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Commentary on Ephesians
English Composition Two AIM
Class Commentary
Saint Louis Christian College
Copyright 2008
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WELCOME
This commentary on the book of Ephesians was produced by ten students in the English
Composition Two AIM class at Saint Louis Christian College during the fall of 2008.
I would like to thank all of them for their focused effort, their joyful endurance, their
honorable attitude, and their passionate love for the Lord and his Word. It has been a
grand pleasure to have traveled with them on this journey of discovery—a discovery into
the world of academic research, a discovery into the world of process writing, a discovery
into the Word of God.
On behalf of this class, we offer this project “to the praise of His glory” (New American
Standard Version, Eph. 1:14).
Douglas Lay
Professor
English Composition Two
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1 The Purpose of My Praise
Ephesians 1:3-14
Tammy Iskarous
4
Chapter 2 Thanksgiving and Prayer
Ephesians 1:15-23
James Gray
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Kevin Getter
29
Chapter 3 The Grace of God
Ephesians 2:1-10
Chapter 4 Reconciled at the Cross
Ephesians 2:11-22
Carlos Sproaps
41
Casey Elmore
51
Chapter 5 God’s Eternal Plan
Ephesians 3:1-13
Chapter 6 A Unified Church with Christ as the Head
Ephesians 3:1-13
Myrtes Smith
65
Chapter 7 A Prayer for Spiritual Growth
Ephesians 3:15-22
Min Kyoung Seong
77
Kerri Pollard
97
Moses Ndunga
112
Emily Ndunga
124
Chapter 8 Light and Darkness
Ephesians 4:17-32
Chapter 9 High Moral Conduct
Ephesians 5:1-21
Chapter 10 Christian Marriage
Ephesians 5:22-33
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CHAPTER 1
The Purpose of My Praise
Ephesians 1:3-14
Tammy Iskarous
It is with awe and a humble heart that I present to you Ephesians 1:3-14. Scholars know
this letter as the “Crown of Paul’s writings,” or “Queen of all his letters while in Prison.” Francis
Foulkes calls this passage the “Great Doxology” (54). This great letter, not a legend, not a
commentary, not a monologue, but a personal letter was to the church at Ephesus. It is a letter
about the church-His Church. Paul sent this passionate personal letter so that His people, all
people, would know the meaning of praise.
Ephesus was the most important city in Rome at the time. It was proud, strong, and full of
culture and trade. The city had become the destination to pay reverence to the Greek fertility
goddess Artemis or Diana as known by the Romans (Halley 804).
The first account of Paul, at that time Saul, was at the stoning of Stephen. Luke writes,
“Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women
and put them in prison,” (New International Version, Acts 7:58). However, God had other plans,
and Paul as we have come to know as one of the most dedicated missionaries/apostles began his
journey. According to Baker’s Encyclopedia, these letters came after Paul had already grown in
his faith and had been in ministry for approximately twelve years (705). It is believed that Paul
wrote a collection of letters while imprisoned in Rome those being Ephesians, Colossians,
Philemon, and Philippians. There have been ongoing thoughts about which letter was actually
first and the purpose of each letter. However, the most agreed upon theory is that Paul,
addressing some of their faults and failures, wrote Colossians actually to the church in Colosse
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first. Then as he thought about all the things he had written to them, God continued to reveal to
Paul His amazing plan. It was a plan of unity for His chosen people. The book of Ephesians is
that plan written and delivered by his friend Tychicus to the various churches of the region by
filling in the name of the church at the top before being delivered. That would also explain why
there were not personal touches and references to its people in this letter as there had been in
others.
Paul got it, and he wanted that entire region to know it as well. He wanted everyone that
read, or heard these letters to know the importance of “Praising God” and the reasons why he
knew this to be true! Paul wanted them to fully understand that they were chosen, predestined,
and thought of before the foundation of the world. He wanted them to know God’s plan in
bringing them together in unity both Jew and Gentile, and that it was all for His glory in Christ.
Then if that was not enough, He wanted them to know they were sealed with the gift of the Holy
Spirit to show that His plan was genuine, secure, and authentic.
Ephesians 1:3-6… We are Blessed, Chosen, Adopted… Praise Him
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. For he chose us in him before the creation of the
world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons
through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious
grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. (NIV)
Calvin calls attention to the word bless in four different lights. First, he says we bless
God. In other words, we offer up our praise to Him for all that He has done. Secondly, God
blesses us. He gives us increased riches, gives us success, and increases our abilities and
achievements according to His pleasure. Thirdly, we give each other blessings when we pray for
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each other. Finally, priest’s and other religious leaders bless when they speak blessings on behalf
of God (201). The reason we are so blessed is because before the foundation He chose us,
elected us, adopted us to be blessed. In one of my favorite books Peter Lord writes, “God has
blessed or eulogized us with every spiritual blessing. What does that mean? It means that God
has spoken (past tense) over us every spiritual good word that we need. We are blessed fully,
right now” (92).
It is through that revelation that we come to know Him, and that we realize the mystery
of His will in our lives. It is that perfect will He is excited to reveal. He wants us to know that
our adoption is not because of our self-worth. He didn’t care about what or who we were or
would become, because He knew we were a mess and would continue mess it up. It would be for
the praise of His glory. I am lost for words at the enormity of this thought.
In a study written by Richard Phillips, he defines the Greek word eklektos or election as
“He chose”(Phillips, Election 6). When did our election happen? It happened before the
foundation of the world. As we go back through the pages of theological history, many times we
look at the various scholars and attribute the explanation, or description of election to John
Calvin. Even though he was the leading French Protestant Reformer and the most important
figure in the second generation of the Protestant Reformation, that is our first mistake (Britannica
Online Encyclopedia). Because then it becomes religion based on the thoughts of great men, and
not the grace and thoughts of a great God. Ephesians 1:4 states “for he chose us in him before the
creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight” (NIV). So, if we truly believe that the
Bible is the “inspired Word of God” then the argument must be won that God said it. We were
elected to be holy and blameless. This reflects our character and the manner in which we live our
lives. The deepest parts of our heart are touched and made to change. This, by the way, is what
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Peter means in II Peter 1:10, where he tells his believers to “make your calling and election
sure.” Phillips says, “He is not telling us to make ourselves elect, which is impossible, but rather
to gain confidence that comes through holiness alone” (Election, 13).
Kenneth Wuest goes on to explain that in God we were chosen and the Greek word used
here was exelexato which means to choose for one’s own or He chose us for himself (29). Not to
say that those that weren’t chosen, as perceived by Israel, were rejected or couldn’t receive
salvation. On the contrary, according to Wuest, “The name of every Christian is as eternal as
God is. For God has had that individual in His heart for salvation as long as He has been in
existence” (32).
We are adopted which is derived from the Greek word hyiothesia (Burke 119). Although
Paul used the word adoption, it was never used as in relationship to family, but in relationship
with God. The word adoption was used due to its strength behind the word in a cultural sense or
setting in the Old Testament. It was used as an example of kings being adopted by the Father,
leaders being chosen as His children to lead the nation. In a land where family meant everything,
it was almost impossible to change status in family groups. To be adopted meant you had all the
rights and privileges of the family you had been adopted into. Paul’s teachings were very closely
tied to Roman teachings and social Roman laws. There was a definite re-socialization that
happened in the Roman culture as a result of someone being adopted. His theory was that Paul
used this procedure to best relate to churches in that day, and what it meant to be adopted into the
family of God. Trevor Burke maintains that the term family that we use today actually in that day
was termed familia and had a much greater impact on the definition of family than how we view
it in today’s culture (121). It was the basis for your social, religious, and economic standing in
society. So it was of great importance that family lines were not allowed to die out. The head of
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the familia was called the paterfamilias. The paterfamilias would usually adopt adults that could
carry on the family name in cases when he could not have children or his own children had died
before bearing children thus not leaving an heir. The ritual of adoption was a very complicated,
lengthy procedure with the adoptee changing family lines multiple times before finally coming
under the adoptive family name. This would signify a complete break in the original family ties,
and taking on the status of the adoptive family. Burke quotes F. Lyall, who wrote Roman Law in
the Writings of Paul: Adoption as saying this about the procedure. The profound truth of Roman
adoption was that the adoptee was taken out of his previous state and was placed in a new
relationship of son to his father, his new paterfamilias. All his old debts were cancelled and in
effect the adoptee started a
new life as part of his new family. From that time on the
paterfamilias had the same control over his new child as he had over his natural offspring (qtd. in
Burke 124).
When we become a Christian, we are adopted into a new family. Paul used this example
to teach the new believers that they were in a new divine family and that their dedication and
loyalty was to be towards their new Holy Paterfamilias.
Ephesians 1:7-12… We are Redeemed, Forgiven, Made One in Him… Praise Him
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the
riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made
known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,
to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in
heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. 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, (NIV)
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Redemption is such a wonderful word. We view it as a good Sunday school answer and
throw it around in our church language regularly. Unfortunately, we have said it so often that it
has become commonplace. Let us take a moment and look at what the word redemption really
means. Taken from the Greek word apolutrosis, which means to release upon payment of
ransom (Strongest Concordance 1511). This word is referred most times to buying a slave back
and giving him his freedom. The word redemption is an important part of our Old Testament
history. In order to keep certain Israelites out of slavery, there was a law in place that allowed
family members to pay what the relative owed and then allowed them to buy his land in order to
keep it from being lost. Exodus 6:6-7 reflects a great story of redemption in the Old Testament.
God spoke to Moses as he delivered his chosen people out of the land of Egypt and out of
slavery. God told Moses “I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an
outstretched arm and with great judgments. I will take you as my people, and I will be your
God” (New Kings James Version).
Before the foundation of the world, the nation Israel was not chosen because of who they
were, but to fulfill the path by which God’s perfect plan would come to pass. It would also reveal
that being adopted meant that all would have a place in His family. It would be a place chosen by
grace not by birthright. They would have the same rights and privileges as if birthed into that
family. They were given that plan of adoption so they would carry on the “praise of his glorious
grace.” Salvation has been the focus of God’s plan since before the beginning of time.
Ephesians 1:13-14… Marked, Sealed. Deposit Guaranteed… Praise Him
in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is
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a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—
to the praise of his glory. (NIV)
John R. W. Stott writes, “The Holy Spirit is not only God’s promise, but also God’s seal.
A seal is a mark of ownership of authenticity. Cattle, and even slaves, were branded with a seal
by their masters; in order to indicate to whom they belonged. But such seals were external, while
God’s is in the heart” (48). Just like the Jews, the Gentiles knew that God too had sealed them. In
those days things were also sealed if they were important. It was a sign that as it was passed
along it had not been altered, changed, or tampered with. It was visual proof that the parcel had
been delivered exactly as it was intended.
We are given insight into the Greek word arrabon, which means, part payment by
Francis Foulkes. He compares it to the spiritual deposit that those as believers in Christ are given
for the guarantee of their inheritance. They were sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit to show
that His plan was genuine, secure, and authentic. Because of His great promise we are sealed
with the inheritance that we will stand together, Jew and Gentile together in unity (65).
God the Holy Spirit gives us faith to do His will. It was a divine election-to be Holyseparated to God, adopted just like Paul was referring in Roman culture. Not only did they get
the material things that their adoptive family had, but they were entitled to the status as well.
Alfred is quoted as saying, “The end, in our predestination to adoption is, that the object of men
and angel’s praise: both as it is in Him, ineffable and infinite,-and exemplified in us, its objects”
(Qtd. in Wuest 38).
Ephesians 1:3-14… The Purpose of My Praise
“One of the biggest hindrances to understanding arises within our own hearts…. our
ability to understand Ephesians correlates with our ability to live Ephesians” (Powlison 10).
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Powlison goes on to write “Ephesians is practical theology. It is faith alive, life walked out in full
view. It is ministry in action” (3). Paul’s letters were not only full of thought and depth, they were
passionately written from the heart. I have found that all too often we almost work at trying to
separate the head knowledge from the heart emotion of our religious experience. There needs to
be a balance. D. Martin Lloyd-Jones expressed his feelings about Paul’s writings as follows, “
Put a pen in his hand and it’s like tapping a blast furnace; and out rushes a fiery steam of white
heat”(Qtd. in Phillips, Chosen.27). My hearts desire is that I may gain the knowledge that only
comes from digging into His word and revelation by His Spirit. I want the knowledge I gain to be
rooted so deep in my heart that I cannot contain it and it rushes out of me to those around me.
Lord, empty me of me, so that I can be filled of you to overflowing.
In Ephesians 1:3-14, Paul wants us to know his view on the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit, and how they all relate to our lives. Paul really wants us to have the heart knowledge of
what it means to have that relationship with God. That before time ever began, one part of the
Godhead has always been the main focus in our lives, however all three are always present.
Initially, God tells us about how glorious His grace is. Then He tells us that the only way we can
ever know grace is through His Son Jesus Christ and that our salvation should always lead to the
praise of his grace.
Paul reflects this message when he wrote “For from him and through him and to him are
all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen” (Romans 11: 36 NIV).
Let’s look at what his grace discloses about the character of God and why we should
always praise His glorious grace.
Ephesians 1: 3-6… We are Blessed, Chosen, Adopted… Praise Him
Paul’s passionate plea in his letter is for us to realize, really realize just how blessed we
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are, and as His children, how we are to respond to the realization of that fact. According to Paul,
in verse 3 we are to bless God because he has blessed us. He has blessed us with all spiritual
blessings. The reason we are so blessed is because before the foundation of the world he chose us,
elected us, adopted us to be blessed. That in all its complexity, yet simplicity is why it is said to
be the free gift of God! What could we have done, what stuff could we have accumulated, what
people could we have influenced before the world begun to be so blessed?
The fact that we are adopted isn’t because of our self-worth. He didn’t care about what or
who we were or would become. He chose us before the foundation because it gave him great joy.
To dwell on the phrase before foundation, that theory is often times hard for me to envelop. He
delighted in me. God’s heart was set upon me from the beginning of all He knew. Richard
Phillips’ use of an adoption story paints a wonderful picture of acceptance. There was a couple in
their church that had been given a picture of a child they were to adopt. They started preparing,
loving, and praying for a child they had yet to meet. All the while, there was the child in another
country that had no clue of the plans and love being poured over her. The day finally came for
them to begin the journey to get their child. Struggles with travel, health, greed, and other
difficulties didn’t distract this family from the task of bringing home their precious loved one.
The child they had chosen long ago. A child they had stored up riches for, and loved even before
they had met. How much more our God loves us! This makes me reflect on the times my
husband and I have taken troubled teens into our home. Ohhh, we loved them, provided for
them, and even prayed over them. However, they were not mine, my “mother’s heart” had never
sung over them. My very heart had never wanted to protect and cherish their hearts as I had my
own. The thought of my God not just taking me in, but His heart singing over mine, wow, I once
again am filled with wonder and amazement. The apostle John said it best when he wrote,
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“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God” (King James Version 1John 3:1-3).
We were made to be holy and blameless. The deepest parts of our heart is touched by
God himself and made to change. Let’s pause and reflect on the phrase “to stand holy without
blame” for a moment. How often we carry that burden of blame, whether self inflicted or not.
Where we once moaned for something deeper, for pains to be removed, for voids to be filled, for
our lives to be cleansed from all the choices we have made, God made the choice before time
that we would stand before him face to face with a blameless holy character. At this moment I
have to pause, because the very thought of this literally takes my breath away.
Ephesians 1:7-12… We are Redeemed, Forgiven, Made one in Him,.. Praise Him
I read an illustration used by a pastor once of a multi-million dollar businessman. How
many times are they praised, and rightly so, for giving millions of dollars away to various
charities and wonderful causes? The reality of it is that they are never really out of their comfort
zone. They never give everything they have. They never give their children for the cause of
people they are trying to help. Most of the time people give to others with the same interest,
people in need that share their same passions. Our God in His amazing compassion gave
everything and didn’t just give His extra riches; He gave His one and only Son. Our God, not only
gave willingly His greatest possession, He gave His son to people that would hate Him, mock
Him, and cause great pain to others that believed in Him. II Corinthians 8:9 states it the best, “For
you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he
became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” We are a spoiled nation. We
don’t have any idea what it means to sacrificially give. Oh we give, but we give while it’s still
well within OUR comfort zones. I praise you God for your grace. I praise you for the fact that you
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gave not just sacrificially, but the ultimate sacrifice so that I would be able to enjoy, sometimes so
selfishly, all that I have and experience. May my mouth always praise the glories of your grace
and may my life reflect the fact of knowing that God set a plan in motion to save me in spite of
me. That knowledge alone should bring increased praise for His grace not only with my words,
but by everything I do, to show how much I love my “Abba” Father. He has given purpose to my
life, and He will always be the purpose of my praise.
Then can you imagine as we stand, face to face, finally understanding and experiencing
the mystery of His will, if that is not enough, to be there when all heaven and earth bow before
Him saying “I am His.” I love the outdoors, love the mountains, adore the fall, and I am
mesmerized by a sunset as it sets with colors only a great artist could imagine. I love the smell of
fresh cut grass, and salty ocean air. Can you imagine the power each one of those hold on its
own? Then can you imagine, those mountains bowing, that ocean calming, the sun frozen in
space, and the vast forests with its color of autumn bending in reverence to its maker saying “I too
am yours?” All of heaven belongs to Him and He has prepared all of it for His children, and
praise God that’s me.
Ephesians 1:13-14… Marked, Sealed, Deposit Guaranteed…Praise Him
The Gentiles came to realize what it meant to be included in God’s plan. They had now
heard God’s truths about His son, and had been given the message of hope and love to a sinful
people for the purpose of salvation. Just like the Jews, the Gentiles knew that God too had sealed
them. Let us take a moment to realize the importance of being sealed and actually visualize that
seal. Imagine if you will, wax being melted, then positioned in such a strategic way that it
renders that personal item secure. Then before it is ever allowed to dry, the author/owner of that
item seals it with a stamp indicating his personal initial. The very moment we ask Jesus into our
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heart we are sealed. Before the words are ever allowed to vanish or dry on our lips we are made
to become secure and tamperproof! The moment we accept Jesus as our Savior, God sends His
Holy Spirit as evidence of that decision. We are now considered His property. The gift of the
Holy Spirit is the guarantee that we are God’s children and the evidence to others that God is
truly at work in our lives. Paul says it best in Roman 8:15-16,
For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the
spirit of sonship. And by him we cry “Abba, Father.” The spirit himself testifies with our
spirit that we are God’s children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with
Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his
glory”(NIV).
While sitting at a counter waiting for his food, David Crowder recounts in his book,
Praise Habits that he noticed a sign that read “YOU ARE HERE”. He goes on to write that we
are here to be the voice of the one who rescues. We are here to be deliverance and to carry the
story of God to the ones waiting. We are here for the ones with their hands on their chest,
begging for you to notice that things aren’t right-THIS IS PRAISE (Crowder 155). I heard a
saying once, “that it’s not the years in your life, but the life in your years that matter.” May the
life in our years always point people to the one who chose us, loved us, saved us, and sealed us
by His grace. So that it why it is with admiration and a humble heart that I submit this research
paper “THE PURPOSE OF MY PRAISE.” May I live my life here on earth in such a way that I
bring praise to His glorious name and others may come to know the Father I am completely in
awe of and completely in love with. I thank you God that because of my sealed inheritance, I am
your possession, and will forever be, “unto the praise of his glory.
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Works Cited
Burke, Trevor “Pauline Adoption.” The Evangelical Quarterly 73.2 (2001): 119-127.
Calvin, Jean Calvin's Commentaries. Vol.12. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker, 1984.
Cocke, A. R. Studies in Ephesians. Chicago: Fleming H. Revell, 1892.
Crowder, David. Praise Habit: Finding God in Sunsets and Sushi. Colorado Springs, Colo: NavPress,
2005.
Elwell, Walter A., and Barry J. Beitzel. Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker
Book House, 1988.
Elwell, Walter A., and Robert W. Yarbrough. Encountering the New Testament: A Historical and
Theological Survey. Encountering Biblical Studies. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Academic, 2005.
Foulkes, Francis. The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary. Tyndale New
Testament commentaries. Tyndale P, 1963.
Halley, Henry Hampton. Halley's Bible Handbook with the New International Version. Grand
Rapids, Mich: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000.
Lord, Peter. Bless and Be Blessed: How Your Words Can Make a Difference. Grand Rapids, MI:
Fleming H. Revell, 2004.
Peterson, Eugene H. The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language. Colorado Springs:
NavPress, 2002.
Phillips, Richard D. Chosen in Christ: The Glory of Grace in Ephesians 1. Phillipsburg, N.J.: P & R
Pub, 2004.
---What Are Election and Predestination: Basics of the Reformed faith. Phillipsburg, N.J.: P&R
Publishing, 2006.
Powlison, David, “ Counsel Ephesians.” The Journal of Biblical Counseling. 17.2 (1999): 3-23.
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Stott, John R. W. The Message of Ephesians: God's New Society. The Bible speaks today. Leicester,
England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1986.
The Holy Bible: New International Version, Containing the Old Testament and the New Testament
. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan Bible Publishers, 1990.
Vaughan, W. Curtis. The Letter to the Ephesians. Nashville: Convention Press, 1963.
Wuest, Kenneth Samuel. Ephesians and Colossians in the Greek New Testament for the English
Reader. Grand Rapids: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co, 1953.
Zondervan Bible Publishers Grand Rapids, Mich. The Strongest NASB Exhaustive Concordance. Grand
Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2004.
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CHAPTER 2
Thanksgiving and Prayer
Ephesians 1:15-23
James Gray
The city of Ephesus was the capital of the province of Asia that enjoyed great prosperity
because of its location, banking, and all the commerce (Evans-Porter 318). Its most known
history is seventh century B.C. During the New Testament era, it was one of the biggest cities of
the Roman Empire where Paul ministered for three years. This is where his Corinthian readings
were produced and also many of his letters. It was handed down to the Romans by Attalus III of
Pergamum. Before then, it was under Greek rule. It grew to be the third largest city, with
around 250,000 citizens by the first century A.D. behind Alexandria and Antioch (Evans-Porter
319). The name Ephesus comes from Apis, which means bee. This name could possibly have
come from the mother goddess known as Artemis Ephesia. She was known to be mother of
everything and she ruled everything (Evans-Porter 318).
It is not known what the size of the church was at Ephesus (Evans-Porter 320). There
was always the question of the Christian community’s origination (Evans-Porter 319).
Paul
even knew that his ministry brought danger to him. In looking at Paul’s letters during his stay in
Ephesus, it was highly likely that this is where he was imprisoned (Evans-Porter 319).
“Ephesians 4:1 and 6:20 indicate that the letter was written while Paul was a prisoner” (Elwell
705).
Of the many letters that Paul did write, it is known for sure that his personal letter to
Philemon and the letter to the church at Colossae were written at Ephesus (Evans-Porter 320). It
also appears that a majority of the church was Gentile, Paul’s correspondence with Corinthia was
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actually produced at Ephesus.
On Paul’s first visit to Ephesus, he did speak to the Jews for a short while. It cannot be
said whether a church had been started there at that time. Yet, it did not grow greatly until Paul
began his ministry there. After having ministered for three years, he did minister for two more
years at the Tyrannus lecture hall (Evans-Porter 319).
As Paul was returning later to Jerusalem he was afraid to stop in Ephesus, so instead he
met elders of the city at Miletus. It was said that Ephesus did become the center for Christian
missionary work that led to the founding of many churches across the land. Paul ministered in
most of them, as there were many Jews as well as synagogues Evans-Porter 320). Let us note
that the greatest growth in the church at Ephesus came through the ministry of Paul (EvansPorter 319).
“In this chapter, more than in any other, the apostle underscores the fact that it is “in
Christ” that every spiritual blessings descends upon God’s people from “the heavenly places”
(Hendrickson 106).
Oh, Lord. How can I not speak of you in my prayers? How can I not remember you in
prayer? You are my life. For, you are inferior to nothing. You are the Might in all things. You
are the Glory of it all.
All scripture of God’s Holy Word is simply amazing. Let us all know that Christ is the
eternal foundation of the church (Hendrickson 95). It is He that is the foundation of the church’s
complete salvation. For, it was in and through Christ that believers did receive each and every
spiritual blessing (Hendrickson 95). The Apostle Paul vividly describes the Christ as the One
who fills the all in all in the interest of the church. Paul was totally gratified to see and hear of
the faith that the people had in the Lord Jesus (Hendrickson 95). When Paul asked that the
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Ephesians continue to grow in wisdom and knowledge, he was asking that these people be given
a brighter picture of the will of God for their lives (Hendrickson 98). These people had come
from fear, superstition, and immorality. In light of all things, a clear knowledge of God was
needed. According to Paul, man’s eyes needed to be enlightened to God. In order for this to
take place, man must be reborn. Man must come in sorrow for their sin and show faith through a
love for others, as well as a love for God (Hendrickson 98). These people must concentrate on
the blessings of salvation. All promises are realized through being Christ-centered. “The true
Christian loves Christ and loves his fellow men” (Barclay 89). All blessings from God are
considered an inheritance because they are the gift of the Grace of God. The glorious part of
enjoying this gift is enjoying it with those who love the appearance of our Lord (Hendrickson
99). All hope must be grounded in the promises of God. God’s mighty power must be
recognized in order that all hope is realized (Hendrickson 99). Paul asks God to address the
enlightened eyes of those people so that they may recognize His great power when He raised His
son from the dead and sat Him at His right hand. He made the people know that their true
inheritance awaited them and would belong solely to them (Hendrickson 100).
