Preface

2

Table of Contents

4

Abbreviations and References

9

Copy Pricing Policy

11

Introduction to Paul's Letter to the Ephesians

13

Authorship

13

Place and Date

14

Ephesus in Paul's Day

15

Recipients of the Letter

16

Purpose, Themes, and Structure

17

Themes and Structure of the Letter

17

Reading Aloud

18

Both Minds and Hearts

18

1. Spiritual Blessings in Christ (1:1-6)

20

Grace and Peace to the Saints (1:1-2)

21

Blessings in the Heavenly Realms (1:3)

22

In Christ

22

Predestination and Election (1:4-5)

23

Chosen for Holiness (1:4)

25

Chosen to Be Adopted (1:5-6)

26

2. God's Plan of Redemption (1:7-14)

29

Redemption through His Blood (1:7-8)

29

Grace Lavished on Us (1:8)

30

Uniting All Things in Christ (1:9-10)

31

Predestined for Praise (1:11-12)

32

Sealed by the Spirit as a Guarantee (1:13-14)

33

You as God's Possession (1:14)

33

Full Citizens

34

3. The Greatness of Our Christian Inheritance (1:15-23)

36

A Great Vision (1:17-19a)

37

Hope to Which He Has Called You (1:18b)

37

His Glorious Inheritance in the Saints (1:18c)

38

His Incomparably Great Power (1:18d)

39

A Great Christ (1:19b-23)

40

Christ as Head (1:22)

42

A Great Church (1:22-23)

42

4. From Deadness in Sin to Coming Alive in Christ (2:1-7)

45

Dead in Transgressions and Sin (2:1)

46

Following Satan (2:2-3)

46

Children of Wrath (2:3b)

47

Sinners by Nature (2:3)

48

Grace and Mercy (2:4-5)

49

Seated with Christ in Heavenly Realms (2:6)

50

Ages of Grace (2:7)

51

5. Salvation By Grace Through Faith (Ephesians 2:8-10)

53

The Need for a Rescue Operation

53

Results of Rescue (2:4-6)

54

"Grace" Is More than a Girl's Name

55

Working Our Way into the Good Graces of God (2:9)

56

A Self-Serving Righteousness

56

The Just Shall Live by Their Faith

57

If You're Good Enough You Can Go to Heaven

57

The Essential Marriage of Faith and Works

58

The Cart Comes after the Horse

59

Working Out our Destiny (2:10)

59

This Not of Yourselves

59

Influence without Coercion

60

Paraphrase

61

6. Fellow Citizens with the People of God (2:11-22)

63

Separated from Christ (2:11-12)

64

Brought Near through His Blood (2:13)

65

Completing the Law's Requirements (2:14-15)

66

Moral, Ceremonial, and Civil Law

66

Jew and Gentile as the "New Israel"

68

Access to the Father (2:18)

68

Made One in Christ (2:18-22)

69

A Dwelling Place for God in the Spirit (2:22)

69

The Church as a Temple (2:21-22)

70

Spiritual Masonry

71

7. The Mystery, Mission, and Ministry of the Church (3:1-13)

73

Paul the Prisoner (3:1)

74

Revelation of the Mystery to Paul and the Apostles (3:2-5)

74

Revelation to Apostles and Prophets

75

What Is the Mystery? (3:6)

76

The Apostolic Servant of This Gospel (3:7-9)

77

The Unsearchable Riches of Christ (Ephesians 3:8)

78

The Church Is to Make It Known (3:10-11)

79

Approaching God through Faith (3:12-13)

79

8. Paul's Prayer and Doxology (3:14-21)

82

Kneeling before the Father (3:14-15)

83

God's Resources (3:16)

83

Strengthening the Inner Being (3:16b-17a)

83

The Process of Sanctification

84

Spirit-filled Christians

85

Rooted and Grounded in Love (3:17b)

85

Outcome 1: To Comprehend the Love that Surpasses Knowledge (3:18-19a)

86

Outcome 2: Filled with God (3:19b)

86

Doxology: God's Ability to Answer Abundantly (3:20)

87

Doxology: Glory in the Church (3:21)

88

9. One Body -- Unity and Diversity (4:1-10)

92

One Purpose

93

Three Commands (4:1-3)

93

Seven Bonds (4:4-5)

96

Millions Of Unique Giftings (4:7)

97

The Victor Dispensing Gifts (4:8-10)

99

10. Preparation, Ministry, and Maturity (4:11-16)

102

Defining an Apostle (4:11a)

103

Defining Prophets (4:11b)

104

Defining Evangelists (4:11c)

104

Defining Pastors (4:11d)

105

Defining Teachers (4:11e)

106

Purpose of the Ministry (4:12)

106

The Nature of a Mature Church (4:13-16)

108

11. Putting on Clean Clothes (4:17-32)

111

Darkness of the Secular Mind (4:17-19)

112

Our New, Holy Self (4:20-24)

113

Truth, Anger, and Theft (4:25-28)

