‏ Ephesians 4

Summary for Eph 4:1: 4:1–6:20  ^a Therefore: Ephesians divides into two sections, the first devoted to explaining the Good News, the second to drawing out the implications for Christian living. This arrangement reflects Paul’s belief that believers’ lives should be a response of gratitude for God’s grace.
Summary for Eph 4:1-6: 4:1-6  ^b God’s saving grace for both Jews and Gentiles should be reflected in how the two groups relate to each other in the church: They are to accept each other warmly, just as God has accepted them. 4:1  ^c I, a prisoner for serving the Lord: See study note on 3:1.

• Though salvation can never be earned, believers are to live in a manner worthy of their calling to salvation (see Phil 1:27  ^d; Col 1:10  ^e; 1 Thes 2:12  ^f).

• called by God: See Eph 1:4-5  ^g, 11  ^h.
4:2  ⁱ humble ... gentle ... patient: Believers are to be like Christ in how they treat others (see Col 3:12-14  ^j; cp. Gal 6:2  ^k).
4:3  ^l binding yourselves together with peace: Paul’s emphasis on God’s acceptance of Gentiles as well as Jews (2:11–3:6  ^m) is now applied ethically: Jews and Gentiles are to accept one another in the church (see Col 3:14-15  ⁿ).
Summary for Eph 4:4-6: 4:4-6  ^o These three verses might have been taken from a creedal statement.

• Whatever their ethnic differences, Jewish and Gentile Christians share one Lord and one faith, so they should live together in unity.

• Christ’s one body is the church (see 1:23  ^p; 2:16  ^q).

• One God and Father of all: See 1 Cor 8:6  ^r; 15:28  ^s.

• in all, and living through all: God is especially present in believers’ lives (see 1 Cor 6:19  ^t; 2 Cor 13:5  ^u; Gal 2:20  ^v; Col 1:27  ^w; cp. John 14:16-17  ^x, 23  ^y; 15:4-5  ^z).
Summary for Eph 4:7-16: 4:7-16  ^aa Though believers share a common faith, God has given different special abilities to each individual believer for building up the church. 4:7  ^ab He has given each one of us a gift of his grace for building up the community of believers (see 1 Cor 12:7  ^ac; cp. Rom 12:6  ^ad; 1 Cor 12:11  ^ae).
4:8  ^af He led a crowd of captives may refer to Christ’s victory over spiritual powers (see 1:21-22  ^ag; Col 2:15  ^ah), or to his capture of disobedient sinners and making them believers through the power of the Good News message.

• Christ gave gifts to his people (see Eph 4:11-12  ^ai).
Summary for Eph 4:9-10: 4:9-10  ^aj to our lowly world (or to the lowest parts of the earth): Some understand this phrase as referring to the tomb, to the world of the dead (cp. Matt 12:40  ^ak; 1 Pet 3:18-20  ^al), or to the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost. Instead, it probably refers to the incarnation, when Christ . . . descended from heaven and became a man (see John 1:14  ^am; 3:13  ^an; Phil 2:7-8  ^ao).
4:11  ^ap In his letters, Paul has four different lists of God’s gifts (see also Rom 12:4-8  ^aq; 1 Cor 12:8-10  ^ar, 28  ^as), none of which is comprehensive. Here the focus is on the gifts of leadership most needed for the growth of the church.

• Apostles are divinely commissioned missionary evangelists.

• Prophets speak messages from God for his people.

• Evangelists proclaim the Good News.

• Pastors (literally shepherds) care for God’s people (see 1 Tim 3:1-7  ^at).

• Teachers expound Scripture and God’s truths to the church.

• Pastors and teachers might refer to separate ministries or to two aspects of the same ministry.
4:12  ^au God’s gifts are given so that believers will build up the church (see 1 Cor 12:7  ^av; cp. 1 Pet 2:5  ^aw).