Now that Paul has informed the people of his reason in coming, he is in great
appreciation of how they have opened up their lives to God, thus allowing their faith to grow.
His journey has not been wasted. He is witnessing the spirit of the Lord growing amongst the
people. It is not of importance whether or not these people developed a personal relationship
with him, as long as they developed their own personal relationship with their Lord. It is
important that they recognize the word of God and how it translates into feelings of love for one
another. This would be the sign that faith, true faith, now exist amongst the people.
As Paul has pointed out through prayer, there is so much to be thankful for. For God has
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known of the Ephesians well before Paul’s arrival. This is only a formality that is now taking
place. Yet, Paul is a part of that formality, Paul calls out to the one and only that could give
mercy. He calls out to the right source. Divinity has already taken place amongst these people,
as God is looking to better the relationship with His children. They must now allow their faith to
bring them closer to the almighty. They are informed that it is through the word of God that
hope is found. They are informed of how it is God who works through His people. Faith on
Him is proven, as long as it is allowed to exist.
The people are learning that Christ’s resurrection is their victory over all sin. Christ
majestic position shall be exalted above all not only in that age, but all ages to come. Nothing
will be allowed to stand in the way of the fullness of enjoyment of receiving this glorious
inheritance. Paul makes them know that God is the Head and the church is the body. Through
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he points out God’s magnificent love for His people and lets all
know that that same love should be given back to the Lord. To not understand this means not
understanding Ephesians, itself. Our God does not consider Himself complete until His children
are in His presence. As with a bridegroom, there must be a bride. As He is the shepherd, His
people are the sheep. As the people are the body, they are to carry out the will and the purpose
of the Head. Hope of the church is to be fully realized, followed by an inheritance that is to be
truly enjoyed. Paul has praised god for this blessing. He has prayed that the Ephesians be
enlightened so that that may see. He has humbled himself in thanksgiving to the Lord, pointing
out that every spiritual blessing falls upon God’s people from heavenly places for those that are
in Christ. In informing them all that can ever be expresses. Paul sees the church becoming
united right before his eyes. The Ephesians and all of the surroundings are the proof. As Paul
once was the persecutor, he is now chosen to reveal God to the people. He now intends to affirm
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that God’s spirit creates in man a new human spirit.
In Ephesians, the praise of Christ’s resurrection by God’s power (1:20-23) will be
immediately followed by the praise of the resurrection of the saints of Jewish and Gentile origin.
It is vividly pointed out that it is through God that all things are made complete. Let us know
that we, as the body of Christ, are to do the work of God. It is He who works through us. It is
He who we are to give all praise and glory. As the people of Ephesus were told by Paul that they
were to stay in prayer, we must do the same.
The power of god works through His people. Our existence is through God. We are to
believe, regardless. It is pointed out that Jesus was raised from the dead. We know now if we
did not know that this is above man. We are facing an authority much greater than man. The
comparison is none. God is the creator of the universe, as well as ruler over it. All individuals
are created new in finding Christ. It is He that rules over all. He is the beginning as well as the
end. Paul specifically points out that Christ has been exalted. It is through sin that man
separated himself. It is through Christ that all was made whole. We are made over only through
God. All powers that exist in the church and through it come from the Lord.
As God is our eyes and ears, we are His arms. It is He who works through us. His power
must be seen. Through believing, one’s faith is strengthened. It is through His resurrection that
our sins were forgiven. It is recognized that Paul is speaking of an authority that is superior over
any and all angels. Paul is making known the fact that he is speaking of the ruler of all things
and beings. He makes sure to the utmost that it be known that Christ is the Head of the church,
and that all power comes from the Head. He makes known the people’s role, as they are the
church.
Personally, I must say that I would label this all as dramatic. I see new lives being
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created as the people find Christ. The statement, “Paul is praying that his listeners or readers
may be fully endowed with the Holy Spirit.” I quote this because that says it all. His purpose is
being told. I can only imagine how awesome a feeling it had to be for the people being told that
they are the church. They are the body of Christ. I love the way the word “believe” is scattered
about in his writings. As we all should know, this is what ignites faith.
Paul is stressing to the people that they must continue to thank the Lord in all things at all
times, as He can never be thanked enough. Paul truly desires that his way of thinking and frame
of mind rub off on these people. He is doing what he can to help them find their joy in the Lord.
It is being pointed out that severe suffering was endured by the Lord in order to save His
people. They are introduced to wisdom and revelation. They are told of how revelation comes
forward in the learning of the Lord, as the people must hunger and thirst for this knowledge of
the Lord Savior. It is there for them but they must be open to it. As the people are in search of
this, Paul has already pointed out that it is through prayer that all things are possible. As he goes
in prayer to the Lord, so must the people. To develop a relationship with the Lord, so must the
people. To develop a relationship with the Lord and grow in His ever loving grace comes
through having a prayerful life. This is a part of Paul’s teachings.
He speaks to these people about looking toward their heart, as that is where all things
must come from. It is through the heart that allows the eyes to see the vision that the Lord has
for His people. This is reflected in Paul’s writings. The greatness and power of the Lord is
dynamically spoken of, while it is stressed that this same greatness and power can and will work
in the lives of all those who believe. It is emphasized in a fine fashion that it starts and ends with
believing. That word “believe” continues to show its head. Let us heed its meaning.
The power of the Lord and all things to be achieved comes through faith, love, strong
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belief, and developing one’s own relationship with the Christ. Paul is feeding these people the
knowledge that must spread about them in order to find the Lord. Their lives are being presented
with a make-over. They are informed of an inheritance that awaits them. They need only come
in obedience. They have been told of the shepherd of their lives and how He returned from the
dead. He has returned in order to work through His people. This is new knowledge to the
people, yet it is their way to Christ. God’s power and might stands well above all things. These
people are to be spiritually Holy.
These few verses speak loudly to me. Scripture speaks of how Paul gives thanks to our
Heavenly Father, as to how they are to mention Him in prayer, and how they are to glorify His
Holy name (Barth 145). He speaks to these people informing them that he would never stop
giving thanks to God as he has received knowledge of their faith in Jesus Christ (Barclay 88).
Paul is feeling now that his journey is proving worthy. He recognizes the people allowing the
Word of God to come into their lives. He is filling a fulfillment. Paul mentions faithfulness and
love shown to the saints, not to the whole of humanity. In Galatians 6:10 (KJV), he exhorts the
saints to “Do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Barth
147). In this, he is making the people aware that they are a special people. They belong to the
Lord. They are to live their lives in that manner. They are to believe and know that all things
come through God and only God. The love that is to be shown to one another by one another
is to be reminiscent to the same love that is shown to them by God. Their treatment of one
another is to be good in all aspects as they are all one family in the name of God. Faith in the
Lord Savior is to be allowed to work in their lives and they are to stand on it.
Paul intends to affirm that God’s spirit creates in man a new spirit. In this, Paul is
speaking of the spirit of these people are made anew. The spirit of wisdom and revelation is now
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a part of their life (Barth 148). It is their life. In other words, they are to know that they have a
new walk. They have a new way of talking. They have a new body language. Ephesians 1:17
reads “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.” (NIV). Let us note and not
overlook the fact that Paul vividly is searching to recognize the loyalty to God and the love of all
people. He then would know that this is the true church that is to be built by God (Barclay 88).
He looks for this in the people, as God is the Head and the church is His body. It must be in
formation and fruition with His Holy Word. It can be no other way.
Scripture is telling us of the great riches that these Christian saints are to receive through
inheritance, though we all know that this comes through obedience (Barth 151). As we read the
word of God we must understand and know that this applies to our daily lives as children of God.
We are to show a true love to one another in all aspects of life. Standing in our faith and on our
faith is to be our lifestyle. This is not to be on certain days but all days. As scripture spoke of
the resurrection of our Lord Savior, the resurrection of the saints and the almighty power of God
(Barth 152), we need to recognize that this is speaking to us. As we have turned our lives over to
Christ, our walk must be made a new. For, let us know that our lives belonged to Him along.
The spirit of God is to show in us and through us. We are to apply it to all that we do. We must
pray for a clean tongue, as well as clean thoughts. We will go through the trials and tribulations
daily, but we must endure. Knowing who we belong to, we cannot allow ourselves to be
deterred. Ephesians 1:19 reads, “And his incomparably great power for us who believe. That
power is like the working of his mighty strength,” (NIV). This is the same power of God that we
all should pray works in our lives.
These few verses have informed us all that we are to give thanks to God for all things.
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We are to forever be a prayerful people, in good circumstances and bad. We are to cleanse our
souls, as we are the body of Christ. In applying this to our world of today, we must pray without
ceasing. Today’s church is not made up as God has designed it. If we are to live according to
scripture, much must be thwarted out of the church of today. A thorough cleansing is necessary.
The Lord must be given thanks for all things. Man must realize that all things received by him
have come through God. We must pray for that wisdom and revelation that Paul spoke of.
Paul has vividly emphasized that we are to be a people of love. We must have a true love
of Christ, as well as a love of man. We must pray for a great knowledge of God, as this would
fortify our growth as a Christian (Barclay 89). In applying this to our own walk with God, we
should all know that it is through faith that all things are possible. It has been pointed out to us
through scripture that giving thanks to God through constant prayer allows us all to build our
own personal relationship with the Lord.
So great a reading is this Ephesians 1:15-23, as it vividly brings forth the power and
might of God. How it speaks of Him in such a descriptive manner. It speaks of His great
powers, but does point out that this power is only recognized by those who believe.
Thanksgiving should be a part of all our lives. It has been pointed out that faith comes in
believing.
As the Lord knows already what is needed by us, we are to pray to Him in the proper
manner. In other words, we are not to be foolish in our prayers. This begins with remembering
who you are speaking to. We are not to put ourselves first in our prayer life. We must remember
that the Lord knows our life, for it is His. Our prayer life is to be totally true. May we remember
that He is listening. This writing points out that man builds things to be remembered by. As
Christians, we need to know that this is not God’s way. We should choose to be remembered by
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who we are, not what we had. We are children of God. What greater gift is there?
Through righteous living, our Lord has promised to fill us with the wisdom in life that He
sees fitting for us, as He has promised to reveal to us those things that He chooses for us to
know. As we learn of God, we shall be filled with those things needed such as wisdom and
revelation, and things to come. And at the same time, we are to grasp hold of a relationship with
Him. Paul wrote that it was not necessary to possess a brilliant mind to be a child of God; you
only need to have grace and love for all people in their heart. The heart speaks as a voice when it
comes to God, as it tells who you are. It also tells whose child you are. If the spirit of God is in
you, it can be seen well before it is heard. A child of God is recognized by the life that he or she
lives.
In conclusion, it is pointed out that as God is the Head of the Christ as well as the
Church, it is He that makes all things complete. “Everything under His feet…the head over all,
to be head of the church….him who fills all things totally.” (Barth 156). This says it all. We, as
the body of Christ, are to do the work of God. It is He who works through us. As we have been
called to serve, we must constantly stay in prayer that the Lord allows us to be His hands as well
as His voice. God is to be seen in the way we go about our daily lives. He is to be seen in our
walk, as well as what comes out of our mouths. Should this truly take place, no hatred should be
seen in the world that we live. I shall never stop giving thanks to Our Lord Savior Jesus Christ.
You shall always be remembered in my prayers, for it is to you that I am speaking.
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Works Cited
Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible. A-I vols. Ed. Walter A. Elwell. Michigan: Baker Book
House &Tyndale House Publishers. 1988
Barclay, William. The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians. Pennsylvania: The Westminster
Press. 1976
Barth, Markus. The Anchor Bible/Ephesians Intro., Translation, & Commentary . Ed. Edward
Connery Lathem. 34 vols. New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc. 1980
Dictionary of New Testament Background. Ed. Craig A. Evans & Stanley E. Porter. Illinois:
2000
Exell, Joseph S. The Biblical Illustrator. Michigan: Baker Book House. 1975
Hendriksen, William. New Testament Commentary. Michigan: Baker Book House. 1967
Martin, Ralph P. Interpretation Ephesians Colossians and Philemon. Kentucky: John Knox
Press.1992
The Expositor’s Bible Commentary (with NIV version of the Holy Bible. Ed. Frank E.
Gaebelein & J.D. Douglas. 11 vols. Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House. 1978
Tiefel, James P. “Sermon on Ephesians. “ Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly 102 No. 4 Fall
(2005): 243-250.
Willmington, Harold L. “The Supreme authority of the Bible.” Fundamentalist Journal 3 no. 5
(1984): 47.
Innovative Web Ventures, LLC. “Prayer for Knowledge and Understanding.” Ephesians 1 –
King James Version – Bible Search. 2008. July 21, 2008
http://www.christnotes.org/bible.php?q=Ephesians
New American Bible. Ephesians chapter 1. 2002. July 21, 2008.
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/bible/ephesians
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CHAPTER 3
The Grace of God
Ephesians 2:1-10
Kevin Getter
Paul has been considered the author of Ephesians for the longest time. Ephesians has
been referred to as one of Paul’s greatest compositions. In lieu of this belief many scholars deny
his authorship. It has been highly controversial and yet there is an abundance of evidence that
points to Paul being the author. (Fiensy 179)
Fiensy’s evidence in support of Paul’s authorship is as follows:
“1. The letter claims to have been written by Paul and has several personal references
(1:15-16, 4:1, 6:19-20). Those who deny this claim must assume that burden of proving
otherwise.
2. The letter was widely know and accepted in the early church, and no one (not even the
heretic Marcion) disputed that Paul was the author.
3. The letter is filled with Pauline features. It is more likely that an imitator copied Paul’s
writing style in 90 to 95% of the epistle or that Paul himself wrote it, diverging from his
usual style 5 to 10% of the time.
4. The letter closely parallels Colossians.
5. The practice of writing letter in the name of someone else was not as widely practiced
in the early church as some claim.
6. A comparison with the church literature of the period from which a non-Pauline.
Ephesians is supposed to come (suchias/clement) indicates that the letter is far more akin
to Paul than to the supposedly contemporary church literature of the late first century.
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7. The major themes-justification by faith, grace, atonement by Christ, the place of the
Jews and the law- agree with Paul’s controverted letters.
8. The nature of the letter accords well with what Paul would have written from prison as
a final summation of what the church is.” (273-274)
Date:
During the early part of the A.D.60's while Paul was on house arrest in the city of Rome
he penned the Epistles Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians and Philemon. He been given the
privilege to have his followers visit him, they would be the ones though deliver these
compositions. (Elwell 308)
Recipients:
Much can be derived from the evil practices of the people of Ephesus that explains why
Paul would feel the need to write such a letter to them. They no longer worshiped or followed the
belief of the Christian God. Paul’s writing of this letter, after an extensive exploration of the
Occult history, seems to be very necessary and timely. (Elwell 308) Since some copies of the
book that have been found have a different name for the addressee, it is thought that the
Ephesians titled letter was the most significant one. We do not know of any other names that it
may have been called.(Foulry 24) Francis Foulry is quoted as saying, “It was sent to a number of
churches in a particular area, probably the Roman province of Asia. Internal and external
evidence provides much to support this view. There are two forms of this suggestion. One copy
of the letter, it is supposed, was taken around to different churches, and a gap was left for the
bearer to fill in the name as he went. Against this it has been argued that such an expedient
cannot be paralleled in ancient letter-writing.” (Foulry 24)
Genre:
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With a building a church as his desired result, the Apostle Paul ventured in writing what
some have come to believe a letter purposed to be passed around to different churches. This
Epistle, it has been discovered, does not deal with the current issues that the church of Ephesus
was facing. It is indeed an Epistle by definition, as it was derived from the word of the Lord
given to Paul, meant to be heard and read by the believers. (Henry 1848)
Outline of Ephesians:
Elwell says of the outline featured in “Encountering the New Testament”, “The above
stresses the implications of Ephesians for the family, both the human family generally and the
nuclear family. The contents of the Epistle certainly lend themselves to such a reading. It may
also be read as a treatise for and about the “family of God” known as the church. But while
“church” or “family” short of providing the reason why the letter was written in the first place.”
(309)
Historical Setting:
Paul was in prison in Rome when he met Onesimus(Col 4:9), a runaway slave. Paul
ended up converting him and soon after he got word that the Church at Colosse were having
some disputes concerning scripture and doctrine (Col 1:9). Colosse was the former home of
Onesimus. Paul sent Onesimus to Philemon while he responded to the news from Colosse. He
sent a letter answered the questions they had to help remedy there problems. Paul when he wrote
the letters back to them also wrote Ephesians, he desired for them all to be passed around to all
of the believers in Asia Minor.(Fiensy 184)
Content:
Verse 1. “Unregenerate souls are dead in trespasses and sins, All those who are in their
sins, are dead in sins. Sin sis the death of the soul. Wherever that prevails there is a privation of
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all spiritual life. A state of sin is a state of conformity to this world”, suggests Matthew Henry.
(Henry 1849-1850)
Verse 2. Being under the power of Satan, working in the hearts of the unbeliever, their
walk in this life is on of many transgressions. The people had many examples of wrong that
made it easier for them to do and want to sin. The consequences of sin take away from the light
of the gospel of Christ working in the heart of people. Satan has been able to use them in any
way he wants.(Exell 130)
Verse 3. The Gentile Christians once lived an existence by which they attempted to
satisfy their sinful nature. Paul in the first two verses has been discussing how they were living.
At this juncture Paul now reveals that even the Jewish Christians were just as bad. Rather than
excuses there sins he addresses them even to include himself. (Barth 34)
Verses 4-5 Three things to notice here are man’s condemned soul, God’s love for them
and the spiritually dead being brought back to life...Paul see’s the world beyond the normal sight
of man, full of life, emotions, and intelligence. He also saw the pain in the world, as if all who
were apart from Christ, suffered the same painful death, were buried in the same cemetery, all in
need of Christ’s healing power.(Maclaren 82) God’s immense love for man is shown as he came
down and died for his children. Through your sin though, you can orchestrate a separation
between you and God. It shows that there is nothing you can do to him loving you.(Maclaren 87)
Verse 6 This speaks to our salvation and resurrection which we have shared with Christ.
Not to be confused with the physical raising of Jesus but a spiritual one. In our mortal
understanding we cannot comprehend this idea. (Calvin 224)
Verse 7 It has been shown that God has purposed for his acts of grace to be a
demonstration of his love for the church. By this the poor in spirit are should be encouraged in
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knowing that God has set this in motion so that he would be glorified and to save them. ( Henry
1850)
Verse 8-9 The phrase “Not of yourself yes it is the gift of God speaks solely to our
salvation. It is definitely God’s gift. We did nothing; therefore we cannot take credit for any
good. We were saved only through Christ’s love. (Fields 62)
Verse 10 Everything that we are is because of God’s grace. The phrase “we are his
workmanship means that as people we have an inherent quality about us that can only be
attributed to the creativity of God. God has made it possible for man to enter into a new life with
him through our acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice as our opportunity to receive new life in Christ.
Through Holy Spirit we see Christ doing the impossible, all which prove his divinity and love for
the world. God meant for us to do good works, works that only He could empower us to perform.
From the beginning of the world it was determined that this would be.(Henry 693)
Application
Scientist and Psychologists have tried for years to figure out what it is within man that
influences them to commit evil acts. Without actually acknowledging God as the creator of all
things they have chosen to scientifically and psychologically reveal the truth behind man’s
behavior. Some theories suggest that there is a genetic explanation for people’s behavior. Others
believe that mentally and psychologically people’s minds can be conditioned, influencing them
to behave a certain way. It’s seems that from a biblical standpoint, there are spiritual, historical,
and psychological influences that are attached to each individuals life. Regardless of the fact that
man is born with a sinful nature and in spite of all of these influences, Christ’s love is fare more
powerful and influential than any of these things.
Spiritual Influences:
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The spiritual reasons for the sinful behavior of the people of Ephesus can be found within
the book of Ephesians itself in the second chapter. There are some key verses that I wish to
expound upon which I believe will reveal the spiritual reasons and effects of sin in Ephesus and
in the world at large. These select verses reveal the Condition of the heart, the Condition of
the will. It goes further to explain God’s involvement in the overall situation.
Condition of the Heart:
V.1-2 Because of your sinful lifestyle you lived, having been conformed to the ways of the
Devil, you were dead. He is the reason for people being disobedient to the Law of God. (KJV)
The people of Ephesus had grown accustomed to a lifestyle that was contrary to God. The way
that people live is a direct reflection of the spiritual condition of there heart. Conforming to a
way of behaving contrary truth led the people to become disobedient. Their disobedience came
as a result of their disregard for God’s law and their choice not to obey God confirm that their
spirits were unsubmissive to God’s authority. Failure to submit to God means a choice to obey
Satan.
Condition of the Will:
V. 3 We all witnessed this behavior. They gave in to their flesh and its sinful nature. They
gave in to its wants and considered it’s thoughts to the point of obeying them. We lived with
them, so we know this is true. (KJV) Flesh is inherently sinful and to obey its desires is to oppose
God. The Ephesians used their God given will to fulfill their own desires. Because God gave
man free will, he couldn’t not force them to obey him. And because God’s law states that
“whatever you lend your members to, you become a slave to.” God did not supersede his law,
meaning the people had to obey there sinful nature. The law of sin and the law of God both have
to be obeyed depending on which one you are a slave to.
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God’s involvement with the Ephesians:
Sin separates us from Christ. We cannot enter into fellowship with the father. The
Ephesians were not in right standing with God because of their sin. Because of their
unsubmissive hearts, they could not love God. And because of their unsubmissive wills, they
were unable to act out God’s commands. As a result, they were not considered to be partakers in
the covenant of promise. They were hopeless. V.2-3 Although you were separated from Christ,
considered to be a foreigner, even being excluded from Israel, you could not partake in God’s
promise. But Christ drew you near, giving you the opportunity to be part of His family. (KJV)
Spiritually, the Ephesians had enslaved themselves, giving themselves over to the bondage of
sin. Although they were now slaves to sin, the fact remains that they still had a choice to obey
God, but the only way this could happen, was for them to submit to Christ.
Historical Influences:
For the Ephesians religion played a significant role in the conditions of the hearts of the
people. They worshiped one of the most famous Greek goddesses in the world at that time.
Historically a lot of the people were born into pagan beliefs and were heavily encouraged to
practice beliefs that were contrary to God. Their vast wealth allowed them the opportunity to
satisfy their earthly desires with ease. Socially they were among the elite, but the lack of
discipline and self-restraint left them in a sinful state with much of their lives and resources
invested into a religious that put no real boundaries on them. Sin was to them such a common
thing. Ephesus at the time one of the most popular cults in the world. The Ephesian goddess
Artemis was a highly valued deity in the city. (Barth 548) The Ephesians may not all have been
faithful to the truth of Christ but they were indeed faithful to Artemis. Her temple stood for
everything important to the people and the world new it.
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Recognized the by the world over as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the temple of
Artemis made it known why this cult religion should be revered as one of the greatest religion of
its time.(Barth 548) The Ephesians were also a proud people, in fact they had a lot to be proud
of. They were the envy of the world, people witnessed each day just how blessed they appeared
to be before the world. Even with the absence of the media technology available in the world
today the Ephesian goddess religion was recognized internationally, now who wouldn’t take
pride in that?
Referred to in the book of Acts 19:35 as the “nurse” or “protectoress” of the Ephesians,
the goddess Artemis was thought to have been responsible for caring for the heavens and
earth.(Fiensy 276-77) Their reverence to this goddess plainly undermined the authority of God
and his position as the Creator and caretaker of the heavens and the earth. The people gave praise
and worship that was due God to this goddess that they believed blessed them as well as cared
for them and the world. It is not surprising at all that the people stood so proudly at the sight of
the rest of the world giving credit to their goddess for what God had done.
As stated in this book, “It was prosperous for two reasons. First, it was well located with
a seaport to serve as a trading center. Second, it’s temple of Artemis was one of the Seven
wonders of the ancient world. People came from all over in March-April for the festival of
Artemis. They not only worshiped the goddess, they also deposited large sums of money in her
temple for safe keeping. Thus the temple– Artemis became the largest bank in Asia (see Tilson)
(Fiensy 271-72 qtd.) Not only did the temple of Artemis serve as the place of worship for this
world renowned goddess, but people’s views of this temple and its blessings on the people who
worshiped it truly led people to want to partake in its wealth. People who probably did not
worship the goddess trusted that she would be able to protect and probably increase their
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investments. This was indeed a prosperous land, given them even the more reason not to submit
to the Christian God.
The wealth of Ephesus could be seen through its architecture and decor. It’s homes
located north of Mt. Koressosi, display high-end, lavishly designed homes displaying it’s vast
wealth through the mosaic tiled floors, and marble walls as well as its heated bathrooms and
running water, a commodity not shared by the less wealthy of the world. (Baker Encyclopedia of
the Bible vol.1 A-I) The Ephesians were probably a bit snobbish, having been endowed with the
pride of their wealth and possessions. Much of what they believed themselves to be relied mainly
upon their possessions. To be among the few that enjoyed such a lavish lifestyle had to have
boosted the already extraordinary sense of pride the people had. It’s understandable for them to
feel as if their lifestyle was not a sinful one, and even if the viewed it as sinful; they had plenty of
reasons to justify it.
