Summer 2000

Handouts: ***Map of Asia Minor***

Inductive Example (week 1?)

How to Read the Bible

Modify the Homework Assignments!!

Don't be frustrated. You're not going to get everything in the first week. It takes time to learn a book and it takes time to learn a new way of studying. So, please bear with it. You will be rewarded. If you stick with learning how to study this book, God will grant you fresh insight on this material, your ministry will be enhanced and you'll grow closer to Him.

Again, interpretation is an art. We will disagree. It is the nature of interpretation. One of the characteristics of Ephesians is the run-on sentence. This can make it very difficult to diagram and to break down. But if you can gain practice here, you’ll skate through Romans.

Hints for Diagramming

• Independent clauses stand on their own.

Look for simple verbs.

• Dependent clauses modify independent clauses.

Look for words like: for, and (sometimes coordinates), but, so that.

15             For this reason I

                            having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus among you
                            and your love toward all the saints,

16            do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.

17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a

spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,

18  the eyes of your heart may be enlightened,

                so that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you,

                what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints,

19           and what is the surpassing greatness of his power toward us who believe,

                            these are in accordance with the strength of His might.

20                        which He brought about in Christ when he raised him from the dead
                           and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

21                                 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion,

                                    and above every name that is named,

                                                not only in this age but also in the age to come.

22                                And he has put all things under his feet

                                   and gave Him as head over all things to the church,

23                                          which is His body,

                                                        the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

I pray that God give you understanding as you grow (:17-18 )

Support

• I thank God for you (:16 ??)
• What is the Hope of calling (:18 indicative)
• What are the riches of your inheritance (:18 indicative)
• What is the greatness of His power toward us (:19)
• Same power at work in X Raised (:20 indicative)
• Seated (:20 indicative)
• Given Authority (:22 indicative)

"Hope" specifically dealing with our hope in Christ that we will be spared God's judgment, Rom 5:4-9. But more than that it includes the "riches of the glory of His inheritance."

"Power", the word in Greek is (                  ) which is where we get the word, dynamite. But this power of God's is not an explosive, quick-burning power. It is the power that sustains the universe. It is the power that raised Christ from the dead and it is the power by which he will eventually subdue the created order in Christ.

Father of glory is a title that basically means that God is the source of all glory-everything that is marvelous and powerful comes from God. Glory is often synonymous with power.

Paul prays that they might understand the blessings that they’ve been given: hope, riches, and power. The hope Paul refers to begins with God’s calling a people to Himself and culminates with our resurrection in Christ.

The inheritance Paul refers to is God’s inheritance, namely, us. It is in the church, made of both Jews and Gentiles that God will display to the universe His incredibly rich blessings. We will be trophies of grace. Think of this in terms of from where we’ve come.

Last, all of God’s power at work in Christ’s resurrection is at work in us. There are no spiritual forces that can stand against God’s power. Christ reigns supreme over the church and over the universe.

Col 1:9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding…

What is important for this church is that they grow, not in their knowledge of esoteric truths or biblical history, but in their knowing of God. Knowledge of God is not knowledge about God; it is not academic in the Greek sense of knowing—that is how we tend to use the word today. Knowledge of God is a relational knowing.

This holds for us too. Doing God’s work, serving people and making disciples of Christ, can never be done at the expense of cultivating a relationship with God. And yet, our knowledge of God, our ability to know Him personally, is tied to our obedience. Therefore, if we want to grow we cannot do one or the other, contemplate God or serve Him, we must do both. There is always an active part of faith. To understand God intimately, we have to trust Him and that means to obey Him.

Do you pray this for those you are discipling/serving? I hope our goal in making mature followers of Christ is first and foremost that they come to know God in deeper ways. Out of this knowledge of God, if it is truly a "knowing God", out of this will flow sacrifice and service to others.

The same power that was at work in the resurrection and glorification of Christ is the power at work in our lives.