• to equip God’s people to do his work: All believers are called to active Christian service.
4:13  ^ax The goal of ministry is for the whole Christian community to understand and experience the Christian faith more deeply and gain a deeper knowledge of God’s Son. In this way, believers will be mature in the Lord (see 1 Cor 2:6  ^ay; 14:20  ^az; Phil 3:15  ^ba; Col 1:28  ^bb; 4:12  ^bc; cp. Heb 5:14  ^bd; Jas 1:4  ^be; 3:2  ^bf). The standard of maturity is Christ himself; the Spirit’s transforming work is to make people fully like Christ (Rom 8:29  ^bg).
4:14  ^bh We won’t be tossed and blown about: Mature Christians, with a well-grounded knowledge of the Good News and of Christ himself, will be able to discern and resist false teaching (see Gal 1:6-7  ^bi; 3:1  ^bj; Col 2:8-23  ^bk; 1 Tim 1:3-7  ^bl; 4:1-3  ^bm; 6:3-5  ^bn, 20  ^bo; 2 Tim 4:3-4  ^bp; Titus 1:11  ^bq).
4:16  ^br Each part of the body plays an important role and helps the other parts grow. Christ, the head of the body, works through the individual parts, makes them fit together, and is the ultimate source of growth (see Col 2:19  ^bs).

• When all believers are ministering effectively, the whole body will be healthy and growing and full of love (cp. 1 Cor 8:1  ^bt). Love is the most important factor in Christian growth (1 Cor 13:1-13  ^bu).
Summary for Eph 4:17-5:20: 4:17–5:20  ^bv Paul gives believers specific guidelines for living a new life in Christ. 4:17  ^bw God’s people are called to a way of life that is different from that of the Gentiles (pagans, unbelievers) of the world.
4:18  ^bx Their minds are full of darkness because their minds are closed and hearts are hard (see 2 Cor 4:4  ^by).
4:19  ^bz no sense of shame: The hardness of unbelievers’ hearts is reflected in their moral insensitivity and sexual immorality (see Rom 1:21-31  ^ca).
Summary for Eph 4:20-24: 4:20-24  ^cb What you learned about Christ is the truth that comes from him. He gives true understanding (cp. John 14:6  ^cc) and calls his people to an entirely new way of life (cp. Rom 6:3-14  ^cd; 13:12-14  ^ce; Col 3:8-10  ^cf).
4:24  ^cg A believer has a new nature: God’s Spirit expresses his life within the believer (see Col 3:10  ^ch; cp. Gen 1:26  ^ci; Rom 12:1-2  ^cj; Gal 5:22-23  ^ck). The transforming work of God’s Spirit is part of the gift of salvation (Eph 2:8-10  ^cl).
4:25  ^cm Let us tell our neighbors the truth: Cp. Zech 8:16  ^cn.

• for we are all parts of the same body: See Rom 12:5  ^co; 1 Cor 12:12-13  ^cp, 27  ^cq.
Summary for Eph 4:26-27: 4:26-27  ^cr “don’t sin by letting anger control you” (literally “be angry and do not sin”): This verse quotes Ps 4:4  ^cs. The literal form of the quotation cannot be used to justify anger, for anger gives a foothold to the devil (cp. Jas 1:20  ^ct). God’s people are to be gentle and gracious, not harsh or angry (see Eph 4:31-32  ^cu).

• Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry: Anger must quickly be resolved, not allowed to stew.
4:28  ^cv Christians are to be hard-working people who have integrity and care for others (cp. 1 Thes 4:11  ^cw; 2 Thes 3:6-12  ^cx).
4:29  ^cy Believers are to learn new patterns of speech to be an encouragement to others (see also 5:3-4  ^cz, 12  ^da).
4:30  ^db Believers must not alienate God’s Holy Spirit, who identifies them as belonging to God (cp. Mark 3:29  ^dc; Acts 5:3-5  ^dd, 9  ^de; 1 Thes 4:8  ^df; Heb 6:4-8  ^dg).

• has identified you as his own (or has put his seal on you): The presence of the Spirit both confirms and guarantees the future redemption of believers (see Eph 1:13-14  ^dh; Rom 8:16-17  ^di; 2 Cor 1:22  ^dj; 1 Jn 4:13  ^dk).
4:32  ^dl Forgiving fellow believers is a natural and good response to experiencing God’s forgiving grace in Christ (cp. Col 3:12-13  ^dm; 1 Jn 4:19  ^dn).

‏ Ephesians 5

5:1  ^do Imitate God ... in everything you do: Primarily by expressing love (5:2  ^dp; cp. Matt 5:44-45  ^dq, 48  ^dr).

• because you are his dear children: Just as children follow their parents’ example, believers should follow God’s example (1 Cor 4:14-17  ^ds).
5:2  ^dt Christ’s love is shown especially in his offering himself as a sacrifice for us (cp. 5:25  ^du; John 15:13  ^dv; Rom 5:8  ^dw). Christian love is motivated by and modeled after Christ’s sacrificial love (see Phil 2:5-8  ^dx).

