Books in the B’rit Chadashah) to believers whom he had pastored. Because the phrase “who are in Ephesus” is not in many early manuscripts, and because there is no mention of a location, situation or individual believer, many scholars think this letter was encyclical, intended to be circulated among all the churches in Asia Minor (including those in Smyrna, Thyatira, and Sardis, as well as Ephesus). It may be that that letter was first sent to Ephesus and became especially associated with that church.³

Purpose: Though no particular problem is raised in the book, the reason for writing this epistle becomes clear when one considers the contacts the apostle had with the Ephesians. On the return from his third missionary journey (see the commentary on Acts Ce – Paul’s Third Missionary Journey), Sha’ul told to Ephesian elders at Miletus (57 AD) to beware of evil teachers from without and of professing believers within who would teach perverse things (see the commentary on Acts Cj – Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders). From Revelation one can see that the Ephesian church had succeeded in keeping out false teachers, but had failed to maintain the vibrancy of their first love for Messiah (see the commentary on Revelation Az – The Church at Ephesus). This is substantiated in First Timothy 1:5, when Paul wrote from Macedonia to Timothy at Ephesus (64 AD) that the purpose of his instruction was to promote love from a clean heart, from a good conscience and from sincere trust. Thus, the theme of love needed to be stressed for the Ephesians.

This is in harmony with the contents of Ephesians, for the Greek verb for love (agapo) is used 9 times in Ephesians whereas Paul used it only 23 times in all his other letters. Sha’ul used the noun for love (agape) 10 times in Ephesians compared to 65 times in all his other letters. Therefore, of the 107 times Paul used the verb or noun form of love, 19 are in Ephesians. So more than one-sixth of his references to love appear in this small letter to the Ephesians. This letter begins with love (1:4 and 6) and ends with love (6:23-24). Also, Ephesians teaches us that Jewish and Gentile believers are now one in Messiah (see Ba – The Unity of the Body), which is demonstrated by their love for one another. This love can come only from ADONAI. Possibly Sha’ul, realizing that they were beginning to abandon their first love, wrote to encourage them to love both God and each other.⁴

The similarity between Ephesians and Colossians: Ephesians and Colossians are two of the so-called Prison Epistles, written by Paul during his first Roman imprisonment in 60 AD. They were sent by the same messenger (Tychicus) who also carried them to Philemon. They are companion letters, not only because they were written at about the same time, but primarily because Ephesians speaks of the Body of Messiah of which He is the Head, and Colossians presents Him as the Head of the Body. Colossians was written to combat the Colossian heresy, a discussion of which the reader will find in the introduction to that book. In Colossians we find the Person of the Lord Yeshua more clearly presented than in any other of Sha’ul’s letters. The very necessity of defining His Person in view of the heresies about Him, made this imperative. While the Colossian letter was addressed to the local church at that place, the Ephesian letter appears to have been a circular letter sent from church to church.⁵

The Use of the Complete Jewish Bible: Because I am writing this commentary on the book of Second Corinthians from a Jewish perspective, I will be using the Complete Jewish Bible unless otherwise indicated.

The use of ADONAI: Long before Yeshua’s day, the word ADONAI had, out of respect, been substituted in speaking and in reading aloud for God’s personal name, the four Hebrew letters yod-heh-vav-heh, variously written in English as YHVH. The Talmud (Pesachim 50a) made it a requirement not to pronounce the Tetragrammaton, meaning the four-letter name of the LORD, Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey, since the ancient manuscripts do not give any vowel sounds, and this remains the rule in most modern Jewish settings. In deference to this tradition, which is unnecessary but harmless, I will be using ADONAI where YHVH is meant. In ancient times when the scribes were translating the Hebrew Scriptures, they revered the name of YHVH so much that they would use a quill to make one stroke of the name and then throw it away. Then they would make another stroke and throw that quill away until the name was completed. His name became so sacred to them that they started to substitute the phrase the Name, instead of writing or pronouncing His Name. Over centuries of doing this, the actual letters and pronunciation of His Name were lost. The closest we can come is YHVH, with no vowels. The pronunciation has been totally lost. Therefore, the name Yahweh is only a guess of what the original name sounded like. Both ADONAI and Ha’Shem are substitute names for YHVH. ADONAI is more of an affectionate name like daddy, while Ha’Shem is a more formal name like sir. Therefore, Jews, being respectful of the Third Commandment, use these words as replacements. The Talmud explains, “In the Sanctuary, the Name was pronounced as written; but beyond its confines a substitute Name was employed (Tractate Sotah VII.6). God has only one name, YHVH. All His other “names” like ADONAI Elohei-Tzva’ot, ADONAI Elohim, ADONAI Nissi, ADONAI Tzidkenu, and ADONAI-Tzva’ot, merely reflect His attributes.

