A verse-by-verse discussion guide
INTRODUCING PAUL
Here is the life of Paul, year by year
5 AD: Paul is born when Jesus was around ten years old.
33 – Jesus dies and rises
35- Paul is converted, Acts 9; Commissioned by God, Acts 26:13-18.
(significance: Jesus sent him, so he is called an apostle)
Paul goes alone to desert: Galatians 1:17, 2 Corinthians 12:1-3
(significance: his visions prepared him for difficulties)
38- Paul checks in with Peter and James. Gal. 1:18-24, Acts 9:27
(significance: Paul did not “make up” Christianity; disciples
approved him and his teaching)
Paul goes to his hometown, Tarsus. Acts 9:30
Paul then travels to various places for the next 8 years.
–
46- Barnabas brings Paul from Tarsus to Antioch. Acts 11:25.
First Journey, “sent out” from Antioch by Holy Spirit. Acts 13:1-3
(Significance” This is the institutional sending that gives him the
title “apostle.”)
50- Conference in Jerusalem. Galatians 2:1; Acts 15:2;
(Significance: you can be a Christian without being a Jew first)
Second journey. Acts 16
53- Third journey includes brief stop in Ephesus Acts 18:19
Then two years of teaching in Ephesus. Acts 19:8-10
(Significance: The Ephesians knew the basics so Paul did not have to repeat them in the epistle, like he did in Romans)
–
57- Paul speaks to leaders on his way to Jerusalem: Acts 20:17-38
Paul is arrested in Jerusalem. Acts 21:33
58- Paul’s Court appearances. Acts 23-26
59 – Paul’s trip to Rome, including the shipwreck
60- Paul while under house arrest in Rome writes to Ephesians.
Book of Acts ends.
After being released, Paul has further journeys and writings.
68- beheaded in Rome
70- Romans destroy the temple and expel Jews from Jerusalem.
EPHESIANS CHAPTER ONE includes:
1. Greetings
2. Praising God for the status He has placed us in.
3. A Prayer for understanding this status
PART ONE. GREETINGS
Verse 1. Paul and his connection to Ephesus:
The two years of teaching: Acts 19:9-10
Paul’s heartfelt words to the leaders: Acts 20:17-38
Called “Apostle” by the will of God.
Apostle means one who is sent out to represent another.
| (apo means “out from,” stl is condensation for Gk. “send.” Sent by the will of God: Acts 26:13-18 The human sending: Acts 13:2-3. |
Saints. Literally, “those who have been set apart for God.”
| It is a French word, shortened from Latin “sanctified.” The equivalent English word is “holy.”God’s OT people are called holy in Exodus 19:4-6.The term is applied to us NT people in 1 Peter 2:9-10.ALL believers are “set apart for God” so can be called “saints.” |
Verse 2. Grace and Peace.
Grace means “Goodness that goes from stronger to weaker.”
Paul defines it further by comparisons: “it is a gift of God,” NOT “by works.”
| Compare mercy and grace: Grace=God gives you the good that you don’t deserve;While mercy = God refrains from giving you the punishment you deserve |
Peace. From Hebrew Shalom = health, prosperity, wholeness
PART TWO. A PRAYER OF WORSHIP FOR WHAT GOD HAS DONE
Verse 3: Blessed be …When addressed to God, it is a term of praise.
| Paul follows the general outline of the main prayer in Jewish worship: “Praise be to you, Lord, our God and the God of our fathers, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”Paul replaces “Abraham” with “Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”In this way he identifies us as the continuation of God’s people. |
spiritual blessings. Name some, contrasted with material blessings
These spiritual blessings are “in the heavenlies.”
| What are “the heavenlies” or “heavenly places” Eph 1:20. Christ is at God’s right hand in the “heavenly places.”Eph 6:12. We don’t wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, the authorities, and the COSMIC POWERS and the SPIRITUAL FORCES OF EVIL in the Heavenly places.How would you define “heavenly places.” (ie, we cannot see the blessings but believe them. |
4. Chosen “in Him.” (Those “in Jesus” share the guiltlessness of Jesus.) Like the vine: John 15:5. Applies to us: John 17:21-22.