• Paul draws on Old Testament imagery, where the smell of a burning sacrifice was a pleasing aroma to God (see Lev 1:9  ^dy; 2:2  ^dz; cp. Rom 12:1  ^ea).
Summary for Eph 5:3-5: 5:3-5  ^eb God’s people (literally holy ones) must have a holy lifestyle, avoiding the immorality common among unbelievers (cp. 4:19  ^ec; Col 3:5  ^ed).
5:4  ^ee The speech of God’s people is to be characterized by thankfulness to God (see 4:29  ^ef; 5:3  ^eg, 12  ^eh).
5:5  ^ei Many similar statements describe the kind of person who will not inherit the Kingdom of ... God: See 1 Cor 6:9-10  ^ej; Gal 5:19-21  ^ek; Rev 22:15  ^el; cp. Col 3:5-6  ^em.

• For a greedy person is an idolater: The things greedy people desire become their gods (see Matt 6:24  ^en).
5:6  ^eo The anger of God will fall at his final judgment (see Rom 1:18  ^ep; Col 3:5-6  ^eq; cp. John 3:36  ^er).
5:7  ^es Don’t participate: Cp. 2 Cor 6:14–7:1  ^et.
5:8  ^eu Darkness is ignorance of God and his ways and being dominated by sin (see 4:18  ^ev).

• Light from the Lord is Christ’s good news (see John 8:12  ^ew). As people of light, believers live in fellowship with God, in whom there is no darkness (see 1 Jn 1:5-7  ^ex; 5:9  ^ey; cp. Matt 5:14-16  ^ez; John 8:12  ^fa; 12:35-36  ^fb, 46  ^fc; Rom 13:12  ^fd; 2 Cor 6:14  ^fe; 1 Thes 5:4-8  ^ff; 1 Pet 2:9  ^fg).
5:9  ^fh God’s people are to do what is good and right and true, in harmony with God’s light (cp. Rom 12:2  ^fi; some early manuscripts read Spirit instead of light; cp. Eph 4:22-24  ^fj; Matt 7:16-20  ^fk; Gal 5:22-23  ^fl).
5:10  ^fm Carefully determine what pleases the Lord: The point is to obey God’s will, not simply to understand it (cp. Rom 12:2  ^fn; Phil 1:10  ^fo).
5:11  ^fp expose them: By the light shining from their lives (cp. John 3:20-21  ^fq; Rom 13:12  ^fr; 1 Pet 2:9  ^fs), not by verbally accusing or condemning people (see 1 Cor 5:9-13  ^ft).
Summary for Eph 5:13-14: 5:13-14  ^fu “Awake, O sleeper”: This might be a fragment from an unknown Christian song, perhaps based on texts in Isaiah (cp. Isa 26:19  ^fv; 52:1  ^fw; 60:1  ^fx). It calls on God’s people to turn from their sinful darkness and live in the full light of Christ.
5:15  ^fy Fools have no understanding of God and his ways, but those who are wise do know God and understand his ways (see Job 28:28  ^fz; Prov 1:7  ^ga; 2:1-22  ^gb).
5:16  ^gc Make the most of every opportunity: See also Col 4:5  ^gd.

• in these evil days: See Matt 24:6-12  ^ge, 15-22  ^gf; 2 Thes 2:3-10  ^gg.
5:18  ^gh The Holy Spirit, not wine, should dominate believers’ lives (see Prov 23:29-35  ^gi; cp. Acts 2:15-18  ^gj).

• be filled: The grammar here suggests that believers’ lives are to be continuously filled with and governed by the Holy Spirit.
Summary for Eph 5:19-20: 5:19-20  ^gk Lives filled with the Holy Spirit will be expressed in singing ... and making music (Col 3:16-17  ^gl). Joyful praise, worship, and giving thanks are fitting responses to God’s saving grace.

• among yourselves: Singing together builds up the body of Christ.

• The Lord hears the music in our hearts.

