The Apostle To The Gentiles
THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES
EPHESIANS 1:1-2
Paul introduces himself and greets the “saints.”
In 1:1, Paul introduces himself as an apostle, a word that comes from the Jewish and Christian concept of an ambassador who speaks and acts with the authority of the one who commissioned him. Paul was commissioned by God to represent Jesus Christ. Like those who were apostles before him, he has seen the risen Lord (Galatians 1:16; 1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:8) and has received a specific appointment to go to the Gentiles (Galatians 1:15f.; 2:7-9). As the “apostle to the Gentiles” and having Christ’s authority, he does not hesitate to instruct people with whom he has had no previous contact.
It is generally agreed by textual critics that the words “in Ephesus” in 1:1 are not original. They were added to later manuscripts by someone who failed to see that this letter was written to people Paul did not know (see 1:15; 3:2; 4:21) and could not have been addressed to the community that Paul founded in Ephesus. The absence of a specific place name gives to the letter a universal quality. What Paul has to say has relevance to all the people of God who show loyalty to Jesus Christ. The apostle prays that they may experience the unfailing grace and dynamic peace of God, which is able to sustain them in the turmoil and tension of life. Already in the greeting of the letter, Paul points to the resources that encourage growth toward maturity in the individual and in the church.