‏ Ephesians 1

Book of Ephesians — Quick facts:

Purpose: To outline the scope of God’s grace, encourage unity among Jewish and Gentile believers, and demonstrate what new life in Christ looks like

Author: Paul

Date: Traditionally, AD 60–62, but possibly earlier, around AD 53–56

Setting: Written while Paul was in prison, probably either in Rome or Ephesus, after the Good News had spread throughout Asia Minor and the believers in that region needed further instruction regarding the implications of their new faith



Book of Ephesians — Overview:

Setting
Paul’s third missionary journey (AD 53–57) centered on Ephesus, capital and port city of the Roman province of Asia on the western coast of what we now call Turkey. In Paul’s time, Ephesus was the fourth-largest city in the Roman empire, with a population of perhaps 500,000. Many people visited the city to see the famous temple of Artemis.
After an initial brief visit (see Acts 18:19-21  ^a), Paul returned to spend between two and three years in this large and flourishing city (see Acts 19:1–20:1  ^b). It was a difficult time for him: He encountered much opposition and suffered much abuse (see Acts 19:21-41  ^c; 1 Cor 15:32  ^d; 2 Cor 1:8-9  ^e; 11:23-27  ^f). But during this time, people all over the province heard the Good News of Christ for the first time, and many small groups of believers sprang up, meeting together in homes, in villages and towns across the province (the seven churches addressed in Revelation probably originated during this time). Some of these churches (at Colosse, for example) were begun by Paul’s converts and had no firsthand acquaintance with Paul.
It is not clear how accurate these churches’ understanding of the gospel was, but we know from Paul’s letter to the Colossians that some of them had encountered false teaching and distorted perceptions. In Ephesians, Paul is concerned with a perception that Gentile Christians were inferior to or distinct from Jewish Christians, and not fully part of God’s “new Israel.” What gave rise to this misunderstanding is not clear—discrimination by Jewish Christians? Gentile aversion to Jewish Christians?—but it reflects traditional ethnic tensions between Jews and Gentiles throughout the Roman world. Paul was also concerned with a lack of awareness that God’s people are to live in a distinctly different way from the surrounding world.
Paul writes a letter from prison that seems to be intended for several of these churches full of new converts. As their spiritual father, and as one commissioned by God to carry the Good News to the Gentiles, Paul was deeply concerned that these new believers have a correct understanding of all that God had given them in Christ and of the kind of life God wanted them to live in response.


Summary
With a heart full of praise for all that God has done, Paul beautifully summarizes the Good News of God’s saving grace in Jesus Christ—emphasizing that it is for Gentiles as well as for Jews (chs 1–3  ^g). He also gives practical instructions on how believers are to live in response, turning away from their former lives to become truly good and like Christ (chs 4–6  ^h).
Following a brief introduction (1:1-2  ⁱ), Paul praises God for the amazing grace that believers have received in Christ (1:3-14  ^j). In his sovereign love, God has chosen them, forgiven them, brought them into his family, made them his children, and promised them eternal blessings. In giving them his Spirit, he has marked them as his own so that they might praise his grace forever. Paul then prays that God will give them spiritual understanding to grasp the full depth of all that he has done for them (1:15-23  ^k). Though fully deserving of God’s wrath, they have been saved by God’s grace, not by anything they have done, but simply by being joined to Christ (2:1-10  ^l). As Gentiles, they were utterly alienated from God and his blessings, but in God’s mercy, through the reconciling work of Christ, they have now been made members of God’s family, fully equal to Jewish Christians. They are no longer outsiders (2:11-22  ^m).
Paul was the one commissioned by God to bring this wonderful Good News to them (3:1-13  ⁿ). His second prayer for them (3:14-21  ^o) is that God will give them spiritual power, strengthen them in their faith and love, enable them to understand Christ’s saving love fully, and fill them with the life and power of God himself.
In response, they are to live a life of humility, grace, and love—a life worthy of their calling, as they use their God-given gifts to build up the body of Christ (4:1-16  ^p). They are to turn from the darkness of their former sinful ways and live as children of light. Filled with kindness and love in the Holy Spirit, and following the example of Christ, their lives are to please God in all things (4:17–5:20  ^q).
All their relationships at home—between husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and slaves—are to be characterized by respect and love, as they live for Christ (5:21–6:9  ^r). Finally, they are warned to take on God’s armor to protect themselves from the devil (6:10-20  ^s). Paul closes with some personal words and a benediction (6:21-24  ^t).


