Wednesday 27 May 2009

Background

This is the second half of the apostle Paul's farewell speech to the Ephesian Church leaders. In encouragingtheir careful attention to themselves and the congregation helikens them to the shepherds of a flock. The same idea is foundin 1 Peter5:2-3 and draws on a frequent Old Testament picture ofGod's people (see, for example,Isaiah40:11 and Micah 5:4).

Another picture from a different setting in life, familiar to theoriginal readers but not to us, is being drawn upon in verse 28.The idea of God obtaining the Church with the blood of God's ownSon refers to something far more significant than a normal retailpurchase, being based on what was called the 'redemption' of aslave - the buying of his or her freedom. Here it is a group ofpeople, the 'church of God', who have been freed from slaverythrough Christ's death.

Whilst that applies to the whole Church, it is the particular localchurch in Ephesus that is here in view as the beneficiary of theCross. The universal Church is present within each local churchfellowship, a principle which the Methodist Church cherishes inspeaking of the Church and the local churches as a'connexion'.

In extending the flock metaphor to a warning about the wolves thatthreaten it, who come both from outside and emerge from within theChurch, Paul is clearly drawing on the extended development of thisidea through Ezekiel chapter34.

Verse 31 contains the second reference in this speech (compareverse 19) to Paul's tears as evidence of the emotional concern withwhich he carried through his ministry in Ephesus. We may think ofPaul as a great (or even obscure!) theologian and thinker, but thisdid not mean that he was an unfeeling person - indeed his lettersoften show a deeply heartfelt concern for people's welfare.

At Ephesus and elsewhere (compare, for example, 2 Thessalonians3:7-10) he worked for his living rather than be a burden topeople who had little to spare. His trade was leather-working (Acts 18:3). Onlyhere in verse 34 do we learn that he also in this way supported hiscolleagues in ministry. He sees this behaviour as an example toothers, illustrating one of very few sayings of Jesus not knownfrom the Gospels - "It is more blessed to give than toreceive".

To Ponder

Should key church workers today be supported bythe church members, or should they all earn a living and ministerin the time left to them?

What alternative pictures of the relationshipbetween churchgoers and their leaders might be more helpful inurban life than that of flock and shepherds?

If Paul were today 'warning everyone with tears'(verse 31), what might his subject be when he came to you?