Evidence of the morality of Ephesus can be seen in part by the location of its other forms
of business. Statues of the goddess Diana (also known as Artemis) were sculpted with the
features of her sexuality heavily animated. The city’s other forms of business included
prostitution and gambling. ((Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible vol.1 A-I) Money, sex, religion, a
deadly combination. The influence of ungodly behavior was rooted in these things. These were a
people that acted on the impulses, they sought to fulfill the desires of their sinful hearts and there
was plenty of opportunity to give it a shot. Surely nothing would have pleased them more than to
indulge in every available vice.
Psychological Influences:
Psychologically there are reasons for the people of Ephesus behaving the way they did.
Not only had they been influenced by the spiritual effects of their beliefs and the historical
38
ramifications of the deeds in which they partook in, but these influences left lasting affects on
them psychologically. The social pressures on them to conform to a certain acceptable behavior
encouraged them to further invest into a sinful lifestyle. The desire to fit in and be accepted, not
seen as an outcast, may have been a factor in this behavior. The will of the people of Ephesus
had been tainted by the beliefs and practices of the other people within the city. In short they had
little to know self-esteem.
Beware of anything that wants you to follow after other or following the latest trends or
fads. The meaning of self is its difference from others. The word personality means being unlike
others. Unlike others being different may set fashions but not follow them (Ennever 108) This
should have been told to the people of Ephesus. They found their self-worth in their possessions
and their freedom to do what they wanted to do. Their self-identity was gained from partaking in
what was the in thing to do. Nobody wanted to be left out. So it was indeed easier to just fall in
line with the rest of social hierarchy.
Your will must come from you wanting to do the will. Willing to do is emotional and is
often continued pressure on your personal will. The thing that matters the most is very discreet
and matters and depends on the tough training and discipline than anything else other than the
mind. (Ennever 107-108) Although the Ephesians had their own will, the ability to follow their
own internal sense of right and wrong, they had to have possessed the willingness to carry out
what they new was right. The things that mattered most to them were superficial. Though they
felt the need to do what others were doing, they still possess to the will to say no, but
unfortunately the spiritual consequences of their actions would not allow them to exercise that
will unless they were willing to stand for what really mattered.
Through out all of history there have been many cultures of people that have fallen victim
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to their own wills. God has purposed for mankind to be free to serve him. When sin entered the
world it was like a plague had been unleashed on the earth and the only shelter from it was the
under the protection of God’s grace. Just as the people of Ephesus, the world has much to be
proud of and just as the people of Ephesus, the world has been influenced by the things that are
not pleasing to God. If we as believers would dare to believe God and take him at his word, just
imagine what kind of influence we could have on the world. Christ crucifixion and resurrection
opened a door for all mankind to have access to the promises of God. We must all play our part
and love God unconditionally so that we are not turned away from his love by our own desires.
40
Works Cited
Barth, Markus. The Anchor Bible. Garden City: Doubleday & Company Inc., 1967.
Boles, Kenneth L. College Press NIV Commentary. "Galatians and Ephesians" Joplin, MO:
College P, 1994.
Calvin, John. Commentary of the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians and Ephesians. Grand Rapids:
Baker Book House, 1984.
Clemons, Herman J. Your Are What You Think All Day Long. New York: Vantage P, 1977.
Exell, Joseph S. The Biblical Illustrator. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1973.
Fields, Wilbur. Bible Study Textbook. "The Glorious Church A Study of Ephesians" Joplin, MO:
College P, 1983.
Fiensy, David A. College Press NIV Commentary. Joplin, MO: College P, 1994.
Foulkes, Francis. "Ephesians An Introduction and Commentary". The Tyndale New Testament
Commentaries. Downers Grove: Intervarsity P.
Garbelein, Frank E. The Expositors Bible Commentary with the NIV of the Holy Bible,
Ephesians through Philemon. Vol. 3. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
Henry, Matthew. Commentary on the Whole Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1979.
Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible. Mclean, VA: MacDonald.
Maclaren, Alexander. Expositions of Holy Scripture. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1984.
41
CHAPTER 4
Reconciled At The Cross
Ephesians 2:11-22
Carlos A. Sproaps
There are only two type of people in the world today. One is a Jew, the other is a Gentile
and both were condemned by God (Erickson 1024). They were both reconciled back to God
over two thousand years ago. This reconciliation of two strangers was completely orchestrated
by the Lord himself, on a hill called Golgotha, in the city of Jerusalem. This act which the
Almighty performed brought these two strangers into a new kingdom with new citizenship.
These citizens are now called “Christians”. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ and Apostle to the
Gentiles, writes to these Christians at Ephesus to explain their new position in a new kingdom.
He writes of the miraculous change they have encountered and may not be aware of. Based on
past experience, Paul knew of the difficulty Jewish Christians had in accepting Gentiles into
God’s ordained union unless it came through Judaism (Hendriksen 127). Certain Jewish
disciples of Jesus had made it known that unless you were circumcised after the manner of
Moses, you could not be saved. God is totally responsible for our reconciliation.
Ephesus was a city in the Roman province of Asia. It’s initial existence began circa 1045
B.C. The letter which Paul writes is dated A.D. 60-61. It is known as one of the “Prison
Epistle” (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon) which Paul wrote during his first
incarceration by the Romans during the period of A.D. 60-62. Ephesus was a major commercial
center that had land and waterway routes. It was also a major religious center as well. It housed
the magnificent temple of Diana, a Goddess, who was worshiped by the people of Ephesus. This
temple was considered to be one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The city was given
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to the practices of magic, the occult and the worshipping of man made statues and cravings
of the Goddess Diana. Paul spent about three years in this city spreading the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. His message caused much confusion and hostility even to the point of rioting by the
pagan citizens of Ephesus. Now that he was in prison in Rome he wanted to further encourage the
members of the Christian community to grow up in the richness of Christ. This letter is written
for their future maturity. Its theme is that they “...walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are
called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love
..”(Ephesians 4:1-2). A unified church has a much easier time moving thru difficult periods.
The Church at Ephesus is instructed to remember that in the past they were “Gentiles” and
“uncircumcised” as stated in Ephesians 2:11. The Jewish nation had a legacy of knowing Jehovah
and His eternal existence. God had in his own sovereign way separated Jew from Gentile. In an
unfortunate array of circumstances, the Jews have made the distance between the two wider.
The author Erickson states, “the human predicament is absolute; there is no escape. There
is no way for people already condemned to avoid condemnation.” However, God remedied the
situation threefold with one glorious act (Erickson 1024). He brought life to the Jews and
Gentiles who were dead. He raised both up into “Christ” and seated them in a place of righteous
honor in heaven.
The truth spoken about Gentiles was that they were “uncircumcised”. Paul the Apostle
does not use this term in derogatory manner, but simply states the facts (Wood 38). Although
circumcision was part of the old covenant, “its function ceased when redemption was finally
accomplished in Christ” (Wood 38). Paul writes that Gentiles were “without” Christ, citizenship,
covenants, hope and God himself. From the beginning, Gentile nations have not honored God nor
his direct will and were not part of the Jewish nation’s futuristic hope of a Messiah (Mitton 103).
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The Jewish nation had privileges and promises. Paul reminds the Gentiles at Ephesus that they
are to remember from whence they have come. God took the man Abraham and directed him to
lead his family out of the land in which they lived. From Abraham God developed his own nation
of people who would serve him. Since that time, God made a difference between Jew and Gentile
not wanting the Jews to boast, but desiring that the Jew be a blessing to the Gentile (Wiersbe 22).
Through the nation of Jewish people, God would reveal himself to the world. During the
unveiling to the world, God would send his Son as a peace offering to both Jew and Gentile.
(Eph. 2:11-12)
Enmity, is the word that describes the conflict between Jew and Gentile, Sinner and God. It
was the sovereign will of God to extend his son as a peace offering and thereby reconcile the
sinner to himself and reconcile the Jew with the Gentile. Reconcile means to bring together again
as one peaceful union. Separation existed, because sin existed. Therefore, sin must be dealt with
and payment for its unrighteous effect on mankind was accepted by God (Wiersbe 23). The
author Wiersbe states the following,” It was His work on the cross that abolished the enmity
between Jew and Gentile and between sinners and God” (Wiersbe 23). Gentiles were once dead,
but now made alive through Jesus who displayed his love, grace and mercy on the cross and
sealing the deal by his resurrection (Hoven 59). The enmity between God and sinful man had to
be abolished. As Peter, the Apostle, learned through God’s directive, that there is no difference
between Jew and Gentile. This wall of division was broken down at the crucifixion of Jesus when
the veil of the temple was rent in two (Hendriksen 134).
If you dwell in Christ then you have been reconciled to God. This even includes the
Jewish nation if they believe. At one time the Jewish people were quite boastful and believed that
they were God’s holy people and future recipients of his inheritance (Pringle 235). Human
beings love to belong to groups. Being a part of a group sometimes causes individual to look at
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outsiders with disdain. The coveted inner circle of the group brings comfort and a sense of
protection from the outer circle. Because of our sinful nature the outsiders are not treated with
the same respect as those on the inside. In the group there is strength and this strength leads one
to think he is superior to all on the outside (Erickson 1024). The Jewish nation was such a
group. They believed that they had the inner circle with God. All other nations were outsiders
and therefore inferior to them. The Jewish nation always used the outside group to define
themselves as superior and to make themselves distinctive. The author Pringle states in his
commentary the following; “Paul declares not only that the Gentiles are equally with the Jews
admitted to the fellowship of grace, so that they no longer differ from each other, but that the
mark of difference has been taken away; for ceremonies have been abolished” (Pringle 237).
Here, God has chosen to take two nations and make one new nation and crown them citizens of
his kingdom. Peace had finally come to the Jew, who was near to God, and the Gentile, who was
at a distance from God. Christ preached peace to all, especially his people. They were to be
willing instruments of God’s choice. God’s work would affect every family on the earth and
would be a blessing in itself, because every man would have opportunity to unite with the family
of God. Even though many had been made to feel inferior and unworthy of God’s invitation of
salvation, it would be accomplished because of the work at Calvary. The cross is mentioned
here, because sin was the reason why there was enmity and once it was removed, divine favor
was instituted to both nations (Pringle 239).
Our faith in Jesus determines our future. Our future is secure, because we have been
justified in Christ. The former conduct of the old man is now changed, because the Holy Spirit
has introduced us to God. We now have complete access to the Father (Boice 90).
Part of the criteria for being called an “Apostle” was to have seen the resurrected Lord.
By being an eyewitness, it brought credibility to the Apostle’s message as they ministered in
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doctrine and laid the foundation of the faith (MacArthur 128). This new community of
Christians is built on the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Apostles and the Prophets. The Apostles
took the directive of the great commission and instituted a new found peace between Jew and
Gentile. They had become part of the foundation on which the church would be built by Jesus.
Within the building of the church, Christ would included Gentiles as a vital part of it’s structure.
This new position the Gentiles would now hold, would put them on equal standing with the
saints of the past. The church would now become the residence of god. This is the way God had
intended for it to be from the beginning. When we are joined to Christ, we are also joined to one
another. Paul speaks to the church at Corinth and tells them “You are .....God’s building....No
one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:9,11)
and when he wrote to the Ephesians, “You are not longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow
citizens with God’s people and member of God’s household, built on the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone”.(Ephesians 2:19-20)
God has lifted us out of that downward-spiraling sequence by a set of opposing realities: grace,
obedience, righteousness, and eternal life. We had been subject to the wrath of god, but now we
are in a favorable position which is “In Christ”. We had been the enemies of God, but now we
are friends. The author Stoeckhardt states the following, “Christ the Crucified guarantees to the
Church, which is still defaced with no little sin and weakness, the favor and grace of God”
(Stoeckhardt 154).
The building of God is a beautiful building. It is a Holy Temple. It is the Christian
Church which is built on the chief cornerstone, Jesus. The stones of the building support one
another and accommodate each other so that the building is “fitly framed together” (Stoeckhardt
155).
Ephesians 2:11-22 describes the blessings that the church now enjoys. The members of
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the body, which is the church, are in the process of being built, however the process has not
reached completion. The church is a temple, the dwelling place of God (Snodgrass 125). With
this in mind we need to bridge the gap that exists between Christians and other cultures.
Our cultural worlds may be different, but we do have one thing in common. The
commonality that exists between us is that we are all souls. The beauty of this is that all souls
belong to God. In Ephesians 2:11, Paul wants Christians to remember our past and where God
has brought us from. Memory is a dynamic gift from God, and without it we cannot live the
abundant life which Jesus has provided for us (Snodgrass 140). God is patient and longsuffering
with his creation, not willing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
When we look back at the entire text, verses 11-22 we see things that appear foreign or barbaric
to us as Christians today. Circumcision is foreign from the religious perspective, however it
does identify us as Gentiles in the flesh. Since when do we need to be identified as Gentiles. We
call ourselves Christians today, not Gentiles. We understand that God has a plan for his chosen
nation Israel, however he has made us part of the same family tree. We can not achieve the unity
which God has already given us through reconciliation until we identify the deep rooted human
problems we all have. Snodgrass identifies them as, “alienation, division, name-calling,
separation from God and his purposes, and hopelessness. As long as these problems continue,
people will know loneliness, fracture, lack of trust and discouragement” (Snodgrass 140). These
items can not be diminished, but must be faced head on through an understanding of the
scriptures. This should shed more light on the fact that Jesus has completed the process of
healing for us. We must trust his word, that it is true. Paul explicitly tells us that Jesus has
abolished in his flesh the enmity which existed and has reconciled Jew and Gentile together, and
back to God That wall of partition that existed and kept us separated has now been broken
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down. To those of us who are being shaped by Christ, we should extend a right hand of
fellowship so that the alienation that existed between Jew and Gentile no longer exists. Paul
wants Jew and Gentile alike to understand that God had broken down all walls of partition for
access to Himself. Paul makes it clear that because of the work done on the cross, where Jesus
died, that God had open up the way for all nations to receive salvation and no longer be strangers
and aliens to the covenant of promise which God had established. Without Christ man is
miserable. God had left the Gentiles without any means to call upon Him for salvation.
Therefore what motive did they or do we have to live (Erickson 1024)? A secure and effective
motive for life is love. But how do you love an angry God? Without Christ there is no pardon,
however Jesus has touched our infirmity. He knows how we feel, that our condition was
hopeless. Some people are lost in the cares of this world and some are blinded by the
deceitfulness of riches. But one thing that is true, we all need a Savior. We can all come to the
foot of the cross for salvation. Because salvation is now offered to both Jew and Gentile
(Erickson 1025).
Therefore since Christ has brought Jew and Gentile together he has brought together all
Gentiles. There should be no partition between Gentiles, especially those who are Christians.
Jesus is building a universal church, which is the temple of God and God himself dwells in this
temple for eternity (Henry 2310). We are now one nation, one family and one temple. God
dwelt in the tabernacle, the temple and in the body of Jesus. God no longer dwells in man-made
church buildings, but dwells solely in the hearts of his people (Wiersbe 25).
God is really among us and this is a wonderful fact for the Christians. The Lord himself
has chosen to meet our spiritual needs and with this in mind we should be grateful. It is within
this community that we receive forgiveness of sin, absolution of guilt and shame and find
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ourselves in the sanctuary praising God (Mitton 116).
When we get good news, we share it. God has commissioned us to spread the gospel to
all human beings and share this good news that he alone, has provided salvation. It is his
creation that is to spread the gospel. He asked Israel to do it and now he asks that the church do
it. What greater honor could we have than working with God and being a laborer with him.
This is the job of all Christians (Lightner 276). However, let us not be deceived. There are
those who “wait in ambush, for the novel that fails, for the poet who commits suicide, for the
financier who is a crook, for the politician who slips, for the priest who is discovered to be an
adulterer (Colson 67). When we speak our faith there are those who wait for misfortune, so they
may gloat. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus went to the people who needed help. Many times we are
precluded from helping because of cultural barriers. When the church does not breach these
barriers, then both parties lose. When we move out of our safety zone and into the zone of help
and need., then we have preached the most important sermon there is to preach. It is not until we
step forward and help, then and only then does our worship have true meaning (Colson 68).
In conclusion we must remember that the Christian community is made up of people that
consist of Jewish and non-Jewish Christians. The problem with these two group of people
consists of social and spiritual problems. Jews and Gentiles are as far apart as the east is from
the west. But thanks to Paul, he informs us, that they are able to be close and share love between
one another because of the work Jesus has accomplished. They become united because of a
common tie, the love of Jesus. During Paul’s day, Jewish Christians were compelling Gentiles to
become circumcised and observe Jewish law and diet. These Gentiles in the flesh, who are
physically Gentile because of their lack of circumcision are now regarded as the people of God.
All Jews were circumcised. This is one of the things that set them apart from Gentiles. The act
of circumcision was made with human hands. The privilege of being a Christian was an act not
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made with human hands. Circumcision was an outward sign that reflected the inward heart of
belonging to God. Philippians 3:3, says that the true “circumcision” is the one who worships
God in spirit. Gentiles are called to remember their past.. The Jewish nation in an unambiguous
manner had proclaimed their faith in Jehovah God. Pagans had no such proclamation. They
were by nature far away from Jehovah. By the reconciling blood of Jesus, they now have a
closeness with God. The person who brings this reconciliation not only spiritually, but socially
is Jesus.
The emphasis upon community shows that the gospel was not understood in purely
individualistic terms. Paul preached freedom and that freedom was to be able to participate in
community , rather than an individual freedom. That participation was regarded as an integral
part of salvation, and not merely as its corollary. Sin, according to Paul is not individual wrongdoing, it is alienation from God and from human community. Only in Christ can mankind know
the oneness in Christ, whether Greek or Jew, male or female. Paul is an ambassador whom God
uses to introduce reconciliation to the Jewish community. In due time Paul would make this
reconciliation known to Gentiles. This would be known as the church, the extraordinary
community that rests on God’s purpose. The church is God’s gift to humanity; one participates
in it as an act of faith–not as if it were created by those who belong to it nor sustained by their
presence alone. The church is the new creation and it bears witness to the whole world of what
God brings to those who accept his salvation.
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Works Cited
Boice, James Montgomery. Amazing Grace. Wheaton, Il: Tyndale, 1993.
Colson, Charles and Nancy R. Pearcey. A Dangerous Grace. Dallas: Word, 1994.
Erickson, Richard J. Baker Commentary On The Bible. Ed. Walter A. Elwell. Grand Rapid:
Baker, 1989.
Hendriksen, William. New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1967.
Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Commentary On The Whole Bible. USA: Hendrickson: 1991.
Hoven, Victor E. The New Testament Epistles Analysis and Notes. Grand Rapids: Baker 1959.
Lightner, Robert P. Th.D. Sin the Savior and Salvation-The Theology of Everlasting Life.
Nashville: Nelson, 1991.
The Revell Bible Dictionary. New York: Wynwood 1990.
MacArthur, John F. Nothing But The Truth. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1999.
Mitton, C. Leslie The New Century Bible Commentary-Ephesians. Ed. Matthew Black. Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 1973.
Pringle, Rev. William, ed. Calvins Commentaries on The Epistle of Paul to the Galatians and
Ephesians. Vol. 21. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1984.
Smith, Edgar W. Jr, ed. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Volume Two: E-J
Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982.
Snodgrass, Klyne. The NIV Application Commentary: Ephesians. Ed. Terry Muck. Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 1996.
Stoeckhardt, George. Ephesians. Translated by Martin S. Sommer. Concordia Classic
Commentary Series. St. Louis: Concordia, 1952.
Wiersbe, Warren W. The Bible Exposition Commentary-Volume 2.Wheaton, Il: Victor, 1989.
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CHAPTER 5
God’s Eternal Plan
Ephesians 3:1-13
Casey Elmore
Thesis: Ephesians 3:1-13 is a piece of Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus that
gives insight to the Gentiles about how they fit into God’s eternal plan, as well as Paul’s
role in the matter. As Paul sits in prison, he thinks about what got him there, and he is not
ashamed. He had been given the responsibility to share the mystery with the Gentiles that had
been given to him through special revelation from God.
Then he thinks about his Gentile friends at Ephesus. He thinks about what they need to
hear. Although he was in prison because of the mission he had been given, he did not let that
stop him from spreading the word to the Gentiles in Ephesus by letter. Paul understood that
there was no reason to let his imprisonment stop him. He knew that the riches of Christ were
worth whatever harm or injustice his persecutors would do to him. He understood this from the
beginning. He knew that those who would persecute him would be coming. He knew this
because he was once one of them.
Background
It is apparent from the beginning that the genre of Ephesians is a letter. Paul first gives
his name to signify who the letter is coming from. Then he gives the name of those who are to
receive the letter. In this case the saints who are at Ephesus are to be the recipients of this letter
(Eph. 1:1). Next Paul gives his greeting to the church in verse 2. It says, “Grace to you and
peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (New American Standard Bible). This
was one of the common ways to begin a letter in Paul’s time.
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The author of the epistle to the Ephesians is the apostle Paul (Youngblood 404). This is
apparent because Paul refers to himself by name in his greeting in 1:1, and again he states his
name in 3:1. The date of this epistle is most likely A.D. 61 during Paul’s imprisonment at Rome
(Bromily 111).
A summary of an outline of the book of Ephesians according to Nelson’s New Illustrated
Bible Dictionary is given here (Youngblood 405):
Ephesians 1:1 – 3:21 talks about the position of the Christian. Chapter 1:1-14 Paul gives
“praise for redemption”. He gives his greeting (1:1-2), speaks of being “chosen by the Father”
(1:3-6),” redeemed by the Son” (1:7-12), and “sealed by the Spirit” (1:13-14).
Paul prays for revelation in 1:15-23, and then in chapter 2 he begins to talk about the
“position of the Christian”. He talks about the “Christian’s position individually” (2:1-10) and
the “Christian’s position corporately” (2:11-3:13). Then he offers a “prayer for realization”
(3:14-21).
In chapter 4:1 through chapter 6:24, Paul talks about the “practice of the Christian”. He
begins by speaking about “unity in the church”. He gives an “exhortation to unity” (4:1-3), an
“explanation of unity” (4:4-6), the “means for unity: the gifts” (4:7-11), and the “purpose of the
gifts” (4:12-16).
Next he speaks about the “holiness in life”. He tells the Ephesians to “put off the old
nature” (4:17-22), “put on the new nature” (4:23-29),”grieve not the Holy Spirit” (4:30-5:12),
“walk as children of light” (5:13-17), and to “be filled with the Spirit” (5:18-21).
Then beginning in chapter 5:22 Paul speaks about “responsibilities in the home and at
work”. He tells the wives to submit to their husbands (5:22-24), the husbands to love their wives
(5:25-33), the children to obey their parents (6:1-4), and the servants to submit to their masters
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(6:5-9).
Finally, Paul tells them how they are to conduct themselves in the conflict. He tells them
to “put on the armor of God” (6:10-17), and to “pray for boldness” (6:18-20). Then Paul
concludes his letter in chapter 6:21-24.
Ephesus was located on the west coast of Asia Minor (Youngblood 406). In an early
period for Rome, Ephesus was a wealthy, busy, successful trading port. This implies that it was
probably a strategic move for Paul to plant a church here as he did during his third missionary
journey prior to his Roman imprisonment (Acts 19). Being that it was a successful trading port,
many visitors came and went. If the gospel was able to reach the visitors, then just maybe they
could take it home with them causing the word to spread even faster. This method was used to
spread the gospel to all of Asia (Lenski 327).
There were many contributors to the success of Ephesus. Aside from being a wellsituated seaport that had plenty of access coming from both north and south, it was also the
largest in the province (Youngblood 406). It had an enormous theater, which drew in many
visitors and it was also famous for its religious spectacles. Ephesus was the home of the Temple
of Artemis, the daughter of Zeus. This temple is “ranked as one of the Seven Wonders of the
Ancient World” (Youngblood 406).
In Acts chapter twenty Paul says “goodbye” to the church in Ephesus as he prepares for
his departure. One can learn from verse 31 that Paul spent three years ministering to the people
there as he tells them not to forget the message he brought (Youngblood 407).
In chapter 21 of Acts Paul returns to Jerusalem. Though he was given a warm welcome
by fellow believers in Christ, the religious leaders in the temple did not feel the same warmth for
Paul. They seized him, arrested him, and eventually he ended up in a prison in Rome where he
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wrote the letter to the Ephesians.
Content
Ephesians 3:1-5
To understand what Paul is referring to when he uses the phrase “for this reason” in 3:1
one must refer to what he had just said in the previous paragraph. Paul had just previously been
writing in detail about how Jesus broke down the barrier that divided the Jews and the Gentiles
and that everyone now has access to God. In chapter 2:14 Paul calls Jesus “our peace, who made
both groups into one” (emphasis added). Verse fifteen talks about how Jesus abolished the
enmity “so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace”
(NASB). Verse sixteen speaks of reconciling “them both in one body to God through the cross”.