Author
Ephesians is traditionally ascribed to Paul, as are the other Prison Letters (Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon). However, on the basis of vocabulary, style, form, setting, purpose, and theological emphases, some have thought that Ephesians was written instead by a later disciple of Paul. Others see it as an original letter from Paul that has been reworked by a later editor.
However, the letter is not at all incompatible with Paul’s thought and style. The supposed differences with the undisputed letters of Paul can be explained by taking account of (1) variations in Paul’s own vocabulary and style; (2) the different content of this letter (for example, Eph 1–3  ^u include extensive sections of blessing, praise, and prayer); (3) developments in Paul’s own thinking; (4) Paul’s use of secretaries (see Rom 16:22  ^v), who may have exercised some degree of freedom in putting his thoughts into their own words; and (5) the nature of Ephesians as a general letter sent to several churches, not just one. There is no compelling reason to deny that Paul authored it.


Recipients
Though traditionally understood to have been written to the church at Ephesus, this letter may have been written as a general letter to be circulated to a number of different churches in the Roman province of Asia. This opinion is based on (1) the omission of the introductory words in Ephesus (Eph 1:1  ^w) in many of the earliest manuscripts, and (2) the lack of personal greetings or references in Ephesians—a surprising omission if the letter was intended for the church in Ephesus, given Paul’s extended stay in the city and personal acquaintance with the church there (see Acts 19:10  ^x; 20:31  ^y).


Date and Place of Writing
Ephesians is one of the Prison Letters (along with Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon), traditionally understood to have been written from Rome in AD 60–62 or shortly before Paul was executed around AD 64~65. This would place the Prison Letters among the last of Paul’s writings. However, they might better be understood as having been written from prison in Ephesus. In 2 Corinthians, written shortly after Paul left Ephesus, he refers to the strong opposition he encountered in the area and mentions having been in prison many times; see 2 Cor 11:23-27  ^z. If the Prison Letters were written from Ephesus, it would place them earlier in Paul’s life, around AD 53~56.