5. Predestined by God’s will for Adoption.
literally: “adoption as sons.” Galatians 4:4-5
We are Children of God…. 1 John 3:1-3
6. To show forth God’s grace (steadfast love)
Blessed in The Beloved. (voice at baptism: Matt 3:17; Is 42:1)
7. Redemption (ransom: Mark 10:45; 1 Cor 6:20)
Forgiveness of trespasses by grace (going where you are not to go)
8-10. Insight into the mystery of unity in Christ. John 17:20-23.
11. The Predestined inheritance. (literally, it was God’s will for us through Christ to have a share in this salvation that Christ brought about).
12. Purpose of life: praise (display) God’s glory (greatness)
| Literally “that we might EXIST to show how great God is.”Jesus said “let light shine to show how great God is” Matt 5:16.Just like the rest of creation shows God’s greatness: Psalm 19:1 |
13 & 14. The seal (guarantee) of the Spirit.
PART THREE. THE PRAYER FOR INSIGHT
15 & 16. Praying for believers.
17. Wisdom
Revelation about God (through His Word)
18. Knowing Hope
Receive Inheritance
19. Power for us
20. Christ raised and seated at God’s right hand (unseen)
21 & 22a. Above all other authorities (including evil spirits)
This age and the age to come
22b & 23. The church as body, with Christ as head.
EPHESIANS CHAPTER TWO includes:
1. The predicament: people are far from God
2. The solution: we are brought near by Christ’s death on the cross
ONE. THE PREDICAMENT. Quotes are from English Standard Version:
1And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—3among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
HOW CAN UNDERSTANDING THE SINS OF NON-CHRISTIANS BECOME RELEVANT TO US WHO ARE ALREADY CHRISTIANS? It serves two purposes for us:
1. It makes us desire to pray that the lost will be saved.
2. It gives us insight into our old nature WHICH WE STILL HAVE.
| HERE ARE SCRIPTURES ABOUT THE BATTLE OF OLD AND NEW NATURES GOING ON IN OUR LIVES: Galatians 5:17 describes the two natures Romans 7:23 Describes Paul’s experience of the strkuggle between the two. Paul tells us what to do in verses 22 through 24 here: Ephesians 4 Luther shows how to put this concept into our daily prayers here. Read the fourth question and answer at this link: What baptism means for daily life |
HERE IS OUR PREDICAMENT, CONCEPT BY CONCEPT:
Verse 1: you were dead in trespasses and sins
How do you differentiate Trespasses from Sins?
What is meant by Dead?
| In what way can a breathing person be called dead? The following verses clarify “spiritual death.”Paul’s experience in Romans 7:7-11. (Sin killed me)Applied to daily struggle between flesh and spirit: Romans 8:5-7Wages of Sin. Romans 6:23. Therefore we can look at these “wages” not just as something to be paid out at judgement day, but as wages that we exprience every day when our “old nature” |
.Verse 2: (trespasses and sins) in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience
John describers here what is meant by World: 1 John 2:15-17
The Prince is described here: John 12:31, 1 Peter 5:8
Sons of …. ? is a middle-eastern phrase still common today, that means “exemplifying something…”, “being a poster child for…”
.Verse 3: we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Passions and desires. Body=flesh. Mind=the human understanding.
Children of … (same middle-eastern phrase as “sons of…”)
.Verses 11 to 12: 11Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
“the circmcision” means the Jews; Gentiles is an umbrella term for non-Jews. (the Greek word is ethne, so we can understand this as meaning every ethnic group. The word “gentile” is from the Latin word that means “nation.”)
Our predicament as non-Jews meant we are separated from:
1.Christ
2. Israel (people of God)
3. Covenants
4. hope
5. personal God
.
TWO. THE SOLUTION
Proceed by showing how each detail of our predicament is met.
Problem: Our separation from God’s people. Answer:
Verse 19 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
Problem: the hostility between people.
