Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A book of the New Testament: "Epistle to the Ephesians" is a book in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, structured as a letter.
   • A Pauline epistle: It is a letter traditionally attributed to the Apostle Paul, addressed to the Christian community in Ephesus.
   • A theological treatise: The text explains the divine plan for salvation and the cosmic role of Jesus Christ in uniting all things.

Examples of Usage

• Proper noun:
  • The pastor's sermon was based on a passage from the Epistle to the Ephesians.
  • Scholars often compare the theology in the Epistle to the Ephesians with that in the Epistle to the Colossians.

Advanced Usage

• "the theology of Ephesians": Refers to the specific doctrinal concepts and themes developed within this book.

  • Her thesis focuses on the concept of the church in the theology of Ephesians.

• "an Ephesian perspective": A viewpoint or interpretation derived from this epistle.

  • He argued from an Ephesian perspective that unity in Christ transcends all earthly divisions.

Variants and Related Words

• Ephesians: A common shortened form of the title.

  • We are studying the book of Ephesians this month.

• Pauline epistles: The collective term for the New Testament letters attributed to Paul, which includes Ephesians.

  • The Pauline epistles form a major part of the New Testament canon.

Synonyms

• Letter to the Ephesians: An alternative phrasing for the title.
• The Ephesian letter: A less common variant.

Related Phrases

• In Ephesian terms: Expressing something using the concepts or language found in this epistle.
  • We can describe the church's purpose in Ephesian terms as a holy temple.

Related Idioms

• To have an Ephesian moment: This is a modern, non-standard idiom sometimes used in religious contexts to describe a moment of profound understanding regarding unity or God's overarching plan, alluding to themes from the epistle.
  • Reading that passage, I had a real Ephesian moment about how we are all connected.

Noun

1. a New Testament book containing the epistle from Saint Paul to the Ephesians which explains the divine plan for the world and the consummation of this in Christ