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| Inductive
Studies in Ephesians with Chris Lang |
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Week 3
Summer 2000
Homework
Read O’Brien p. 66-82.
Are you getting a handle on Inductive study?
Do you want to work on the Homiletics Worksheet for next week?
Reassign next weeks’ homework.
Conclude Ephesians Background
Situation: Why was this letter written?
The cult of Artemis was powerful in Ephesus and the surrounding areas. In the ancient world everyone worshipped to some sort of God in order to bring fertility, rain or safety. And in this kind of environment there was little assurance that your prayers would be heard or that you could appease the "gods". There is a futility in this kind of pagan religion that we are unfamiliar with. Are my offerings acceptable to the gods? Is it good enough? This kind of insecurity led some cultures to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to gain the favor of the gods, namely, human sacrifice. In Christ, we have confidence that we are at peace with God, that we are his heirs and that God has ultimate spiritual authority.
The Ephesians lived in a culture of spiritual power struggles where magical incantations and spells were commonplace. One of the themes of Ephesians, not found elsewhere in the New Testament, is one of "the spiritual powers in the heavenly places." Some of the very words Paul uses in the prayer in 3:14ff, and which appear nowhere else in the New Testament, have been found on documents in Ephesus describing magical incantations. Paul seems to write to instruct his audience of the power and standing they have in Christ that far surpasses any powers that exist in the false gods around them.
Most likely this was a circular letter. It was carried by Tychicus and probably circulated around much of Asia Minor. For that reason, we do not see personal greetings and we do not 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.
Date:
Chronology:
Third Missionary Journey 53-57
Roman Imprisonment 61-62 AD
Neronean Persecution 64AD
Paul writes from a Roman prison cell around 61-62 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).
Read O’Brien p58-65.
Review Homework
If you get frustrated diagramming sentences—so do I.
Structure (3: 1-13)
1 (For this reason I,)
Paul,
the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles
2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace
which was given to me for you;
3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery,
as I wrote before in brief.
4 By referring to this,
when you read you can understand my insight into
the mystery of Christ,
5 which in other generations not made known to men,
as now been revealed to His holy As, prophets in Spirit;
6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs
and fellow members of the body,
and fellow partakers of the promise in C through the gospel,
7 of which I was made a minister,
according to the gift of God's grace
which given to me accord to working His power.
8 To me,
the very least of all saints,
this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles
unfathomable riches of Christ,
9 and to bring to light the administration mystery
which for ages has been hidden in God
who created all things;
10 so that the manifold wisdom of God
might now be known through the
church to the rulers and authorities
in the heavenly places.
11 This was in accordance with the eternal
purpose carried out in CJ our Lord,
12 in whom we have boldness and
confident access through faith in Him
13 Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf,
for they are your glory.
Claim:
Don’t be discouraged about me. (:13 Conclusion indicator, "Therefore")
Support:
Theology
Define:
"Mystery"
Stewardship
Meaning:
Don’t lose heart because God has given me a stewardship to bring the gospel to the Gentiles and to make known the mystery hidden in God. Believers are fellow heirs through the gospel. It is for their glory because they, as Gentiles, are part of God's plan.
Parallel:
(1Peter 4:12) Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;
(2 Tim 3:12) For all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
Application
Them:
Most of this applies to Paul and his situation but he also tells them not to be discouraged. Don't be discouraged because I'ew been called by God for this very purpose. It's worth suffering for what I'm called to do
Us:
Does this mean that we shouldn't feel bad for those who are suffering in Sudan? Terrible persecution occurring there. No, we can feel for our brothers and sisters but also recognize that God has called them to serve in this way. Let's not be discouraged by these stories but know that God is in control. We may also have to suffer for our ministry. We may have to suffer for Christ.
Paul is incredibly grateful for the ministry God has given him, the good works prepared for him to walk in. We need to have the same attitude. Paul was a sinner and he knew that he did not deserve such a profound ministry. Isn’t it amazing that God uses any one of us in the ways that he does. Gratitude for the ministry God has given us to do.
