St. Paul=s letter to the Ephesians

 

B.  The Christians Position Corporately                                                       2:11-3:13

1.  Reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles                                2:11-22

 

11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh B who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands B 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

 

Gentiles were once outside of the faith and without hope for they were Awithout God in the world.@  The Gentiles of today are the unbelievers.

 

Because the former Gentiles of Ephesus knew Christ in faith, what did they have?

 

 

 

If the unbelievers of today come to also know Christ in faith what, then do they have?

 

 

 

What does this say of the importance of evangelism and sharing the Gospel?

 

 

 

 

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

 

Once where they were outsides, outcasts, and without hope, Christ brings them into the fold and gives them eternal hope.

 

 

14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

 

It may seem to be a simple question, but Christ died for whom?  Just the Jews?  Just the Gentiles?

 

 

 


19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

 

Are there any second-class citizens among the faithful?

 

 

 

What then is the significance of verse 20?

 

 

 

2.  Revelation of the Mystery of the Church           3:1-13

 

a.  Paul=s Stewardship                                                          3:3-7

 

3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles -- 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.

 

What is like to be a prisoner?

 

 

 

 

What was Paul=s attitude in comparison?

 

 

 

 

How were we once prisoners? (See Romans 6)

 

 

 

 

What is a Amystery?@

 

 

 


A mystery (from the Greek  mustherion) is the content of that which has not been known before but which has been revealed to an in-group or restricted constituency - secret, mystery. 'The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you' (Mt 13:11). There is a serious problem involved in translating mustherion by a word which is equivalent to the English expression 'mystery,' for this term in English refers to a secret which people have tried to uncover but which they have failed to understand. In many instances mustherion is translated by a phrase meaning 'that which was not known before,' with the implication of its being revealed at least to some persons.

 

What was this >mystery?=

 

 

 

 

b.  The Eternal Purpose                                                         3:8-13

 

8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ4, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages1 has been hidden in God3 who created all things through Jesus Christ2; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church5 to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places6, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him7. 13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

 

Paul=s argument outlining the eternal purpose:

 

1) The divine purpose goes back to eternity. (v.9)

2) It was formed in Jesus Christ.  (v. 9)

3) It was hidden in ages past, but nonetheless there. (v. 9)

4) It is revealed to all men through the preaching of the Gospel. (v. 9)

5) God established the New Testament Church.  (v. 10)

6) This in turn is used to reveal even to the angels the wisdom of God in the eternal purpose. (vs.10,11)

7) This puts us believers into possession of a wonderful earthly communion with our heavenly Father.   (v.12)

 

And all of this was and is accomplished through Whom?  To what end?

 

 

 

So if God has a purpose in all that He does, how do we react to trial and tribulation  (our own and other=s)?

 

 

 

IV.  Prayer for Realization                                                                                                                            3:14-21

A.  Prayer Concluded                                                             (3:15-19)                                 3:14-19

 

14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height -- 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

 


Notice the threefold prayer - (1) strength of the Spirit, (2) the indwelling of Christ, (3) and the fullness of God.

 

Who are Aall the saints?@

 

 

 

Can we fully comprehend what Christ has done for us?

 

 

 

Is Paul=s prayer one of boldness or one that asks for but a few crumbs?

 

 

 

 

B.  Doxology                                                                                                                                                  3:20-21

 

20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

Part Two: The Practice of the Christian (4:1B6:24)

 

I.  Unity in the Church                                                                                                           4:1B16

 

A.  Exhortation to Unity                                                                                 4:1B3

 

4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness [humility] and gentleness, with longsuffering [patience], bearing [being patient] with one another in [with] love, 3 endeavoring [make every effort] to keep [under guard] the unity [believing in one and the same way] of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

 

What is true unity?  (See also I Corinthians 1:10-25)

 

The unity of the Spirit is maintained as the members of the body function together harmoniously for the well-being of the whole.

 

 

Is it alright for Christians to disagree? (See Acts 15:37 ff)

 

 

 

 


B.  Explanation of Unity                                                                                4:4B6

 

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

 

Nice Trinitarian formula, but isn=t it usually Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and not Spirit, Son (Lord), and Father?

 

 

 

 

How are the Body and Spirit related?  (Your answer will depend on what Paul means by Abody@.)

 

 

 

 

Why is Lord linked with baptism and faith? (Again see Romans 6)

 

 

 

 

What does Aall@ mean?

 

 

 

It is apparent that the Holy Spirit is the one Who brings about this unity, what do we do to disrupt this harmony?

 

 

 

C.  Means for Unity: The Gifts                                                         4:7B11

 

7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore He says: AWhen He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.@ 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

 

Why this order - apostles,  prophets,  evangelists, and pastors and teachers? (See also I Corinthians 12:4 ff.)

 

 

 

 

 9 (Now this, AHe ascended@ -- what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

 

 


D.  Purpose of the Gifts                                                                                 4:12B16

 

12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

 

Why did Christ institute the public ministry?

 

 

 

Is the pastor and the other teaching offices of the church the only ones who are to do the work of the church?

 

 

 

14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,

 

What happens if people don=t grow spiritually?

 

 

 

 

15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head -- Christ -- 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

 

Are we ever excused from speaking the Truth of God=s Word?

 

 

 

 

How are we then to approach false doctrine/teachings?