By Bill Fisher
Audio | Single Page Outline | Expanded Outline
Ephesians: Single Page Outline
Setting & Greeting
- Ephesians, written during Paul’s imprisonment in Rome, was intended to be circulated among the churches in Asia Minor (those of Revelation 1-3).
- Much of it reads as a love letter–vertically and horizontally–while at the same time addressing doctrinal issues common to all churches (unlike 1 Cor. 1&2).
- Q. What do apostles and disciples have in common? (Luke 6:40; 1 Cor. 11:1).
Spiritual vs Material Blessings: 1:3-23
- The pursuit of material blessings in Paul’s day (Acts 19:23-27).
- Paul preached spiritual blessings in heaven. (1:3).
- Spiritual blessings permeate chapter 1, verses 3-23.
Riches of Christ – Fathoming the Unfathomable
- First, we must realize that we were among the walking dead (2:1-3).
- From death to life by God’s richness in grace, mercy, and love (2:4-9).
- We now walk in newness of life, Gentiles and Jews (2:10- 3:21; Col. 3:10).
Walking in a Manner Worthy of Our Calling
- Loving one another with humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance (4:2).
- Practicing all the one-anothers found throughout the New Testament.
- Guarding against division within the body ⇨ denominationalism (4:3-6).
- Using our spiritual gifts to build up one another (4:11-16).
- In 4:11, where it says that Christ gave some as apostles, it could mean apostles in one of two senses:
- Those who were Apostles of Jesus Christ,” that is, were chosen directly by Him (12-1+Paul) who were given the authority to lay the foundation of the Church, to record Scripture, and to give confirmation of their work through signs, wonders, and miracles.
- Sometimes it referred to apostles in the lesser sense: such as Barnabas, Silas, and Timothy, who served as “apostles of the churches.” They were sent on missions with authority to carry out those missions and report back to the sender.
- In 4:11, where it says that Christ gave some as apostles, it could mean apostles in one of two senses:
- No longer walking as the Gentiles walk. (Read aloud JB Phillips, 4:17-19).
- Laying aside the old self, putting on the new self . . daily. (4:22-32).
Be Transformed by the Renewal of Your Mind (Rom. 12:2)
- Walking as lights in darkness (5:7-13. cf. Phil 2:15; Matt 5:14-16)
Relationships – Husbands/Wives, Children, Employers
- Wives are to subject, husbands to love, children to obey (5:22-6:4).
- Slaves to serve, masters to respect (6:5-9).
Standing Firm in the Full Armor of God
- Be strong in the Lord; take up His full armor and STAND FIRM x 3 (6:10-14)
- Stand firm in truthfulness, righteousness, the gospel, faith, scripture (6:13-17).
- Pray at all times and be on guard as a watchman standing firm.
- Takeaways? e.g. – Two extremes: the devil behind every bush vs no devil.
Ephesians: Expanded Outline
Setting & Greeting
- 1:1-2 – Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
- The population of Ephesus in the 1st century was about the size of Grand Rapids and Holland combined. The stadium there could hold 25,000 people.
- Ephesians was one of a few letters written during Paul’s imprisonment in Rome. It was intended that they be circulated among churches in Asia Minor: Patmos, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.
- Much of Ephesians reads as a love letter–vertically and horizontally–while at the same time addressing doctrinal issues common to all churches (unlike 1 Cor. 1&2, which focuses more on sin issues: clique groups, incest, law suites, abuse of the Lord’s supper, immodest dress, hair length; different Jesus, Spirit, Gospel).
Spiritual vs Material Blessings
- Examples of material blessings today: Having a home to live in; food on the table; comfortable surroundings; transportation? Compare with that in Paul’s day: crops; animals; a place to live; fertility; Who were Ephesians praying to for those things? Artemis, a goddess whom Paul said didn’t exist! We read about her in Acts 19:24-27:
- v.24 – “. . a named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen; 25 these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this business. 26 You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all. 27 Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence.”
- Let’s compare that with the SPIRITUAL blessings in heaven that Paul preached in chapter 1, verses 3-23: (As I read through this–to fully grasp what Paul is trying to convey–I will slow down and emphasize key words). Ready?