The idea of the reconciliation of the Jews and Gentiles through Jesus’ blood rings loud and clear
throughout the rest of the chapter.
Then we come to chapter three, verse one and Paul writes, “For this reason I, Paul, the
prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles”. This raises some questions. Why would
Paul call himself “the prisoner of Christ Jesus?” Why is it for the sake of the Gentiles? Why
would the opportunity for unity of the Jews and Gentiles make Paul a prisoner? To find the
answers to these questions we must look back to the book of Acts.
In Acts 21:26, Paul had recently returned to Jerusalem from planting a church in Ephesus.
There Paul had been spreading the news that was just mentioned in chapter two of Ephesians.
That is that eternal life is available to all men. In Acts chapter 20 one can learn that Paul taught
“publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance
toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” He taught that the Law does not save, but
instead it is by faith in Jesus Christ that one can be saved. Word had spread back home in
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Jerusalem that Paul was preaching this message, and this did not sit well with everyone. In fact,
in chapter twenty-one of Acts, verse twenty-seven Paul is back at Jerusalem in the temple when
the Jews from Asia laid their hands on him and had him arrested. Their claim was that he “is the
man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people (Jews) and the Law and this place;
and besides he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” (verse
28). Of course, we know that Paul was not speaking against the Jews, the Law, or the temple.
However, many of the Jews who felt threatened and offended by Jesus’ obvious power held the
same distain for anyone who preached in Jesus’ name. So, Paul is placed in prison for his
boldness to preach to the Greeks. Awaiting trial before Nero, Paul writes the letter to the
Ephesians (Barclay 121).
His upholding of the responsibility to spread the message is what landed him in prison.
From Ephesians 6:20 we learn that Paul was literally a prisoner in chains as he wrote this letter
(Fields, Wilbur 77). So, why does he call himself “the prisoner of Christ Jesus”? Wilbur Fields
answers it this way: “If his heart had not been bound by chains of love, gratitude, duty, trust, and
faith in Christ Jesus, he would soon have been free of his iron chains. But even when free of
chains, he was always the prisoner of Christ and His service” (77). Paul loved Jesus so much
that nothing could keep him from upholding the mission that he had so graciously been given.
So, now we know that Paul was a prisoner for the sake of the Gentiles because preaching
to the Gentiles is what got him into trouble. In verse two Paul writes, “if indeed you have heard
of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you;”(NASB). R.C.H. Lenski
writes, “By ‘the grace given to me for you’ Paul refers to his office as an apostle to the Gentiles.
He calls it ‘the grace of God’ with reference to himself, for his office was wholly undeserved.”
(466)
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Paul understood quite personally the meaning of God’s grace. In Acts, chapters eight and
nine we learn a little history on Paul before this grace had been given to him. Here we see Paul
as a young man who had been raised up and taught by Pharisees. He holds true to the Law and
opposes anyone who fails to do so. Paul’s zeal for the traditions of his Jewish fathers is what
caused him to be so against the followers of Christ. According to Arland J. Hultgren, Paul, as a
persecutor of Christians looked mistakenly at the Christian message. Hultgren writes that Paul
“persecutes Christians because they belong to ‘the Way’ (Acts 9:2; 22:4); he is involved in
‘opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth’ (26:9); and he tries ‘to make them blaspheme’ (26:11)”
(100).
Paul obviously thought that he was doing what was right by persecuting the followers of
Christ. Perhaps he saw Christians as people who were trying to distort Judaism, needing to be
disciplined accordingly by Jewish authority (Hultgren 101). Whatever his reasoning was, Paul
was on a mission against the followers of God’s Son.
However, in Acts chapter nine Paul encounters Jesus on the road to Damascus. This
encounter marks the beginning of Paul’s understanding of Christ’s divinity. Paul’s incorrect way
of thinking, his pre-understandings, his pre-suppositions, his life-long training had been crushed
by this one encounter with Jesus. In verse fifteen Jesus reveals that Paul is now to be an apostle
to the Gentiles.
This is an amazing example of God’s grace and Paul understands that. Paul went from
being a devout Jew that persecuted Christians to a follower of Christ and a preacher to the
Gentiles after one encounter with Jesus. This also shows another aspect of God’s grace. That is
that when He calls someone to a specific ministry task, He also gives him or her the ability to
complete it. Matthew Henry comments, “An effectual working of Divine power attends the gifts
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of Divine grace. As God appointed Paul to the office, so he qualified him for it” (1148).
Paul was working against God’s plan at one point, but God graciously decided to use him
anyway. Arthur F. Glasser in the Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions describes Paul’s
ministry to the Gentiles as having five major parts: (1) “Open their eyes to the gospel”, (2) “turn
them from darkness to light” (They were not facing the light of Christ.), (3) “turn them from the
power of Satan to God”, (4) encourage them to “receive the forgiveness of their sins”, (5) and to
help them find a “place among those who are sanctified in Christ” (404).
We can gather from Ephesians 3:3,4 that Paul’s responsibility to spread the gospel to the
Gentiles is his stewardship (Eph. 3:2). By revelation, a mystery was made known to him that he
will share about in following verses. His stewardship was totally undeserved. It was grace.
Wilbur fields comments, “Sometimes the greatest sinners, when converted, will serve Christ the
most earnestly and gratefully” (85).
The truth is that no one deserves to take part in God’s plan. Grace was not given only to
Paul, but instead it is offered to each and every one of us. Eternal life is offered to everyone by
grace, and so is the mission given to all believers to spread the gospel to others.
Ephesians 3:5-10
Verse five is referring to the mystery as it says, “which in other generations was not made
known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the
Spirit” (NASB).
The Expository Dictionary of Bible Words defines “mystery” as “an insight into some
present day Christian experience or future expectation not unveiled (as clearly) in the Old
Testament” (Richards 452). According to this source the word mystery is used twenty-seven
times in the New Testament. Out of those twenty-seven times, Paul uses the word twenty times.
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The word refers to a revelation every time. Verse five shows that this definition surely fits what
Paul is talking about.
In verse six Paul tells what the mystery is. He says, “to be specific, that the Gentiles are
fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus
through the gospel.” This mystery gives great insight into God’s eternal plan, a mystery received
through special revelation.
Paul gives more detail on how this fits in with God’s eternal plan in Romans chapter 9 11. It is a description of how God uses His chosen people, the Israelites, and the rest of the
world (Gentiles) in His eternal plan. All except for a remnant of Israelites rejected God (Romans
11:5). Romans 9:31,32 says, “but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that
law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They
stumbled over the stumbling stone” (NASB).
In Romans chapter 11, verse 11 Paul writes, “I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall,
did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to
make them jealous.” In verse 14 Paul expresses his desire to move to jealousy his fellow
countrymen and “save some of them.” The rejection of Jesus by the Israelites led to the gospel
reaching the Gentiles. The salvation of the Gentiles is to lead to the reconciliation of the
Israelites. All of this is possible because the blood of Jesus was shed for everyone, breaking
down the barrier between God’s chosen people and the rest of the world. However, in Ephesians
3:6 Paul does not go into all of those details. He tells the Gentiles that the mystery is that the
gospel is available to them, too. Nevertheless, the revelation of this mystery is a major part of
God’s eternal plan.
In verses 7 – 9 Paul explains how he fits into the plan. He says that he was made minister
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of the gospel, and he once again credits God’s grace for that incredible honor. Johannes Munck
comments that Paul’s, “personal call coincides with an objective eschatological necessity,
namely God’s plan that the Gospel is to be preached to the Gentiles before the end of the age”
(41).
In verse 8 Paul calls himself the “very least of all saints”. Paul’s attitude is an amazing
example for us. Paul could be considered a hero in the faith. He is the author of many books in
the Bible. He suffered much persecution for the gospel, yet he considers himself the “very least
of all saints.” This is because ever since his encounter with Jesus he realized his salvation as
well as his ministry were to be credited to God’s grace. For Paul, serving God was an honor.
Wilbur Fields comments, “Paul’s testimony should be a stern warning to those who are selfrighteous, and pride themselves on being good moral men” (86). Everyone is dependent on
God’s grace.
Verse 10 explains why this mystery was revealed to Paul. It says, “so that the manifold
wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in
the heavenly places.” Lenski explains that “the mystery now made known, which is full of such
wondrous blessedness for the godless Gentile world (3:12), has a bearing also on the angels in
heaven” (480). Paul is magnifying the body of Christ with this statement. The wisdom of God is
to be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places through the church. Lenski
points out that 1 Peter 1:12 teaches us that angels long to look into things which come to us by
the Holy Spirit (481). The spreading of God’s wisdom is to have an effect reaches past the
boundaries of this world.
However, this wisdom is not just to have an effect on the angels. It seems as though this
passage is not even referring to angels. As we can see in Ephesians 6:12 these heavenly places
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are “the battleground of good and evil” (Youngblood 406). Paul writes in 6:12, “For our struggle
is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of
this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” God intends to
make His wisdom known to these forces in the heavenly realms through the church.
Ephesians 3:11-13
Verses 11 and 12 say, “This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried
out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in
Him.”
This work of God’s wisdom fits perfectly with the eternal purpose. Of course, the work
of Christ Jesus is inseparable from the eternal purpose. In fact, the eternal purpose has been
carried out in Jesus. The work of God’s wisdom that Paul is talking about here is what is to
come after what has already been carried out in Jesus.
In Christ we can have confidence that we have access to the Father; not confidence in
ourselves, but confidence in God’s grace and Christ’s power. Looking back on verse 8 we see
Paul as an example. Paul is confident; he is bold. However, he is not confident or bold in
himself. He sees himself as the “very least of all saints”. His confidence is in the grace that was
given to him (v. 8). We are all undeserving of access to God. We have all “sinned and fall short
of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). But by grace that is given to us through reconciling work
of Jesus Christ, if we have faith in Him we can be confident that we have access to the Father.
Jesus teaches us in John 14:6 when He says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one
comes to the Father but through Me.”
In verse 13 Paul tells the Gentiles in Ephesus, “Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at
my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.” Let us not forget that Paul has told them
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that he is in prison for spreading the gospel to them (v. 1). He wants them to know that it is
worth it. This imprisonment is for Kingdom purposes, “therefore I ask you not to lose heart”
(3:13, NASB). Paul did not want his imprisonment to cause fear or discouragement to his
brothers in Ephesus. Instead he wants it to give them a boost in spiritual maturity. He wants
them to move from merely believing the gospel to boldly standing for it.
Conclusion/Application
In this passage Paul is a perfect example of bull’s eye living, “living as if God were real
and important to me.” (Doug Fields). With all of the distractions in our lives, God is to be the
center of the target. We are to focus on him.
In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul touches on the idea of living for a purpose. In chapter
2, verse 10 he says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which
God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Paul is saying that God does have a
purpose for all of us. Bull’s eye living is about making that purpose the focus of our lives.
Paul is an excellent example of bull’s eye living. From as much as the Bible tells us
about Paul, it seems as though he had always done well with having some sort of focus in life.
Starting at a very young age, his focus was God (Acts 7,9). He was raised a devout Jew, so he
was shooting at the right target. However, his aim was off. He was working hard for what he
believed was God’s purpose, but he was really working against God by persecuting Christians.
In Acts chapter 9 Jesus appeared to Paul and showed him the bull’s eye. Through this
encounter, Paul put his faith in Jesus and was given the mission of spreading the gospel of Jesus
Christ to the Gentiles.
Paul certainly did make that mission his bull’s eye. He did not let distractions throw off
his aim, just as an archer cannot allow distractions when aiming at a target. Many possible
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distractions for Paul came in the form of threats and violence (2 Corinthians 11:24-29). He
could have allowed these distractions to take his eye off Jesus, but instead he kept his focus on
the bull’s eye and God was able to use Paul to fulfill His purpose.
This is the message that Paul wants to give to the Gentiles in Ephesus in Ephesians 3:113. In verse one he tells them about his imprisonment that came from ministering to them. But
in this very verse he lets them know what his bull’s eye is when he calls himself a prisoner of
Christ Jesus. Through his persecution he has not lost sight of his purpose.
He explains to the Gentiles that they too have been called to be reconciled to God through
Jesus. The Gentiles and Jews alike were to become united in Jesus and form one body, which is
the church. Through the church, the manifold wisdom of God is to be made known to the rulers
and authorities in the heavenly places (v. 10). Verse 11 says, “this was in accordance with the
eternal purpose” (NASB). Then after explaining this to them Paul, in verse 13, asks them to
make this purpose their bull’s eye. He says, “Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my
tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory” (NASB). He did not want them to let fear or
disappointment distract them. Paul was a living example of bull’s eye living, and this was a
mindset he wanted to instill in the church at Ephesus in Ephesians 3:1-13.
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Works Cited
Barclay, William. The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians. Revised Edition. Philadelphia.
The Westminster Press. 1976.
Bromily, Geoffrey W., ed. "Ephesians, Epistle to the." The International Standard Bible
Encyclopedia. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
1982. (pp. 111))
Fields, Doug. “Bull’s Eye Living (Week 1 – What on Earth am I here for?).” Sermon,
www.simplyyouthministry.com September, 2008.
Fields, Wilbur. The Glorious Church (A Study of Ephesians). The Bible Study Textbook Series.
Joplin, MO. College Press Publishing Company. 1960.
Glasser, Arthur F. "The Gospel." Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions. Ed. A.S.
Moreau.Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2000. 404.
Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible. Nashville,
Tennessee. Thomas Nelson Publishers. 1997.
Holy Bible: New American Standard. Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman & Holman
Publishers, 1977.
Hultgren, Alrand J. "Paul's Pre-Christian Persecutions of the Church: Their Purpose, Locale, and
Nature." Journal of Biblical Literature 95 (1976): 100-101.
Lenski, R. C. H. The Interpretation of St. Paul’s Episltes to the Galatians, Ephesians, and
Philippians. Minneapolis, Minnesota. Augsburg Publishing House. 1937.
Munck, Johannes. Paul and the Salvation of Mankind. Richmond, Virginia: John Knox Press.
1959.
Richards, Lawrence O., ed. "Mystery." Expository Dictionary of Bible Words. Grand
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Rapids, Michigan: The Zondervan Publishing House. 1985. (p. 452)
Youngblood, Ronald F., ed. “Ephesians, Epistle to the.” Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible
Dictionary. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1995. (pp. 403-406.)
Youngblood, Ronald F., ed. “Ephesus.” Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary.
Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1995. (pp. 406-407.)
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CHAPTER 6
A Unified Church with Christ as Head
Ephesians 3:1-13
Myrtes V. Smith
There are many local Christian churches throughout the world. The churches are made
up of groups of baptized believers in Jesus Christ and usually assemble in individual buildings
two to three times a week - generally for the purpose of worshiping and praising God,
intercessory prayer, Bible study, choir practice and other fellowship related reasons.
The churches, worldwide, are made up of different denomination with various functions.
Although each is following the practices of the same teacher, Jesus the Christ, there are different
doctrinal beliefs. The congregants are of various races and nationalities, males and females,
young and old providing social ministries - feeding the hungry, clothing the poor and needy,
sheltering the homeless, attending to the sick and visiting those in prisons. Is this what the book
of James says is required of Christians? Yes, it is the local churches responsibility to meet man’s
physical needs, however, there are other requirements. Jesus said “It is written: Man does not
live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4 –
(Scofield-NIV)
The Church is to represent the presence of God’s Spirit and operate as a spiritual magnet
drawing lost sinners to Christ. Many churches have Evangelism Ministries that canvass
neighborhoods seeking to find people who do not know Jesus or who have not accepted Jesus as
Savior. Individual Christian churches are working independently to draw lost sinners to Christ how pleased would God be if Churches unified their efforts and worked together to build His
Kingdom?
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Journalist, Wayne A. Brindle writes the concerns of the Jews that the Mosaic Law and
Jewish culture were being lost and even rejected by the Gentiles led to disunity between Jewish
and Gentile believers. (Brindle 221) Matthew Poole states Paul’s ministry was to communicate
to the Gentiles that their salvation was without circumcism or the works of the law – contrary to
what the Jews believed. (Poole 670) Andrew T. Lincoln reports Ephesians 3:1-13 as an account
of Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles and the mystery which had been revealed to him - the heart of
his ministry. Gentile Christians were no longer outside the scope of the history of salvation and
needed to be empowered in their role of God’s purpose. (Lincoln 167) Paul purposed his letter
to the Ephesians to assure them of their inheritance and the security of their salvation through
Jesus Christ.
Bruce M. Metzger reports God revealed a plan to Paul that would unite Jews and Gentiles
as one body. “The mystery of God”, the “mystery of Christ”, “the mystery of the Gospel.”
(Metzger 188) This same plan can be instrumental in bringing all local Christian churches
worldwide together – breaking the denominational and racial barriers – a unified Church with
Jesus Christ as Head.
W.E.Vine states “mystery” implies knowledge withheld; its Scriptural significance is
truth revealed as a secret or something unknown.” (Vine 424) Whenever the term “mystery”
occurs in this letter it designates a secret that has recently been disclosed, first to a few chosen
people and now communicated to all. (Ephesians 3:3-4, 10) (Metzger 188)
The Mystery of God – Ephesians 3:1-7
The Old Testaments speak of God’s grace coming to the Gentiles - an unconditional
promise of blessings through Abram’s seed – that all people would be blessed through him.
Genesis 12:3c- (Scofield-NIV) John Calvin reports Prophets declared that people would come
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from every nation in the world to worship God – that an altar would be erected both in Assyria
and in Egypt – all alike would speak the language of Canaan. Isaiah 19:18-19. (Calvin 250)
However, the Prophets were not given the revelation of how this would be done. God selected a
man that was known to have persecuted and killed Christians to be the bearer of this good news –
the Apostle Paul.
“Who is this man that God should have raised him above all his brethren? – What
superior excellence did he possess that he should be chosen in preference to all the others?”
(Calvin 252) Matthew Henry states Paul took no credit for this appointment and humbly
considered his ministry was made according to the gift of God’s grace unto him - God supplied,
furnished and assisted him in meeting his ministry needs. (Henry 697) Calvin agrees the gift of
grace was by Gods free exercise of kindness and not for any excellence of Paul. (Calvin 252)
Matthew Poole, Clark and Calvin’s statements confirm the purpose of the mystery of the
Gospel. Therefore God chose Paul to share with the Gentiles “this ‘mystery’ – the Gentiles were
to have equal rights to the heavenly inheritance promised to the Jews.” (Poole 669) God chose
Israel to receive the promises that gave rise to the gospel, and these promises were committed to
Israel (Romans 3:1-2; 9:4-5) (Brindle 225)
The Gentiles were to be fellow-heirs and of the same body with the Jews. (Adam Clarke 444).
Gentiles would be eligible to the inheritance God promised the Jew - they would become joint
heirs through the administration of Jesus. The calling of the Gentiles, then, was a “mystery of
Christ and was to be fulfilled under the reign of Christ” (Calvin 250)
The Mystery of Christ – Ephesians 3:8-12
Redeeming man back to God was spoken of throughout the Old Testament – Animals
sacrifices were not be sufficient – Only God could provide what was needed.
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Watson E. Mills reports the author of Ephesians perceives the redemptive purpose of God,
predestined from eternity and executed in and through Jesus Christ, is to overcome the hostility
and divisions in the universe by bringing all things together under the headship of Jesus Christ
(Ephesians 1:9-10). (Mills 255) Brindle alludes to Jesus’ reference of Salvation to the Jews
(John 4:22) as God’s salvation promises were originally designed for Abraham’s descendants
and were carried out through them. Clearly the preparation for the revelation of the gospel was
laid in Israel and because of that “the gospel is pre-eminently the gospel for the Jews.” (225,
226)
However, Jesus speaks of bringing others into the fold: John 10:16 –“I have other sheep
that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there
shall be one flock and one shepherd.” (Scofield -NIV) Paul calls the “mystery” the unsearchable
riches of Christ – although man may not understand the mystery, it should be contemplated with
reverence and admiration. (Calvin254) It is the will of God that all men should share in the
fellowship of the “mystery.”
What is the fellowship of the “mystery” - “The Gentiles who had been strangers to the
church, were to be admitted into communion with it, which from the beginning of the world hath
been hid in God (kept secret in his purpose), who created all things by Jesus Christ. (Henry 698)
Paul’s intent was to help the Gentiles understand their relationship with Jesus and the Jews. The
teachings of these two groups may not have coincided, but the common bond was Jesus. Because
the Gentiles accepted the teachings of Jesus they were to be included and treated as family.
Romans 8:17 reads “Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with
Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings – we may also share in his glory.” (Scofield-NIV)
The “mystery” of Christ - God’s plan for both Jews and Gentiles was not revealed or
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intended to be revealed until Jesus came in the flesh. According to Poole - God’s plan, His
manifold wisdom to redeem man back to Him, was done according to His purpose in Christ
Jesus as designed to be Head of the Church. (Poole 670) Calvin agrees “that the proper time for
publishing this decree belongs to the kingdom of Christ. God’s eternal purpose, which took place
before all ages was not revealed until the manifestation of Christ. (Calvin 256) God, through
Jesus, was building His Kingdom - As a result of this revelation, all people are given an avenue
to Christ. This also speaks to God’s purpose for the World – Through the preaching of the
Gospel, it is made possible that people from every race, tribe, color, and language can come to
Him through Christ Jesus.
Mystery of the Gospel – Ephesians 3:13
Paul, who was in prison for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, again encouraged the
Gentiles to “faint not” – they were to remain firm as his imprisonment resulted from
demonstrating their privileges, of which the Jews were envious. (Clark 446) According to
Lincoln, Paul’s imprisonment was integral to his special apostolic ministry of proclaiming the
gospel to the Gentiles. Paul’s advocating a law-free Gentile mission provoked the opposition
and led to his arrest and imprisonment. (Lincoln 173)
Paul’s arrest was of great concern to the Gentiles – they feared for his life and their and their
own. Opposition and difficulty should not be reasons to abandon the gospel – instead an
opportunity to draw closer to and glorify God. “The Ephesians are thus reminded how eagerly
the gospel ought to be embraced, and how highly it ought to be esteemed. This same subject was
addressed in Galatians.” (Calvin 253)
As an authorized messenger of God, Paul had a mission that would benefit all mankind.
He declared the gospel to be the instrument employed in communicating grace to the Gentiles,
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and he was made minister of the Gospel. (Calvin 252) The preaching of the gospel would make
it possible for all men to know Christ and to share what is known about Him with others. “For
God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, is the same who hath shined in our
hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2
Corinthians 4:6 (Scofield-NIV)
It is the work of God to make known the darkness; but what was visible in the former
case is ascribed to the Spirit, when He comes to speak of the Kingdom Christ. (Calvin 255) ‘This
‘mystery’ is that through the gospel the gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together
of one body and share together in the promise of Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 3:6 (Scoefield-NIV) It
was the gospel message that made the early church aware of God’s plan to bring unity between
the Jews and Gentiles - they were to become the example of a glorified church - a unified church
with Christ as head.
Therefore the implication is the “mystery” culminates through unity of the body of
Christ. Charles F. Pfieffer, defines unity as “oneness” and is based on the clear doctrine of one
Savior, one heavenly Father, one Holy Spirit, one baptism, and only one Church in God’s sight.
(Wycliffe 1757)
Ultimately, the reference to the church expands beyond the local church and is focused
on all believers world wide. The preached Word of God will accomplish His goal. Isaiah 55:11“so is my Word that goes out from my mouth it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish
what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Scofield -NIV) All believers,
worldwide representing the Church at large, have a great responsibility to preach God’s Word –
not just in the pulpit, but everywhere – the purpose and goal is to reach the lost sinners and
introduce them to Christ.
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Conclusion
The “mystery” of God was prophesied during the Old Testament – and the revelation
made known in the New Testament. Through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the
Gentiles became aware of their inheritance as joint heirs with the Jews and members together as
one body - the ultimate goal, a unified church with Christ as Head. The Christian Church is the
concrete evidence of God’s purpose. “It is the new humanity” created by bringing together Jew
and Gentile, abolishing the wall of hostility that had divided them (Ephesians 2:14-18) (Mills
255) As an authorized messenger of God, Paul declared the Gospel of Jesus Christ communicating God’s grace to the Gentiles and paved the way for all men to become heirs to the
promise. (Calvin 252) By nature, I would have been excluded from the promise – since the
barrier has been destroyed, not only I, but all Christians are now included as joint heirs.
Hallelujah!
Many years have past since the early church was made aware of God’s plan for them to
be instrumental in bringing unity between Jews and Gentiles. What is unity? Pfieffer defines
unity as “oneness” and is based on the clear doctrine of one Savior, one Heavenly Father, one
Holy Spirit, one baptism and only one Church in God’s sight. (1757) Unity is necessary to
accomplish God’s goal of bringing together His Church – one church with one belief. A large
number of churches exit with diverse practices in doctrine – how is it possible to become one
church?
It will take the efforts of each denomination seeking guidance of the Holy Spirit and
humbleness of heart to lead and direct each church in this direction. Humility is a vital part of
practicing unity – unselfish acts will subside and a servants mind can develop. Philippians 2:5
(Scofield-NIV) Paul urged the believers at Philippi to realize Christian unity “by being of the
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same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.” (Philippians 2:2).
