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ST. PAUL’S LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS
This letter was written by Paul from Rome where he was under arrest, and carried to Ephesus by Tychicus in about 58 AD (Bishop Robinson’s dating).
GREETINGS (1:1-3)
From Paul - Apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s Will.
To the Saints - God’s own special people - in Ephesus, and all who are loyal to Christ Jesus.
Charis! Shalom! (Greek and Jewish greetings) from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
PART ONE - OUR PLACE IN THE HEAVENLY REALMS. (1:3-4:16)
SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS. (1:3-14)
Blessings upon the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in The Heavenly Realms in Christ.
Just listen to them all:-
1/ He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be specially set apart for Him and faultless in His sight.
2/ He lovingly arranged in advance our adoption through Jesus Christ to Himself. This is His own scheme and it delights His heart, bringing praise to the glorious free ungrudging open-hearted open-handed goodwill by which He welcomes us in the One He loves.
3/ By His blood we are set free - forgiven our sins by the wealth of that free ungrudging open-hearted open-handed goodwill. All God’s knowledge and wisdom went into making it ours.
4/ He has let us into the secret of the plan and purpose which is His delight, that in the regime called “The Fullness of Time,” all things in Heaven and Earth will be added together and Christ will be the Total at the Top.
5/ Working everything according to His wise counsel and plan He arranged in advance that we who have trusted in Christ should receive an inheritance in Him and will exist for the praise of His glory.
6/ You heard the word of truth, the Good News of your rescue, and having believed in Him you received in Him the guarantee of the inheritance to come - namely the promised Holy Spirit, God’s seal upon you, marking you out as His own.
And it all brings praise to His glory.
MY PRAYER FOR YOU - ENLIGHTENMENT. (1:15-19)
Hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love for all His people, I keep on praying and thanking God for you. I pray to the Father of glory, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, that He will make Himself known to you in your spirits, giving you that inner wisdom which only comes from being tuned in to Him.
I pray you will have the confident tenacious hope of those who never give up because they know in themselves - see with inner mental vision - that they are called by God.
I pray you will see with that same inner mental vision how rich God is - the wealth of the glory of His own special people who are His heritage.
I pray you will see with that same inner mental vision the overflowing greatness of His dynamic power towards us who trust Him.
THIS POWER THAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW. (1:20-23)
This power is the same energy that raised Christ out from among the dead and placed Him at God’s right hand in the Heavenly Realms. There Christ sits enthroned, far above all rule, authority, power and lordship; above every name that is named, in this or the coming age.
God placed everything under Christ’s feet and made Him Head of His Community - the people who are His body - the fullness of Him who fills everything.
THE AMAZING CHANGE - AND HOW IT HAPPENED. (2:1-10)
You used to be dead. Offences and sins were your lifestyle - the dead lifestyle of the world in this age, set by “The Prince of the Power of the Air” - the spirit who energises stubborn people. We all lived like that once, doing whatever our feelings or thoughts dictated. Like the rest, we brought anger upon ourselves, just by being what we were.
But God’s love for us gives Him a wealth of compassion. We are rescued by His free ungrudging open-hearted open-handed goodwill. From being dead in our offences, He made us alive with Christ, raised up with Christ and seated in The Heavenly Realms, in Christ Jesus.
In the coming ages this will demonstrate His overflowing wealth of goodwill and kindness towards us in Christ Jesus.
It is by God’s free ungrudging open-hearted open-handed goodwill that you are saved, and your rescue comes through trusting Him, not an achievement to boast about.
We are the product of His craftsmanship, created in Christ Jesus to walk in good works which God has tailor-made to fit us in advance.
NOW YOU GENTILES AND US JEWS HAVE BEEN UNITED. (2:11-22)
Remember what you used to be - Gentiles, whom the physically circumcised Jews called “The Uncircumcised.” When you were without Christ you were also outside the community of Israel - strangers to the promises God had given it. You had no hope, being without God in the world.
Now in Christ Jesus, you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. He is our peace. He joined the two in one, took away the partition between us. In His own flesh he made null and void the decrees that had made us enemies.
His purpose is to create in Himself, one new humanity. He made peace and reconciled both in one body to God, by His cross on which the enmity between us died.
He brought the same good news of peace to both, to you who were far away and those who were near. Through Him, and by one Spirit, we both have access the the Father. You are therefore no longer strangers and expatriates but fellow-citizens with God’s own people in His household.
This home is still under construction. The apostles and prophets are its foundation, Jesus Christ the chief corner-stone - indeed He is the whole building because we are incorporated into Him. It is taking shape, growing into a holy temple where God’s Spirit will be at home.