Meaning and Message
Praise for God’s Grace. Perhaps more than any other book in the New Testament, Ephesians is filled with gratitude for the saving grace God has shown to those who believe in Jesus Christ. Solely by God’s grace, believers have been chosen, forgiven, called into his family, made his children, promised his eternal blessings, and given the gift of his Holy Spirit to mark them as belonging to him forever (Eph 1:3-14  ^aa). Salvation can never be viewed as something that is earned; it is a sheer gift (Eph 2:8-9  ^ab). As a result, believers know they are called to praise God forever for his amazing grace (Eph 1:6  ^ac, 12  ^ad, 14  ^ae). They can do nothing less, for they owe him everything.
The Condemned State of Human Beings. The awareness of grace that pervades the first three chapters of Ephesians is heightened by Paul’s contrasting emphasis on sin and God’s judgment upon it. What is true of his readers is true of everyone, since all stand under God’s judgment (see Eph 2:1-3  ^af, 12  ^ag). Every human being stands guilty and condemned before the eternal judgment of God, who cannot tolerate sin. This concept seems troublingly harsh to modern ways of thinking; behind it stands a much stronger view of human sin and of the utter holiness of God than most Westerners today are used to. Apart from Christ, human beings are driven by sin and subject to the devil. Evangelism is therefore urgent (see Mark 16:15-16  ^ah; cp. Rom 9:1-3  ^ai; 10:1  ^aj).
The Unity of the Church. God’s amazing plan is to include Gentiles in his family (see Eph 2:11–3:6  ^ak). Ethnic distinctions mean nothing to God and they should mean nothing to God’s people (cp. Gal 3:28  ^al). Because God has joined people from all ethnic backgrounds together in his church (see Eph 2:14-17  ^am; 3:6  ^an), believers should respond by warmly welcoming one another in humility, grace, and love, without consideration of ethnic differences (see Eph 4:1-6  ^ao; Rom 15:5-7  ^ap). In the church, one’s identity is defined only by one’s faith in Christ.
Living Like Christ. In Eph 4–6  ^aq, Paul gives us a beautiful picture of the Christian life as it ought to be lived. Believers are to turn away from the darkness of their former lives and, filled with the Holy Spirit, to live as new people of light, seeking only what is “good and right and true” (Eph 5:9  ^ar). They are to express gentleness, integrity, respect, kindness, and love to others. In relation to God, their lives are to be filled with purity, praise, and thanksgiving (see Eph 4:17–5:20  ^as). Believers are to become like Christ and to reflect him in all they do and say (see Eph 4:13  ^at, 15  ^au; Rom 8:29  ^av). In Christ, they have been created anew to be like God (see Eph 4:24  ^aw; 5:1-2  ^ax).
Respect and Love at Home. In Eph 5:21–6:9  ^ay, Paul emphasizes the importance of showing respect and love to those with whom one lives. He maintains and honors the traditional cultural relationships (including those between husbands and wives, parents and children, and masters and slaves), while stressing that, in all relationships, believers’ attitudes are to be those of Christ.
Spiritual War. Ephesians 6:10-20  ^az gives the fullest New Testament account of how believers are to protect themselves in their war against the devil. In this spiritual battle, believers cannot rely on their own resources, but must use the weapons the Lord supplies. Significantly, all of the weapons described—except the short-bladed sword—are defensive weapons. There is no picture here of Christians attacking the devil. Though the devil’s opposition is to be taken seriously, Paul’s view of the Christian life does not center on spiritual warfare in an aggressive or offensive sense.


Summary for Eph 1:1-2: 1:1-2  ^ba Paul follows the normal pattern of ancient Greek letters: He begins with a few words about himself followed by greetings. He expands this pattern in a Christian way by referring to his divine calling as an apostle, by describing his recipients as God’s holy people and as faithful followers of Christ, and by his invocation of grace and peace. 1:1  ^bb The frequent emphasis on the will of God (see 1:5  ^bc, 9  ^bd, 11  ^be; 5:17  ^bf; 6:6  ^bg) underscores God’s sovereignty in fulfilling his plan.

• God’s holy people: Literally the holy ones, who are dedicated to God (see also 1:15  ^bh, 18  ^bi; 2:19  ^bj; 3:8  ^bk, 18  ^bl; 4:12  ^bm; 5:3  ^bn; 6:18  ^bo).

• The most ancient manuscripts do not include in Ephesus, and there are no personal greetings in this letter. Many scholars believe that the letter was originally sent to be circulated to a number of churches in the area rather than to the church in Ephesus alone.
1:2  ^bp Paul usually invokes God’s grace and peace on those to whom he is writing. Grace is undeserved blessing that comes from God’s kindness; peace is a sense of well-being and contentedness rooted in the Good News and brought about by the Holy Spirit (see Gal 5:22  ^bq). Both are gifts from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (see Rom 5:1-2  ^br).
Summary for Eph 1:3: 1:3–3:21  ^bs Ephesians is divided into two sections: Chs 1–3  ^bt praise God for his amazing grace, and chs 4–6  ^bu instruct believers on how to live in grateful response.
Summary for Eph 1:3-14: 1:3-14  ^bv Paul praises God for all the spiritual blessings he has graciously provided through Jesus Christ, for Gentiles as well as for Jews.