It becomes possible when each has the attitude of humility which was characteristic of Christ
(Philippians 2:3-5) (Pfieffer1757)
Barry Callen and James North addressed the issue of unity in their book – Coming
Together In Christ: Pioneering A New Testament Way to Christian Unity. They report Christian
disunity after the resurrection of Jesus – communicating their faith beyond their Hebrew roots
brought about inevitable diversity – language barriers and appropriate application of the Gospel.
(17) Then their was The Stone-Campbell and Church of God movement which began in the
nineteenth century – this movement was an isolated voice crying out on behalf of Christian unity
and carried a heavy burden for resolving the problems of Christian disunity. John Wesley
addressed unity and reports he was insistent that unity among Christians constituted the very
essence of the church and that the mission of the church was hindered severely by rampant
division. The twentieth Century was called the Ecumenical Century because of widespread
attempts towards reconciling and peace making – Christian unity has moved toward the center of
the Church’s agenda worldwide.(14-15).
Callen and North agree that the Church is still divided, but there is hope. Two groups,
The Church of God and the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ varied on Christian doctrine,
but are determined to continue their efforts to become One Church.
Callen reported in 1966 Billy Graham held a World Congress on Evangelism that
convened in Berlin. The theme was One Race, One Gospel, One task - more than 100 nations
attended this great event. Eight years later the International Congress on World Evangelism met
in Lausanne, Switzerland – 151 countries participated with about 4,000 Christians attending.
This conference implemented strategies to meet the requirements of the Great Commission of
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Jesus and stated “Evangelism summons us to unity, because our oneness strengthens our witness,
just as our disunity undermines our gospel reconciliation. (33)
North states a series of meetings called the Open Forum were held annually beginning in
1984. After several attempts of open microphone, with freedom given to anyone desiring to
speak, a serious difference in thinking was discovered – Bible inerrancy, role of women in
professional ministry, contemporary worship forms, and miraculous gifts. He also talked about
another attempt in 1988 there was a great deal of talk about unity, but no real efforts made. Due
to lack of interest a decision was made in 1988 to discontinue the Open Forum Meeting. (49)
However, about a year later the Open Forum Committee invited the Church of God to a
dialogue that was held in Indiana. The two groups met and discovered commonality between
them. The meeting was successful and a task force was formed to discuss doctrinal issues.
Although there were doctrinal differences, these two groups were determined to continue their
efforts to become one Church.
About eight years ago, The Ethnic American Network began an effort of encouraging and
equipping local churches to help them with growing ethnic diversity in their communities. Their
vision is to assist in growing number of churches intentionally crossing cultures to pray and care
for others, while sharing the love of Jesus Christ both locally and around the world.
(http://www.ethnic-america.net/documents/EAN4-pgbro.pdf). Their 8th Praise and Worship
Service was held at my church, Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 1500 S. Hanley Road,
Richmond Heights, Missouri 63144 and 8th Annual Ethnic Ministry Summit was held April 1012, 2008 in St Louis at The Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church, 5544 Martin Luther
King Drive, St Louis, Missouri 63112. I was blessed to attend both functions - their theme was
Standing Together That We May Be One – based on unity in the body of Christ. There were
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representatives from all over the world discussing what Jesus wanted from his Church and at the
end of the two day summit there was still the question of how this would be done? What will it
take for the Church of Christ to become one?
Jesus prayed in John 17:21 – that all who believed in Him may be one, just as he and the
Father were one. Paul prayed in Ephesians 3:14-18 for comprehension – “Christ would
strengthen with power through His Spirit, so that He may dwell in our hearts through faith – that
we would be rooted and established in love and have power together with all saints to grasp how
wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. (Scoefield -NIV) Becoming a unified
church, with Christ as Head, will require continual fervent prayers from all Christians – each
denomination must humbly seek God’s guidance and obediently move in the direction that the
Holy Spirit leads.
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Works Cited
Brindle, Wayne E.To the Jew First “Rhetoric, Strategy, History, or Theology?” Bibliotheca
Sarca.Volumn 159.April-June 2002:634
Callen, Barry L.and North, James.Coming Together in Christ:Pioneering a New Testament Way
to Christian Unity. College Press Publishing Co., 1997:223
Calvin, John. Commentaries on the Epistles of Paul to the Galatians and Ephesians. Grand
Rapids, MI. Baker, 1984.n.p.
Clarke, Adam. The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ-Romans
Revelation.Volunm 2.New York-Nashville: Abington Press, n.d.
Henry, Matthew. Mathew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible – Acts-Revelation.
MacDonald Publishing Company.Vol.4.McLean,Virginia,n.d.,n.p.
Lincoln, Andrew T.ed.Word Bible Commentary. Thomas Nelson.Vol 42.166-175
Metzger, Bruce M.Ed and Coogan, Michael David.Ed.The Oxford Companion to the Bible. New
York: Oxford University Press.1993:874
Mills, Watson E.ed.Mercer Dictionary of the Bible. Macon, GA:Mercer University Press,
1990:987
Pfieffer, Charles F.Ed,Voss, Howard F.Ed, Rea, John.Ed.Wycliff Bible Encyclopedia.Volumn 2.
n.d.n.p
Poole, Matthew. A Commentary on the Whole Bible Matthew-Revelation.Macdonal Publishing
Company:Mclean, Virginia n.d.,n.p.
Tenny, Merrill C.,Ph.D., Gen. Ed.The Zondervan Pictorial Enclyclopedia of the Bible.
Volumn 2.D-G.Grand Rapids:Zondervan, 1975
Vine, W.E.Vine’s Complete Expository of Old and New Testament Words.Nashville, TN:Nelson,
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1996
.New International Version, Nashville, TN:T.Nelson Publisher 1985:1762
http://www.ethnic-american.net/documents/EAN46.pgbro.pdf 9/16/08 – 11:50 a.m.
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CHAPTER 7
A Prayer for Spiritual Growth
Ephesians 3:15-22
Min Kyoung Seong
When humans grow up, they think logically and realistically. They have strength to live
their lives, which are full of ups and downs. To be grown-up, they learn many things—how to
eat, how to buy things, how to study, how to work, how to have self-control, how to deal with
people, how to overcome problems, etc. Inversely, in infancy, they cannot live by themselves.
They do not know how to deal with many things. They need to grow up, or they would fail to
survive in this perilous world.
Likewise, after becoming a Christian, the most foundational and important requisite
would be spiritual growth. If a Christian does not grow but stays stagnantly in spiritual infancy,
he or she would not be able to participate in glorious God’s kingdom, but lose to the severe
spiritual warfare. Yet, when we ask God, he provides us his strength so that we can grow up and
win the warfare through his Spirit. Here is a great example of the prayer of the spiritual growth.
In Ephesians 3:14-21, Apostle Paul prays for believers’ spiritual growth. He prays that God may
strengthen believers through His characteristics which are unity, power, love, knowledge, and
fullness. They are organically connected to each other in his prayer, and we will examine them
throughout this passage and discuss about it.
First of all, let us look into the background of the Epistle to the Ephesians. Most
scholars have asserted Apostle Paul as the author of Ephesians although the others doubt the
Pauline authorship due to the style, vocabulary, and theology of the letter (Tenney 253). Paul
wrote this epistle when he was in the Roman prison in the early A.D. 60s and sent it through
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Tychicus to the Gentile believers in Ephesus and other Asia Minor cities, where were filled with
sorcery and evil spirits (Tenney 253; Ryken 241; Elwell 308).
The Epistle to the Ephesians contains two prayers (Hawthorne 239). The first one (Eph.
1:15-23) contains a thanksgiving, an intercessory prayer, and praise of the power of God
(Hawthorne 239). Ephesians 3:14-21 is the second prayer, and it is the repetition and
development of some of the first one in terms of power or spirit (Hawthorne 239). This second
one divides into two parts: a petition for the believers’ spiritual growth (Eph. 3:14-19) and a
doxology (Eph. 3:20-21). Paul emphasizes God’s characteristics—unity, power, love, knowledge,
and fullness—in the prayer so that the believers realize them and grow in them.
Unity
God’s first characteristic is unity. The major subject of this epistle is unity (Eph. 1:10;
2:14-19; 4:4-6). It is the unity of everything in God, the unity of each Christian with Christ, the
unity of the universal church members (Hayes 393).
First, in Paul’s prayer he emphasizes the unity of everything in God by identifying God
as “Father.” Yet, there are many different translations and commentaries in Ephesians 3:14. In the
New International Version, Paul describes God as the “Father, from whom his whole family in
heaven and on earth derives its name”. The English Standard Version interprets the same verse as
“Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.” The Vulgate translation has
the phrase, “of our Lord Jesus Christ” after “Father,” which is omitted in ABC, Original (Fausset
408). Especially, many commentators and translators have diverse views about “family.”
In Fausset’s view, the word “Father” means that God is the family [patria] of Jesus
Christ, of the foundation of sonship, and of us who were adopted by him (Fausset 408). Also, he
views that “family” is derived from “all the house of Israel” or “all the building,” as the whole
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family including angels, men, the saints’ militant, men, spiritual world and higher world in the
whole family (408). Therefore, they are one family under the one Father in the Mediator, Christ,
who reconciled all creation to God, between heaven and earth (408).
Abbott’s view is similar to that of Fausset in terms of the inclusion of angels in
“family.” He addresses that πατρια means race or tribe and the English translation interprets it as
family (Abbott 93). He views that it refers to all the people in heaven and on earth, and again,
every family, and again, the whole family (93-94). He views that this can be translated as
“fatherhood,” and considers that “family in heaven” might allude to the archangels rather than
fathers in heaven (94).
On the contrary to Fausset, Barlow considers only the Church as the one Family. Fausset
views that the Church is a part of the grand family, but Barlow views “the whole family” as the
church itself, and Christian church is a true society which is built upon natural affinity like
family in many aspects: the form of female and male, diverse characters, diverse status, different
jobs, and different affections between family members, and unity from their common points of
sympathy (Barlow 191-192). Similarly, Rev. Albert Barnes asserts that “in heaven” refers to only
redeemed souls (Barnes 61). He proposes the possibility that it might refer to the Jews, who
considered themselves as heavenly angels (61-62). Finally, he concludes that all are one in the
one Father under one head by the Redeemer (61-62). Yet, we can see that “all” are believers,
excluding angels. In addition, Stott has the same views of Barlow and Barnes. Stott views that
“family in heaven and on earth” as “the whole believers,” who are human beings (Motyer 133).
These three commentators stand for human believers for “family.”
Meanwhile, Cynthia A. Jarvis addresses that “every family in heaven and on earth”
(ESV) as those who cry Allah, Abba, or Īmā (Jarvis 285). He does not mention whether those are
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human beings or spiritual beings, or both of them.
Each view is reasonable, yet Fausset’s commentary seems the most proper. God has
revealed to us “the mystery of his will” to unite all things together under one head, Christ (NIV,
Eph. 1:9-10), who redeemed all things by his self-giving. Also, Christ’s cosmic redemption
includes every creation in heaven and on earth, not only humans (Marshall 196). Thus, “the
vision of Ephesians is nothing less than a cosmic salvation when God will ‘gather up all things in
him [Christ], things in heaven and things on earth’ (NIV, Eph. 1:10)” (190). Therefore, “every
family” refers to all creation in universe under the one Father.
Moreover, if Paul was to say “every family” as every father or tribe, God is the Father of
all fathers, and if he was to say “the whole family,” God is the one Father of the one whole
family by his adoption. So, every family is united to the one whole family under God through the
reconciliation of Jesus Christ. Again, the whole family is all creations including the spiritual
world and higher world over extent of humans or church by Christ’s unification of “all things in
heaven and on earth” (NIV, Eph. 1:10).
Second, Paul emphasizes the unity of each Christian with Christ by His indwelling. Paul
prays that Christ may dwell in the believers’ hearts (Eph. 3: 17). In Ephesians 2:15, Paul shows
that Christ united himself to us through his redemption, and he dwells in the believer’s heart by
faith. About Christ’s indwelling, there are various accesses to interpret it. Barlow states, “As we
become united to Christ by faith, so by faith He dwells in our hearts” (Barlow 194), whereas
Jarvis emphasizes that Christ’s indwelling implies that he permanently inhabits in us, and “heart”
implies human’s whole identity and life (Jarvis 286). Meanwhile, Motyer’s view is that Christ’s
dwelling is that they maybe even more strengthened by faith, but not inviting Christ to indwell
since he already lives in the believers’ hearts as soon as they accept Jesus Christ as their Savior
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(Motyer 135). In Greek, this word, dwell [katoikeō] means settling down as the owner of the
place (135-136). Therefore, Motyer emphasizes the permanent Master of the believers’ life.
Abbott views that His dwelling is in the individual heart but not in the church (Abbott 96). On
the other hand, Marshall focuses on Christ’s indwelling that shows unity with other Christians
(Marshall 197). Considering all these views, we can interpret it as by faith, Christ as the Master
and the believers permanently become one new being in the individual’s heart through the unity
of Church.
Last, Christ united all the believers to each other. A Christian does not believe Him
alone or know Him alone, but “with all the saints” (NIV, Eph. 3:18). Again, it refers to the whole
church as the Body of Christ including Gentile and Jew, and the universal church. Christ is the
head over the universe, therefore the head also over the church (Tenney 323). Hawthorne proves
that the church is universal by addressing that ekklēsia is always used as a universal church, but
not a local one (Hawthorne 248). Therefore, all Christians are one united church and one new
Body of Christ.
This unity is the unity of the Spirit in peace in the one God, the unity of Christ and his
body, the unity of all believers in Christ, in the one Spirit, in one hope, in one faith, in one body
and in love (Marshall 195-196; Hayes 395). Christ formed one unity of the one family binding
the universe (Barlow 193). Since this epistle was to the Gentile believers, Paul was to let them
know that God is the one Father of Jew and Gentile through Christ, who united them as the one
family and one church. Hayes states that all believers include Jew and Gentile, and Protestants
and Catholics (Hayes 395).
In the twenty-first century, not only Protestants and Catholics are divided, but many
churches are defending their own denominations against others. The Calvinists, Armenians, and
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Lutherans are against each other and each of them has a biased view toward each other. Among
those, the Calvinist, Presbyterian churches even divide into several denominations. Some pastors
declare, “I am Methodist,” or “I am Presbyterian” rather than saying, “I am Christian.” The
denomination is neither important for God nor for lost souls. God would not ask which
denomination we are in, but rather ask if we believe in Christ Jesus as our Savior who redeemed
our sin. To evangelize people, we need only the gospel but not the doctrines of the denomination.
God unified all in one under one Head; Satan disrupted them. So, we have different thoughts and
ideologies, and one Body has been divided into pieces. Now, even if we cannot combine all
different denominations into one, we should acknowledge each other, and unite all together, not
judging each other. We are God’s one whole family and the Body of Christ. The body parts
cannot be separated; the family members cannot be strangers. If a leg is to go forth and the other
leg is to go back, what would happen? If parents are divorced and children are put into an
orphanage, how can the household be built? When we remain in one Body and in one family in
the Father, the Holy Spirit works in us and grows us up.
Korean Christianity has been growing up since the 1907 Pyong-yang Great Revival.
Pastor Oh of the Church of Love researched the Korean church’s revival movement (Oh 1).
While Chosen Dynasty (the old name of Korea) was in the darkness by Japanese colonial policy,
American missionaries and Korean universal churches were united and took the lead to build
schools and hospitals and influenced Korea with the gospel (1). The Holy Spirit has worked on
them, so the small country that had zero percent of Christianity and cruelly persecuted American
missionaries 120 years ago, has now become a country which is twenty-five percent (over
10,000,000 people) Christian. Also, South Korea has been prominently developed in education,
economy, and technology. Again, one of my friends and a couple of young Christians gathered
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together in a prayer meeting in 2004. One of them brought up the revival movement, and they
started praying for a re-revival movement. Their meeting progressed to a bigger prayer group and
prepared for the 100th anniversary of the Pyong-yang Great Revival for three years. Finally,
70,000 Christians of the whole united denominations of Korean churches filled up the Seoul
World Cup stadium for the second 1908 Pyong-yang Great Revival in 2007. How can it not be
great evidence of spiritual growth in unity?
Power
God’s other characteristic is power. We can generally divide the “power” into three
main kinds.
First, it is the human’s power. Barlow observes this power as human’s “strength.” Paul
prays for the new believers’ spiritual strengthening because they are easily tempted and they are
weak in youth because their own power is glory. At the same time, new believers are in danger
since they could rely on their own ability (Barlow 189). On the other hand, Marshall sees this
“power” from a different aspect. He interprets it as “authority” in humans’ life. He addresses that
it is the racism between Jew and Gentle, which Christ united and reconciled by the cross later
(Marshall 190). Barlow views “power” from a phase of human’s spirit, whereas Marshall sees it
from a phase of human’s desire of sin.
Second, it is spiritual power. Walter Wink has proposed that these “powers and
authorities” were created by God but corrupted, and now they exist over the spiritual world and
the human world (Marshall 189). He said that the “powers” are redeemable but only by
subjection to Christ (190). Christians should confront the “powers” in their lives (Marshall 189),
but without God’s power we cannot defeat the powers in the spiritual world.
The last and greatest power is God’s power. Paul’s prayer in chapter three is for
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believers to have wisdom to understand the importance of God’s plan for their lives, and to
experience God’s great power, which is that He raised Jesus from the dead, and exalted Him as
God’s right hand, and gave Him sovereignty over everything (Tenney 322; Ryken 241). Paul
states this power gives similar benefits to believers (322). We get His power only when we
accept Christ (Barlow 190). It increases as our faith increases, and our faith grows up as we seek
his help and ask him to dwell in us, and as we practice the faith (190). This power is superior to
any of those of humans or those of the spiritual world.
The evidence of Christ’s superiority is in Psalm 110:1 and Psalm 6, the conquest of all
by his resurrection, his exaltation to the right hand of God, and his whole-time-present reign
(Marshall 190). Ephesians talks about God’s power, redemption and blessings for his people
(Ryken 241). The power of Christ’s resurrection reorients his universal lordship and fills all
things through his power in the evil times (Marshall 196). Thus, the believer’s feeble power is
strengthened by this great power
Ephesians 3:14-21 shows God’s great power in many phrases. It displays the words,
“power,” “strength,” and “strengthen” four times in this passage. Paul implies God’s power
through his unification of “every family in heaven and on earth” (ESV) to one whole family
under Christ’s sovereignty (vv. 15).
God’s power comes through the Holy Spirit. Paul’s prayer brings up the Holy Spirit in
3:16, to strengthen the believers with the power of God in the Holy Spirit (Tenney 324). This
strength comes “out of his glorious riches” “through his Spirit” (NIV, vv. 16) when the believers
are filled with the Spirit. Barlow asserts that, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, believers should
bring special power, and prepare new hearts and be strengthened by spiritual strength surpassing
power of body or intelligence (Barlow 190-191). In our Christian lives, when we seek His
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strength, the Holy Spirit strengthens us in our inner being.
In the middle of Paul’s petition, “rooted and grounded in love” (ESV, vv. 17) is from
our realization of Christ’s reconciliation, and our need for strength and his indwelling in us
(Jarvis 286). It is linked to the next verse “may have power to grasp” (NIV, vv. 18)—“may have
strength to comprehend” (ESV)—the four dimensional love of Christ. The believers need power
and strength to comprehend Christ’s love because it is inconceivable to understand in human’s
knowledge. The ironic truth is that one knowing God’s love four-dimensionally also knows that
his love surpasses human’s knowing (Jarvis 286). Yet, He grants us this ability to understand His
love surpassing our knowledge with His power.
The last verse is about God’s almighty power. The doxology in 3:20-21 is about
praising God for His power which is effective in the believers’ lives (Hawthorne 239). With His
power, His Spirit can strengthen believers, and He can accomplish “immeasurably more than all
we can ask or imagine” (NIV, vv. 20) (Ryken 241). It is proper that we praise God because He
has blessed us infinitely, and worked for us more than we conceive, and it is a grand extent that
we cannot measure, wish or see (Barnes 63-64; Abbott 103; Jarvis 286). Abbott added that we
cannot limit His abundant gift with our narrow knowledge or our weak prayer (Abbott 103).
Although we cannot comprehend Almighty God’s thought or His work with our knowledge, He
demonstrates it to us when we have true faith.
Compared to His great power, human’s power is feeble. Yet, humans’ wicked powers—
as the above of Marshall’s view—still exist. As Herod killed the baby boys with his power,
contemporary authorities abuse their power, such as the Holocaust by the Nazis. The
contemporary human “authority” exists even in church. Until decades ago, black Christians
could not come to the white people’s churches, and still many contemporary churches are
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divided by racism. Some churches do not welcome homeless or homosexual people. They think
that church is a privilege of special classes. Furthermore, there are powers bidding defiance to
the authorities anointed by God even in church. All these corrupted powers infuriate God
because it is that they actually bid defiance to the Almighty God with their shallow pride. These
powers can be considered as those manipulated by the dominion of darkness. However, could
any powers resist tsunami that swallowed up a thousand of people at once in Indonesia right after
Christmas in 2004 (Wehrfritz 1)? Could any powers flee from a great earthquake that suddenly
collapsed a whole Kobe city in Japan in 1994? Who can survive from a long famine? What kind
of powers can survive from a heart attack given by God at one night? None of human’s feeble
power can resist or flee from God’s great power.
The evil spirits’ powers cannot conquer God’s power, either. Jesus Christ already
crushed Satan’s head and won the world by his self-giving on the cross. What they merely can do
is that they strike Christ’s heel and the believers’ heels (Gen. 3:15). Humans’ power is week;
however, when they live in Christ by faith, they can conquer the Satan by the power of the Holy
Spirit. As a demon possessed man was healed by the power of Jesus Christ (Mk. 1:21-28), many
people have been set free from Satan’s oppression by God’s power of love. One young woman
who got in many troubles in her adolescence truly accepted Jesus Christ three months ago. She
has been through an alcoholic, drug addict, and bisexual for four years. But when she cried out to
God to rescue her, He saved her out from the darkness. He moved on quickly for the past eight
months; He gives her His strength to overcome all the evil temptations. So, she completely quit
alcohol, drugs, and her evil friends, and enrolled in Saint Louis Christian College this fall
semester. How wonderful God’s power is! Satan’s power is only used to destroy our lives; God’s
power is used to give a life to the destroyed souls and to destroy the evil. God strengthens us
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with His almighty power by our faith. That is one of our most crucial spiritual growths.
Love
The subject of the whole Bible is about God’s love who gave His only son on the cross
to forgive us and save us. In Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21, he also emphasizes God’s
infinitive love. Jarvis states that God unifies all creation through Jesus Christ’s reconciliation in
the infinitive and incomprehensive love (Jarvis 284-288). The love we can find from the four
places in the passage.
First, Fausset interprets the first phrase, “For this reason” (NIV, vv. 14) as “because God
loves us and favors us” (408). On the other hand, Jarvis interprets it as because God’s grace for
Gentile has revealed to Paul through the mystery of Jesus Christ and because Jesus brought
reconciliation through the cross between God and human, between Jew and Gentile, and even
between different denominations of Christ’s church (Jarvis 284-285). His unification, that is, his
reconciliation through the cross displays his love.
Second, Paul prays for the believers to be “rooted and established in love” (NIV, vv.
17). Both root and foundation are unseen basis of their stability of love (Motyer 136). Barnes
describes this phrase as Christ’s redeeming love. He states that our hearts are the temple of the
Holy Spirit, so Paul prays for our faith to be stricken deeply like roots and to extend broad like a
tree and to be like a house built on the stable foundation in love (Barnes 62). “In love” means
that we love each other and stay fully in it (62). The love is infinite that Christ redeemed for us;
it is that he gave himself to the lost world; and it is the most valuable love and our biggest
privilege (63). Abbott also states that we will understand more when Christ dwells in our hearts
and roots in his love (Abbott 97).When we are deeply rooted and firmly grounded in this love,
His power of love also becomes the believer’s power.
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Third, Paul describes the love of Christ as four dimensions—“The breadth and length
and height and depth” (ESV, vv. 18)—in his prayer. St. Augustine expressed the mystery of the
cross as broad love, long patience, and deep humbleness (Abbott 100). Fausset interprets that the
four dimensions refer to the broad love as the universe of Christ, long love for all generations,
high love enemies cannot take away, and the deep wisdom the world cannot measure (Fausset
408). Although there are many descriptions about these dimensions, Paul’s prayer shows that this
love surpasses our knowledge (vv. 19) and it exceeds the extent of our thought. He petitions for
the believers to know the love (vv. 19). We cannot logically understand the immeasurable and
unlimited love that Christ died instead of us who deserve to die (Barlow 195). Yet, we can know
the love from our heart throughout personal experiences, influences, and assimilations; we can
fully see when we eagerly want and praise Him, and when our souls pray because the love
surrounds us (Barlow 190, 195-196; Barnes 68; Fausset 409). Therefore, we should endeavor to
realize the love that we experience through our daily lives, and live in expectation of the true
Christianity’s surpassing character (Barlow 196).
