Bible Overview: Ephesians
Notes
Transcript
Author: Paul
Author: Paul
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:
Date: A.D. 60-62
Date: A.D. 60-62
written while under house arrest in Rome
14 There we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome.
15 And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.
16 And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.
30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.
Recipients: Saints in Ephesus?
Recipients: Saints in Ephesus?
The words “in Ephesus” in v. 1 are missing in many of the best Greek manuscripts
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:
Possible explanations:
This was an open letter from Paul to many different churches, and Ephesus was chosen as the primary destination and added in
This was from Paul to the Ephesians, but also intended to be general enough to be passed on to other churches; since Ephesus was a large city, it could act as a hub for spreading the epistle around to other churches; The fact that Paul includes almost no personal information in this epistle and doesn’t mention any names or details about the Ephesian church seems to indicate that it was not written only for the Ephesian church but as a more general epistle. So perhaps when it was sent on from Ephesus to other churches, they took out the words “in Ephesus” or changed them to the name of the city they were sending it to.
Whether it was written originally to Ephesus or not, it is clear that it is a general letter for the church and has clear teachings and implications that go beyond the situation in Ephesus and apply to every believer (quite different from the Corinthian letters, for example)
Themes & Key Verses
Themes & Key Verses
Spiritual blessings in Christ (chapters 1-3)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
God chose us for salvation in Christ
God predestined us for adoption into his family
God redeemed us and forgave us through the blood of Christ
God gave us his lavish grace
God has given us an inheritance
God has given us the Holy Spirit as the guarantee
God has united Jews and Gentiles into one body
God has given us new spiritual life and saved us by grace through faith
God has prepared good works for us to do
God has given us peace with himself and with others
All of this for His glory and our good
7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Prayer
Paul’s two Prayers: 1:15-23 & 3:14-21
16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,
21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Teaching on Prayer at the end of the Armor of God: 6:18-20
18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
Unity in the Body
Actual unity has already been accomplished through the work of Christ - Jew and Gentile believers are one in Christ, no longer distinct and separate.
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility
15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,
Practical unity is being accomplished by focusing on the Gospel truths and living in light of them - in humility, gentleness, love, and patience.
1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Practical Wisdom for the Christian Life
Spiritual gifts for the growth of the Body
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,
12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
New lifestyle because of the reality of the new birth (4:17-24) - uses imagery of clothing, putting off, putting on
Practical matters of honesty, dealing with anger, not stealing, kind speech, forgiveness, love, purity, dealing with unbelievers, making wise decisions, thankfulness, relationships with believers (4:25-5:21)
32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Family and Interpersonal relationships: Wives & Husbands, Children & Parents, Servants & Masters
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
5 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,
9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.
The Armor of God: fighting the fight of faith (6:10-20)
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
Whole armor
belt of truth
breastplate of righteousness
shoes of readiness/preparation of the gospel of peace
shield of faith
helmet of salvation
sword of the Spirit (the Word of God)
praying at all times (always depending on God, not ourselves)
Application
Application
The truth what God has done for us in Christ has clear applications to our everyday lives; the Gospel changes everything.
The truths of the gospel (what God has done for us in Christ) have clear applications to our everyday lives; the Gospel changes everything — the decisions that we make, the way we interact with and treat other people both inside and outside the church, our marriage and family relationships, and even spiritual warfare.