• This section is a single, complex sentence in Greek—one of the longest in Paul’s letters, with long sentences being typical of Paul’s writing (also in 1:15-23  ^bw; 2:1-7  ^bx, 14-16  ^by; 3:1-12  ^bz, 14-19  ^ca; Col 1:3-29  ^cb; 2:1-3  ^cc, 8-15  ^cd). The interwoven nature of these sentences reflects the interconnectedness of their ideas. 1:3  ^ce Paul describes every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in 1:4-8  ^cf, 13-14  ^cg. Paul’s focus is not on physical blessings, but on what God has done through Christ to bring people into a saving relationship with himself.
1:4  ^ch God’s people are holy and without fault in his eyes because they trust in Christ’s atoning sacrifice for their sins (see 1:7  ^ci; 5:25-27  ^cj; Col 1:22  ^ck; Titus 3:5-7  ^cl; Jude 1:24  ^cm).
1:5  ^cn God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family: By his sovereign initiative, God embraces and blesses as his children those who trust in Christ. They become heirs to all the promises God has made to his people (see 1:11  ^co, 14  ^cp; 2:19  ^cq; Rom 8:15-17  ^cr, 29-30  ^cs; Gal 4:5  ^ct).
1:6  ^cu Believers praise God, who has richly blessed them with his forgiving grace.

• his dear Son: Literally the beloved, a Messianic title for Jesus; see Matt 3:17  ^cv; 17:5  ^cw; Col 1:13  ^cx.
1:7  ^cy he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son: Believers, who were once prisoners of sin, are free from God’s judgment and from bondage to sin because of Christ’s sacrificial death (see 1:14  ^cz; 4:30  ^da; Rom 3:24  ^db; 1 Cor 6:20  ^dc; Col 1:14  ^dd; cp. Matt 26:28  ^de; Mark 10:45  ^df; Heb 9:11-12  ^dg, 26  ^dh; 1 Pet 1:18-19  ^di).
Summary for Eph 1:8-10: 1:8-10  ^dj Wisdom and understanding come from the revelation of God’s mysterious will regarding Christ. In Paul’s writings, mysterious will (traditionally mystery) often refers to a divine truth formerly hidden but now revealed in the Good News (see 3:9  ^dk). Here it refers to how God will bring everything together under the authority of Christ, so that he may be universally recognized and respected as Lord (see Phil 2:9-11  ^dl; Col 1:16-20  ^dm, 26-27  ^dn; 2:2  ^do, 19  ^dp; 4:3  ^dq). Ephesians focuses specifically on the inclusion of Gentiles as well as Jews in God’s redeemed people (see Eph 3:3-6  ^dr; 6:19  ^ds; cp. Rom 16:25-26  ^dt).
1:11  ^du we have received an inheritance from God: Paul often talks about salvation as an inheritance, something promised to our spiritual ancestors and received by us (see Rom 8:17  ^dv; Gal 3:29  ^dw; 4:7  ^dx; Col 1:12  ^dy; 3:24  ^dz).

• Because God is sovereign, he makes everything work out according to his plan (cp. Rom 8:28-30  ^ea).
Summary for Eph 1:12-13: 1:12-13  ^eb we Jews ... you Gentiles: Literally we ... you; the reference to Jews and Gentiles is implied.
1:13  ^ec he identified you as his own (or he put his seal on you): Just as a seal signifies authentic ownership, the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life signifies God’s ownership (4:30  ^ed; 2 Cor 1:22  ^ee).
1:14  ^ef The Spirit is both God’s guarantee of future blessings and a foretaste of eternal life and power. The believer’s eternal inheritance includes everything he promised (see also 1:18  ^eg; Rom 8:17  ^eh; 2 Cor 1:22  ^ei; 5:5  ^ej; Gal 3:29  ^ek; 4:7  ^el; Col 1:12  ^em; 3:24  ^en; Titus 3:7  ^eo).
Summary for Eph 1:15-23: 1:15-23  ^ep Paul prays that his readers may have the spiritual understanding to grasp the full significance of God’s gifts (1:3-14  ^eq). 1:15  ^er Paul links faith in Christ with love for God’s people. Personal faith in Christ brings salvation, and salvation is expressed, above all, by a life of love (see Gal 5:6  ^es; Col 1:4  ^et; 1 Thes 1:3  ^eu; 3:6  ^ev; 5:8  ^ew; 2 Thes 1:3  ^ex; 1 Tim 1:14  ^ey; 2:15  ^ez; Titus 2:2  ^fa).
1:17  ^fb spiritual wisdom (or the Spirit of wisdom): The word spirit can refer either to the Holy Spirit or to the human spirit.

