EXEGESIS OF
EPHESIANS
I. The Parties:
A. Paul the writer. 1:1
and 3:1.
B. Written to the "saints
in Ephesus and faithful in
Christ." 1:1.
1. "In Ephesus"
disputed. (Is it a
genuine objection?)
a. No personal
salutation in the
letter. b. Had
only heard of their
faith and love. c.
They had only heard
of his mission to
the Gentiles. 3:1-4.
d. It ("in Ephesus")
omitted from the
Vatican MSS and some
others, C and H.
e. Marcion, middle
of second century,
says it was to the
Laodiceans. Compare
Col. 4:16.
C. Defense:
1. To the first there
is no satisfactory
answer. 2. Words in
1:15 are referred to
their present state— not
to their conversion.
3. Remark in 3:1 is
offset by Galatians
1:13. See also 4:21.
4. It is in nearly
all the MSS ancient and
modern. 5. Sustained
by nearly all ancient
writers. Marcion was in
the habit of changing
scriptures to suit his
purpose.
II. Circumstances of the
writer:
A. First, he was a
prisoner for the sake of the
Gentiles. 3:1, 4:1; Acts
21:28. B. In distress and
danger. 3:13, 6:12. C.
About to send Tychicus to
cheer them by reporting his
condition. 6:21, 22. 43
D. Same date as
Colossians, 6:21; Col.
4:7-8. Same date as Philemon
also. Philemon 1:10-12.
(Onesimus and Tychicus
travelled together—Onesimus
with letter to Philemon and
Tychicus with those to the
Ephesians and Colossians.)
E. He was either in
Caesarea or Rome in prison.
He was a prisoner in these
two places only, long enough
to write them. He was
expecting to visit Phrygia
(Phil. 22) which was not
true of him while in
Casearea, therefore he was
in Rome.
III. Circumstances of the
church. A. Chiefly
Gentiles. 3:14,17. B.
Acquainted with Grecian
mysteries. 1:9; 3:4, 9; 5:32;
6:19. C. In distress about
Paul. 6:22.
SECTION I
Thanksgiving And Prayer For
Readers
Ephesians
1-2:10
I. Salutation,
"Through the will of God."
1:1-2. Compare Gal. 1:15; Romans
1:1; Acts 22:14.
II. Thanksgiving for
predetermined blessings. 1:3-14.
A. For all spiritual
blessings received. 1:3-6.
1. These are a
fulfillment of the
purpose of election.
2. In that election they
were predestinated to
sonship. 3. This is in
accordance with His will
and for the praise or
the glory of His favor.
1:6.
B. For spiritual
blessings of remission of
sins and knowledge of His
will. 1:7-10.
1. This remission was
a result of some favor.
1:7. 2. Knowledge of
His will a result of the
superabundance of the
same. 1:8-9. 3. Shows
what the "ingrafting of
His Will" is. It is His
purpose to gather all
together under Christ.
1:10; Compare 1:22.
C. For the blessing of
inheritance. 1:11-14.
1. Predestined. 1:11.
2. Object:
a. That those who
had first hoped,
should be the means
of his glory. 1:12.
b. Later believers
received the
inheritance when
they heard and
believed the Gospel.
1:13. c. Same
party also
authenticated as
heirs by spirit.
d. This an earnest
or pledge of the
inheritance. e.
All this for the
praise of His glory.
The doctrine taught in
1:1-14 states in
chronological order:
1. God's purpose
to gather all in heaven
and earth under Christ.
1:9-10. 2. Chose part
of the human race to be
holy and blameless in
Him. 1:4. 3.
Predestined the same to
sonship, 1:5, and
heirship, 1:11.
4. Finally blessed
them with every
spiritual blessing, 1:3,
including remission of
sins, 1:7, and wisdom
and understanding, 1:8.
a. Holy Spirit
given as a seal and
earnest.
5. The persons—all
those who hear and
believe the Gospel
receive the spirit and
have hope in Christ,
1:12-13.
III. EL Prayer for the
enlightenment of his readers.
1:15-23.
A. Their heirship and
cause for thanksgiving and
prayer. 1:15-16.
B. The prayer. (Prays for
spirit of wisdom and
revelation. 1:17-18.)
1. So as to know
these things.
(a) The hope of
his calling.
(b) The riches of
his inheritance in
the saints. (c)
Greatness of God's
power towards us
measured by what He
did for Christ,
1:19-22, all of
which is for the
church. 1:22-23.
IV. Further Statement of
blessings bestowed. 2:1-10.
A. When dead, God had
made them alive and raised
to heavenly places in
Christ. 2:1-6.
1. "Dead" in any
respect means not living
in that respect. 2.
"Nature" (v. 3) is our
own nature to become
sinners, not to be born
sinners.
B. Object: To display
God's power to coming ages.
2:7.
C This salvation through
favor, not debt. 2:8-10.
1. "This" and "it" of
verse 8 are neuter and
refer to the thought of
the previous clause, not
to "faith" or "grace"
which are feminine. 2.
The works of verse 9 are
works of merit
previously done. None
but works before
salvation could effect
it. Baptism not one of
these for it is done
after we are begotten
(made alive) and is part
of the process of being
raised up to the
heavenly places. Compare
verse 6.
SECTION II
Union of
Jews And Gentiles In Christ
Ephesians2:11-4:16
I. This union effected by
the death (1. blood, 2. cross)
of Christ, 2:11-22.
