Lesson 1

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RETURN TO THE SYLLABUS

EPHESIANS
Lesson #01
INTRODUCTION

• Historical and spiritual background:
• The city of Ephesus was the most important city in the Roman Empire except for the city of Rome.
• It was a strong religious center for emperor worship.
• Also it was a center for paganism because it contained the very beautiful and wealthy temple of Diana.

• The temple of Diana
  • This was the Roman name for it. It was called the Temple of Artemis by the Greeks.
  • This temple was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, and the largest Greek temple ever constructed (418 by 239 feet). It was built over a marsh on an artificial foundation of skins and charcoal so it was not affected by earthquakes. It had 127 beautiful columns, some were carved and colored.
  • Many ancient art treasures were housed in the temple of Diana.
• The city of Ephesus had a strong idol-worshiping cult of Diana, and there was a large commercial trade for silver idols and models of the temple made by the silversmiths of Ephesus.
• The city was a very wealthy city due to its trade route location. (see a map)
• The apostle John mentions the church in Ephesus in his book of Revelation. (Rev 2:1-7)

• This church left its first love of Christ. It lost its zeal, its joy, and its passion for the gospel.
• Unfortunately eventually this church disappeared.

 

• Written by:

 

• The book of Ephesians was written by Paul, the apostle. It was written in letter form. Therefore it is really an epistle instead of a book. Paul wrote this letter when he was in prison in Rome after his third missionary journey.
• Usually this type of manuscript was passed around from church to church for all to read. That may be why the name of Ephesus does not really appear in the first verse of the original manuscripts. However, Paul sent it to Ephesus because it was the dominant city of that area.

• Date:
• P

aul wrote this letter around 63 AD.

• This was ten years after he had spent so much time there.
• Written to:

• The letter to the Ephesians was written to the Christian church in that city. Paul established the powerful Christian church here about 53 AD during his second missionary journey. At that time he stopped here briefly.
• Read Acts 18:19-21.
  • Two years later, during his third missionary journey, Paul returned to Ephesus. He spent more time in this city (2-3 years) than anywhere else in his ministry.
  • Then Paul stopped here again at the end of his third missionary journey before returning home.
    • Read Acts 18:24-28
    • Read Acts 19:1-41
    • Read Acts 20:16-38
  • The New Testament contains many of Paul’s “epistles” (letters). Paul writes directing each letter to one of three types of people. Sometimes he directs his message to the natural man, sometimes to the carnal man, and sometimes to the spiritual man.
    • The natural man:
      • The natural man is the unbeliever in need of salvation.
      • He may or may not be part of a church. The book of Romans is a letter written to the natural man.
    • The carnal man:
      • The carnal man is the believer who is born again but is still living very much like the natural man (the unbeliever).
      • First and Second Corinthians and Galatians are letters written to the carnal man.
    • The spiritual man:
      • The spiritual man is the believer who is living according to the will of God and walking in the Spirit overcoming the battle against the flesh nature.
      • The letters of Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians are written to the spiritual man.
      • The book of Ephesians, therefore, represents the church at its best and most spiritual condition.
• Paul addresses this letter to “the saints”. What is a saint?
  • The dictionary says a saint is a person officially recognized for living a very holy life.
    • That is the Catholic definition. The church leaders decide after the person dies who qualifies to be called a “saint”.
    • However, that is not the Bible definition of the word “saint”. In the Bible the word “saint” refers to any born again believer, who trusts in Jesus Christ for eternal salvation.
  • Nine times in Ephesians Paul addresses his readers as saints.
    • The word “saint” comes from the word “sanctified”, which means = “set apart from”.
    • We are set apart from the world system.

 

• Frequent words and phrases:

 

• The word, “grace” is used 13 times.
• The word, “spiritual” is also used 13 times.
• The word, “heavenlies” is used 5 times.
• The word, “mystery” is used 5 times.
• The word, “body” is used 8 times.
• The word, “walk” is used 8 times.
• The word, “in” is used 93 times.

• Because this word is used so often, we will discover that it tells us who we are “in” Christ: his position “in” us and our position “in” Christ.
• The phrase, “in Christ Jesus” is used 27 times in Ephesians and therefore it gives us our theme–Who we are in Christ Jesus–.

 

• Theme: Who We Are in Christ Jesus

 

• Riches in Christ that are given to the believer
• Paul states this theme in Eph 1:3.
• The theme as it relates to the city of Ephesus:

• The city of Ephesus was the bank of Asia.
  • People were wealthy and concerned with worldly wealth.
  • Paul uses this interest in money to talk to them about true, lasting wealth, the wealth of the Spirit.
  • When you became a born again believer in Jesus Christ you were born rich. Through Christ you share in the riches of God’s grace (1:7, 2:7), God’s glory (1:18; 3:16), God’s mercy (2:4) and the unsearchable riches of Christ (3:8).
• Paul explains to the Ephesians what these riches are and how we can use them for effective Christian living.
• Paul also tells us that it is through the Holy Spirit that our heavenly Father channels these riches to us. Not to know and depend on the Holy Spirit is to live the Christian life in poverty. Therefore, we will get to know the Holy Spirit better in our study.

 

• An important concept to know:

 

• The Christian really lives in two spheres: the human and the divine, the visible and the invisible.
• Physically we are on this earth in a human body, but spiritually we are “seated with Christ in heavenly places”.
• It is this heavenly sphere that provides the power and direction for the earthly Christian walk.
  • We will see Paul talk about the heavenly places in Ephesians.
  • We will see Paul tell us that we inherit the unsearchable riches of Christ by faith, and we invest this wealth by doing good works.
• Remember Jesus said that we are to pray to our Father in heaven and that His kingdom should come on this earth as it is in heaven. (Mat 6:9-10) The Spiritual Christian is living the answer to that prayer! He is fighting the spiritual battles to bring holiness to his life.

 

• Paul’s picture of Christ and the believer in Ephesians:

 

• In the book of Ephesians we see Christ crucified, resurrected, and seated in the heavenly places.
• And we see the believer, crucified, resurrected and seated with Christ in the heavenly places.

 

• Sources for our study:

 

• Be Rich

by Warren W. Wiersbe

• Ephesians

by J. Vernon Mc Gee

• Ephesians: Bible Study Notes

by W. C. Peirce

• And misc. notes

 

• Outline:

 

• Ephesians 1-3 The heavenly calling [our riches in Christ]
• Our doctrine as we stand with Christ

• Ephesians 1 the church is a body
• Ephesians 2 the church is a temple
• Ephesians 3 the church is a mystery
• Ephesians 4-6 the earthly conduct [our responsibilities in Christ] — our duty as we walk with Christ

• Ephesians 4 the church is a new man
• Ephesians 5 the church will be a bride
• Ephesians 6 the church is a soldier

HOMEWORK
EPHESIANS 1:1-14
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Preparation for Eph 1:1-14
  • Read Eph 1:1-6
    • According to verses 3-6, what has God, the Father, done for us:
      • …in the past?

• …in the present?

• …in the future?

• Read Eph 1:7-12
  • According to verses 7-12, what has Jesus, the Son, done for us:
    • …in the past?

• …in the present?

• …in the future?

• Read Eph 1:13-14
  • According to verses 13-14, what has the Holy Spirit done for us:
    • …in the past?

• …in the present?
• …in the future?

Memory verse: Eph 1:3