• Knowledge of God is to know God personally and experientially, not just to know about him intellectually (see John 17:3  ^fc).
1:18  ^fd Confident hope for believers is the anticipation of Christ’s return and his future blessings that they will share. Joined with Christ, believers become joint heirs with him of all God’s promised blessings.
Summary for Eph 1:19-20: 1:19-20  ^fe God’s power for us who believe him is the power of his Spirit at work in and through his people, because they are joined to the resurrected Christ (see Rom 6:4-14  ^ff; Col 2:12  ^fg). Paul longed to experience the power of Christ’s resurrection in his own life (Phil 3:10  ^fh).

• In biblical times, the place of honor was always at a person’s right hand (Ps 110:1  ^fi; Acts 7:56  ^fj).
1:21  ^fk he is far above: Jesus’ power and authority transcend all rival powers, whether human or spiritual, in this age and the coming age (see 3:10  ^fl; 6:12  ^fm; John 12:31  ^fn; Rom 8:38-39  ^fo; 1 Cor 15:24  ^fp; Col 1:13  ^fq; 2:10  ^fr, 15  ^fs; 1 Pet 3:22  ^ft; Rev 12:7-9  ^fu).
1:22  ^fv under the authority of Christ (literally under his feet): In pictures from the ancient Near East, victorious kings have their feet on the necks of their defeated enemies. Paul is graphically picturing the way Christ has defeated all his enemies and reigns as king of all things (see Ps 110:1  ^fw; 1 Cor 15:25-28  ^fx).
1:23  ^fy it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself (or it is the full expression of the one who fills everything everywhere): This difficult phrase probably means that the church, as his body, is the full expression of Christ in this world. His presence, which fills the entire universe (4:10  ^fz), is reflected in and works through his body.

‏ Ephesians 2

Summary for Eph 2:1-10: 2:1-10  ^ga Paul reflects on the terrible situation of the believers before they believed in Christ and the grace of God that has spared them.
Summary for Eph 2:1-3: 2:1-3  ^gb Paul’s readers were once like dead people before God (see 2:5  ^gc; Col 2:13  ^gd). Because of their disobedience and sins, driven by the power of the devil, they were condemned along with the rest of the world to suffer God’s judgment.
2:2  ^ge Human sin results from our being governed by the devil, the spirit who rules both the powers of evil in the spiritual realm (see 1:21  ^gf; 6:11-12  ^gg; cp. Col 1:13  ^gh) and human beings who refuse to obey God (2 Cor 4:4  ^gi; contrast Rom 8:2-14  ^gj; Gal 5:22-23  ^gk).
2:3  ^gl Unconverted people are naturally under the control of the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature (see Rom 3:9-20  ^gm, 23  ^gn). Because of their sin, they are subject to God’s anger, because God hates sin (see Eph 5:6  ^go; Rom 1:18  ^gp; 2:5  ^gq, 8  ^gr; 3:5  ^gs, 19  ^gt; 4:15  ^gu; 5:9  ^gv; 9:22  ^gw; 12:19  ^gx; 13:4-5  ^gy; Col 3:6  ^gz; 1 Thes 1:10  ^ha; 2:16  ^hb; 5:9  ^hc).
Summary for Eph 2:4-10: 2:4-10  ^hd By God’s mercy, kindness, and love, those who are joined to Jesus Christ are saved from the terrible consequences of their sin and enjoy the benefits of Christ’s resurrection.
2:5  ^he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead (literally made us alive together with Christ): Joined with Christ, believers share in his resurrection, now and in the future (see 2:6  ^hf; Rom 6:4-14  ^hg; Col 3:1-4  ^hh).