Structure (3:14-21)
14 For this reason (purpose)
I bow my knees before the Father,
15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,
16 that He would grant you,
according to the riches of His glory,
to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;
and that you,
being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth
and length and height and depth,
19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge,
that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
20 Now to Him
who is able to do more (super) abundantly beyond all that
we ask or think,
according to the power that works within us,
21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all
generations forever and ever. Amen.
Claim:
I pray that God would strengthen you
Support:
Theology
Define:
"Naming" in ancient Semitic culture described the essence of a person and also being able to name something implied dominion over that person.
"Every family" describes all of humankind.
"Kneeling" in prayer was not common. Denotes greater reverence, submission.
Meaning:
Paul is asking God to strengthen them inwardly and dwell in them so that they might be grounded in God’s love. He is asking that they be filled to the fullness of God; namely, that they may take on a state of completion or perfection that belongs to God. (See 4:24 and put on the new self which in the likeness of God has been created in right. and holiness of the truth.) This is an entirely passive prayer. It is a prayer that God might do for us--and He is able to do for us (vs. 20!)--not that we would act on some truth, but that we would understand and be filled. Paul wants us to be filled with the perfection that belongs to God. Paul is moving toward 5:2 Walk in love just as Christ loved you.
Parallel:
Application:
Them:
Receive God’s blessing and direct the praise to God. You cannot be spiritually mature until you grasp the nature of God’s love for you. Paul wants his readers to grasp the dimensions of God's love, to understand the incomprehensible. How can we do this? We can't. It is something that God must do for us.
Us:
What makes us uncomfortable about this kind of prayer? Paul is praying that God would basically do it all for them, that they would be strengthened, have understanding and be grounded in love and filled. You might be tempted to ask, "where is our part in all of this? Are we to just sit there? What can I do? If you feel this way, it ought to tell you something about the way you approach God. We sometimes have a "pull yourself up by your bootstraps: mentality about our spiritual lives.
If you have this kind of attitude about your spiritual life, what are you communicating to those who look up to you as a more mature believer We need to intercede before God on behalf of those for whom we have spiritual responsibility. If God has given you a ministry of serving other people, you have a responsibility for them. Because of this responsibility, you need to keep them in prayer. Pray for a deepening understanding of God’s love… Tell people that you pray for them. Paul has told the Ephesians that he prays and he has told them what he prays.
Paul’s prayer is not that they understand so that they can do, themselves. It is a prayer that God would do, that God would strengthen, dwell, and ground them in love (God’s love, not our love).
Recap:
This incredible power and love of God, His ability to fill us and root us in His love is the basis for the remainder of the book. It is the basis for Paul’s ability to suffer on their behalf and the basis on which we can obey Paul's commands. We must read the rest of the book with our eyes on this passage, 3:14-21.
Structure (4:1-16)
1 Therefore I,
the prisoner of the Lord,
implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which called,
2 with all humility and gentleness,
with patience,
showing tolerance for one another in love,
3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in…peace.
(Unity)
4 There is one body and one Spirit,
just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 one God and Father of all
who is over all and through all and in all.
(Diversity)
7 But to each…grace given according to the measure of Christ's gift.
8 Therefore it says,
"WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A
HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN."
9 (Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it
mean except that He also had descended into the
lower parts of the earth?
10 He who descended is Himself also He who
ascended far above all the heavens,
so that He might fill all things.)
11 And He gave some as apostles,
and some as prophets,
and some as evangelists,
and some as pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service,
to the building up of the body of Christ;
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith,
and the knowledge of Son of God, to a mature man,
to the measure of stature belongs to fullness of Christ.
14 As a result, we are no longer to be children,
tossed here and there by waves
and carried about by every wind of doctrine,
by the trickery of men,
by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
15 but
speaking the truth in love, (modifies "grow", How)
we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head,
even Christ,
16 from whom the whole body,
being fitted and held together by every joint supplies,
according to the proper working of each part,
causes the growth of body for the building up self in love.