A. Reminds the Gentiles
of former condition.
2:11-12.
1. They were without
five things.
(a) Without
Christ. (b)
Without citizenship
in the commonwealth
of Israel. (c)
Without the
covenants of
promise. (d)
Without hope. (e)
Without God.
2. Now they have been
brought near those five
things from which they
were far off. 2:13. 3.
Christ had made peace
between these two
parties, 2:14-16, an
effect accomplished at
same time with the
cross. 4. He did so by
preaching there was but
one way to God for both.
2:12-18. 5. Gentiles,
(1) citizens, (2) part
of the family, (3) on
the foundation as a part
of God's Holy Temple.
2:19-21. (Explanation of
"foundation." The two
walls rested on the
apostles and prophets.
Christ, the corner
stone, held them
together. "The prophets"
equal those of New
Testament or New
Covenant Compare 3:5.)
6. Even Gentiles were
part of this building.
2:22.
II. To effect this union
was chief object of Paul's
ministry. 3:1-13.
A. Paul begins to offer
prayers for them, but
digresses. 3:1. B. He
explains (in digression) how
he was a prisoner in their
behalf. 3:2-7.
1. A mystery revealed
to him. 3:2-3.
("Mystery" equals this
privilege of theirs.)
2. He had written so
they could know it.
3:3-4. 3. Shows it was
not known in other ages
as was revealed. 3:5.
4. Repeats the chief
thought in it. 3:6. 5.
Repeats his ministry
counted with it. 3:7.
C. His office was also
the means of showing to
angels the wisdom of God.
3:8-13.
1. Restates the favor
given him. 3:8. 2.
Further object of it.
(a) To enlighten
all men about that
ministry. 3:9.
3. That even heavenly
beings might know the
same. 3:10-12. 4. His
sufferings, the glory of
the Gentiles. 3:13.
III. Prayer for their
increase in love. 3:14-21.
A. God is addressed as
Father from whom the "whole
family in heaven and earth
is named." 3:14-15. B.
Petitions. 3:16-19.
1. Strength in the
inner man. 2. Christ
in their hearts by
faith. 3. Rooted in
love. 4. Able to
comprehend the Love of
Christ. 5. Filled with
the fullness of God.
C. Doxology. 3:20-21.
IV. Exhortation to unity
with the points of unity. 4:1-6.
A. Walk worthy of
calling. 4:1. B. How thus
to walk. 4:2-3. C. Seven
points in which unity of
spirit counts. 4:4-6.
V. Distribution of gifts
by Christ. 4:7-16.
A. The power of Christ a
reason for being able to
distribute gifts. 4:7-11.
B. Gifts of different
offices (apostles, prophets,
evangelists, pastors,
teachers.) 4:12. C.
Reasons for giving of gifts.
4:12-15. D. Function of
each part: Be joined to
Christ as head and perform
its duty to make "increase
of the body unto the
edifying of itself in love."
4:16.
SECTION III
Miscellaneous Exhortations
Ephesians
4:17-5:21
I. The way they should
walk. 4:17-32.
A. Not as other Gentiles.
4:17.
1. Other Gentiles had
their understanding
darkened. 4:18.
2. Were past feeling.
4:19.
B. They had learned a
different way from Christ.
4:20 21.
1. Must put off old
man. 4:22. 2. "Be
renewed in spirit of
your mind." 4:23. 3.
"Put on new man." 4:24.
4. Put away lying,
anger, giving place to
devil, stealing, corrupt
communications, grieving
Holy Spirit of God,
bitterness, wrath,
anger, clamor, evil
speaking, malice.
4:25-31. 5. Treatment
of one another. 4:32.
C. Further instruction in
how to walk. 5:1-21.
SECTION IV
Directions
For Domestic Relations
Ephesians
5:22-6:9
I. Instruction to wives.
5:22-24.
A. Submission of wives.
5:22, 24.
B. Reason for submission.
5:23.
II. Instruction to
husbands. 5:25-33.
A. Husbands to love wives
as Christ loved the Church.
5:25-32.
B. Mutual love of husband
and reverence of wife. 5:33.
III. Instruction to
children and fathers. 6:1-4.
A. Children to obey and
honor parents. 6:1-2.
1. This to promote
longevity. 6:3.
B. Fathers not to provoke
children to wrath. 6:4.
IV. Instruction to
servants and masters. 6:5-9.
A. Servants to practice
obedience with fear and
trembling and singleness of
heart as unto Christ. 6:5.
1. Not to obey with
eye service. 6:6. 2.
To do service with good
will. 6:7. 3. Whether
bond or free, if a man
does good, he shall
receive same from the
Lord. 6:8.
B. Masters to treat
servants in same way. 6:9.
SECTION V
General
Exhortations and Benediction
Ephesians
6:10-24
I. Exhorts to strength and
putting on of armor of God.
6:10-17.
A. Strength to be in Lord
and in power of his might.
6:10.
B. Put on whole armor of
God and why this is needed.
6:11-13.
C. The armor:
1. Girdle of truth
and breastplate of
righteousness. 6:14.
2. Feet shod with
preparation of Gospel.
6:15.
3. Shield of faith.
6:16.
4. Helmet of
salvation and sword of
spirit. 6:17.
II. Exhortation to prayer
for all saints and himself.
6:18 19.
A. Paul an ambassador in
bonds. 6:20.
III. Sending Tychicus to
inform them of his condition.
6:21-22.
IV. Benediction. 6:23-24.
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