[4] Ignatius opens his letter by praising the Ephesians and highly commends Onesimus, stating: I received, therefore, your whole multitude in the name of God, through Onesimus, a man of inexpressible love, and your bishop in the flesh, whom I pray you by Jesus Christ to love, and that you would all seek to be like him.
... And indeed Onesimus himself greatly commends your good order in God, that ye all live according to the truth, and that no sect has any dwelling-place among you.
Ignatius advises the Ephesians that they should revere and obey their bishop as they would Christ himself For we ought to receive every one whom the Master of the house sends to be over His household, as we would do Him that sent him.
Ignatius references a tradition which is either not explicitly mentioned in the canonical gospel texts or is expanded on here: Now the virginity of Mary was hidden from the prince of this world, as was also her offspring, and the death of the Lord; three mysteries of renown, which were wrought in silence by God.
Hence every kind of magic was destroyed, and every bond of wickedness disappeared; ignorance was removed, and the old kingdom abolished, God Himself being manifested in human form for the renewal of eternal life.This story of a spectacular celestial light bears some similarities to the nativity story found in the Gospel of Matthew.