opening verse. There is the second fact that all manuscripts, so far as known to us, without any exception have had this express note of destination in the inscription at one time or other. There is the third fact that the description of the intended readers as the saints in Ephesus is found in all the ancient Versions. And in addition to this we have the fact that everywhere the title of the Epistle bears that it is addressed to the Ephesians. These things make their impression. They are taken by so high an authority as Meyer to mean that the en- tire ancient Church (Marcion being discounted), from the Muratorian Canon (somewhere about Α.Ρ. 180), Irenzeus, Clement of Alexandria and Tertullian, held the Epistle to be addressed to the Ephesians.
The argument from historical testimony in favour of the retention of “in Ephesus” in the inscription is also supported by such con- siderations as these—that in the Epistles generally acknowledged to be by Paul the readers in view are definitely designated, even when the Apostle is not writing to the Christians of a single Church or city (Gal. i. 2; 1 Cor. i. 1; 2 Cor. i, 1); that if ἐν Ἐφέσῳ is omitted, the letter becomes a circular letter “ without any limitation whatever of locality or nationality,” as Meyer puts it, and that this does not fit in either with the declared mission of Tychicus (vi. 21), or with what is said in such passages as i. 15, ii. 11, iii. 1, iv. 17, etc. It is further urged that in every other case in which Paul makes use of the phrase τοῖς οὖσιν in an inscription, he attaches to it the name of the city or territory to which the readers belong (as in Rom., Cor., Phil.), and that without ἐν Ἐφέσῳ the τοῖς οὖσιν does not admit of a sense that is adequate or even natural. It may be added that some think there is an allusion to the world-famed temple of Diana at Ephesus in chap. ii. It is also strongly argued that it is incredible that no letter should have been addressed by Paul to a Church like this with which he had so many intimate connections, and which was of such importance in the fulfilment of his mission. The case as thus stated seems well-nigh concluded.
But there is another side to it. The arguments last mentioned are obviously of the most precarious kind. There are other Churches with which Paul had very close connections, but which have no letter specifically addressed to them among all the Pauline writings that have come down to us. If there is an allusion to any particular temple in chap. ii. it might be that of Jerusalem rather than that of Ephesus. The phrase τοῖς οὖσιν may be construed satisfactorily, as we shall see (cf. Notes on i. 1), even if ἐν Ἐφέσῳ is omitted. The letter may be a circular letter of another kind than that supposed by Meyer to be indicated by the contents. And there may be a