Claim:
Walk in a worthy way
Support:
Theology
Define:
"ascended/descended"
Meaning:
The goal of our lives as Christians is spelled out as an organic process in which we grow, as a group, into Christ. We do this by understanding two important factors: we are One in Christ, in other words we are connected in purpose and in Spirit; and second we are diversely and uniquely gifted. This ought to produce in us a proper amount of humility and patience. To understand and practice these things is to walk in a Way that is glorifying to God or appropriate to our calling.
Parallel:
1 Cor.12, "when one suffers…"
Application
Them:
Recognize your spiritual and essential Oneness in Christ. Recognize your individuality and uniqueness in gifting. And grow up! Grow into the image of God that you were created to be, in other words, Christ-like. This is the only way that we are going to bring glory to Jesus Christ- it’s all in living out the message.
Us:
If you or someone you know struggles with being unstable in their lives or their beliefs, chances are that they don’t understand these truths.
People don’t grow—or don’t grow consistently—without our willingness to speak the truth in love. This is an essential part of the Christian life. We have got to be willing to speak up and say the hard things. But the goal is not to hurt others or put ourselves above them, the goal is that we all grow into the image of Christ.
As a church, we are an essential unity. Which means that when we are silent about the truth, it hurts us all.
Structure: (4:17-24)
17 This I say therefore,
And affirm together with the Lord
That you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk,
In the futility of their mind,
18 being darkened in their understanding,
excluded from the life of God
because of the ignorance in them,
because of the hardness of their heart;
19 and they,
having become callous,
have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of
every kind of impurity with greediness.
20 But you did not learn Christ in this way,
21 if indeed you have heard Him (surely)
and have been taught in Him,
just as truth is in Jesus,
22 that,
in reference to your former manner of life, (modifies "old self")
you lay aside the old self,
which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,
23 and that you be renewed in the Spirit of your mind,
24 and put on the new self,
which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness
and holiness of the truth.
Claim:
Live according to your new self not your old (:22-24 Imperative)
Support:
It is futile, dark, without life
Theology
Define:
Often you can turn to a commentary to define a word or phrase. Don’t feel like you need to read the whole commentary.
"Put on the new self"
This concept of putting off and on garments was well known amongst the mystery religions of the day. A mystery religion was like a Masonic order in which the neophyte was inducted into a group by secret rituals and teachings. As a symbol of one’s new association, a fresh garment or uniform was donned. Paul may be evoking some of the imagery from their past in order to explain to them the radical break that has occurred with their old lifestyle.
Meaning:
Paul is picking up his thought from 4:1, what does it mean to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord?
It means turning from the old life-style characterized by futility and darkness and leading inexorably to corruption and death. It is a life apart from God. It is a hardness to God. But walk instead as you have been taught by renewing your mind in the Spirit. This is who you are- created like God in righteousness and truth which is holy.
Parallel:
Rom. 1, 6:6 (old self crucified); Col. 3:9 "Do not lie since you have laid aside the old self…"
Application
Them:
Be renewed in the Spirit. Turn from the old and put on the new.
Us:
The old man is undergoing a process of corruption that inevitably ends in destruction. This speaks to the radically incorrigible nature of our flesh. It is unable to be reformed and in fact will continue to degrade.
Until you come to grips with the blackness of your flesh nature and your hostility toward God, you will not grow spiritually (beyond a certain point.) It is only when we begin to see how black our hearts are that we understand the extent of God’s grace in our lives.
One of the implications here is that we’re only given two options: old/new, flesh/spirit.
Illustration:
Feed the dogs! The dog you feed is the dog that grows. If we don’t want to be dragged by our lusts, by the black dog, we need to be renewed in the Spirit. We need to feed the new man.
Week 5
Election: What does it mean?
The church is God’s elect in the same way that Israel was God’s elect. God didn’t choose specific individuals to be Israelites, nor did he choose us to be Christians. He chose the church and he predestined her to be with Christ.