THE NEW SECRET - ALL ETHNIC GROUPS JOINED. (3:1-13)
I Paul am a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you gentiles. As you know, God gave me, for your sake, a special responsibility to administer His free ungrudging open-hearted open-handed goodwill.
He showed me the secret which unites all ethnic groups into one. (I mentioned it in my last letter.) Past generations never knew it, but now the Holy Spirit has revealed it to His messengers the apostles and prophets.
You are joint-heirs, part of one body, joint receivers of His promise in Christ, by the good news given me to bring to you by His power.
I am less than the least of the saints, but to me God gave this responsibility for telling you the good news - the unsearchable riches of Christ - to show you all this secret of fellowship.
In past ages this mystery was hidden in God who created all things through Christ Jesus.
Now, in His Community, He is demonstrating His multi-coloured many-sided wisdom to the rulers and authorities in The Heavenly Realms.
This is the purpose of the Ages, which He made in Christ Jesus our Lord, through whom we have access to God with complete confidence.
So please don’t give up because of my troubles, I am suffering them for you and that is your glory.
ANOTHER PRAYER FOR YOU - INNER STRENGTH AND LOVE. (3:14-21)
This is what I pray for you, I kneel before the Father from whom comes all family identity in Heaven and Earth, asking that He, from His wealth in glory, may give you inner strength - the dynamic power of His Spirit - Christ at home in your hearts because you trust Him.
I pray that you may be rooted and grounded in love, so that with all God’s own people you may corporately grasp hold of and know the love of Christ - which is beyond knowing - in all its breadth, length, depth and height; that all God’s fullness shall fill you.
Now to Him whose dynamic energy in us can achieve far beyond all we ask or imagine, to Him be glory in the Community of His people in Christ Jesus, age after age for ever.
GROW UP. (4:1-16)
As prisoner for the Lord, therefore, I plead with you to walk worthy of your vocation - meek, humble, lovingly patient with each other. Work hard at keeping the unity of the Spirit. Be prisoners like me - be in bondage to the peace that holds you together.
You are one body and one Spirit, called to a common hope. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism. The one God and Father of all is over all, through all and in you all.
Yet to each of us, the free gift of Christ is individually suited - made to measure.
Psalm 68 says, “He went up on high in a triumphant victory procession leading captives behind Him and distributing gifts to the people.” Captivity itself was His captured prisoner. Remember the One who went up had first gone down - into the depths of the Earth.
The gifts He distributed to people were themselves people: Apostles - church-planting pioneer missionaries to lead the way and break new ground; Prophets to tell people what God is saying; Evangelists to make known the Good News; Shepherds to care and Teachers to instruct.
The purpose of these gifts is to make God’s people ready for their task, build up the body of Christ, unite us in faith and knowledge of The Son of God, as full-grown adults matching the fullness of Christ. Then we shall no longer be infants, blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by cunning systematic falsehood. No, with Truth and Love on our lips, grow up! In everything grow into Christ, and with Him as head, let each part of the body fulfil its purpose and every fibre link the whole together.
PART TWO - OUR LIFE ON THE EARTH. (4:17-6:9)
BE DIFFERENT (4:17-5:2)
So then - - - Don’t go on living like the rest!
I tell you this seriously, in the Lord’s Name. Nations and peoples around us are living in empty vanity - minds dark - alienated from Life, God’s Life. They just don’t know.
But their ignorance comes from hearts hard as rock; callous, shameless, filthy and greedy, they just let themselves go.
You on the other hand, have learned Christ. As His apprentices you have heard Him and been taught the Truth in Jesus. You have learned to take off and discard the person you used to be, together with that person’s way of life. The discarded person was corrupt anyway - tricked and deceived into wanting the very things that corrupt it.
You have learned to be made young again, fresh and new in the spirit of your mind. You have put on a new person, created by God, right and pure and true.
So take off falsehood and throw it away. Speak truth to each other because you are part of each other.
When you are angry, do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry. Don’t let the Devil get a foothold.
Thieves, stop stealing, start working, do a good job and give to others in need.
Never let rotten words out of your mouth. Speak only what benefits your hearers and builds them up. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit who is God’s seal upon you, marking you out as His own until the Day of Redemption.
Remove all malice from you, and with it bitterness, indignation, anger, squabbling and speaking evil of others.
Be kind and tender-hearted, forgiving each other as God in Christ forgave you - imitating God like well-loved children imitate their father. Walk in love - love like Christ’s for us. He gave Himself for us, to be a sacrifice offered to God like fragrant incense.