• in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ is our mediator and representative as we approach God (cp. John 14:13-14  ^gm; 16:23-27  ^gn; Rev 22:4  ^go).
Summary for Eph 5:21-6:9: 5:21–6:9  ^gp Paul gives specific instructions on how believers are to relate to one another in a Christian home (see also Col 3:18–4:1  ^gq; 1 Pet 2:18–3:7  ^gr). Love and respect are to characterize all relationships in the body of Christ as an expression of believers’ commitment to the Lord himself. 5:21  ^gs And further, submit to one another: The verb form links it with the command to be filled (5:18  ^gt). This general instruction (cp. Phil 2:3  ^gu) applies to all three relationships that Paul discusses: wives and husbands (Eph 5:22-33  ^gv), children and their parents (6:1-4  ^gw), and slaves and their masters (6:5-9  ^gx). For believers, submission is not expressed out of fear or desire for personal gain, but out of reverence for Christ.
Summary for Eph 5:22-33: 5:22-33  ^gy Christian wives are to submit to their husbands, showing them respect. Equally important, Christian husbands are to love their wives (see Col 3:18-19  ^gz). Christian marriages become a reflection of the union and relationship between the Lord and the church. 5:22  ^ha Submission is part of the life to which the wives’ Christian commitment calls them (see 1 Cor 11:3-10  ^hb; 14:34-35  ^hc; Col 3:18  ^hd; 1 Tim 2:11-12  ^he; Titus 2:5  ^hf; 1 Pet 3:1-6  ^hg).
Summary for Eph 5:23-24: 5:23-24  ^hh a husband is the head of his wife: To be the head is to have authority (see 1 Cor 11:3  ^hi).

• Christ is the head of the church: See Eph 1:22  ^hj; 4:15  ^hk; Col 1:18  ^hl; 2:10  ^hm, 19  ^hn.
Summary for Eph 5:25-33: 5:25-33  ^ho Christian husbands are to love their wives just as Christ loved the church—that is, sacrificially, for Christ gave up his life for her (5:2  ^hp; cp. Col 3:19  ^hq; 1 Pet 3:7  ^hr).
5:26  ^hs washed by the cleansing of God’s word: The church has been cleansed by the message of good news. God has forgiven the sins of his people through Christ’s sacrificial death (John 15:3  ^ht; cp. Titus 3:5  ^hu; 1 Pet 3:21  ^hv).
5:27  ^hw a glorious church without a ... blemish: The church’s sins have been forgiven through Christ’s sacrifice, and her life is purified by the Holy Spirit. As a result, the church stands holy and without fault before God. Cp. 1:4  ^hx; 2 Cor 11:2  ^hy; Col 1:22  ^hz; Rev 19:7-8  ^ia; 21:2  ^ib.
Summary for Eph 5:28-29: 5:28-29  ^ic Husbands should prize and cherish their wives, for in marriage the two have become one (see 5:31  ^id).
5:31  ^ie The unity of husband and wife should motivate the husband to care for his wife.
5:32  ^if it is an illustration: Both the unity of husband and wife and the unity of Christ and the church are a great mystery (see study note on 1:8-10).
5:33  ^ig Paul summarizes his teaching on the relationship between husbands and wives (5:22-33  ^ih). Christian marriages should be marked by love and respect.

‏ Ephesians 6

Summary for Eph 6:1-4: 6:1-4  ⁱⁱ The relationship between parents and children is to be a reflection of their devotion to the Lord. Christian children are to obey their parents, and Christian parents are to discipline their children gently (see Col 3:20-21  ^ij).
Summary for Eph 6:2-3: 6:2-3  ^ik Children who honor and respect their parents also honor and respect God himself, and blessings follow.
6:4  ^il Fathers can often provoke their children to anger by being harsh or unjust (see Col 3:21  ^im). Parents should give their children the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord (or the discipline and instruction about the Lord) so that they will learn a way of living that is good and pleases God. Such discipline is not to be excessive, but loving and gentle, so that children are not turned from the Lord but are drawn to him (cp. Heb 12:5-11  ⁱⁿ).
Summary for Eph 6:5-9: 6:5-9  ^io The relationship between slaves and masters (and, by analogy, between employees and employers) is to be shaped by their commitment to the Lord and their desire to build one another up in Christ. Christian slaves are to obey their masters, and Christian masters are to treat their slaves kindly (see Col 3:22–4:1  ^ip).

• Paul was not promoting slavery but teaching Christians how to live in it as a fact of life in that culture (for Paul’s treatment of slavery, see Philemon Book Introduction, “Meaning and Message”). 6:5  ^iq Obedient service to earthly masters expresses a Christian slave’s service to Christ (see Col 3:22-23  ^ir; 1 Tim 6:1-2  ^is; Titus 2:9-10  ^it; 1 Pet 2:18-23  ^iu).
Summary for Eph 6:6-7: 6:6-7  ^iv As slaves of Christ: As those who have been bought by the blood of Christ, believers no longer belong to themselves (see 1 Cor 6:19-20  ^iw; 7:22  ^ix; cp. Rom 1:1  ^iy; Gal 1:10  ^iz; Phil 1:1  ^ja). For Christian slaves, the will of God is that they honor him by serving their human masters faithfully and with enthusiasm.
6:8  ^jb The master of all believers is the Lord, and he will reward those who are faithful (see 1 Cor 3:12-15  ^jc).
6:9  ^jd in the same way: That is, with integrity and concern for their welfare (see Col 4:1  ^je).