Finally, Paul prays that the believers may have the power to comprehend this love with
“all the saints” (NIV, vv.18). Jarvis states, “We are so loved, that we are given to comprehend
the incomprehensible truth of being so loved, not in private but ‘with all the saints’” (Jarvis 287).
His commentary seems contrary to the above statement of Abbott’s mention that His dwelling
indicates in the individual heart but not in the church (Abbott 96). However, we can interpret it
as Christ dwells in the individual heart but strengthens us through the united relationships among
all the saints.
God’s love has been demonstrated through many ways, but the representative love is
His redemption, grace, and mercy. First, He demonstrated His love through Christ’s redeeming
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reconciliation on the cross. God has chosen us from the beginning of the world, and He has
destined us in Christ’s love. He has united us as one through Christ breaking down the walls of
enmity both in heaven and on earth, and he has given all of us in heaven and on earth to reach to
the Father through the Holy Spirit (Jarvis 287). Barnes expresses the love as Christ’s redemption.
He uses the words such as “redeeming,” “redeemed,” “redeemer,” and “redemption” in several
places in his commentary. He emphasizes that Jesus Christ redeemed for everyone not only for
special class or people, and he wanted to let everyone know his redeeming love. He states that “it
was His desire that others [Gentile], as well as they [Jew], might appreciate the wonders of
redemption (Barnes 62)”. Christ’s redemption is His sacrificial love toward sinners.
God has also demonstrated the love through His mercy and grace. Mercy is His
compassion and grace is His kindness (Hawthorne 364-365). His love is demonstrated through
mercy that He saves undeserving sinners, and grace that He forgives condemned sinners (364365). Professor McCaslin in the History of Israel class mentioned that grace is to get what people
do not deserve to get—that is, salvation—and mercy is not to get what people deserve to get—
that is, judgment. His grace and mercy are God’s kind love toward sinners who deserve to die
but not deserve to be saved.
After we realize his great love, we should dwell in love—loving God and loving one
another. The first representative love of one another is sacrificial love. The first Christians
showed the love by “selling their possessions and goods” (NIV, Act. 2:45), to give for others’
needs. Through my personal experience, I have learned this love. Since I came to the United
States, multitude people have shown me Christ’s love in many ways. My friend’s parents offered
their house to live with them for six months. They practiced Christ’s love by caring for me as if I
was their own daughter. When I had no place to go last summer, my roommate’s family did the
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same thing to me. When I could not afford for school, several individuals helped me by
sacrificing their own money. They did not help me because they were rich, but because they
loved God and wanted to practice the love. Through these people, God showed his infinite love
to me and taught me how to love others.
The other representative love of one another is forgiving love. As Jesus has forgiven our
sins, the Bible characters forgave others. Joseph forgave his brothers who sold him to Egypt
(Gen 45:5); Moses forgave his brother and sister who opposed his authority (Num. 12:1-13);
David forgave Saul who was going to kill him (II Sam. 1:17-27). We should also forgive one
another. My friend, Yoko’s pastor, Rob took care of Takuya in his house with love for years in
Japan. But when he became eighteen years old, he stole money from Rob’s house and from
church, and ran away. After all, he got caught by police and was put into a prison. In spite of
that, Rob has forgiven him, has been visiting and feeding him every Friday. Someday, Takuya
may realize this forgiving love, truly repent, and turn to God because of the unconceivable love.
When we learn the great love, and when we practice the love, our spirit truly grows.
Knowledge
Following God’s ‘surpassing’ series—His surpassing power, His surpassing love—His
surpassing knowledge cannot be left out. Although some are repeated because we already looked
at this surpassing knowledge from the above “power” and “love” sections, we need to focus on
“knowledge” as an essential part of Christians’ spiritual growth.
In this passage, we can see our small knowledge compared to God’s great love and
power. First, Paul prays that the believers may have power “to know this love that surpasses
knowledge” (NIV, vv. 19). Here, ‘knowledge’ refers to the human’s understanding. In Isaiah,
God declares that His thoughts are different from our thoughts, and His ways are higher than our
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ways (Isa. 55:8-9). He proves it by questioning Job about His knowledge in the book of Job (Job
38:1-40:2). Our knowledge is way smaller than His. Our knowledge is too small to understand
His love, either. Abbott compares God’s great richness to our weakness: “Neither the narrowness
of our knowledge nor the feebleness of our prayer will limit the richness of His gifts” (Abbott
103). And he shows that we cannot stop this great gift, the love of Christ. This is the love of
Christ surpassing our knowledge, and when we come to know his four-dimensional love, our
spirit grows. Second, in doxology, Paul, again, emphasizes God’s power surpassing humans’
knowledge, which “all we ask or imagine” (vv. 20). It shows God’s greatness contrary to our
narrow knowledge to comprehend His plan or work.
However, back in verse 19, Paul prays God for believers “to know” (NIV) that God
indiscriminately destined all creation to be his children through Christ’s love which is beyond
understanding, but revealed in Christ, who is working in us far more than all we ask or think
(Jarvis 288). God revealed His work so that we can understand His great love and His great
power.
I was looking for sponsors for this semester while I was working on this research paper.
One church who supported me last year never replied to me. I had only two weeks left till
registration. I looked for other sponsors, and finally, I heard that someone found a sponsor for
me. I was very excited and very grateful. However, it did not work well, and I had only one day
left till moving on campus. That morning, everything turned black, and I did not know what to
do. I began to pray, “God, I don’t see anything, but I trust you.” And then, the Holy Spirit
reminded me about Ephesians 3:20 that I was working on: “him who is able to do immeasurably
more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Truly He
showed me His power and His love on the day. My phone continuously rang, and people were
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willing to help me. After all, my bill was fully filled for the one day! I could not understand with
my small knowledge what would happen, but God gave me understand His great power and love
through the experience.
Fullness
The last God’s characteristic in this passage is fullness. He is full in all good things. In
Paul’s prayer, God’s full of unification, power, love, knowledge come all together and, now,
form a whole fullness. “Fullness of God” (NIV, vv.19) refers to His richness and His perfection.
Barnes interprets it as “the richest measures of divine consolation and of the divine presence”
(Barnes 64). Oltramare interprets as “perfection” (Abbott 102).
Then, Paul prays that the believers may “be filled with” (NIV, vv.19) this richness and
perfection of His unity, power, love and knowledge for their spiritual growth. As God’s full of
unity and love, Barnes interprets it as the fullness of his comfort and dwelling, or the fullness of
that we join in the joy that He gave to His people (Barnes 63). Marshall interprets it as that
Christ’s cosmic salvation is to fill all things by his redemption (Marshall 191). Also, as His full
of power, the power of Christ’s resurrection fills all things when we truly have faith, and only
when we are strengthened with spiritual strength, we can receive the fullness of indwelling God.
His all characteristics harmonize together in fullness of unity and reconciliation, by dividing
walls of enmity, by knowing the four dimensions of God’s love, and by praying in truth (Jarvis
287). Oltramare takes this πλήρωμα (fullness) as perfection and πληρουσθαι (to be filled) as to be
perfect, so he understands this phrase as “that ye may be perfect even to the possession of all the
perfection of God” (Abbott 102). Motyer interprets it as Christ’s fulfillment in the believer’s life.
He says that Paul prays for God’s elaborating, marvelous plan to be absolutely fulfilled in
Christians’ experience (Motyer 132). Therefore, His fulfillment is that all His fullness is
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perfectly to be filled in the believers’ lives to grow their spirits through their experiences by
faith.
Next, to be filled with “all the fullness of God,” believers should be filled with the Holy
Spirit. Then, individuals will have a special power, spiritual strength, and new hearts (Barlow
190-191), and the whole Church will be united by the full of Holy Spirit (Hayes 394). Also, our
inner being should be filled with grace of the Holy Spirit for the godly life because our hearts are
His Temple (Barnes 62). God is full, so we should be filled with all the fullness of His Spirit.
When we are filled with all the fullness of the Holy Spirit, we have nine fruit (Gal 5:2223), that is a proof of our spiritual growth. There are some Bible characters who had the fruit in
their lives in the first Christian church. Paul and Peter led Jew and Gentile to unite together by
evangelizing and teaching them (Act. 9:31; 11:1-2; 11:17-18; 18:4; 20:21; Rom. 3:29; 9:24;
10:12) Peter, John, Paul, and many other believers boldly proclaimed the gospel by the power of
the Holy Spirit (Act. 4:8-13; 4:19-20; 4:31, 6:8,10; 8:4-5; 9:22; 16:31; 20:18-24; 28:31).
Stephen, by the love of Christ, prayed God to forgive the people who were stoning him (Act
7:59-60). Peter and John were filled with the knowledge of God’s love by the Spirit and they
proclaimed the gospel (Act 4:13). The first Christian church spiritually grew up and lived in the
fear of God of full of unity, full of power, full of love, and full of knowledge (Act 9:31).
Conclusion
Paul’s prayer is not the petition of physical health or ease, but the petition for the
believers’ spiritual growth and preparation of their eternal life. His prayer was for Gentile
believers that they may have strength to understand the immeasurable love of Christ and unity of
the Father so that they fully grow through the Holy Spirit by faith.
Many contemporary Christians tend to petition for their physical health and safety, but
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to pass over their spiritual health and safety. However, to get to the destination of eternity, our
spirit must grow up “until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God
and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13).
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Work Cited
Abbott, T. K., B.D., and D. Litt. “Prayer for the Readers.” The International Critical
Commentary. Ed. S. R. Driver, D. D., A. Plummers, D. D., and C. A. Briggs, D. D.
New York: Ediuburgh, 1964. 92-104.
Barlow, George. “Main Homiletics of the Paragraph – Verses 14-21.” The Epistles of St. Paul
the Apostle to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and I. and II.
Thessalonians. New York and London: Funk & Wagnalls Company. Vol. 11 of A
Homilectic Commentary. 32 vols. 189-97.
Barnes, Albert. “Ephesains Chapter III.” Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. London:
Blackie & Son, Limited. Vol. 7 of Popular Commentary. 8 vols. 61-8.
Elwell, Walter A. “Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon—Letters from Prison.”
Encountering the New Testament. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, Michigan: BakerAcademic,
2005. 308.
Fausset, A. R. “The Apostle’s Prayer for his Converts – Ephesians III.” I. Cor.-Rev.. Grand
Rapids, Michigan: WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1948. Vol. 6 of Critical and
Experimental Commentary. 12 vols. 408-9.
Hawthorne, Gerald F., ed. “God: The Love and Grace of God.” Dictionary of Paul and his
Letters. Downers Grove, IL and Leicester, England: InterVarsity Press, 1993. 364-5.
Hayes, D. A. “The Epistle to the Ephesians.” Paul and His Epistle. Grand Rapids, Michgan:
Baker Book House, 1969. 392-5.
Jarvis, Cynthia A. “Ephesians 3:14-21.” Interpretation. 45.3 (1991): 283-8.
Marshall, Molly T. “The Fullness of Incarnation: God’s New Humanity in the Body of Christ.”
Review & Expositor – Quarterly Baptist theological journal: Ephesians. 93.2 (1996):
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189-97.
Motyer, J. A. and J. R. W. Stott, ed. “Confidence in God’s Power.” The Bible Speaks Today:
The Messange of Ephesians–God’s New Society. Leicester, England and Downers
Grove, Illnoise, U.S.A.: Inter-Varsity Press, 1979. 132-8.
Oh, Jung Hyun. “[The Column of Oh Jung Hyun] The Development of Men of Talent.”
Kukinews. 7 September 2008. Kukminilbo. 2007. 11 September 2008
<http://www.kukinews.com/mission/article/view.asp?page=1&gCode=all&arcid=0921
025949&cp=nv>.
Ryken, Leland, James C. Wilhoit, and Tremper Longman III, ed. “Ephesians, Letter to the:
Power.” Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. Downer Grove, IL and Leicester, England:
InterVarsity Press, 1998. 241
Tenney, Merrill C., ed. “Ephesians, Epistle to the.” The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary.
Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1967. 253.
Tenny, Merrill C. ed. “Ephesians, Letter of Paul to the.” The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia.
Vo. 2. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Corporation, 1975. 322-24.
Wehrfritz, George. “Building Sea Bridges.” Newsweek. 3 January 2005. Newsweek Inc. 2008.
13 September 2008 < http://www.newsweek.com/id/48415>.
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CHAPTER 8
Light and Darkness
Ephesians 4:17-32
Kerri Pollard
Darkness can be defined as the lack of light. This lack of lighting produces many
problems, one being injury. Injury can occur from running into objects or people, or from not
knowing where one is going. One thing that comes to mind when thinking of injury is scars.
Scars can be tricky. Some are small while others are large, but one thing about scars is that they
kill the injured area of skin. What was once a live vessel is now just a reminder of what
happened. However, there are ways to look out for reducing injuries such as keeping in a lighted
area. This is what Paul is illustrating in Ephesians 4:17-32. Paul is warning Christians that
darkness will produce injury which will create scar tissue which will turn into callousness. This
injury is not visible to the eye like one might see a cut or broken bone. It is of the heart and the
mind. This is an injury caused by staying in the darkness of the mind thus hardening the heart.
However, one does not, and should not, stay in this darkness because of the love of Christ. It
does, however, require a change from darkness to light. This paper will look at the background
information of Ephesians, and the context and application of the passage to better understand
why and how one can live in the true light of God.
The book of Ephesians is thought by many to have been written in 60 A.D. (Life
Application Study Bible 1195). The letter appears to have been written by the apostle Paul while
he was imprisoned in Rome. While the letter is believed to be circulatory, one specific audience
was the believers in Ephesus. Paul is writing to encourage them to remain obedient in living out
their faith (Snodgrass 23). This would have been a problem area because of the false religions
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associated with Ephesus—i.e. the temple worship of Diana (Barnes n.p.). The style of the
writing in Ephesians is that of an epistle; however this is not the typical Pauline letter format.
Because of an absence of personal greetings, he seems to be writing to a more general audience
(Martin 3).
The outline of the book begins with a brief greeting then moves swiftly into the divine
purpose of Christ as the head of all things. Next, Paul expresses his desire for the Christians to
realize God’s purpose and power. Paul then gives steps to lead them into fulfilling God’s
purpose such as salvation by grace, the reconciliation and uniting of Jew and Gentile, the church
being an expression of God’s wisdom and finally experiencing God in a deeper manner. Then he
gives practical ways of living as the body of Christ. Finally, Paul concludes with greetings and a
farewell that expresses a desire for peace among the believers who receive the letter (New
International Version 1791-1792).
The historical setting is centered on the city of Ephesus. Ephesus at the time was a
“commercial center,” lying “at an intersection of major trade routes” (NIV 1791). This would
make a strategic place for the spreading of the gospel because of the large amounts of people
coming and going out of the city. However, the people coming and going would have brought
pagan influences upon the church and most likely had an effect on the recipients of the letter.
Again the letter is circulatory but centers around “the saints in Ephesus” (NIV 1971).
In Ephesians 4:17, the English Standard Version begins with the command, “you must no
longer walk as the Gentiles do,” given from Paul in the authority of the Lord. The word “walk”
stood out in the text seeing how many translations used the term “live.” After, some research it
became clear that both words came from the Greek word peripateo, meaning to behave or
conduct one’s life in a certain manner (Ahn 1557). While, both “live” and “walk” come from the
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same base word it is the picture that one sees when using the term. Andrew Steinmann believes
that “the term walk in comparison to the term live focuses on activity and movement which
suggests purpose and destination” (52). The “Greek English Lexicon,” classifies it as a “walk of
life,” which is a common Pauline phrase (Frederick 803). Paul uses the illustration of “walk” in
many of his letters, which is borrowed from the wise saying of the proverbs. The God-fearing
Gentiles are being warned to guard against walking in the darkness of one’s own mind. This
same trap is seen in many different versus such as; Romans 2:12, First Corinthians 4:2, and
Proverbs 6:27. Sin rests in the mind of one’s self, separating it from light of God. However, this
same warning gives a positive twist. If one turns from the old walk to a walk in a new direction
created by the Creator then He will be walking in a worthy manner. Christ should be seen
through a walk of worthiness, holiness and faithfulness just as the path of a Christian should be
guided be the Savior who first walked in the same direction (Steinmann 59-61). This walk is
correlated to one’s thinking, showing how the mind can impact actions of the walk.
The second part of verse seventeen deals with the “futility of their minds” (New
American Standard). Futility is defined by the Oxford American Dictionary as “producing no
result or uselessness” (Ehrlich 355). This futile mindset can be best described as meaningless,
worthless and useless. This definition is a condition which brings about destruction rather than
production. This word, however, is not regularly used in the New Testament but is used 38 times
in the book of Ecclesiastes (Mounce 277). Here the word is also seen as having the meaning of
meaninglessness—but also the ineffectiveness of life. “Futility of the mind,” (vs. 17) is the
beginning process of the problem with the Gentiles, just as it was the problem with Solomon in
his day. Once one lets this futile thinking set in, it then begins to injure the mind thus killing the
area leaving it calloused.
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The next two verses in the text are a result to the futile thinking in verse seventeen. In
verse eighteen Paul uses the three key phrases; “darkened in their understanding” (NIV 18),
“excluded from God because of ignorance” (NASB 18), and “hardness of their hearts” (NASB
18). Paul is trying to communicate the idea that they have cut themselves off from God, thus
disconnecting from the source of light and leaving them walking in darkness. It is a darkness
causing blindness of themselves, God and the people around them. They look in a mirror, yet
see no reflection. In verse seventeen the life of a Gentile is seen to be worth nothing, but one
may wonder how a life can become nothing. The cycle of events are seen in verse eighteen.
This four-part problem is not just a one-time event but a series of events that happen daily. First,
the Gentile has no light—leaving them darkened in the meaning of life. Second, this darkness is
only caused because they chose to be in the darkness, separating them from God—the source of
light. This separation comes from their own willingness to ignore God. Finally, they stay in this
cycle because their heart has hardened—further cutting off God’s light. Paul believes the effects
of constant disobedience and resistance will result in the heart losing its ability to feel (Shepard
550). This inability to feel is what leads to insensitivity in verse nineteen.
In verse nineteen it is seen that the result of remaining in darkness is to become callous or
insensitive which leads to sensuality. The Gentiles are making a conscious choice to give up
feeling; their hearts have become so hardened that they no longer know good from evil. This
concept can also be seen in Romans 1:18-32, however there is one difference. In both passages
the people have been given over to sin, but in Ephesians it is the Gentiles that gave themselves
over to sin and in Romans God gave them over to sin (Markus 502). The concept is still the
same; insensitivity in the heart leads to evil deeds, wickedness and sensuality. Verse 29 of the
first chapter of Romans shows how their lives became full of all kinds of sin, greed, hate, envy,
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murder, etc. (New Living Translation 2571). This is parallel to the writing in Ephesians 4:19,
“they do not care anymore about right and wrong, and they have given themselves over to
immoral ways” (NLT 2685). The Gentiles have developed complete and utter apathy. They
cannot feel the things of God, which leads them to a life of impure, lustful desires to fill the void
of emptiness. Verses seventeen through nineteen describe the life of a pagan Gentile: a
meaningless, darkened life. Paul is painting this sad picture to illustrate the harm that can come
out of rejecting the knowledge of God. But, he does not end there. Paul further explains that
there is no reason to walk down this path.
Paul’s language in verse twenty suggests he is writing to a group of believers. He says,
“you did not come to know Christ that way” (New International Version 1798). This gives the
reader of the passage the knowledge that this group has been taught the Gospel, maybe not by
Paul, but by someone who was given authority. The God-fearing Gentiles were taught
differently, taught to abandon immoral living (Barnes 86). Then in verse 21 Paul makes a
questioning statement: “if indeed you have heard him and have been taught in him” (NASB
1250). This impersonal language backs up the theory that Paul most likely did not have a
personal relationship with his audience. Yet, he still had faith in the teaching they had received.
This teaching was not a quick lesson on the gospel. Calvin uses the illustration of a classroom in
the school of Christ. This shows that this is not something that was explained quickly, but on the
contrary a lesson that was extensively taught (Calvin 294). The words “just as” stood out in the
text. This phrase lets me know that there is a comparison to see. Paul uses the words “just as” in
verse twenty-one. He says “you have been taught in him just as truth is in Jesus” (NASB 1250).
Here the “taught in him” is relating back to verse twenty, where it is referring to Christ. The
basic thought is that the Gentiles have been taught in Christ just as the truth is in the history of
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Jesus (Beare 698). The Gentiles have been taught the truth so they must dispose of the old lifestyle.
The next three verses cannot and should not be read apart. It is in the action of all three
verses that one leaves the darkened world to be in the light of God. The preceding points in this
passage set up for Paul’s main point, which can be found in verses 22-24. Here, Paul is
explaining they now have the knowledge of Christ as well as the truth so their life should be an
example.
Verse twenty-two is the beginning of a change. Paul uses an interesting phrase, “put off”
(NIV). Paul is speaking of putting off the life that is meaningless, worthless and useless- the life
that keeps one living in the darkened pit. This term “put off” comes from the Greek word
apostrepho meaning to get rid of or throw off (Goodrick 1532). This gives the picture image of
a boat sinking from too much weight. But the problem can be fixed; weight must be thrown off
to save the people on the ship. Paul used the aorist tense of the verb to show this putting of the
old life is a one-time deal (Markus 505). For a Gentile to accept God’s light he/she must be
willing to put off the corruption of the old life. In Vine’s Expository Dictionary the term “put
off” is best described as “turning away” (Vine 909). One must turn away from the darkness to be
able to be made new in the light of God. This is the concept in verse twenty-three. Paul uses a
present tense verb, “to be made.” This is a continual renewal of the mind, which consists of
studying, learning and searching the truth of Jesus, making one’s life to resemble His. This is a
process that should be carried out daily, always checking the mind and heart for corruption. It is
in this renewal process where one can carry out the command in verse twenty-four to “put on”
the new self (NIV). The phrase “put on” comes from the Greek word
endyo meaning “to
clothe oneself” (Goodrick 1549). Again, this word is in the aorist verb tense meaning that it is a
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one-time event (Markus 505). These verb tenses are important to many commentary writers.
The author of The NIV Commentary sees verses 22-24 to be “Baptismal liturgy” (233). This
renewal process is in the mind; it will free all who take part in this process of sin. The clothes
that the Gentiles put on are the new life of righteousness. This is the righteousness that is found
in God’s image. One is becoming the character of Christ, which brings life’s fulfillment in
righteousness and holiness (Beare 699). Paul’s conclusion in this section is that the old life is
corrupt, but there is no reason for the old life because God has called each one to a new life. It is
important to see the connection between the phrases “put off”, “be made” and “put on” with the
word “taught” in verse twenty-one. When one sees this connection the phrase is read as a
command. The Gentile must be taught to put off the old life of deceit, taught to become a new
person in Christ and taught to put on the clothes of righteousness. Dummelow has said, “How
different are the believing Gentiles from the unbelieving? Believers must beware of retaining
anything of vanity, ignorance, or impurity of the old heathen life” (qtd. Shepard 551).
The last section of this passage deals with the support of how to remain in God’s light. It
is the practical application to the teaching in the previous versus. Paul has shown what a life
looks like without God as well as the effect it has on the person. He has shown how God never
intended for His people to live in darkness and how one must change into the image of God. In
verses 25-32 Paul gives the instruction of how to put on the new and put off the old.
In verse twenty-five, the phrase “put off” is used again. It is interesting because it has the
same Greek word as well as the same meaning. Paul is trying to show that when you put off it is
in every area of life. The word “therefore” shows there is an extension to the above verses. This
verse shows that one’s life should display the actions of the confessions—consistency should be
seen (Hendricksen 216). The Gentiles have been through basic conversion. Therefore, they need
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to put the lying aside so they can begin practicing the truth of God. Paul is not speaking to a
specific group of people about lying, he is pin pointing who the truth should be spoken to—the
members of the body: the church. If the church cannot speak truth to one another, then it will be
impossible to work collectively for the good of the Kingdom (Bruce 96). Zechariah 8:16 speaks
of this same concept of speaking truth with one another. He is telling the people of Israel to
behave in such a manner to receive God’s blessing (NIV). That is the point Paul is trying to
make. The Gentiles have received God’s blessing of life, light and love so their fruit should be
seen in their actions, beginning with the putting off of deceit.
Anger is used twice in this section of the passage. However, the definition of this one
word has two meanings. In Ephesians 4:26, Paul makes the comment “in your anger do not sin”
(NIV). He does not say do not sin, but do not let sin come from this anger. Vine defines this
type of anger to be caused from provoking, or arousing. This can be done through oneself or
others. Psalm 4:4 uses the same quote that is seen in verse twenty-six of Ephesians “in your
anger do not sin,” but the Psalm goes on to show what you should do with the emotion: go to the
Lord (NIV). Sin is not from the act of being angry but more from the action that occurs in the
anger. This is why F.F Bruce interprets Paul to give the command to exercise the control of
one’s anger, not letting this anger turn into resentment which leads to a road of destruction (96).
The second part of the verse lines up with the second part of Psalm 4:4. Paul warns about letting
the sun go down on one’s anger, while David gives the instruction to pray and search the heart.
