Wednesday, Mar 13 | Ephesians 1:15-23 | Hayden Walker
In this section, Paul explains to the believers in Ephesus how is praying for them. We could spend much time going over this portion, but I’d like to focus on the end of the passage.
In ancient cultures, it was customary for rulers to have statues built of themselves to place throughout their empires. These images were intended to demonstrate the power of the ruler and citizens were often forced to worship them. Perhaps you remember Nebuchadnezzar building a golden statue in Daniel chapter three. The refusal to worship the image landed Daniel’s three friends in a fiery furnace. This practice of statue building and worship continued into the Greco-Roman world.
In AD 98, Trajan became the Roman emperor. An imposing statue was constructed right in the middle of Ephesus in his honor. The portion of this statue that can be seen in Ephesus today is his large foot. Under Trajan’s foot is an orb, representing the world. This was meant to demonstrate that everything in the whole world was under the authority of the emperor. It is a declaration of sovereignty, deity, and power.
As Christians saw this imposing statue being assembled, surely they were reminded of the words of Paul in Ephesians 1:22 which had been written only a few decades prior. The world was not under Trajan’s feet, not under Rome’s feet, but under Christ’s feet. The risen Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father, and all authority in heaven and on earth truly has been given to Him. All things are under his jurisdiction.
You may feel today that your world is spinning out of control. Your present situation, or situations around the world may tempt you to believe that God has forgotten about us. He has not forgotten, nor is He impotent. Jesus is in control. Your world, in fact, the whole world, is under His watchful care.
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