We can do God’s work with confidence, we can have confidence in God’s ability to change us. Christ has supreme authority over the universe and over us. To become cynical about our ability to see change occur in our lives is to demean God’s power. Do you struggle with being cynical that God can change you? You haven’t grasped the nature of God’s power.

Structure (2:1-10)

2:1         and you were dead in your trespasses and sins

2                      in which you formerly walked,

                                according to the course of this world,

                                according to the prince of the power of the air,

                                            of the spirit now working in the sons of disobedience.

3          Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh,

                    indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind,

                    and were by nature children of wrath,

                               even as the rest.

4    But God,

            being rich in mercy,

  because of His great love with which he loved us

5         even when we were dead in our transgressions,

            by grace you have been saved

6  and raised us up with Him

    and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

7         in order that in the ages to come he might show the surpassing riches of His grace

           in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

8                  For by grace you have been saved through faith,

                            and that not of yourselves;

                            it is the gift of God—

9                          not the result of works,

                                    that no one may boast.

10            For we are His workmanship,

                created in Christ Jesus for good works,

                            which God prepared beforehand

                            that we should walk in them.

God made us alive, raised us, and seated us with Christ (2:4-6 What)

Support:

• Formerly dead (2:1-3 example/antithesis–add to Ind. Study worksheet)
• God wants to show His incredible grace (:7 Connective word "in order that" Why)
• Saved by grace (:8 Connective word "For")
• Created for good works (:10 Connective word "For")

Theology

"In the heavenly places" is used 5 times in Ephesians and only in Ephesians (1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12). It denotes both the realm of God and the realm of God’s adversary in "the principalities and powers." This expression says that something is true about us in the spiritual realm. Because we are "in Chris", what is true of Christ is true of us.

"In Christ" denotes the idea of headship. We are in Christ’s lineage and what is true of Him is true of us. This idea of lineage has a greater communicative force in ancient times when one’s lineage said everything about the person. In our American thinking, lineage means next to nothing—here we have striven to erase such traditional concepts. As with Abraham and Isaac, it is the heir who receives the inheritance, as well as carries on the name or reputation of the family. So we both have an inheritance "in the heavenly places" and we carry on the family reputation here on earth, hence we are God’s workmanship, created for good works.

Meaning:

Even though we were formerly dead, God created us alive and exulted us with Christ and seated us in power in Christ. Contrary to Watchman Nee "seated" does not indicate a state of rest, rather one of power and conquest over one’s adversaries. (Paul will get to the implications of this in Chapter 6 when he deals with spiritual warfare.) What has taken place will result in incomprehensible outpouring of God’s incredible riches and kindness toward us—this is a result of nothing more than a gift (grace). Here for the first time in the letter, Paul indicates to us that our state of blessing carries with it certain obligations, noblesse oblige. God has created good works for us to take part in. Paul will begin to move in that direction. (But first he will remind us of from where we’ve come, a true rags to riches story.)

Parallel:

Gal. 2:16 "Nevertheless, knowing…"; Eph. 1:20; Rom. 2

Application

Paul implies that believers no longer should or need to live by indulging the desires of the flesh and mind. This passage points to how incongruous that way of life is with our new life. That was the way of our life when we were dead. Yet now we have been shown mercy and grace. Shall we reject God’s mercy and live in the past?

In contrast to our old way of life, God has created us for good works. These are what we ought to seek out.

Do you look for those works that God has prepared for us? Do you even believe this passage. No matter the amount of your gifting or the specific strengths you have, God has specially prepared tasks for you.
Flesh this out.

11     Therefore, remember that formerly you,

                     the Gentiles in the flesh,

                    who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision"

                                which is performed in the flesh by human hands—

12    remember that you were at that time separate from Christ,

        excluded from the commonwealth of Israel,

        and strangers to the covenants of promise,

        having no hope

        and without God in the world.

13   But now in Christ Jesus you

                who formerly were far off

       have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14   For He Himself is our peace;

                who made both groups into one

                and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,

15                      by abolishing in His flesh the enmity,

                                    which is the law of commandments contained in ordinances,

                that in Himself He might make the two into one new man,

                        thus establishing peace,

16          and might reconcile them both in one body to God

                       through the cross,

                                by it having put to death the enmity.

