Questions

Scriptural Reflection
Ephesians 4:7–16

This week, we shall conclude the study of the Book of Ephesians in the New Testament.

After urging the church to make every effort to maintain the bond of peace with the emphasis on the variation in “oneness” in Christ, Paul recognizes oneness does not mean “uniformity” but diversity in the body of Christ:

(1) How does Paul justify the necessity of diversity in spite of the peculiar oneness of the church? (vv. 7-8; read Ps. 68:18)

(2) What is the original context of Psalm 68:18? (see Ps. 68:17)

(3) What is the original purpose of the giving (or receiving) of gifts?

a. According the Psalm 68:18

b. According to Paul here in 4:10 (see Note below)

(4) In mentioning the various gifts apportioned by Christ to the church:

a. What is the function of the apostles and prophets? (2:19-22)

b. According to your understanding, what are the roles of the rest of the gifts mentioned by Paul in relationship to that of the apostles and prophets? (4:11)

(5) The purpose of the apportioning of gifts to the church (vv. 12-13):

a. The primary function of these gifts (of apostles…teachers) is to equip “the saints” for works of service: What is the emphasis here? (v. 12a)

b. The “twin goals” of such “equipping” in building up the church, the body of Christ are (v. 13):

1. “Until all reach unity in the faith”: What does it mean?
2. And, unity “in the knowledge of the Son of God”: What does it mean?

c. When the above “twin goals” are reached, the body of Christ is described as a mature (or complete) man. This appears to mean the attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. What would such a church look like?

(6) The results (or the marks) of attaining the fullness of Christ as a mature body of Christ (vv. 14-15):

a. What is the first result (or mark) of a mature church? (v. 14)

b. What is the second result (or mark) of a mature church? (v. 15)

c. How are these two results (or marks) achieved? (v. 16)

(7) “As each part does its work” (v. 16)

a. What part do the evangelists, pastors and teachers play in achieving these results (or marks)?

b. What part does the rest of the church play in achieving these results (or marks)?

(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Note:

It appears that the Apostle Paul has arbitrarily altered Psalm 68:18 from “received gifts among men” to “gave gifts to men”. However, “The reception for men includes the giving to men. If Christ received gifts for men, i.e. intended for them, how could He withhold from men and not give them to those for whom the gifts intended?” (Lenski, 519) Such was the rendering by an Eastern Aramaic Targum in the first century A.D. and in F.F. Bruce’s opinion, “Paul and other NT writers occasionally give evidence of using targumic renderings (or renderings know to us nowadays only from the Targums), especially when such renderings are better suited to the arguments to which they are applied than the Hebrew or Septuagint wording would be” (Bruce, 342). Targum is an Aramaic translation of the OT and it is often referred to as an interpretation or paraphrase of the OT.

Scriptural Reflection
Ephesians 4:17–28

Having addressed the corporate aspect of the Body of Christ, Paul speaks to the individual parts of the Body—the saints themselves:

(1) In admonishing the Gentile believers to leave their former ways of life, why does the Apostle say that he (can) “testify” in the Lord? (v. 17)

(2) What is the relationship between the mind and the way of life of a person? (v. 17)

(3) The way of life and the thinking of the heathens (vv. 18-19): The main verb in this long sentence is, “they gave themselves up” (v. 19).

a. What do the heathens give themselves up to? (v. 19)

b. What is the purpose of such “giving up”? (v. 19b)

c. The reasons for such a life and thinking of “futility” include (v. 18):

1. Darkened understanding (v. 18a):

1. What does it mean?
2. How is it reflected in one’s life?

2. Alienated from the life of God (v. 18b):

1. What is the result of such an alienation (Eph. 2:1-3)
2. What has led to such alienation? (v. 18c)
3. What has contributed to their ignorance? (v. 18d)

d. Why does Paul call such a life and thinking “futile”?

e. Which of the above do you identify with most in your “former” life?

(4) By comparison, how different is the way of life and the thinking in Christ? Can you briefly highlight some of the major differences?

(5) Paul now uses the analogy of putting our clothes on and off to denote our new way of life in Christ (vv. 20-24).

a. How did we learn of the new way of life? (v. 21)

b. Why does Paul call our former self, “the old man”?

c. This “old man” was corrupted by “deceitful desires”: What does it mean? (v. 22)

d. We are told to put off this “old man” of ours by renewing “the attitude of our minds": How is this done? (v. 23; see Rom. 12:1ff)

e. What is the “new man” that we need to put on instead? (v. 24)

f. Why, in your opinion, does Paul use the analogy of the changing of clothes in this respect? How appropriate is this analogy?