114

Blithering, Blathering, Bitterness, and Brawling (4:29-32)

117

Grieving the Holy Spirit of God (4:30)

118

Kind, Compassionate, Forgiving (4:32)

119

12. Imitate Your Father, Children (5:1-20)

122

Imitators of God (5:1-2)

123

Sexual Purity (5:3-7)

124

Avoiding Sexual Immorality (5:3)

124

Greedy for Sex (5:3)

125

Obscenity and Dirty Jokes (5:4)

125

Robbing Us of Our Kingdom Inheritance (5:5-6)

125

Greed for Money (5:5)

126

From Darkness to Light (5:8-14)

127

Make the Most of Every Opportunity (5:15-16)

127

Avoid Drunkenness (5:17-18a)

128

Be Filled with the Spirit (5:18)

129

Singing to One Another and to God (5:19-20)

130

13. Christian Husbands and Christian Wives (5:21-33)

133

Submit Yourselves (5:21)

134

Headship (kephale)

136

Submission "As to the Lord" (5:22b)

137

Husbands, Give Yourselves Up for Your Wives (5:25-30)

138

Serving the Imperfect Wife (5:26-27)

139

One Flesh (5:28-32)

140

The Marriage of Christ and His Church (5:32)

141

Pulling It All Together (5:33)

141

Moving Toward the Ideal

141

14. Children and Parents, Employers and Employees (6:1-9)

144

Children Obey Your Parents (6:1-3)

145

Honor Your Father and Mother

145

Promises to the Obedient

145

Fathers (6:4)

146

Training and Instruction (6:4b)

147

Slaves (Employees) (6:5-8)

148

Masters, Employers (6:9)

150

15. Wrestling with the Enemy of Our Souls (6:10-18)

153

Relying on God's Strength (6:10-11a)

154

The Diabolical Nature of the Struggle (6:11b-12)

155

Stand Your Ground (6:13)

157

The Nature of the Armament (6:14-17)

158

Pray in the Spirit (6:18)

161

16. Prevailing through Prayer (6:18-24)

164

Spiritual Warfare and Struggle

164

Pray in the Spirit (6:18)

165

Alertness in Prayer for All the Saints (6:18b)

166

Paul Requests Prayer for Himself (6:19-20)

166

An Ambassador in Chains (6:20a)

167

Tychicus -- Personal Matters (6:21-22)

168

Closing Benediction (6:23-24)

168

Appendix 1. Discussion Questions

171

1. Spiritual Blessings in Christ (Ephesians 1:1-6)

172

2. God's Plan of Redemption (Ephesians 1:7-14)

173

3. The Greatness of Our Christian Inheritance (Ephesians 1:15-23)

174

4. From Deadness in Sin to Coming Alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:1-7)

175

5. Salvation By Grace Through Faith (Ephesians 2:8-10)

176

6. Fellow Citizens with the People of God (Ephesians 2:11-22)

177

7. The Mystery, Mission, and Ministry of the Church (Ephesians 3:1-13)

178

8. Paul's Prayer and Doxology (Ephesians 3:14-21)

179

9. One Body -- Unity and Diversity (Ephesians 4:1-10)

180

10. Preparation, Ministry, and Maturity (Ephesians 4:11-16)

181

11. Putting on Clean Clothes (Ephesians 4:17-32)

182

12. Imitate Your Father, Children (Ephesians 5:1-20)

183

13. Christian Husbands and Christian Wives (Ephesians 5:21-33)

184

14. Children and Parents, Employers and Employees (Ephesians 6:1-9)

186

15. Wrestling with the Enemy of Our Souls (Ephesians 6:10-18)

187

16. Prevailing through Prayer (Ephesians 6:18-24)

188

Appendix 2. Inductive Discussion Questions

189

1. God's Gracious Plan of Redemption (Ephesians 1:1-14)

190

2. Greatness of our Christian Inheritance (Ephesians 1:15-23)

192

3. Dead and Alive (Ephesians 2:1-7)

195

4. Salvation by Grace through Faith (Ephesians 2:4-10)

198

5. Unity in Christ (Ephesians 2:11-22)

201

6. The Mystery, Mission, and Ministry of the Church (Ephesians 3:1-13)

204

7. Paul's Prayer and Doxology (Ephesians 3:14-21)

206

8. One Body: Unity and Diversity (Ephesians 4:1-16)

207

9. Preparation, Ministry, and Maturity (Ephesians 4:11-16)

209

10. Putting on Clean Clothes (Ephesians 4:17-32)

211

11. Imitate Your Father, Children (Ephesians 5:1-20)

212

12. Relation of Husbands and Wives (Ephesians 5:20-33)

214

13. Children and Parents, Employers and Employees (Ephesians 6:1-9)

216

14. Wrestling with the Enemy of Our Souls (Ephesians 6:10-18)

218

15. Prevailing Through Prayer (Ephesians 6:18-24)

220

About the Author

221

JesusWalk Bible Study Series

222