Verses 14-16. 14For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15by 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, 16and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
“Both” here means whom? Can we apply this to other rifts between peoples?
Abolishing law? How do we know which laws are abolished and which still apply?
Book of Hebrews details the answer, summarized here: Hebrews 10:5-14,
(quoting Psalm 40:6-8)
Conclusion: Old Testament ritual ceremonial laws don’t apply any more.
Wich laws still apply? Those repeated in the New Testament.
All ten commandments are repeated in NT, except one.
The sabbath law: Colossians 2:16 Lutherans are “non-sabbatarian”
We are perpetually in God’s Sabbath Rest. Hebrews 4:9
Problem: Without God. Answer:
Verse 13. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (verse 16 adds “through the cross”)
Ephesian believers already knew Gospel, what Paul taught them is in Romans 3:23ff
Verses 8-9. .8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
What is the “this?” Eph 2:8. (it refers to the entire phrase “grace, saved, faith.”
Problem: Spiritual death. Answer:
TWO. THE SOLUTION
Proceed by showing how each detail of our predicament is met.
Problem: Our separation from God’s people. Answer:
Verse 19 19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
Problem: the hostility between Jew and Gentile
Verses 14-16. 14For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15by 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, 16and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
“Both” here means whom? Can we apply this to other rifts between peoples?
Abolishing law? How do we know which laws are abolished and which still apply?
Book of Hebrews details the answer, summarized here: Hebrews 10:5-14,
(quoting Psalm 40:6-8)
Conclusion: Old Testament ritual ceremonial laws don’t apply any more.
Which laws still apply? Those repeated in the New Testament.
All ten commandments are repeated in NT, except one.
The sabbath law: Colossians 2:16 Lutherans are “non-sabbatarian”
We are perpetually in God’s Sabbath Rest. Hebrews 4:9
Problem: Without God. Answer:
Verse 13. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (verse 16 adds “through the cross”)
Ephesian believers already knew Gospel, what Paul taught them is in Romans 3:23ff
Verses 8-9. .8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
What is the “this?”
Problem: Spiritual death. Answer:
Verses 4-6. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6and raised us up with him
Raised with Christ, see Romans 6:4. Colossians 2:12-14
PRIVILEGES OF SALVATION:
1. Peace.
Verse 17. 17And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.
Jesus gives us peace. John 14:27
2. PRAYER ACCESS.
Verse 18. 18For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
See Hebrews 10:19-22
3. TOGETHERNESS WITH CHRIST
Verse 6b: and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
We are Above the circumstances
4. PURPOSE IN LIFE
Verse 10: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
5. WE TOGETHER AS CHURCH ARE A TEMPLE OF GOD
Verses 19-22: you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God bye the Spirit.
IN ORDER TO SHOW THE WORLD
Verse 7: 7so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Also see 1 Peter 2:9
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EPHESIANS CHAPTER 3
Includes:
- Special terms: a. “the heavenlies” b. “the mystery of Christ”
- A Prayer for Strength and Comprehension
.
TOPIC ONE. THE HEAVENLIES, also translated
HEAVENLY PLACES, HEAVENLY REALMS
. (Those that exist now, not after judgement day.) … and,
THY WILL BE DONE on earth as it is IN HEAVEN.
Where HEAVENLIES is mentioned in Ephesians:
Eph 1:3. We have blessings in the “heavenly places.”
Eph 1:20. Christ is at God’s right hand in the “heavenly places.”
Eph 2:6. We are seated WITH CHRIST in the “heavenly places.”
MORE MENTIONS OF “THE HEAVENLIES” IN EPHESIANS:
Eph 2:2 Satan is in “the air.”
Eph 6:12. We don’t wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, the authorities, and the COSMIC POWERS and the SPIRITUAL FORCES OF EVIL in the Heavenly places.
Eph 2:10 We (the church) show God’s accomplishment (of defeating Satan and saving people) to the powers in the “heavenly places.”