• It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved: See Eph 1:2  ^hi; 2:8-9  ^hj.
2:6  ^hk united with Christ Jesus: Because of this union, believers share God’s glory and blessings, and experience resurrection both now and in the future (see Rom 6:4-14  ^hl; Col 2:12-13  ^hm; 3:1-4  ^hn).
2:7  ^ho grace: See study note on 1:2.
Summary for Eph 2:8-9: 2:8-9  ^hp This is a concise summary of how a person is saved. It is a cardinal tenet of the Good News that people are made righteous through trust in Christ rather than through their own merit (see Rom 1:16-17  ^hq; 3:24-25  ^hr; Gal 2:16  ^hs; cp. John 3:16  ^ht, 36  ^hu). Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done (see Rom 3:21–4:8  ^hv; 9:16  ^hw; Gal 3:2-10  ^hx; 5:1-6  ^hy; cp. 2 Tim 1:9  ^hz; Titus 3:5  ^ia). Salvation is for those who trust Christ alone to save them. As a result, none of us can boast about it (cp. Rom 3:27  ^ib; 4:2  ^ic; 1 Cor 1:30-31  ^id; Gal 6:14  ^ie).
2:10  ^if He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us: Good works are the result, not the cause, of salvation. God’s Spirit, working through a transformed heart, produces a good life (Gal 5:22-23  ^ig).
Summary for Eph 2:11-22: 2:11-22  ^ih Paul now focuses on the grace that God has given particularly to Gentiles (non-Jews), bringing them into his family and uniting them with Jews in a new, unified, multiethnic community—the body of Christ, the church. Paul’s emphasis on the inclusion of Gentiles might suggest they were experiencing discrimination from Jewish Christians. 2:11  ⁱⁱ Traditionally, Jews disdained Gentiles, considering them “uncircumcised heathens” who were excluded from God’s people (see Gen 17:9-14  ^ij). Paul argues that judging people by their bodies and not their hearts is superficial—in Christ, physical circumcision means nothing (see Rom 2:28-29  ^ik).
2:12  ^il Before their conversion, Gentiles had no part in God’s people or the covenant promises God had made to them; they were without God and without hope (see 4:18  ^im; Col 1:21  ⁱⁿ).
2:13  ^io Only by being united with Christ Jesus through trust in him can a person be reconciled to God (see Rom 5:10-12  ^ip; 2 Cor 5:18-21  ^iq). The blood of Christ—his sacrificial death—makes this possible (see Eph 1:7  ^ir; Rom 3:24-25  ^is; 5:9  ^it; Col 1:20  ^iu; cp. Heb 9:12-15  ^iv; 1 Pet 1:19  ^iw; 1 Jn 1:7  ^ix; Rev 1:5  ^iy; 5:9  ^iz).
2:14  ^ja Christ himself has brought peace to us: Peace with God (2:16-17  ^jb; Rom 5:1  ^jc, 10-11  ^jd, 18-21  ^je; Col 1:20-22  ^jf) and between Jews and Gentiles (see Eph 2:15-16  ^jg; 4:3  ^jh).

• the wall of hostility that separated us: Social and religious practices traditionally divided Jews from Gentiles. A low wall around the Temple in Jerusalem marked the boundary beyond which Gentiles were not allowed to step. It symbolized the distinction Jews drew between themselves and Gentiles.
2:15  ^ji ending the system of law: See Rom 10:4  ^jj; Col 2:14  ^jk; cp. Rom 6:14  ^jl; 7:4-6  ^jm.

• The church is one new people, a community where love and acceptance are prized and ethnic distinctions are no longer a source of division (see Rom 15:7-12  ^jn; Gal 3:28  ^jo; cp. John 10:16  ^jp).
2:16  ^jq Christ’s death on the cross reconciles humans to God, and also Jews and Gentiles to each other.
2:17  ^jr far away ... near: This verse possibly alludes to Isa 57:19  ^js.