- v3 BLESSED be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has BLESSED US with EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as HE CHOSE US in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be HOLY and BLAMELESS before Him. In love 5 He PREDESTINED us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the KIND INTENTION OF HIS WILL, 6 to the praise of the GLORY of His grace, which He FREELY bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have REDEMPTION through His blood, the FORGIVENESS of our trespasses, according to the RICHES of His grace 8 which He LAVISHED on us. In ALL wisdom and insight 9 HE MADE KNOWN TO US the mystery of His will, according to His KIND INTENTION which He purposed in Him 10 And this is His plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. In Him 11 also we HAVE OBTAINED AN INHERITANCE, having been PREDESTINED according to His purpose who works ALL things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the PRAISE OF HIS GLORY. 13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were SEALED in Him with the Holy Spirit of PROMISE, 14 who is given as a PLEDGE of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the PRAISE OF HIS GLORY. Notice there is a TENSION between the already/not yet.
- v15 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation (insight) in the knowledge of Him. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know (experientially) what is the hope of His calling, what are the RICHES of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing GREATNESS of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the FULLNESS of Him who FILLS ALL IN ALL. (That is, the church, when it is fully operative, functioning fully as intended by Christ). (Let’s pause there for a moment).
Q. How much suffering did Christ go through to bring about these blessings for each one of us?… A. An UNFATHOMABLE amount. (cf. Passion of the Christ). Now, how much grace is being sent our way as a result?… A. An UNFATHOMABLE amount.
Riches of Christ – Fathoming the Unfathomable
- Chapter 2:1-3:
- And you were DEAD in your TRESPASSES and SINS, 2 in which you formerly WALKED (like a spiritual zombie) according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
- SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE – A Hebrewism, that is a saying that was common in Hebrew culture, this one denoting Satan as their father. The book of Genesis teaches that everything reproduces after its own kind. Spiritually, that is also true. Jesus makes that clear when he says his Jewish opponent’s father was the devil (John 10:44).
- From death to life by God’s richness in grace, mercy, and love (2:4-5).
- As such, we now walk in newness of life:
So, We Walk in a Manner Worthy of Our Calling. How?
- By loving ONE ANOTHER with humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance (4:2).
- By practicing the 35 one-anothers found throughout the New Testament.
- By guarding against division within the body ⇨ denominationalism (4:3-6).
- By using our spiritual gifts to build up one another (4:11-12). “And He gave to some as apostles, prophets, and pastor-teachers…”
- (In 4:11, where it says that Christ gave some as apostles, it could mean apostles in one of two senses:
- Those who were Apostles of Jesus Christ,” that is, were chosen directly by Him (12-1+Paul) who were given the authority to lay the foundation of the Church, to record Scripture, and to give confirmation of their work through signs, wonders, and miracles. Apostles in lesser sense included Barnabas, Silas, and Timothy, who served as temporary “apostles of the churches.” They were sent on a mission with authority to carry out the mission and responsibility to report back to the sender.
- (Going on):
- We walk in a manner worthy of our calling:
- By no longer walking as the Gentiles walk: (Read aloud JB Phillips, 4:17-19).
- This is my instruction, then, which I give you from God. Do not live any longer as the Gentiles live. For they live blindfold in a world of illusion, and cut off from the life of God through ignorance and insensitiveness. They have seared their consciences and then surrendered themselves to sensuality, practicing any form of impurity which lust can suggest.
- By laying aside the old self, putting on the new self . . daily. (4:22-24).
- By walking as lights in darkness (5:7-13. cf. Phil 2:15; Matt 5:14-16).
. . .In our Relationships–Husbands to Wives, Children to Parents, Employees to Employers
- By wives submitting to their husbands consistently–not picking and choosing.
- By husbands loving their wives consistently. (5:-25-28; cf. 1 Cor 13).
- By children obeying their parents consistently (6:1-4).
- By parents raising their children in the instruction and discipline of the Lord; not exasperating them.
- By employees serving their employers consistently (6:5-8)
- By employers treating their employees fairly and with respect consistently (6:9).
By Standing Firm in the FULL Armor of God
- We walk in a manner worthy of our calling by:
- Being strong in the Lord; taking up His full armor and STANDING FIRM x 3 (6:10-14): 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the FULL armor of God, so that you will be able to STAND FIRM against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to STAND FIRM. v14 STAND FIRM therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 IN ADDITION to all, taking up the shield of FAITH with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take up the helmet of salvation, and the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD.
- In short, stand firm in truthfulness, righteousness, the gospel, faith, scripture (6:13-17).
- STAND FIRM at all times and be on guard as a watchman.
- Takeaway: Two extremes: the devil behind every bush vs no devil.
- Pray without ceasing. –1 Thess. 5:17. cf. Joshua and Moses vs Amalek (Exodus 17:9).
VIDEOS: Testudo scenes from movies, Risen and The Eagle. (warning: graphic violence is depicted)
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