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Paul’s Epistle to the Laodiceans

April 3, 2006

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Dear Friends

Of this much we are sure, Paul wrote a letter to be read by the brethren in Laodicea. In chapter 4 of his letter to the brethren of Colosse, Paul writes “Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house. When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part read my letter that is coming from Laodicea.” (v. 15-16 NASB) The part that we are not so sure about is what happened to the letter. Let me suggest to you a solution to this riddle.

I believe we still have Paul’s letter to the Laodiceans but we call it the book of Ephesians. Let us look at the evidence for such an assertion.

First, as we have quoted above, Paul tells the Colossian brethren to read the Laodicean’s letter and vice versa. Interestingly, there are arguably no two books in the New Testament that are more closely aligned than Ephesians and Colossians. They share no less than 40 verses that are almost verbatim. This fact alone would cause us to be suspicious that the book of Ephesians is really the book of the Laodiceans, but it does not stop there.

The most compelling evidence that the book of Ephesians is actually to the brethren in Ephesus is found in the first verse of the book. It reads “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus.” This should end the debate, but it does not. Most good Bible commentaries will make some note to the effect that the words “at Ephesus” do not occur in many of the oldest manuscripts. In some manuscripts where it does occur, it appears to have been added at a later date.

The last and perhaps most compelling piece of evidence is the tone of the letter. We need to remember that Paul spent well over two years living in Ephesus. On his way to Jerusalem, Paul calls the elders from Ephesus over to Miletus to see him. Acts 20 records the very moving scene. “When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And they began to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him, grieving especially over the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again.” (v. 36-38) It is obvious that there is a great emotional bond between Paul and the brethren in Ephesus.

This being the case, why is the epistle we called Ephesians perhaps Paul’s most impersonal letter. In fact, there are occasions where Paul doesn’t seem to even know them. Notice the following verses and see if these sound like someone who has an intimate relationship with the people to whom he is writing. “For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints.” (1:15) “For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you.” (3:1, 2 Also see 4:21) Add to this the fact that Paul often ends his epistles with personal greetings. Even to the ecclesia at Rome where he had not yet visited, Paul fills the sixteenth chapter with personal greetings and comments. Why would he omit personal greetings to the Ephesians with which he was most intimate if, in fact, this letter was written to them?

So if this letter was to the Laodiceans, we need to ask the all important question that must be attached to such studies—“so what?” Considering this letter is one of Paul’s prison epistles (see 3:1), that puts the date of its writing at 60-62 AD. Assuming the late date of the writing of the Revelation to be about 96 AD, this means that in a little over thirty years, Laodicea digressed from an ecclesia worthy to receive one of the Bible’s most spiritual letters to one in a state described as “wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.” (Rev. 3:17) It stands as a powerful warning to us all—especially those of us in North America. What happened to this once spiritual ecclesia? The book of Revelation tells us. They said to themselves “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing.” The brethren were about to have their ecclesial lampstand extinguished because of prosperity and the resulting spiritual complacency.

“Be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door.” (Rev. 3:19-20)

Have a great week!

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