17         AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU FAR AWAY

                       AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR;

18         for through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,

     but you are fellow citizens with the saints and are of God’s household ,

20    having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,

        Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone,

21       in whom the whole building
                    being fitted together

           is growing into a holy temple in the Lord;

22                in whom you also are being built together into a

          dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Main Point:

You are citizen saints of God's household (:19 Conclusion indicative, "so then")

Support:

• Remember your past (:11-12 Illustration/Ex. antithesis)
  separate, excluded, strangers, hopeless, godless
• Brought near by Christ (:13 Connective word, "but")
• He has made peace (:14-18 Connective word, "for")

Context:

2:1-10 "once…but" contrast. God made us alive, raised us, and seated us with Christ. 3:

Paul's special ministry to Gentiles.

Theology

"enmity" (repeated)

"peace" Refers to a general well-being of a person and environment. It is a characteristic of the messianic kingdom, thus used for salvation in Luke (1:79; 2:14; 17:42). Christ is peace (Is. 57:19) Is. 9:6 Prince of peace… Micah 5:5 "But as for you Bethlehem…And this One will be our peace. Is. 52:7 "How lovely…are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace…" who announces salvation. Reference the Pax Romana. , . Christ is our peace because he effects reconciliation, removes hostility--horizontally and vertically.

The dividing wall is the law which is nullified through Christ's death, ("which is law of commands" see outline). The barrier is overcome by the blood of Christ. This law is symbolically portrayed in the temple structure itself (see Josephus, Jewish Wars 5.194).

There is a radical separation of Jew and Gentile in the 1^st century because of the law. Jews and Gentiles could not eat together; they could not really touch or be personal with each other. This is by design and it also is symbolic of our separation from God, not just from His people.

Importance of remembering our former state. The Body of Christ as the new "spiritual" temple of God stands in contrast to the old order of Judaism with its material/physical symbols of belonging to God.

Remember from where you’ve come. Think about your former condition and the alienation you had from God’s people and ultimately from God.

The importance of remembering and celebrating God’s work in our lives. Mark the anniversaries of God's work in your life! Israelites were told to "remember." We need to do the same.

Where are we? Who are these people? (Read O’Brien)

Paul had an extended ministry in this city: Ephesus. He spent more time there than he did in any other location, with the possible exception of Corinth. Paul had many ties and strong relationships in this church.

There are no personal references. Paul always greets the people in the church that he knows, (ref. Phil 4:2 "I urge E&S…"). Why doesn’t he do that here?

We know that they’re primarily Gentile from Paul’s references to the "uncircumcised."

Situation: Why was this letter written?

The cult of Artemis was powerful in Ephesus and the surrounding areas. In the ancient world everyone worshipped some sort of God in order to bring fertility, rain or safety. In this kind of environment there was little assurance that your prayers would be heard or that you could appease the "gods". In Christ, we have confidence that we are at peace with God, that we are his heirs and that God has ultimate spiritual authority. One of the themes of Ephesians, not found elsewhere in NT, is one of "the spiritual powers in the heavenly places." Paul seems to write in part to instruct his audience of the power and standing they have in Christ.

Most likely this was a circular letter. It was carried by Tychicus and probably circulated around much of Asia Minor. For that reason, we don’t see personal greetings and we don’t see Paul addressing an issue specific to any one church, but rather issues that are of interest to a wider Gentile audience. Paul writes to shape their identities as Christians (O’Brien, p. 57), This is what it looks like to be a Christian. This is who you are.

Third Missionary Journey 53-57

Roman Imprisonment 61-62 AD

Neronean Persecution 64 AD

Paul writes from a Roman prison cell around 61-61 AD. His letter, along with Colossians and probably Philemon were sent in the care of Tychicus, who traveled with another fellow, Onesimus (Col. 4:7-9).

Week 3

Read O’Brien p66-82.

Week 5