Both passages are making the point to take the issues to the Lord, placing the judgment in His
hands. This is a time to search one’s heart seek peace in God, but this process cannot take place
if there is anger in the heart (Bruce 97). It is in this resentment and sin that the devil is able to
grasp a foot hold that Paul speaks about it verse twenty-seven. Uncontrolled anger, when not
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kept in check, leads to resentment of the heart, which then leads to sin thus creates a foot hold for
the devil that breaks up the unity in the church (Shepard 552).
Paul instructs for the Gentile to change once he/she is clothed in the new life. This
change is to be seen in the everyday life of these people such as; their actions as well as their
speech. Here, Paul is clear when he speaks about the need to live a worthy life; this begins in
verse twenty-eight of Ephesians “he who is stealing must steal no longer,” but instead earns a
living through honest measures (NIV). Paul wants his audience to not only stop stealing but to
remain practicing honesty; it is thought that some of the readers were former slaves so this was a
big temptation to slip back into the old life style (Hendriksen 219). But, must work or labor with
his hands for the needs of others. Paul is making it clear that the point of working is not just for
personal gain but to help others which are outward signs of the new self. Verse twenty-nine goes
even farther into the helping of others to say that speech is to be used for the benefit of others.
Paul gives the instruction to be rid of all fifthly speech because speech is used for the edification
of others (Calvin 300).
The Gentiles are warned not to grieve the “Holy Spirit.” He is saying that if you are a
Christian then every person should be devoted to the spirit. However, when one gives
themselves over to the immoral life style of the old ways then the spirit is driven away. The NIV
uses the term sealed in verse thirty-one, which give the mental picture of a zip lock bag. When
separated the two sides are apart but when sealed they become one. This is exactly what Paul is
trying to show. When the old life style creeps in one becomes separated for the “Holy Spirit,”
because the sadness it brings, but when one acts in the image of God the no occasion for grief is
given (Calvin 301).
The last part of this passage is a contrast section. Paul wants to be clear what is good
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versus what is evil. He begins in verse thirty-one, with the phrase “get rid,” which from the
earlier word study one can see that it is in reference to verse twenty-two and twenty-five “put
off” (NIV). Paul is restating that this old life is not acceptable. The focus of this section is the
“act” or “walk” of the believer—with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Each of the words used in
this verse is to shows the hostility it brings to man (252). Here, however, Paul uses the word
anger again, but it does not come from the same Greek word in the earlier verse. The word is rge
(Vines 47). This type of anger comes from the wrath of man, which is given the warning not to
give oneself over to this wrath (Mounce 22). These are the actions Paul instructs to be “put off,”
bitterness, rage, brawling slander and malice all which stem from a root problem of anger. Then
Paul quickly gives what should be put on in place of this old traits such as; kindness,
compassion, and forgiveness to each other (NIV). Verses twenty-five through thirty-two is
connected to the “therefore.” Therefore……stop lying, stop stealing, stop using fifthly speech
and stop being angry to the point of sin because this leads to the grieving of the Holy Spirit that
when each one became a Christian were sealed to Him. This section is the supportive “how-to”
section of Paul’s main point, how to put of the old by laying aside corrupt traits and how to
become the new man by being the image of God.
When Adam put a division between man and God it was a choice that was not our fault,
but when the death and resurrection of Jesus renewed the gap it became mans decision to follow
God or their own will. Through the searching of this passage three points can be made. First,
darkness leads to the callousness of the heart which causes sin. It is in this darkness that creates
a separation which causes injury to the mind, an impure nature. Second, God called each one to
a life in the true light. This light gives a clear vision to prevent injury to the heart and mind.
Finally, Paul gives us a “how to” manual for putting off the old and putting on the new.
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Application: New Creation in Christ
How does Paul letter to the Ephesians relate to the modern day Church? Is there any
information that relates to our struggles of today? I recently went on a road trip with my
volleyball team to Nashville Tennessee to play Free Will Baptist College. While I was riding in
the van I was listening to music. The song “If We are the Body” by Casting Crowns. The
chorus goes like this: “But if we are the body. Why aren't His arms reaching? Why aren't His
hands healing? Why aren't His words teaching? And if we are the body. Why aren't His feet
going? Why is His love not showing them there is a way?” (Internet). I feel that this is the exact
point Paul is trying to make in the passage Ephesians 4:17-32. This passage speaks about the
darkened life without Christ, then goes into how our life has changed and finishes with the way
we should live. Christians today need to realize they have a job to do: reach the unsaved through
displaying the image of God. There is only one way in which to achieve this job. We must
destroy our old self, be renewed in the blood of Jesus and put on the image of God.
God calls us to leave our old life in the past. In Ephesians 4:22 we are instructed to “put
off” your old ways (NIV). The world says to make it to the top of the CEO it is ok to lie, cheat
and steal, but God says different. The world allows children to go hungry while politicians live
the life of the wealthy. I read in an article that Barak Obama grossed 1.2 million dollars in 2004
but was only recorded in the tax records of giving 10,772 dollars to charitable funds which is less
than one percent of giving (Lasky internet). God calls us to work so that we may be able to give
not so we can horde it to ourselves. Just like the Gentiles we must be careful that hearts do not
become like the world.
If we continue to life in the ways of the world we too will become hardened in our heart.
This will then keep us in the dark, putting us at risk for injury. Then before we know it our life
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becomes meaningless. We die without ever realizing the death has taken place. It is in this death
that true destruction can take place. We can walk, talk and live for ourselves doing evil deeds to
those around us. This is the problem in Genesis when man and God were separated; man was
dead but still has the ability to hurt. Look at our world today. The crime rate is at an all time
high; rapes, murders and robberies plague our nation daily. It is sad to see that in the United
States that in a lifetime one in six women and one in thirty-three men will be sexually assaulted,
moreover every two minutes someone is being sexually assaulted (Rainn, internet). Just like the
song says, “if we are the body then why aren’t His……...” can only be concluded we are
hardened by the society we live among. We must let go of our old to grasp a hold of the new life
Christ wants to hand over.
I think that it is amazing that God so badly wants a relationship with us. This is evident
in the aspect of Ephesians 4:23: Paul says we are to be renewed daily. This renewal process is an
awesome thought when you really think about it. When the division happened in the garden sin
put a wedge between man and God. Because God cannot tolerate sin, actually He hates sin a
bridge had to fix the gap. This bridge was Jesus. In the book of Luke you will find the story of
the birth, death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ (NIV). It is because of God’s love
for us that we are able to have the renewal process. In John 3:16 it states, “For God loved the
world so much that he gave his one and only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him
will not perish but have eternal life” (LASB). It is through this love that we can be made new in
Christ.
The renewal process is that a process. Daily we must check ourselves. Where is our
mind? Are we thinking of things in a worldly view or that of Christ? What does our “walk” say
about our beliefs? This is a process that will continue through the day of redemption. This
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process is not just from our own will power, God equips us with tools. Our tool is the Holy
Spirit. It is through the Spirit that our convictions can guide our walk.
In Ephesians 4:24 we are taught to “put on the new self” (NIV). Just as we put a fresh
outfit on daily we are taught to put on the new self of God’s image. It is through this putting on
the new self that we are the body of Christ. We are God’s messengers. We are on this earth for
one reason to bring glory to our Father. In Matthew 28:16-20 we are given the “Great
Commission,” go into all the world teaching, and baptizing making disciples to follow my
commands. This commandment is the goal of all our lives; however, this command cannot be
carried out if we are darkened in our understanding, living a meaningless life. We must be
renewed daily bearing the image of God.
Paul gives us the set up, main point and the support of our calling in Ephesians 4:17-32.
We have been taught the gospel therefore our lives should display the teachings. It is only when
we “put on our new self” that we can carry out our calling from God. Casting Crowns had
another song that related to this passage, Lifesong; the lyrics speak right to what God has called
from our new self. The chorus says, “Let my lifesong sing to You Let my lifesong sing to You I
want to sign Your name to the end of this day Knowing that my heart was true Let my lifesong
sing to You” (internet). My prayer is that our “Lifesong” is that of God. When others look at the
church, they no longer see hypocrites, but the God’s image.
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Work Cited
Barnes, Albert. A Popular Family Commentary on the New Testament: Being Notes Practical
and Explanatory. Vol. VII. London: Blackie and Son.
Barth, Markus K. "The Letter of Paul to the Ephesians." The Oxford Companion to the Bible.
New York: Oxford UP, 1993. 185-89.
Barth, Roland, and Markus Barth. Ephesians Vol. 34 : Translation and Commentary on Chapters
4-6. New York: Bantam Dell Group, 1999.
Beare, Francis W., and Theodore O. Wedel. The Interpreter's Bible. Vol. X. New York:
Abingdon P, 1953.
Blaikie, W.G. THe Pulpit Commentary. Vol. 20. McLean: MacDoanld, 1984.
Bruce, F.F. The Epistle to the Ephesians: A Verse-by- Verse Exposition. London: Pickering and
Inglis LTD., 1961.
Calvin, John. Calvin's Commentaries. Vol. 22nd. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1984.
Danker, Frederick W., ed. A Greek-English Lexicon: of the New Testament and other Early
Christian Literature. 3rd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago P, 2000.
Flexner, Stuart Berg, and Stuart Berg Flexner. Oxford American Dictionary. Ed. Eugene H.
Erlich. New York: HarperCollins, 1982.
Goodrick, Edward W., and John R. Kohlenberger. The Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance.
Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004.
Hendrickson Parallel Bible-PR-NIV/NLT/NKJV/KJV. New York: Hendrickson, Incorporated,
2005.
Hendriksen, William. New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1967.
Life Application Study. 2nd ed. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1988.
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Mounce, William D., D. Matthew Smith, and Miles V. Van Pelt, eds. Mounce's Complete
Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
2006.
New American Standard. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001.
The NIV Study Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995.
Olson, Reuben A. NASB Exhaustive Concordance. Ed. Peter P. Ahn. Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
1981.
Shepard, J.W. The Life and Letters of St. Paul: An Exegetical Study. Grand Rapids: WM. B.
Eerdmans, 1950.
Snodgrass, Kyle. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996.
Steinmann, Andrew E., and Micheal Eschelbach. "Walk This Way: A Theme from Proverbs
Reflected and Extended in Paul's Letters." Concordia Theological Quarterly 70 (2006):
43-62.
<http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/09/insight_into_candidates_through.html>. 22
Sept. 2008
<http://www.christianlyricsonline.com/artist/casting-crowns/if-we-are-the-body.html>. 22 Sept.
2008
<http://www.elyrics.net/read/c/castin-crowns-lyrics/lifesong-lyrics.html>. 22 Sept. 2008
<http://www.rainn.org/statistics>. 22 Sept. 2008
Vine, W. E. Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words : Super Value
Edition. Carlisle: STL, 1997.
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CHAPTER 9
High Moral Conduct
Ephesians 5:1-21
Moses Ndungu
“As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have
received,” (Ephesians 4:1). Chapter five of Ephesians is like a handbook of moral instructions of
“high moral conduct” -(4:17-5:21) to the newly converted Christians living in Greco Roman
world in the first century AD. Ephesians was originally a “circular letter” not destined to any
particular group Christians, argues (Gundry 423). The letter was destined to local Churches in
Asia Minor who were undergoing general cultural /religious conflict in the midst of a
multicultural pagan society. The letter was expected to be a guide and a reference to help them
counteract immoral life in their environment, which they had been rescued from through
conversion- from their “former way of life,” (see 4:22, NIV) through the preaching and teaching
of Apostle Paul and company. The first part of Ephesians chapters 1-3, Paul presents a statement
of the “ Purposes [eternal] of God for the universe in Christ through his Church. Hunter B.
Blakely-355 [he discusses] the conduct and the life of Christians,” in (chaps 4-6).” “The Gospel
of Paul” (A Study in the Prison Epistle, ATLAS). My paper will try to establish the original
meaning of this passage (5:1-21) within that wider context (4:17-5:21); the challenges the newly
converted faced and discuss the relevance of this message to us today. But before we do that we
need to have a brief overview of the setting of the Ephesians letter.
The general background of Ephesians is; a prison letter (see other prison letters:
Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon) Paul wrote it while in prison. Barth holds the idea that it
might have written between (70-100 AD; see 1:1, 3: 1; 4:1; 6:20; and 6:19-22). Barth
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demonstrates from the lists of Pauline traits of authorship Paul: one, the letter speaks of only one
“mystery” (see 1:9; 3:3-4, 9). Secondly, Barth sees Ephesians as the “Magna Carter” of the “one,
holy, apostolic and Catholic Church” (4:4-6, also see Matthew 16:17-19, and John 17:17-22).
Thirdly, the Church is a beacon and is described in an apparently “antiquated way” (186, 188;
5:8; see 1:21; 2:2,7; 3:10; 6:11-12). But J. Barton Payne thinks of 59-61 AD as more probable
(553). The final trait is the traditional interpretation of about husband and wives requiring
women to be submissive towards men (5:21-33).
Ephesians is the tenth book in the New Testament canon states George Arthur Buttrick,
editor of Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible” Vol. 2 and contends that Apostle Paul wrote it
(108; see 1:1; 3:1). Further, he explains that the Church Fathers support Pauline authorship
(Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Hermas, Polycarp, from c. 95 AD). Additionally, Buttrick mentions
that Marcion, (ca 140 AD), a Church critic included Ephesians in his “canon” but he called it
“Laodicians”. By the end of second century, it had been accepted as canonical and Paul assumed
to be its author. Ephesians was circular letter written to a number of local Churches argues
Robert H. Gundry not a letter to a particular destination (see above). The title “Ephesus” is
missing in the most recent manuscripts he adds. He argues that Paul’s intimacy to Ephesians
Christians (see Acts 19:1- 20:1, 10-38) could not have allowed him to write in formal letter to
them (see 1:15; 3:2). Ephesians letter was not responding to a particular problem from the local
Church but rather it was a general circular letter to various local Churches around and within
Ephesus (423). Most of these Churches faced common problems. At this point we shall now we
go to the heart of the matter that is the exegesis.
In this part of the paper, we need to consider the meaning of individual words or group of
related material. Firstly, we shall examine vv. 1-5: “Be imitators of God,” (v. 1). “This was
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common practices of ancient paraenesis,” states **Keck, Leander E., et al the editors of “The
New Interpreter’s Bible (Vol. XI, 434), **Keck, Leander E., et al** observe that Paul uses this
word imitate regularly to appeal to other Christians to imitate mature Christians of other local
Churches (see 1 Thess 2:14; 1Thess 1: 6). The authors note that Paul acted the ‘father’ figure to
the Churches he founded (see 1 Cor. 4: 14; 11:1; Phil. 3:17). Explanation of v.1 b “as beloved
children,” the editors note that it was a common practice for the Christians to refer to themselves
as “children of God” (see Rom 5:5; Gal 4:5-6; Phil 2:15). However, the authors remark that the
injunction to imitate God does not appear anywhere else in the New Testament. They point out
that Philo the Greek philosopher did use the “imitate” word.
Keck, et al contend that “love towards all the saints,” v. 2 was directed to the audience in
the epistle (see 1:15; 4:2, 15-16). They further argue that the basis of Christian love is based on
the love of Christ (see Eph. 3:17-19) and explains, “As Christ loved us” -(v. 2b) is a concrete
example of how Christ loved us so the Ephesians 1:7 “uses Christ’s death as sin offering to
illustrate the extraordinary graciousness of God in bringing about salvation,” (Keck 435).
Summary notes: the word “imitate” seems to have been in common use in philosophical
circles in Paul’s time. It appears that imitate was from senior to the junior, for instant Paul used
the word to ask Christians of one locality to imitate another locality or rather to compare notes or
letters from Paul to other Churches as he responded to different problems (see notes above).
“live in love,” v. 2a Greek- “ peripateite en agape,”- the commentator says that this is the cause
of “election to holiness” (see 1: 4). The author explains-“
The list of vices in vv-3-5 (also see Eph. 4:17; Col. 3:5-8) as explained by
Keck: “Fornication” in Greek-porneia “includes a variety of illicit activities, including adultery
and prostitution” (435 see 1 Cor 6:12-20 see similar lists (see Gal 5:19; 2 Cor 12:21 Col 3:5).
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The “saints”, the holy ones, Greek -“hagioi” are not to be associated with such vices mention
here.
Author Erickson suggests some of the qualities needed you for the “inward
transformation into the family of God” (see 4:25 and 5:5), are: truthfulness in relationships
(4:25), two, “imitating the Godhead as children imitate their parents,” (see 5.1). Just as God has
forgiven them “freely, fully, unilaterally,” the new converts should do likewise forgive those in
their midst (see 4:32; and 5:2). Third, Erickson adds, that Paul gives instructions of a typical
Christian life-style expected of the newly converted, for example the change of attitude or outlook of life in general or approach is expected (see Colossians 3:1-4), mind, body and deeds (see
5:3; Matt 5:16; 1 Peter 1:15; Lev 11: 44). Paul sets a high standard for the newly converted
Christians. Erickson calls this community-“God’s new human family”. He interprets v. 4 to mean
that the mouth or rather the heart and the mind of the believer’s should be full of praises instead
of vices and obscene words. This is in light of God’s abounding mercy (see Rom 12: 1, 2). The
inheritors of the “Kingdom of Christ and God” (v.5; 1029)) will only be for those who adopt
Christ -like behavior.
The second section deals with light, darkness and a list of vices (vv. 6-11). These verses
tell us the kind of life style the new converts were expected to live, here is contrasts Children of
“light” and of “darkness” and a list of vices. The “children of light” were to separate themselves
from children of ”disobedient” explains Keck et al. The authors notes that the “dualism” noted
here characterizes the “essenes writings” and that this imagery influences the Ephesians passage.
But unlike the Essenes community, the addressees in Ephesians are to be aware of “unbelieving
Gentile world” around them (see 4:17-18; 1 Peter 4:3,5; 2 Cor 6:14-7:1) p. 436-437. The
explanation of “fruit of the light” and “pleasing to the Lord,” in vv. 9-10, the commentator
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suggests that the Christians are expected to be proactive in their newfound faith. They had begun
the process of the renewal of mind after conversion (436; see 4:23 and Rom 12: 2; 2 Cor 5:17),
so as to know the will of God.
The NIB writers explain that, “The hymnic fragment” v. 14b “identifies Christ as the
source of illumination for the righteous.” Further, they suggest that “death” in the epistle,
“consistently refers to the pre-conversion situation,” (see Rom 6:4, 13; 438). The Christian has to
be alert lest the Lord returns unannounced “while others are in the darkness or drunken sleep (see
Mark 13: 32ff; Rom 13:11, 11-14 also see 1 Tim 3:16).
Editor, J. Paul Sampley discusses vices and virtues in his book, Paul, in the Greco –
Roman World. He draws our attention to Paul’s various uses of virtues ands vices (see Phil. 4:8;
1 Cor 5:10-11; and 6:9-10; 2 Cor 6:6; 12:20-21; Gal 5:19-21,22-23). Sampley remarks that
“virtue”, “Arête”- a Greek term for virtue is only found here (see Philippians 4:8-9). He points
out that the traditional use of vices and virtues, “in the Greco Roman traditional…was part of
philosophy…” (608, 609).
The explanation of (vv. 15-18a), characterizes the lifestyle of a Christians depicted in this
passage explains the (NIB Vol. XI, 441-444). Additionally, the NIB editors observe that vv. 1520 consists of a series of “not …but” derived from material found in Colossians. The command
to be filled with the Spirit contrasts to being drunk with wine (see v. 18). The authors (above) tell
us that the “wise and the foolish person,” (vv. 15-16) are typical of wisdom literature (see
Proverbs 4:10-14).
John Paul Heil in his Journal article asserts that the implied meaning in ‘Ephesians
“5:18b: But be filled in the Spirit” means to be filled with Christ’s gifts of love, that is Christ is
the agent of giving and not the Spirit. He points out several places in the letter where this
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meaning is depicted or implied. He says meaning is “the implied content of the filling is gifts of
Christ’s love,”. Secondly, the recipients of the gifts is always the audience “you” (see 3:19, 506).
He points out in several places where this verb “filling” is implied: (see 1:22; 3:19b; 4:10); then
finally in 5:18b- “but be filled in the Spirit.” Heil says this phrase means that ‘“you are to be
continually [be] “filled”’ (510). Further, Heil explains this phrase, “In the Spirit” in 5:18b 513
continues to express: “the dynamic realm of being in union with the Spirit,” (513). He insists,
5:18b “the members are of the audience are to be filled not by the Spirit but by Christ and not
with the Spirit, which the audience has already received (see 1:13), but with further gifts of
divine love within the realm of their being ‘“in the Spirit.”’
In verses 6-14 Paul urges the children of light are to separate from those who have not accepted
the Christian message. Meanwhile, (verses 15-20) spells out the rules that the new community is
to follow for survival in the short term if need be.
To conclude, in my exegesis paper I have tried my level best to establish what the It was
not structured since Jesus could come any time. Now I would like to turn to what the above
passage means to us today.
How can we apply the message of Ephesians 5:1-21 to us today? Please allow me to start
with some general remarks. Ephesians chapter 5 gives us a tip of the an iceberg of what the
immoral world in the first century AD looked like and the uphill task that Gentile converts to
Christianity had to confront. The Gentile converts were a part of a multicultural environment of
Greco Roman world. As Author Wayne A. Meeks notes in his book The Moral World of the
First Christians that Christians “…. lived in the world of the early Roman Empire, and that
world lived in them: in their thinking, in their language, in their relationships”- (12, 13). Meeks
adds, “The first Christian groups did not exist on islands or in the deserts…[but]… in the villages
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or cities…[their] identity was a matter of family and clan, and the family honor was a powerful
sanction affecting every choice,” (12, 13). This reminds me how hard it is converting a Muslim
or a Hindu or an adherent to traditional religion to Christianity in our day. The family member is
either stigmatized or even killed in some cases because he is as good as dead. I am beginning to
understand why I find Paul’s teaching sounding so hard on the new converts.
Author Meeks (13) notes that converting to Christianity in the first century affected- “…. some
of the most fundamental relationships, values, perceptions of reality, and even, structures of the
self….”
The Ephesians Christians were to imitate their bona fide Christian leaders and live in a
love, “Be imitators of God” (vv. 1): that is to love, to listen up, to reflect what their approved
leaders or mentors taught them and follow the Christian instructions to the letter. This is a
challenge to Christian leaders today. Are we responsible enough to be imitated? To imitate God
is the same as imitating Christ or listening to God’s word, and do what the will of God says (v.1).
Secondly, Apostle Paul pleads with the new converts to love one another as Christ loved them
“live a life of love” imitating Christ’s sacrificial love and it’s the basis of Christians living (v. 2
also see 1 John 3: 11ff; 1 Cor 13).
This calls for a higher spiritual standard as well as physical living and the daily
relationships both psychologically and emotionally within the new family of God-“sexual
immorality, or kind of impurity, or of greed.” –(NIV). To mention only the most important Must
be avoided like plague (see vv. 3-5) otherwise they will not inherit the “kingdom of Christ or of
God” (v. 5). In Greco-Roman world was morally rotten from bottom up. Initial radical separation
was necessary to create new identity for the new society based on the values of Christ. I am told
that when the plane takes off it needs a lot of fuel and speed otherwise it will nosedive and cause
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many deaths. It was the same with Ephesians Christians. The term “imitate” above appears to me
as a kind of continued Christian education to accelerate the spiritual growth from the “former
way of life…[or] to put off the old self” (see 4:22), [and] “to put on the new self” or “the new
man in Christ”-(see 4:17-24, especially v. 24).
Hunter B. Blakely in his journal article sheds more light on this passage under study on
He says being Christ like –“would demand mutual respect and love, and a continual reminding
that there were more influences uniting Christians than dividing” them- (356, see Eph 4:4-6),
“High moral conduct” is a prerequisite to creating a new Christian community that is the main
focus in Ephesians as (see 4:17-5:21). The “new man “. …must be manifested at all costs (se
4:17-24). Blakely further adds, the new ways of living must be characterized through and
through without any shadow of doubt: being temperate, honesty, industry, good talk, doing good,
and generosity as is laid out in (see v. 9)- Blakely: “The Gospel of Paul”: A Study in the Prison
Epistles.
Paul indicates this without any shade of doubt in (Col. 3:1,2 and Phil 2:2). To be Christ –
like, is “to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (4:24). Adaptation of new values is
necessary in order to create a family rooted in the values of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For
instance when Christianity came to my country Kenya, it separated families, and friends. The
values of the gospel challenged some highly valued customs like female circumcision, the
practice of polygamy and to some extent drinking of alcohol, Professor Ngugi wa Thiongo, a
Nobel prize winner and often described as “a giant in African literature’, portrays this conflict of
the Gospel values with the cultural values in Kenyan context and Africa in general in his bookRiver Between. Heinemann, African Writers Series (1990)- in Kenya and generally in the whole
of Africa.