• Don’t threaten them: Christian masters, too, will be held accountable by the same Master in heaven for their lives on earth. Pleasing him requires treating their slaves humanely and kindly.

• he has no favorites: God judges all people by the same standard (see Deut 10:17  ^jf; Acts 10:34  ^jg; Rom 2:11  ^jh; Col 3:25  ^ji).
Summary for Eph 6:10-20: 6:10-20  ^jj Paul’s final word is to remind the believers of the devil’s opposition and urge them to protect themselves with all of God’s armor.
6:11  ^jk Put on all of God’s armor: See Rom 13:12  ^jl; 2 Cor 10:4-5  ^jm. It is only by the Lord’s protection that a believer can stand firm against all strategies of the devil (cp. 1 Pet 5:8-9  ^jn).
6:12  ^jo Believers should not consider human beings to be their enemies. Instead, the opposition they face comes from the unseen world of spiritual evil, and Christ has authority over that realm (see 1:21-22  ^jp).
6:13  ^jq God’s armor gives believers the ability to resist the attacks of the devil in the time of evil—when evil seems to prevail—and to keep standing firm.
Summary for Eph 6:14-17: 6:14-17  ^jr Paul uses the physical armor worn by Roman soldiers as imagery for spiritual armor used by believers. Most of this equipment is to defend, not to attack. Paul’s focus is not on the precise functions of each piece but on God’s gifts. Grounding in Christ and Scripture provides protection and ability to stand your ground (cp. Jas 4:7  ^js; 1 Pet 5:8-9  ^jt). 6:14  ^ju God’s righteousness: Either the righteousness God credits to those who believe in Christ, or the righteous way of life brought about by the transforming work of the Spirit of God in believers’ lives. The one implies the other.
6:15  ^jv For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News: In this context, the focus is on letting one’s life be governed by the peace that the Good News gives (see Rom 5:1  ^jw).
6:16  ^jx Faith is trust in Christ as Savior or trust in God to meet one’s needs in evil times.

• fiery arrows: Paul graphically pictures the nature of temptation to sin (cp. Matt 6:13  ^jy; 26:41  ^jz; 1 Cor 10:13  ^ka; Jas 1:12-15  ^kb). Arrows were sometimes dipped in pitch and ignited before being shot.
6:17  ^kc Put on salvation as your helmet: Protect the mind with the assurance that God has indeed saved and given eternal life to those who believe in Christ.

• The sword of the Spirit pictures using the word of God to respond to an attack, either with the Good News or with the spoken or written word of God more generally (cp. Jer 23:29  ^kd; Heb 4:12  ^ke).
6:18  ^kf Paul contrasts purely mental prayer with prayer in the Spirit, prayer that arises from the Spirit of God within (see 1 Cor 14:15  ^kg; Jude 1:20  ^kh; cp. Rom 8:26-27  ^ki).

• at all times and on every occasion: Believers are to make prayer a way of life and turn the whole of life into prayer (see Phil 4:6-7  ^kj; 1 Thes 5:17  ^kk)—not simply for themselves, but for all believers everywhere.

• Stay alert and be persistent: Because the danger of the devil is constant.
Summary for Eph 6:19-20: 6:19-20  ^kl Paul’s missionary calling was primarily to help Gentiles realize that they are now accepted by God and welcomed into his church.

• mysterious plan: See study notes on 1:8-10; 3:3.

• I am in chains now: Though writing as a prisoner (see 3:1  ^km; 4:1  ^kn), Paul knew that his calling as God’s ambassador (cp. 2 Cor 5:20  ^ko) was to keep on speaking boldly for him.
Summary for Eph 6:21-24: 6:21-24  ^kp Paul closes with some personal words and a benediction that repeats the desires expressed at the beginning of the letter.
Summary for Eph 6:23-24: 6:23-24  ^kq Peace ... love ... faithfulness ... grace: These qualities, highlighted at the beginning of the letter (1:2  ^kr, 15  ^ks), are what Paul most desired for believers.

• dear brothers and sisters: Literally brothers. Paul uses this generic term to refer to members of the same family, both male and female.

• be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ: Or be upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ eternally.