Sunday, December 9, 2012

Ephesians 1:2

Favor to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Ephesians 1:2

Favor to you and peace - Paul confirms the traditional Jewish greeting "Peace"(Shalom) as well as "favor". When these two greetings are applied to everyone at the church of Ephesus, it contradicted the false teachers who were saying that some in the Church did not have peace or favor with God or Christ. They argued that the wrath of God would come on the Gentiles on the Day of Destruction unless they followed the Way of the Flesh.  The false teachers said that only Israel had God's favor since they had been picked to become God's nation, but Paul says that they all have God's favor.

from God our Father - Paul corrects the false teaching that said the Jews and Gentiles had different fathers.

and the Lord Jesus Christ - By declaring that Jesus is Lord of everyone in the Church, Paul corrects the false teachings on Lordship. By declaring that Jesus (a human) is the Christ, Paul corrects the false teaching that the Christ that had come was a spirit.