This concept is repeated in Eph 3:10: “God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” NLT
How would you define “heavenly places” or “heavenlies?”
NOTE: the words “heavenlies, heaven, heavens, heavenly places” are all referring to the same thing. There is a Greek word for heaven, and when it is translated “heavenlies” it is because the prefix “epi” is put at the beginning of that word. Epi means upon, as in the English words epidermis, epidemic, etc. It is like saying “in heaven.”
These words can be used interchangeably – for example, Eph 1:20 says Jesus is at God’s right hand in heaven, using the word with epi; and Hebrews 8:1 says the same thing, using the word with the “epi.”
SUMMARY. The “heavenlies” are:
1.A part of creation that includes God, angels, Satan and demons.
2. God did not give us a sense organ that can see these realities, but
3. The Bible tells us that they exist.
Satan NOW seeks to harm us. 1 Peter 5:8-9
False spirits are deceiving us NOW. 1 John 4:1
Angels are protecting you NOW: Psalm 91:11-12
4. Sometimes God allows a human to have a glimpse:
shepherds saw angels; an angel appeared to Mary
Angels protecting Israel: 2 Kings 6:15-17
5. Sometimes they were seen in visions:
Daniel 10:12 and 20. Good & bad angels in warfare
Revelation 12:7 War in heaven
Ezekiel 1:1. The heavens were opened and I saw God
Isaiah 6:1-7. He saw the Lord and angelic creatures.
6. Christ’s work on the cross was also done in heaven. Heb 9:23
Summary of “the heavenlies.”
ABOUT GOD’S WILL IN HEAVEN AND EARTH
The phrase: Thy WILL be done on earth, as it is in Heaven.
We are committing ourselves to further His will,
In our lives and in the world.
- Past: OT temple was a copy of a heavenly temple. Hebrews 8:5
- Ongoing: for unbelievers: 1 Timothy 2:4
For believers: 1 Thessalonians 4:3
Value of differentiating JUSTIFICATION from SANCTIFICATION
“God loves you as you are: but He loves you enough not to Leave you as you are.”
What other examples can you think of that are God’s will now?
The second half of most of the epistles are behavioral directives.
God’s promise: Philippians 2:13
Finding God’s will. See article on Guidance.
See Luther’s summary about God’s Will.
.
TOPIC TWO. THE MYSTERIES
Paul often mentions “mysteries.” (things we wouldn’t have guessed)DEFINITION in Eph 3:5.
Prophets? See Acts 11:27, Acts 21:8-11
How did Paul know it? Eph 3:1-5
Paul’s vision: 2 Cor 12:1-5
The “mystery” is described in several different ways, but it is one truth, seen from many facets.
MOST BASICALLY,
It is the Gospel: Eph 6:19. (Christ)
Romans 16:25-26.
THE DETAILS:
It is Christ’s person: Colossians 2:2-3
1 Timothy 3:16
Jews and Gentiles together: Eph 3:6
All creation united in Christ: Eph 1:9-10
Col 1:19-20
See Jesus’ prayer in John 17:20-23
marriage as a parable: Eph 5:31-32
So unseen world may see: Eph 3:8-11
It is “Christ in you:” Col 1:26-27
Vine and Branches: John 15:15
| Other uses of the word “mystery”: Future of Israel: Romans 11:25-26 Our future bodies: 1 Cor 15:51 Actions in Revelation: Rev 17:5 |
FOUR: THE EPHESIANS 3 PRAYER
Eph 3:14-15. In what ways is God the template for fatherhood?
The following prayers are also stated as promises.
Eph 3:16. What do you need strength for today?
The Promise: Psalm 115:9
Eph 3:17. Was Christ not in their hearts yet?
The promise: Colossians 1:26-27.
Eph 3:17-19. What have you experienced of the dimensions of Christ’s love?
The promise: Romans 5:5
Eph 3:19. What would it be like to be filled with God?
The promise: Eph 2:22
Concluding sentence of praise:
20Now 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, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Click here for all of Paul’s prayers and other prayer models
(more chapters to be written later)
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