• The Greek text lacks the words Gentiles and Jews, but they are implied (see Eph 2:13  ^jt; see also study note on 1:12-13).
2:18  ^ju Because of Christ’s sacrifice for sins, both Jewish and Gentile believers receive the Holy Spirit, which makes it possible for them to approach God openly (see 3:12  ^jv; cp. Acts 10:34-37  ^jw, 44-48  ^jx; 1 Pet 3:18  ^jy).
2:19  ^jz Gentiles who believe are no longer strangers and foreigners (2:11-12  ^ka, 17  ^kb). Through Christ, they are fully accepted into God’s family. They become children of God, just like believing Jews (see Rom 8:14-17  ^kc).
2:20  ^kd Apostles are missionary evangelists commissioned by God.

• Here, the prophets appear to be New Testament prophets, not Old Testament ones (see 3:5  ^ke; 4:11  ^kf; see also 1 Cor 12:10  ^kg, 28-29  ^kh; 14:1-5  ^ki, 22-24  ^kj, 29-32  ^kk, 39  ^kl; cp. Acts 13:1  ^km; 19:6  ^kn; 21:9-10  ^ko). In both the Old Testament and New Testament, prophets are not primarily predictors of the future but are empowered to speak a message from God (see 1 Cor 12:10  ^kp).

• The church is built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets (or on the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets)—that is, on their faithful witness to the saving message of Christ (see Rev 21:14  ^kq; cp. Matt 16:18  ^kr). However, the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself, the Messiah, Savior, and Lord (cp. 1 Cor 3:11  ^ks). The cornerstone is the most important stone in a building’s foundation (see Isa 28:16  ^kt; Mark 12:10  ^ku; Acts 4:11  ^kv; 1 Pet 2:6-7  ^kw).
2:21  ^kx Joined together in Christ, Gentile and Jewish Christians become a holy temple for the Lord, because the Lord himself is among his people (see Matt 18:20  ^ky; 28:20  ^kz; 1 Cor 3:16  ^la; 1 Pet 2:4-5  ^lb).

‏ Ephesians 3

Summary for Eph 3:1-13: 3:1-13  ^lc Paul now describes his own role in God’s eternal plan: to proclaim God’s grace to the Gentiles. 3:1  ^ld When I think of all this: Paul has written about the amazing salvation that God’s grace has brought to undeserving sinners who are under his judgment, and about the incredible revelation that Gentiles can also be included in God’s new family, the people of God (chs 1–2  ^le).

• a prisoner of Christ Jesus: Paul wrote this letter while imprisoned for his witness to Christ among the Gentiles.
Summary for Eph 3:2-13: 3:2-13  ^lf Paul interrupts his thought in 3:1  ^lg to discuss his own role in God’s plan. When Paul was first converted, he was given the special responsibility of extending God’s grace to the Gentiles (see Acts 9:15-16  ^lh; 22:14-15  ^li, 21  ^lj; 26:17-18  ^lk; Rom 1:5  ^ll; 11:13-14  ^lm; 15:15-18  ^ln; Gal 1:15-16  ^lo; 2:7-9  ^lp; Col 1:25-27  ^lq; 1 Tim 2:7  ^lr; 2 Tim 4:17  ^ls).
3:3  ^lt What Paul briefly wrote earlier is a reference either to 1:9-10  ^lu (cp. 2:11-22  ^lv) or to an unknown letter.

• Paul’s understanding of God’s mysterious plan (see study note on 1:8-10) came as God himself revealed it to him (see 1:9-10  ^lw; Gal 1:11-12  ^lx, 15-17  ^ly; cp. Acts 9:3-6  ^lz; 1 Cor 12:1  ^ma, 7  ^mb; Gal 2:2  ^mc).
3:5  ^md his holy apostles: See 1:1  ^me.

• The order of the terms apostles and prophets (see 2:20  ^mf) suggests that Paul is speaking of New Testament, not Old Testament, prophets. In both the Old Testament and the New Testament, the gift of prophecy is concerned less with predicting the future than with speaking a special word from God (see 1 Cor 12:10  ^mg).
3:6  ^mh God’s plan that has now been revealed to Paul is that the Gentiles are now included in God’s family, the body of Christ, just as Jews are. They share equally in God’s eternal blessings.
3:7  ^mi grace: See study note on 1:2.

