Day 65: To Ephesus and Beyond

One thing you might notice about the letter to the Ephesians right away is that, unlike Galatians and both of the letters to Corinth, Paul has almost nothing personal or specific to say to the church at Ephesus.  That has led some people to speculate that this short letter really was not written to the Ephesians, but was a letter more generally circulated to all of the churches.  It has led others to speculate that Paul did not actually write it, but instead one of his disciples.  (It would not have been a terrible thing in those days to write a letter "in the name of" one of your teachers.)

So this letter doesn't have juicy details about the sins of the Ephesians, or greetings to individuals that we want to know more about, except Tychicuscxzgt  (Darn.)  But it does have (and you'll just have to trust me on this) those really really long sentences that Paul is famous for (you can tell this especially if you read the original Greek).  I believe the first 15 verses of chapter one are one long sentences.  It also have a wide, expansive vision of God's mission in Christ:  at the end of time, God will bring all things together in Christ, things on heaven, and things on earth.  ALL THINGS.  This is one of the places where Christian universalists get their universal hope.

So Ephesians has this expansive vision of a God who is in the reconciliation business, and this is not just about reconciling individual souls with Jesus, but reconciling strangers and sojourners, Jews and Greeks, lions and lambs, all of creation.  In Ephesians you get the impression that our individual salvation is just a teeny weeny part of a huge plan.

But teeny though we are, we are each a part of something huge:  God's plans for the re-creation of the whole universe.  The doxology at the end of chapter three gives glory to God for just this reason:  because God is doing great things through us and in us, greater than we could even ask for or imagine.

Ephesians is, in a way, like Romans.  It's a miniature theology, only six chapters long.  But Ephesians has more a missionary flavor to it, which might be why, when I was a missionary, I sort of gravitated to Ephesians.   In Romans, we have "peace through God."  In Ephesians, we have the peace that reconciles us not only to God, but the peace that reconciles us to one another.  "He is our peace, because he has broken down the wall of hostility that divides us."

So Ephesians is.... cosmic.  But, at some point, even in this cosmic letter, Paul will get down to earth.

Day 20: The Twelve and the Seventy-Two, Sent Out, Two Familiar Stories

At the beginning of chapter 9, the twelve disciples are commissioned and sent out with the power to heal and preach.  At the beginning of the next chapter, 72 disciples (missionaries) are sent out with the power to heal and preach, and with instructions.  I never noticed this before:  the multiplication of ministry in one short chapter. 

And it continues even today.

What else do I notice in these two chapters, which have more than enough material that seems familiar?  There are certain details that are unique to Luke, even in the middle of familiar stories.  There are also stories that only Luke will tell.

For example, Luke reports that Jesus had gone away to pray when the disciples find him, and he asks the well-known question, "Who do the crowds say that I am?  Who do you say that I am?" 

Shortly afterwards, Jesus begins to predict his death and resurrection, and also to urge the people that want to follow him to "take up their cross daily and follow me."  Only Luke adds the little word "daily" to this sentence.  Do you think this little word is important?

In the transfiguration story, while Jesus is talking to Moses and Elijah, they are talking with him about the things that would happen when Jesus goes to Jerusalem.  Clearly, the trip to Jerusalem, and what will happen there, are important to Luke.

Jesus "sets his face toward Jerusalem", and we begin to see that there are people who say they will follow him, but aren't ready to give up the life that they already have.  It is a sobering thought.

After Jesus "multiplies the ministry" with the 72 missionaries (who are stunningly successful, by the way), there are two stories unique to Luke:  the story of the lawyer who wants to test Jesus' knowledge becomes the parable of the Good Samaritan, one of the most familiar stories in scripture.  Immediately following, is the story of Mary and Martha.  (Notice how Luke again tells a story that features men, followed by a story that features women.)

I'm remembering that Jesus told the lawyer that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength -- and your neighbor as yourself.  Some people wonder if the two stories taken together illustrate both those commandments.  What do you think?

As we go along, pay attention to details, if you can:  even if is only the word "daily," or the presence of two women, or Jesus going away to pray.  It's not just the devil that may be in the details; sometimes the gospel is there, too.