1 COMPANION GUIDE3 how to use this guide The purpose of this guide is to help you immerse yourself in the book of Ephesians. While the notes and questions for each chapter are detailed, they are certainly not exhaustive. Our encouragement to you as you work through Ephesians is to pick up a study Bible, commentary, or check out the variety of Bible study tools available online (blueletterbible.org is a great place to start). The questions addressed in the introduction and included in each chapter can be applied to any book of the Bible and are intended to help you accurately interpret God’s Word. Before we approach any passage, its important to remember that we only arrive at an accurate application of scripture when we first accurately understand and interpret scripture. This is why a knowledge of the cultural and historical context is key. In order to understand the meaning of a verse, we need to first understand the verse within its context. Remember: the Bible cannot mean something to us that it did not mean to its original audience. This Ephesians companion is yours! Highlight, mark it up, and take notes as you explore God’s Word! Our prayer for you as you journey through Ephesians is that God would reveal the immeasurable riches of His grace, faithfulness, and goodness. That you would walk more closely with Him as you practice being and loving like Jesus, and that your faith would be strengthened.4 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. EPHESIANS 3:20-21 (NIV)5 Introduction WHO Author: Paul Audience: Churches in Ephesus; likely passed from church to church. An epistle, or letter, written by Paul while he was in prison. A.D. 60-62 Paul’s letter must be understood with this in mind – that the churches originally reading the letter were seeking to proclaim the truth of the Gospel in a city that offered many alternatives. Ephesus was a major cultural and economic hub in the Roman Empire. Located in modern day Turkey, Ephesus was a port city on the Aegean Sea, making it a melting pot of cultures as traders from all over the region did business together. Ephesus held the temple to the Greek goddess Artemis, so pagan worship was rampant (Acts 19:23-41). With so many cultures converging in Ephesus due to the trade route, there was vast cultural, economic, and religious diversity. WHAT WHEN WHERE WHY6 chapter one 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.7 11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. Thanksgiving and Prayer 15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.8 a closer look 1:5 1:4-5 NOTE The two English words, “adoption” and “sonship” come from the same Greek word, υιοθεσιαν (huiothesian) translated as “appointment or acceptance as a son” Adoption: Those who believe in Jesus have been taken into God’s family. Consider adoption today – when parents, motivated by love, make the legal commitment, a covenant, that a non-biological child would be accepted with the same identity in the family as any biological child, promised to be unconditionally loved. This is true of everyone who trusts in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Sonship: Many English translations will use sons here (and elsewhere throughout the New Testament), while others opt for children. We might read both translations today and think “What’s the difference?”. Sons is more accurate, not because women and girls are excluded from salvation, but because of what sons in the New Testament historically received as an inheritance. Typically, daughters in families were left out of the inheritance while sons received one. Paul wasn’t talking about who can be adopted into God’s family, he’s talking about what standing we’ll have in God’s family. We have to remember that Paul is writing to people living in this context, and what he means for us today is that all who believe in Jesus Christ, male and female, will receive the inheritance of eternal life from our Father in heaven. Election is the theological term used throughout scripture to communicate that God has indeed chosen his people in Christ. Some debate around election exists; God either elects individuals or He elects the corporate church. Adoption is a picture Paul uses to discuss election. AT CHAPTER ONE9 Dig deeper 1:14 FOR CROSS-STUDY: • What does this chapter teach us about God? (Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit) • What does this chapter teach us about people? • What would you consider to be the main points of this chapter? • How is Paul challenging or encouraging the original audience of this chapter? • Are there any verses that you find challenging or confusing? Why? • How do you think the original audience would apply this chapter to their lives? • In what ways are you being prompted to obedience from this chapter? • How does this chapter fill you with hope and expectation for what God has for your spiritual growth? • deposit guaranteeing - αρραβων (arrabon) translated as “down payment” • Arrabon only occurs two other times in the New Testament (2 Corinthians 1:22, 2 Corinthians 5:5) and is always in reference to the Holy Spirit. • When we think of a down payment, we think of securing something we wish to purchase. In the same way, the Holy Spirit is our deposit (arrabon) securing our salvation. • 1:11 see: Deuteronomy 4:20 • 1:20 see: Mark 16:19 • 1:21 see: Daniel 7:13-14Next >