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Our current world is not very much different from what it is described in the Ephesians
letter the truly inspired word of God stands for ever (see Isaiah 40:8). The high Tech, Rapid
Social Changes, women liberal movements, individualism, capitalistic systems improper use of
sex, use of drugs, love of money and leisure, abortion, teenage pregnancy, glorifying youth and
sex, replicating human life through human body cells, and many others have affected marriage
family life. For Christians today, the commandment of God in Exodus 20 and Christ’s Gospel is
still valid to day. Our God does not change with times for he is still our model to shape our
behavior today (see Hebrews 13: 8). Sexually transmitted diseases are killing many sexually
active youth. The secular world is challenging sacredness of sex and using it for commercial
purposes. We Christians of today aught to challenge this through our daily living as in Paul’s
day. Easy issuance of guns everywhere demonstrates the disrespect for life. This is because the
individual freedom is more important than the community; lethal weapons are in the wrong
hands!
Paul reminded them God’s wrath on the disobedient (v.6), this reminds me about God’s
mercy and judgment is not to be taken for granted. God’s judgment is as true as saying there is
day and night. He is consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29 NIV). At the same time he is merciful (see Joel
2:13). Paul told them no to compromise with those living in the dark (v.7). Be aware of your new
identity as a Christian. Reflect the time you were in darkness, what gains did you get spiritually?
“But now you are light in the Lord,” (v. 8). You have been regenerated and born again, you are
now a new creature 2 Cor 5:17, you have now become the children of God (John 1:12).
Live/walk the faith (see vv 15-21). This reminds me of Jesus teaching that we are now light of
the world and salt of the earth (see Matt. 5: 13, 14; also John 8:12). Examples of “fruits of light:
goodness, righteousness and truth,” You shall know them with their fruits and seeking and doing
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the will of God, avoid fruitless deeds of darkness (vv. 8, 9, 10, 11); Jesus ounce remarked, that
the children of the world are sometimes more shrewd that the children of light (Luke 16:8).
Live a wise v. 15; Walk your faith, make use the opportunity, prioritize; seek to know the
will of the Lord “ be filled with Spirit” so that you can “Speak to one another with psalms,
hymns and spiritual songs” (vv. 18, 19). Submit to one another for sake Lord’s sake.
To conclude, in my exegesis paper I have tried my level best to establish what the
original message meant to Ephesians Christians (5:1-21) and how that message is relevant to us
today. Ephesians letter was originally a circular letter. Secondly, the truth of Ephesians message
is timeless despite the different times we are living in. If we have to make a different in our times
we have to stick with radical message of gospel and refuse any compromise, otherwise we will
be like proverbial salt that lacked its taste. The passage reminds us of the love of God as well as
the wrath of God. At the same time, implicitly we are promised that we will share the “kingdom
of Christ and of God”(v 5) if we live according to his word. That is, it is true as it was then. We
need to study the word of God and pray so as to know the will of God and keep evil at bay in our
challenging are complex world that we are living in is the same if not worse, though we are in
our in different form, Jesus message still demands high standard of morality than ever before!
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Works Cited
Barth, Markus K. The Oxford Companion to the Bible: Metzger, Bruce M., Michael D. Coogan,
ed., New York: Oxford, 1993.
Blakely, Hunter B. “The Gospel of Paul”: A Study in the Prison Epistles. Theology Today 3:3
(Oct 1946): 346-357.
Brown, Jamieson Fausset. Commentary Critical and Explanatory:
http://bible.crosswalk.com/commentaries/JamiesonFaussetBrown/jfb.cgi?book=eph&cha
p… 7/26/2008
Buttrick, George Arthur, ed., Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible: (Vol. 2). Nashville:
Abingdon, 1984.
Erickson, Richard J., Evangelical Commentary on the Bible: Elwell, Walter A, ed.,et al., Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker, 1989.
Gundry, Robert H. A Survey of The New Testament: 4th edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan,
2003.
Heil John Paul Ephesians 5:18b: But be filled in the Spirit (The Catholic University of America
Washington, 506-516.
Keck, Leander E., et al., The New Interpreter’s Bible: (Vol. XI). Nashville: Abingdon, 2000.
Kretzman, Paul E. Popular Commentary of the Bible: The New Testament Volume II. Saint
Louis: Concordia, 1922.
Meeks, Wayne A. The Moral World of the First Christians. Philadelphia: Westminster, 1986.
Pate, C. Marvin. The End of the Age Has Come: The Theology of Paul. Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan, 1995.
Payne, J. Barton. Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophesy: The Complete Guide of Scriptural
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Predictions and Their Fulfillment. New York: Harper & Row, 1973.
Sampley, Paul J, ed., Paul in the Greco-Roman World: A handbook. Harrisburg: Trinity, 2003.
Scott, Ernest Findlay. The Ethical Teaching of Jesus. New York: MacMillan, 1930.
Vine, W. E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary: Old and New Testament Words. Nashville: Thomas
Nelson, 1997.
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CHAPTER 10
Christian Marriage Relationships
Ephesians 5:22-33
Emily Ndungu,
The letter of Ephesians was written to people who had embraced the Christian faith. The
author addressed an audience that had different spiritual beliefs, ethical values, and diversity
conflicting views of marriage life in their past. The ancient cultures in which the letter was
written elevated the male domineering attitude, especially in case of husband/wife relationship.
The writer wanted his audience to understand the basis of the new beliefs that focused on God
and that meant giving-in to their old ways of living. The recipients had to re-learn a new pattern
of conduct in their marital life. Although changes come with resistance, fear of the unknown, and
holding on to the known ideals, the writer drew the addressees to imitate Christ who had suffered
and laid His life on the cross for them. Below, I will mention what other people say about the
background in which the passage was written, what the Bible teaches about marriage, my own
understanding and application aspects of the passage, then I will summarize.
Markus Barth holds that the letter was written while the author was in “prison.
…[probably] in Rome… in early 60s CE. But Caesarean imprisonment…and an Ephesians
captivity…” (Barth 186) mentioned as an earlier period. However, other people have refuted the
idea that Saint Paul wrote the letter, the opposers state that his friend authored the letter ten or
forty years later (see Barth 186).
J. Barton Payne supports the idea of that the letter was written when the author was in
prison but differs slightly with Barth on the date of writing and places it two to four years earlier
(553). Author Robert H. Gundry accredits the letter to Paul and states that the letter does not
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address any problem. He also supports the view of Barth and Payne that the epistle might have
been written at a time of “Imprisonment [most likely in] Rome, and that, ‘Ephesians’ is a circular
letter addressed to various churches in the vicinity of Ephesus” (421, 423). For the sake of this
study, the favorable view is to accredit the letter to Paul.
What is the Essence of Marriage?
To answer the above question, I will have to explore the first marriage in the creation
story, and I will use the NIV Bible translation. The first marriage is a God ordained event and the
institution of marriage must be valued. The Bible teaches us that the first forefather did not have
a “suitable helper” (Gen 2:20). The helper was “made [out of the his] rib [and the latter uttered
these words], ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh….’” (22-23 NIV). Adam
might have been excited to see another human being whom he could relate with. Also, we read in
the first creation narrative that humankind is created to “‘Be fruitful’ …[and] rule over all the…
” (Gn 1:26-28) other creation. The responsibility is given to both Adam and Eve. The Bible
indicates that there are three main reasons why God created the human beings. First, the people
have to offer mutual, emotional, and social support. Secondly, the people are intended to
procreate-to bring forth children who would populate the world. Thirdly, they must take care of
what the Lord has placed on earth. The Bible does not explain how long the first marriage
remained harmoniously as God intended. What follows the marriage episode is the, “Fall, [that
involves the couple and the] serpent”. After their failure, blame transpires and the words of
appreciation expressed earlier by Adam are no more. God condemns their disobedience and
accords them with unequal roles (Gn 3).
Throughout the Bible history and there after, men in many cultures have maintained that
they are superior to women. For example, Russ Dudrey, confirms the fact of male dominant and
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says “Wives were taught everywhere to submit to their husbands…” (28). Marvin Pate C, like
Dudrey holds the same ideals but says later, the norms changed to address the submission in a
“principle of reciprocity” (203). It is worth to note the view that was held by the Israelites on the
marriage relationships. Ernest F, Scott contends that the Israelites respected the marriage
institution (see 95). Their religious beliefs helped them to standout among the other cultures.
Other communities during Christ’s era and there after had some, or no value for the family life
and they observed the religiosity of many gods. J. Paul Sampley draws us to the fact that the
Romans valued marriage but “Greeks traditions questioned whether it was good to marry…
[and] how one could control sexual passions” (410). The ideologies of the latter contravene
God’s view of marriage institution.
Kostenberger Andereas J. with Jones David W, affirm the marriage union as “Rooted in
God’s creative act of making humanity in his image….” (32). The couple being in the image of
the Creator then means living in harmony with God and the two appreciating one another. The
essence of marriage must be the healthy relationship between a man and woman. B Sharkey and
Welch F. G. observe that marriage is “complementary” (19) both husband and wife must play a
role to make their marriage work. The supporters of marriage union as God-given urge married
couples to promote Christian ethos that are Christ based.
The multicultural environment of the first century church had challenges to tackle on the
marriage relationships. The mental, cultural, and social norms of the ancient generations about
men being superior to women reigned and those aspects needed a reversal. At the same time,
some women had assumed church leadership in the first century. We have examples of Priscilla,
who ministered together with her husband, Lydia, and other women also had devoted themselves
to the Lord and opened their homes for spiritual gatherings (see Acts 16:14, 40; 18:3, 26;
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Romans 16:1-16; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Philippians 4:2-3; 2 Timothy 4:19). Wayne A. Meeks
doubts whether such women could yield to their husbands’ rule and poses a question, “Must such
women after all remain submissive”? (113) He thinks it might have been difficult for women
church leaders to be silenced by their husbands or other men. For this reason, the believers in the
first century had to overgrow the beliefs of their past to embrace the new faith in Jesus Christ.
That is the situation in which the author of the Ephesians’ letter is trying to address in the above
passage. Below, I will explain my findings on the passage looking into different Bible versions.
I have consulted three Bible translations and found different linguistic structures among
them. For example, verse 22 in the KJV starts with, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own
husbands, as unto the Lord.” In the NLT, the same verse reads, “For wives, this means submit to
your husbands as to the Lord.” The NIV starts like KJV but instead of unto your husbands, it
reads to your husbands.
W. E. Vine points out that the word, submit [is derived from the word] “HUPEIKO…, to
retire, withdraw (hupo, under, eiko, to yield), hence to yield, submit, is used metaphorically in
Heb.13:17, of submitting to spiritual guides in the churches. Subject [is] HUPOTASSO…to
rank under….” (1099-1100). The submission aspect was emphasized by the non-Christian
literatures during the first century. In support of wives’ inferiority, Dudrey contends that
“….Submission of those who are under the authority of husbands… [is expected. He draws to
the beliefs of the cultural norms that allows] men want other kinds of women… [and] a good
wife for the purpose of raising up legitimate children” (28). According to Dudrey, the wife does
not have a say over the marital relationship, rather than to obey the set ethos held her religious
and cultural norms. However, the submission of Christian wives is needed, so that they can be
distinguished from the non-believing wives. The Christian wives have to live in accordance to
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their new faith in the Lord. The addressees of the letter had a diversity of the believers that
needed to blend with the teachings of Christ. Wives’ obedience to their husbands would result to
harmonious living, as brothers and sisters in Christ (see v. 21) but not as the traditions
demanded.
Francis Martin holds that, “subject to one another… [and] submission is extended to
wives in marriage…‘headship’ [of man] vs 25, 28a is the imitation of and sharing in the initiative
of love and sacrifice of Christ” (Martin 21-22). Since Christ does not rule with an iron bar like
some of the earthly kings, husbands must follow Jesus’ way of headship. In His ministry on
earth, He demonstrated humility to win His audiences. Christ-like husbands must humble
themselves and not exert authority to their wives. Francois Wessels supports the Lord’s attitude
and remarks that the act of submission must be, “‘out of reverence for Christ’ (v 21). [He
disagrees with scholars that depict the epistle as] ‘the first manifesto of Christian imperialism,’”
(Beare) (qtd in Wessels 67, 71) and refutes that School of Thought and contends that the letter
concerns “ethics” (68). He points out that the letter addresses group as opposed to the nonbiblical guidelines that deal with an individual.
The KJV starts verse 23 with, “For the husband is… [and has] even as Christ is the head
of the church: and he is the savior of the body. The NLT has the article “a” instead of the, and
“as” instead of even and it has a period instead of semi colon found in KJV. The NLT starts
another sentence, “He is the Savior of his body, the church.” The last two words, “the church,”
are not found in the KJV. In the NIV the verse is similar to NLT. Leander E. Keck, et al, states
that though the husbands are regarded as the “head equating them with Christ’s headship, they
had less control over their wives….” (451). Richard J. Erickson, observes that a Christian wife
no longer “fear of being manipulated or mistreated by…” (1031) her husband. A wife that loves
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the Lord acts freely and does not follow the cultural traditions.
In view of the church, James F. Childress and John Macquarrie, assert that, “Church,
‘More theologically the term may be applied to the’ mystical body of Christ’ to the company of
all believers…. (90). The church then is the people who have new faith in Christ and they must
give in, to their wants to please their Caller. On the same note, Payne states that the Lord
sacrificed “His life [for the church, an act associated with] marriage [in a] metaphor” (555) form.
Also, [Erickson notes that husbands who believed in Christ were prompted to], submit to their
wives-by dying to their own interests…. (1031). The bond of contention here is, for husbands
and wives to render mutual understanding and make life easygoing.
In verse 24, KJV begins with, “Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the
wives be to their own husbands….” This is reported in a third person formula, while in the NLT,
it reads, “As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands” (second
person form). The NIV starts with, ‘Now’ as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should
submit to their husbands…. ” [the verse uses third person structure as in the KJV. The verse
equates wives with the church that is subjected to the leadership of the Lord. Vine, talks of the
words “submission [and] subjects [of the] wives” (1100) but that is not the acts of
dehumanization. Wives must submit in recognition of what the Savior did-to die for the sake of
saving the church. That willingness is required to retain the harmony of matrimonial
relationships. Affirming the same thought, Paul E. Kretzman remarks that the wives’ submission
to their husbands must be seen in the light of being obedient, “as to the Lord [and that] the
husband is not the savior [and must not be] assuming an overbearing lordship…. (287).
In verses 25-27, the KJV start with, “Husbands, love your wives as Christ also loved the
church, and gave himself for it;” 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of
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water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or
wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” In the NLT, each
sentence has a period but verse 25 starts with “For husbands, this means love your wives, just as
Christ also loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed
by the cleansing of God’s word. 27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church
without a spot or wrinkle, or other such thing. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.” On
the other hand, NIV starts as KJV then shifts to NLT after the word “wives” and then uses some
words appearing in KJV, so NLT has a mix of both versions. Instead of the words “glorious and
spot,” NIV puts “radiant and stain” [but] wrinkle and blemish appear.
Jamieson Fausset Brown states that Jesus did everything to make the church “clean” (7).
He did this so that the church remains faithful to Him. The new order is that husbands must eager
Christ who suffered for the church to make sure she has no fault. Husbands’ responsibilities call
for delicate care to their wives’ welfare. The addressees are urged to follow their Master’s virtue
of love. On the same note Keck points out that the letter draws the ideas from other epistles that
give “duties of household members… Col. 3:18-4: 1; 1 Peter 2:18-3:7; Titus 2:1-10…. [where
men ruled but not with excessive power]. Husbands had to love their wives” (446) like Christ.
Wessels points that “….Some biblical scholars regard Ephesians 5:21-33 unsuited…because it
forms part of a ‘Haustafel,’ a code of household ethics, often used among contemporary
Hellenistic philosophers” (69). The thought of the household codes having non-biblical elements
mentioned by the opposers has been disqualified as baseless and misleading idea by Wessels. On
love matters, Vine notes that husbands are exhorted to love their wives with “‘Agape and
agapao’… [an example of], the attitude of God toward His Son, John 17:26…. (692-693). God
expects husbands to extend the love they are loved with by Christ to their “wives” (25, 27).
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Christ’s act of cleaning the church is to have presentable couples clothed with faith. In return, the
believing couples attain intimate identification with Christ. Husbands’ love towards their wives
must be continuous, so as to make wives blossom. The glory of blossoming wives will be
credited to husbands who have coexisted with their wives. The end results will be the harmony
among the husbands and wives in this world and the life eternal.
This reminds me a Swahili saying in my culture (Kenyan), that somehow resembles the
presentable and clothing idea that says, “Mke ni nguo” (Swahili Wisdom). That is, a wife is
clothing: implies the importance of the husband supplying proper washing material and suitable
clothing to his wife. The husband is honored and respected for the provision of necessary attire
to his wife. A similar example on a blossoming wife is the preparation the prospective bride
undergoes before the wedding day. In some cultures, the girl’s family makes sure that she is
gloomed in an appealing way to her prospective husband. The point here is that, as Christ
worked hard to possess the church, the husband must do likewise to provide, protect, and
appreciate his wife. After dealing with cleanliness found in verses 26-27, the author shifts to the
oneness and the nourishment aspects of the husband’s own body.
In the three versions, the following two verses address a third person rather than the
people concerned. The starting words and a few others are worded differently but carries the
same message. In verse 29, KJV and NIV uses a past tense on the word “hated,” while the NLT
uses present tense, “hates.” This brings the creation idea where the woman was made from the
man (see Gn 2:23). In the real sense, all parts of one’s body have crucial role to play for they are
interconnected to each other and if one part suffers, the whole body aches. Thus, the husband is
reminded to take proper responsibility of his wife since they are inseparable. The husband is
obligated to love his life partner with unconditional love. The urge is for the husband not to
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demand a response from his wife in order to love but must act like his Master. The analogy of the
body, feeds, and cares depicts the basic human needs. As the husband would not survive without
the basics, he is supposed to consider his wife like himself.
Verse 30 starts with “For” in both KJV and NIV but NLT has “And” and the latter’s
sentence together with NIV are shorter than the former. KJV has the following phrase added: “of
his flesh; and of his bones.” The verse uses plural, the writer and the addressees are inclusive in
“Christ’s body-” the church. This is a reminder that husbands are to look beyond their manhood
statures and view the wives as Christ’s loved ones. The inclusion is to all believers and the
measuring stick is the Master who redeemed them all from their old lifestyles and thinking. The
following verse also starts differently in all the versions. The KJV has, “For this cause shall a
man leave-” while NLT reads, “As the scriptures say, “A man leaves…” then the NIV states,
“For this reason a man will leave….” This portion coincides with the creation story and draws
the husband to God’s viewpoint in the marriage institution. From the beginning, the marriage
bond was to be a long-life entity. God performed the first marriage out of love, care, and
responsibility then the couple was commissioned to be co-workers with the Creator (see Gn 1-2).
This same idea is what God want the matrimonial relationships to be upheld and the couples do
the needful to glorify their Maker.
Brown quotes Chrysostom who said, “For no bound is more sovereign in bonding than
such bonds, especially in the case of husband and wife ought to bind to you… by love and
attachment” [CHRYSOSTOM] (qtd in Brown 6). The Bible talks about a man detaching from
his parents to cling to his wife. Nothing should separate the husband and wife throughout their
earthly life. Unfortunately, God instituted marriage and wanted people to live in harmony. But
realistically, some marriages do not hold together and if they do, couples live with strife. God
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loving and fearing couples must seek the Lord, the author of the marriage union to rule and direct
their lives.
In verse 32, the three versions bear the same words in the beginning except the word
“great,” used in KJV and NLT; NIV uses the word “profound.” The NLT has additional ending
phrase, “ are one.” The mystery is something that a human mind cannot comprehend, so only
with God’s help it can be understood. God’s intention to create humankind was to have the
lasting intimacy. Our human mind cannot understand the act of God making a woman from a
man’s flesh but it happened. The deed prompted the intimacy between God and the two human
beings. That same relationship installed during creation and then restored through Christ after the
“Fall’ (3:1-19), is what the writer of Ephesians admonish the husbands to follow. Christ and the
church is the measuring stick of the husbands love to their wives. The mystery mentioned here is
for marriage to be honored and viewed in the light of the love that Christ identifies Himself with
the church.
The last verse starts with different words. KJV begins with, “Nevertheless let every one
of you in particular so love….” The NLT reads, “So again I say, each man must love….” and
NIV states, “However, each one of you also must love….” In both NIV and the NLT use the
same last phrase, but the KJV says, “the wife sees that she reverence….” while the other two
versions have, “the wife must respect….” In this verse, both the husband and the wife are
reminded their roles. They must know that Christ who has called them is able to renew their
marriage. They have to abide with the Spirit filled life that focuses upon God’s guidance rather
than following their fore-parents’ beliefs. Pate asserts, “The Christian conduct… [has to take
precedence] to the prevailing social norms of the day” (202).
The passage has much to teach us about marriage life today. Presently, parents, or clans
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arrange fewer marriages. The prospective couples are left make a choice, so the process has
shifted to be a contract between a man and a woman. It does not mean that marriages are best
than the time the letter was written. Conflict exists among husbands and wives even the socalled, believers in Christ. Once I heard a Christian man say, “Even with salvation, manhood is
never dead.” The point he was conveying was that, he needed to rule his wife as the African
tradition taught. The African tradition practiced the same ethos like the ancient cultures and the
time of the New Testament. Wives’ place was in the kitchen, within the home environs, and they
were only to be seen but not speak. My culture call women, “Andu a nja”; that is people of
homestead. Women were not supposed to talk when men were speaking and the latter silenced
women or their wives by reminding them their place. I have an example of a case of reference
that I encountered a few years ago explaining how a husband would control a wife.
A Christian wife who is a mother of four children once told me that she had never spent a
night in her parents’ home since she was married. She said her husband would not allow her to
visit her parents by herself, and I thought that was hard to cope with. I told her I thank God who
has given me a husband who understands and has given me freedom not only to visit and spend
nights in my parent’s home, but to visit other Christians who are in need of emotional or spiritual
support. I do not have a complaint in my marital relationship, and I share with other couples
what makes our relationship work. I tell them that we all have a responsibility to enhance the
well being of our marriages.
In summary, the author of marriage is God who has set the stage on how we must treat
one another in the matrimonial relationships. The letter of Saint John teaches us that we cannot
say we love God if we do not love other people, of whom wives are inclusive in the fellowship of
the children of God if they are believers (see 1 John 2:10; 4:7-12). Christ came to break the man
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made rules and perceptions about marriage, so that couples would enjoy the intimacy in their
relationships. I agree with Paul and the contributors who hold that marriage should be
harmonious until the end. I have often told people and especially young couples that, marriage is
not a pair of shoe-that a person puts to feel whether it fits the feet then abandon it incase the size
does not fit, or if the fashion of the pair is not appealing. Marriage is a union that demands
understanding, forgiving, and putting others first among the couples. We cannot do this with our
strength but Jesus is able to restore and mend the broken relationships if we call upon Him. Let
us (husbands and wives) claim our new liberty in Christ to harmonize our marriages!
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Works Cited
Barth, Markus K. The Oxford Companion to the Bible: Metzger, Bruce M., Michael D. Coogan,
ed., New York: Oxford UP, 1993.
Brown, Jamieson Fausset. Commentary Critical and Explanatory:
http://bible.crosswalk.com/commentaries/JamiesonFaussetBrown/jfb.cgi?book=eph&cha
p… 7/26/2008
Buttrick, George Arthur, ed., Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible: (Vol. 2). Nashville:
Abingdon, 1984.
Childress, James F., John Macquarrie, ed., The Westminster Dictionary of Christian Ethics:
Philadelphia: Westminster, 1986.
Dudrey, Russ. “Submit Yourselves to One Another”: A Social-Historical Look at the Household
Code of Ephesians 5:15-6:9. Restoration Quarterly 41:1 (1999): 27-44.
Erickson, Richard J., Evangelical Commentary on the Bible: Elwell, Walter A, ed.,et al., Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker, 1989.
Gundry, Robert H. A Survey of The New Testament: 4th edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan,
2003.
Keck, Leander E., et al., The New Interpreter’s Bible: (Vol. XI). Nashville: Abingdon, 2000.
Kostenberger, Andreas J., David W Jones. God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical
Foundation. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2004.
Kretzman, Paul E. Popular Commentary of the Bible: The New Testament Volume II. Saint
Louis: Concordia, 1922.
Martin, Francis. “Biblical Teaching on Marriage:” a brief survey. Word & World 23: 1 (Wint
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2003): 15-22.
Meeks, Wayne A. The Moral World of the First Christians. Philadelphia: Westminster, 1986.
Pate, C. Marvin. The End of the Age Has Come: The Theology of Paul. Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan, 1995.
Payne, J. Barton. Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophesy: The Complete Guide of Scriptural
Predictions and Their Fulfillment. New York: Harper & Row, 1973.
Sampley, Paul J, ed., Paul in the Greco-Roman World: A handbook. Harrisburg: Trinity, 2003.
Scott, Ernest Findlay. The Ethical Teaching of Jesus. New York: MacMillan, 1930.
Sharkey, B. F. G, Welch. Modern Christian Living. New York: Oxford, 1979.
Vine, W.E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary: Old and New Testament Words. Nashville: Thomas
Nelson, 1997.
Wessels, Francois, “Exegesis And Proclamation”: Ephesians 5:21-33 ‘Wives, be subject to your
husbands… Husbands, love your wives…’ Journal of Theology for Southern Africa 67 Je
(1989): 67-75.
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