Contrary to what some religious groups say today, no one can say with confidence how to pronounce God’s Name. The “name” Jehovah, for example, is a made-up word by a Franciscan monk in the dark ages. He took YHVH, and inserted vowels between the known letters to invent a new word: YeHoVaH. Jews never, NEVER, use this made-up word. The last book of the B’rit Chadashah tells us that when Yeshua returns to the earth, He will reveal the Name that no one knew but Himself (Revelation 19:12). It seems best to leave this lost pronunciation unresolved until the Messiah comes.

The use of TaNaKh: The Hebrew word TaNaKh is an acronym, based on the letters T (for “Torah”), N (for “Nevi’im,” the Prophets), and K (for “Ketuvim,” the Sacred Writings). It is the collection of the teachings of God to human beings in document form. The term “Old Covenant” implies that it is no longer valid, or at the very least outdated. Something old, to be either ignored or discarded. But Jesus Himself said: Don’t think I have come to abolish the Torah and the Prophets; I have not come to abolish but to complete (Matthew 5:17 CJB). I will be using the Hebrew acronym TaNaKh instead of the phrase the Old Testament, throughout this devotional commentary.

The Use of the phrase, “the righteous of the TaNaKh,” rather than using Old Testament saints: Messianic synagogues, and the Jewish messianic community in general, never use the phrase Old Testament saints. From a Jewish perspective, they prefer to use the phrase, “righteous of the TaNaKh.” Therefore, I will be using “the righteous of the TaNaKh,” rather than Old Testament saints throughout this devotional commentary.

The Outline of Ephesians

The basis for this outline and commentary is Ephesians by Rabbi Barney Kasdan

Ephesians from a Messianic Jewish Perspective (Ac)

Glossary (Ad)

The Founding of the Church at Ephesus – Acts 18:23-28 (Ae)

God’s Power Displayed in Ephesus – Acts 19:1-22 (Af)

Idol-Makers Start a Riot in Ephesus – Acts 19:23-41 (Ag)

The Church at Ephesus – Revelation 2:1-7 (Ah)

The One New Man Movement – Ephesians 2:15 (Ai)

I. The Doctrinal Section – 1:1 to 3:13 (Aj)

A. The Greeting – 1:1-2 (Ak)

B. The Blessing in Messiah – 1:3-14 (Al)

1. The Provision of Spiritual Blessing in Messiah – 1:3 (Am)

2. The Basis of Spiritual Blessing in Messiah – 1:4-14 (An)

a. Chosen in Messiah – 1:4-6 (Ao)

b. Redeemed in Messiah – 1:7-13a (Ap)

c. Sealed with the Ruach – 1:13b-14 (Aq)

C. The Rabbi’s Prayer for Godly Wisdom – 1:15-23 (Ar)

1. The Request for Godly Wisdom – 1:15-18a (As)

2. The Reason for Godly Wisdom – 1:18b-23 (At)

D. The Amazing Grace of God – 2:1-10 (Au)

1. Salvation from Sin – 2:1-3 (Av)

2. Our New Position in Messiah – 2:4-10 (Aw)

a. Alive in Messiah – 2:4-5 (Ax)

b. Raised in Messiah – 2:6a (Ay)

c. Seated in Messiah – 2:6b-10 (Az)

