Ephesians
PDF Notes
PDF Slides
(click to view, right-click to download)
Background - the City of Ephesus
Ephesus was a very influential city in the Roman Empire
- Politically - the provincial capital of the senatorial province of Asia (Asia Minor; Acts 19:38 NASB95)
- Commercially - largest trading center in western Asia Minor
- Religiously - worship of Artemis (Acts 19:28 NASB95); the presence of the occult
This may explain some of what Paul writes in Ephesians as he talks about the power of God “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (6:12).
- Strategic Location - because of these influences, Ephesus was a place where ideas could be easily spread among various peoples. There was a great deal of opportunity for the gospel to spread out of this city into surrounding region with the presence of economic import and export.
Situation
- Paul first came to Ephesus on his second missionary journey (Acts 18:18–21 NASB95), c. AD 52.
- He returned on his third missionary journey and stayed about three years (Acts 19:1–10 NASB95), c. AD 53–56.
- During this time Ephesus was Paul’s base for Gospel work in the surrounding region
Author and Audience and Date
- We accept without question the plain testimony of Scripture that Paul wrote this letter
- It is possible this letter was “circular” - that Paul meant it to be shared around from Ephesus to surrounding churches
- One of the 4 “Prison Epistles” written while under house arrest in Rome, awaiting trial at the tribunal of Nero Caesar
- The others are Philippians, Colossians and Philemon
- written after Colossians, c. AD 62
- Similar to Colossians, but not addressing any urgent problems, like the proto-gnostic heresies. More general, which lends credence to the theory that is was encyclical (intended to be circulated around to various churches)
Outline
- Chapters 1-3 - Orthodoxy - Right Belief
“THEREFORE” 4.1 - Chapters 4-6 - Orthopraxy - Right Practice
or
- Chapters 1-3 - Being - New Nature
“THEREFORE” 4.1 - Chapters 4-6 - Doing - New Behavior
or
- Chapters 1-3 - Knowing - Who I am
“THEREFORE” 4.1 - Chapters 4-6 - Walking - How I live
or
- Chapters 1-3 - New Creation - I am alive in Christ
“THEREFORE” 4.1 - Chapters 4-6 - New Life - Christ is alive in me
Themes
Knowing Who we are in Christ
2 prayers
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe… (1:17-19)
that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. (3:16-19)
Walking in Newness of Life
we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. (2:10)
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called… (4:1)
So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind… (4:17)
walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, (5:2)
you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (5:8)
be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise (5:15)
The Unity of Church
But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, (2:13-15)
that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, (3:6)
being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. (4:3-6)
Love
The word “love” occurs more than in any other New Testament book, except 1 Corinthians and 1 John.
God’s love for us
In love He predestined us to adoption (1:4-5)
God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, (2:4)
Our love for one another
speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. (4:15-16)
Highlights
You are God’s poem
αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν ΠΟΙΗΜΑ,
κτισθέντες ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐπὶ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς
οἷς προητοίμασεν ὁ θεὸς,
ἵνα ἐν αὐτοῖς περιπατήσωμεν.
For we are His workmanship (poem),
created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand
so that we would walk in them. (2:10)
Five-fold gifts
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. (4:11-13)
The Other letter to Ephesus
To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: ‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; (Rev. 2:1-2 NASB95)
Paul to the Ephesian elders
“I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. (Acts 20:29-30 NASB95)
Spiritual Warfare
Resurrection Song - 5.12
ΕΓΕΙΡΕ Ο ΚΑΘΕΥΔΩΝ
ΚΑΙ ΑΝΑΣΤΑ ΕΚ ΤΩΝ ΝΕΚΡΩΝ
ΚΑΙ ΕΠΙΦΑΥΣΕΙ ΣΟΙ Ο ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ
Awake, O sleeper
and rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.
Assignment
Preparing
- Read Ephesians
- Read chapter 13 of Introducing the New Testament (Ephesians)
- Watch The Bible Project Ephesians below
Identity and Inheritance
Carefully read through the first 2 chapters of Ephesians, and identify WHO YOU ARE and WHAT YOU HAVE in Christ.
1.3 - I am
1.4 - I am
1.4 - I am
1.4 - I am
1.5 - I am
1.7 - I have
1.7 - I have
1.11 - I have
1.11 - I am
1.13 - I am
2.5 - I am
2.6 - I am
2.6 - I am
2.10 - I am
2.13 - I am
2.18 - I have
2.19 - I am
2.19 - I am
2.22 - I am
Prayer
Now pray the prayer of 1.17-19 over yourself and others