• serving him: Paul speaks of himself as a servant of the Good News (see also Col 1:23  ^mj), of God (1 Cor 3:5  ^mk; 2 Cor 6:4  ^ml), of Christ (2 Cor 11:23  ^mm), of the church (Col 1:25  ^mn), and of the new covenant (2 Cor 3:6  ^mo).
3:8  ^mp Paul considered himself the least deserving of all God’s people (literally the least of God’s people) because he was once an ardent persecutor of believers (see 1 Cor 15:9  ^mq; 1 Tim 1:12-16  ^mr).

• the endless treasures available to them in Christ: See Eph 1:3-14  ^ms.
3:10  ^mt The church is meant to showcase to the entire universe God’s wisdom in its rich variety, as expressed in his plan of redemption (see Rom 11:33-36  ^mu).

• the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places: See Eph 1:21  ^mv and corresponding study note.
3:12  ^mw We can come boldly and confidently into God’s presence, not because of good deeds that we have done, but because of Christ’s all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins (see 2:18  ^mx; Heb 4:14-16  ^my; 10:19-23  ^mz; 1 Pet 3:18  ^na; 1 Jn 4:14  ^nb).
3:13  ^nc my trials here: Paul is writing from jail, as a prisoner (see 3:1  ^nd). He knows that suffering is to be expected and that it works for good in a believer’s life (see Rom 5:3-5  ^ne; Col 1:24  ^nf; 1 Thes 3:3  ^ng; 2 Tim 3:12  ^nh; Jas 1:2-4  ⁿⁱ).
Summary for Eph 3:14-21: 3:14-21  ^nj Paul closes this section (1:3–3:21  ^nk) with a second prayer for his readers. The first (1:15-23  ^nl) was for their spiritual understanding, the second (3:14-21  ^nm) is for their spiritual growth and empowerment. 3:14  ⁿⁿ When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray: Paul resumes what he started to say at the beginning of the chapter (see 3:1  ^no).
Summary for Eph 3:15-16: 3:15-16  ^np the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth (or from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name): There is a play on words between Father (Greek patēr, 3:14  ^nq) and family (Greek patria). God is the Creator of everything, including every family—angelic or human, Gentile or Jew (see 2:14-22  ^nr; 3:6  ^ns). So he is the source of glorious, unlimited resources that he gladly gives his children.
3:17  ^nt Having Christ ... make his home in your hearts is the source of spiritual power for life and ministry (see John 14:16-17  ^nu, 23  ^nv; 15:4-5  ^nw; Gal 2:20  ^nx).
3:18  ^ny how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is: Christ’s love is great in every dimension (cp. Rom 8:38-39  ^nz).
3:19  ^oa May you experience (literally know) the love of Christ: The whole Christian life is based on the experience and personal knowledge of God’s grace and love in Jesus Christ (see Rom 12:1  ^ob).

• it is too great to understand fully: Christ’s love is much greater than ordinary human love (see Rom 5:6-8  ^oc).

• The believer’s life is made complete when it is filled with all the fullness of life and power by the presence of Christ within (see Eph 1:23  ^od; Gal 2:20  ^oe; Col 1:27  ^of). The believer then is conformed to his image and reflects God (see Eph 4:14  ^og, 24  ^oh; 5:1-2  ^oi; Rom 8:29  ^oj; 2 Cor 3:16-18  ^ok).
Summary for Eph 3:20-21: 3:20-21  ^ol This doxology concludes the first section of the letter (see also Rom 16:25-27  ^om; Gal 1:5  ^on; 1 Tim 1:17  ^oo; 2 Tim 4:18  ^op; Jude 1:24-25  ^oq). 3:20  ^or all glory to God: Because of the grace God has shown in Jesus Christ, he deserves nothing less.

• The mighty power at work within us is the power of the living God that raised Christ from the dead (see 1:19-20  ^os). By that power, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think, because God is at work in the lives of his children (see Rom 8:31-39  ^ot; Phil 4:13  ^ou; Col 1:29  ^ov).
3:21  ^ow The church—the community of believers, both Jews and Gentiles—is to be the reflection and full expression of the glory of God.