E. The Unity of the Body – 2:11-22 (Ba)

F. The Mystery of Messiah – 3:1-13 (Bb)

II. The Practical Section – 3:14 to 6:24 (Bc)

A. Rooted and Grounded in Love – 3:14-21 (Bd)

B. Walking Together in Unity – 4:1-6 (Be)

C. The Gifts of Messiah to His Church – 4:7-11 (Bf)

1. Apostles – 4:11a (Bg)

2. Prophets – 4:11b (Bh)

3. Evangelists – 4:11c (Bi)

4. Shepherds and Teachers – 4:11d (Bj)

D. Building Up the Body of Messiah – 4:12-16 (Bk)

E. The Pagan Lifestyle – 4:17-19 (Bl)

F. Messianic Renewal – 4:20-24 (Bm)

G. Principles of New Life – 4:25-32 (Bn)

H. Filled with the Spirit – 5:1-21 (Bo)

1. Walking in Love – 5:1-7 (Bp)

2. Living in Light – 5:8-14 (Bq)

3. Walking in Wisdom – 5:15-17 (Br)

4. Do Not Get Drunk with Wine – 5:18a (Bs)

5. Be Filled with the Ruach – 5:18b-20 (Bt)

6. Submit to One Another – 5:21 (Bu)

I. The Messianic Marriage – 5:22-33 (Bv)

1. The Role and Priorities of the Wife – 5:22-24 (Bw)

2. The Role and Priorities of the Husband – 5:25-33 (Bx)

J. The Responsibilities of Children and Parents – 6:1-4 (By)

K. Bosses and Employees – 6:5-9 (Bz)

L. The Spiritual Battle – 6:10-18 (Ca)

1. The Armor of God – 6:10-13 (Cb)

2. The Belt of Truth – 6:14a (Cc)

3. The Breastplate of Righteousness – 6:14b (Cd)

4. Feet Fitted with the Gospel of Peace – 6:15 (Ce)

5. The Shield of Faith – 6:16 (Cf)

6. The Helmet of Salvation – 6:17a (Cg)

7. The Sword of the Spirit – 6:17b (Ch)

M. Praying at All Times – 6:18 (Ci)

N. Personal Notes from the Rabbi – 6:19-23 (Cj)

Endnotes (Ck)

Bibliography (Cl)

Ephesians, Where Life and the Bible Meet

1. Look at the outline (Ab), and the Introduction (Ac) before starting on the commentary itself.

2. The DIG and REFLECT questions are in bold royal blue and will help to give you a deeper understanding of the book and make it more personal to you. Go slowly and give yourself time to answer these questions. They really strike at the heart of the commentary. What are the DIG questions for? To dig into the Scripture “story.” To find out what’s going on, to figure out the main idea, the plot, the argument, the spiritual principle, and so on. What are the REFLECT questions for? To apply the “story” in the Scripture to your own life; to take personal inventory and to decide what you are going to do about it! Many of the DIG and REFLECT questions are taken from the Serendipity Bible.

3. I would strongly suggest that you look up the references that are given in each section. Many times this will greatly enhance the background, and hence, your understanding of the Scriptures that you are reading on a particular day. Take your time, read only as much as you can digest.

There are times when I refer you to either another file in Isaiah, or a file in another book of the Bible, to give you more detail on a particular person, topic, concept or theology. An example might be something like the Great Sanhedrin (see my commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Lg – The Great Sanhedrin). If you feel you already know enough about the Great Sanhedrin, you can skip the reference and continue reading. But if it interests you, or if you don’t know what the Great Sanhedrin is, you can go to that file and read it first before continuing. It’s your choice. 

4. All Scripture is in bold print. The NIV is used unless indicated otherwise. However, sometimes the purpose of the bold print is merely for emphasizing a certain point. When bold maroon is used, it is for special emphasis. The words of Yeshua are bold in red.

5. When bold teal is used in the text, it is quoted from one of the two Jewish commentaries listed in the bibliography. This will give you the moderate Orthodox Jewish interpretation. It is useful for word studies, but its Christology is obviously entirely wrong. Where rabbinical interpretation is cited, I will add, “The rabbis teach. . .” in front of the passage. Although it is not a Christian interpretation, I think it is interesting to see how the rabbis interpret these passages.

6. Read the Scriptures for a particular day first, then skim the DIG or REFLECT questions, read the commentary and reflect on it; answer the DIG or REFLECT questions, then read your Bible again. Hopefully, it will have greater meaning for you the second time you read it. Then live it out.

7. If you come to a Jewish word or phrase that you don’t understand see the Glossary (see Ad – Glossary).

8. To download a pdf file, click on the red rectangle on the top of any page.

9. You can download anything you want from this devotional commentary for bible study © 2023 but all rights are reserved by Jay David Mack, M.Div and nothing can be sold.