KEEP IT CLEAN. (5:3-5:20)
Cut out the smut. Sex-talk and money-mindedness do not fit God’s special people; nor to jokes in bad taste, obscenity or silly chatter. Give thanks instead.
The kingdom is Christ’s and God’s. Its inheritance is not for immoral, dirty-minded or money-minded people. Money-mindedness is a form of idol worship. Don’t be hoodwinked - these things bring down God’s anger on disobedient people. Don’t share in them.
You used to be part of the darkness, now you are light; so walk as children of light. The Spirit produces good, right and true fruit. Prove in action what pleases the Lord and take no part in the fruitless works of darkness. Show them up for what they are - it is shameful even to speak about what they do in secret - but light will reveal them. Light makes everything clear.
He is saying to sleepers, “Wake up, rise up out of death. Christ will give you light.”
Walk carefully then, buying up every moment you possess because the days are evil. You understand the Lord’s Will; so don’t waste time like fools.
Don’t get drunk and go to pieces, but let your spirit be full; sing together your heartfelt praises in hymns and psalms and spiritual songs to the Lord. Give thanks at all times in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, to God our Father.
RELATIONSHIPS (5:21-6:9)
Reverence to God means submitting to each other.
WIVES accept your husband’s leadership. As Christ is head of His Community and responsible for its welfare, so is a husband to his wife, and as His Community should submit to Christ, so should wives to their own husbands.
HUSBANDS love your wives.
(MEMO TO HUSBANDS. By now the letter I wrote to the Christians at Corinth should have been circulated, but in case any of you has not seen it, let me repeat what it said about the meaning of “love”
Husbands are determinedly persistent in kindness.
Husbands do not envy or boast or think too much of themselves.
Husbands are well-mannered and do not try to have their own way.
Husbands do not count faults or gloat when others are in the wrong but delight in the truth.
Husbands always protect, always trust never give up hope and their love never runs out.
This is what I mean by “Husbands love your wives” now read on.)
Love your wives like Christ loved His Community - He gave Himself up for her to make her sacred. The words He speaks to her have the effect of making her clean and spotless; He wants a perfect bride. Are your words to your wife like that?
Love your wives like your own bodies - your wife is part of you and it makes no sense to neglect your own flesh. Care for her as the Lord cares for us - we are His body, His flesh and bones. It says in Genesis (and Jesus quoted it) that, “A man shall leave his parents and be joined to his wife and they shall become one single physical unit.”
This oneness is a great mystery - Christ’s with us I mean - but to get back to the subject of marriage; love your wives as your own selves, and wives - treat your husbands with reverence.
CHILDREN obey your parents for the Lord’s sake. This is right. Value your Mum and Dad. (It’s in the Ten Commandments and it’s the first one that has a promise with it - “Honour your parents and life will be good and long.”)
FATHERS do not provoke your children to be angry and upset. Bring them up with the Lord’s own teaching and training.
WORKERS obey your human bosses, take this seriously and do it sincerely, for Christ. Don’t bother about what people think - you are Christ’s servants doing God’s work; so put your hearts into it. The Lord rewards everyone, slave or free, for good work.
BOSSES, your Boss is in Heaven and He does not see you as superior to your workers. Do not threaten them. Serve them with the same attitude with which I have just told them to serve you.
PART 3 - STANDING AGAINST THE DEVIL. (6:10-20)
Now my brothers and sisters, be clothed in the Lord’s mighty power. Put on God’s complete suit of armour, to stand against the Devil’s tricks.
Our struggle is not against human enemies, but against world-rulers of the darkness of this age; against wicked spirits who hold places of authority in the Heavenly Realms.
So put on God’s armour, for power to stand and resist in the day of evil and still be standing when it is all over.
Put on the armour; Truth around your middle and Righteousness for your breastplate; for shoes - the Good News of peace which makes you ready for anything. Pick up the shield of Faith which can stop and put out every flaming arrow the Evil One shoots. Let Salvation be your helmet and take the sword of the Spirit which is God’s Word spoken aloud.
PRAY - on every occasion and in every situation. Stick at it, praying and pleading in the Spirit for all God’s people - and for me that I may have the courage to speak out the Good News for which I am an ambassador in chains.
CONCLUSION. (6:21-24)
I am sending Tychicus to you, bringing this letter. He is a loved brother and faithful servant. he will encourage you and tell you how things are with me here.
Greetings! Shalom! Charis! Peace to you brothers and sisters, love and faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Greetings to all who truly love our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul.