Eph 5:1-2 | TNotes | STEP | 5:1 Imitate God ... in everything you do: Primarily by expressing love (5:2 ; cp. Matt 5:44-45 , 48 ). • because you are his dear children: Just as children follow their parents’ example, believers should follow God’s example (1 Cor 4:14-17 ).

a5:1►

b5:2►

cMatt 5:44-45►

d48►

e1 Cor 4:14-17►

f5:2►

g5:25►

hJohn 15:13►

iRom 5:8►

jPhil 2:5-8►

kLev 1:9►

l2:2►

mRom 12:1►

‏ Ephesians 5:1-2

5:1 ^a Imitate God ... in everything you do: Primarily by expressing love (5:2 ^b; cp. Matt 5:44-45 ^c, 48 ^d).

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

• Paul draws on Old Testament imagery, where the smell of a burning sacrifice was a pleasing aroma to God (see Lev 1:9 ^k; 2:2 ^l; cp. Rom 12:1 ^m).