(6) More specifically, the Apostle Paul urges us to put off (vv. 25-28):

a. Falsehood (or lying): How important it is to speak the truth and not lies, especially to brothers and sisters in Christ? (v. 25)

b. Anger (vv. 26-27):

1. Why does Paul only urge us not to sin in anger, instead of urging us not to be angry?
2. How wise is the advice of not letting anger linger beyond sunset?
3. How might the retention of anger give the devil a foothold?

c. Stealing (v. 28)

1. While most of us have never been a thief in the eyes of the law, what might have we stolen?
2. What does Paul teach as one of the proper attitudes of work as a Christian? (v. 28c)

(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Ephesians 4:29–5:7

The Apostle Paul continues to urge these Gentile Christians to live their new life according to the truth they have been taught in Christ—focusing now mainly on their lives together as a church:

(1) How we should talk to one another (v. 29)

a. How important is it that we should watch every word that we speak with each other in church? (See also Jas. 3:5-8)

b. What are examples of unwholesome (or corrupt) words? (v. 29a)

c. Obviously, we need to think before we say anything: What should we think of before we speak? (v. 29b)

(2) The Holy Spirit (v. 30)

a. Which one of the functions of the Holy Spirit does Paul remind us of?

b. Give examples of things that we might do to grieve Him given that He is the seal of our redemption.

c. What do we know about the Holy Spirit in that He can be “grieved”?

(3) All forms of malice (v. 31)

a. What are some of the forms of evil cited by Paul?

b. What do they have in common?

c. How destructive are they to the body of Christ?

(4) The opposite of “malice” (v. 32)

a. Do you agree that what are listed in v.32a are opposite to those in v. 31?

b. If so, in what ways?

c. What is one of the most important outworkings or expressions of kindness and compassion? (v. 32b)

d. Do you still harbor unforgiveness to anyone in your life?

e. How might you get rid of such unforgiveness? (see 5:1-2)

f. Given what is said by Paul, do you think you have a choice not to forgive others?

(5) More exhortations on their communal life (5:3-7)

a. Why are sexual immorality, impurity and greed so unfitting for the people of God? (v. 3)

b. Why can’t we even hint (i.e. talk about) about them?

c. More on “speech”: We know what obscenity and foolish talk are (v. 4):

1. What are “coarse jokes”? Why are they not to be said among God’s holy people?
2. Instead, we are to give thanks:

1. If we give thanks all the time as instructed by Paul, what will it do to us and our brothers and sisters in Christ?
2. For Christians who give thanks all the time, are there any situations that thanksgiving might not be appropriate?

d. More on immorality, impurity and greed (v. 5)

1. What does 5:3 say about these sins?
2. If those in the church continue to live in these sins, are they true believers? Why or why not?
3. Why is greed the same as idolatry? (See Col. 3:5 also)

e. What if there are other teachers who disagree with what Paul admonishes here? (v. 6) What might be their motive?

f. How should we treat them? (v. 7) What does it mean?

(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Ephesians 5:8–20

5:8-14—Living as Children of Light—As Paul continues to urge the saints to be imitators of God, he now uses the image of light:

(1) Paul does not say that as saints we once lived in darkness and now live in light; rather we were darkness once  and we now are light in the Lord:

a. What might be the difference between the two sayings?

b. What is meant by “children of light”?

(2) What are the proofs that we are children of light? (v. 9)

(3) As children of light (in the Lord), we need to find out what pleases the Lord (v. 10):

a. Why do we need to “find out” what pleases the Lord?

b. How?

(4) The opposite of the fruit of light (vv. 11-14):

a. How are we to deal with the “fruitless deeds of darkness”? (v. 11)

b. Can we reprove (or expose) such deeds without reproving (or exposing) the doers?

c. Once exposed, what might happen to the doers of deeds of darkness? (v. 13)

d. How might they get out of their darkness? (v. 14)

5:15-20—Living as the Wise

(5) What have “the days of evil” to do with the admonition of being “very careful how you live”? (v. 15)

(6) Wise living is “redeeming the time” (according to the original Greek): What does it mean to “redeem”? (v. 16)

(7) Wise living is to understand the will of the Lord. (v. 17)

a. What is the will of the Lord? (see Rom. 12:1ff)

b. How can we understand what it is?

c. Why is it foolishness if we do not?

(8) Wise living is to be filled not by wine, but by the Holy Spirit (vv. 18-20).

a. Why does Paul contrast the two?

b. “Be filled with the Spirit” contains the only main verb of the sentence here until v. 21 (we shall consider v. 21 tomorrow):

1. Why is speaking in psalms, hymns etc. an expression of being filled with the Spirit? (v. 19) What if you do not like music?
2. Why is thanksgiving (i.e. speaking of the grace of God) an expression of being filled with the Spirit? (v. 20)

(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Ephesians 5:21–33

Husband and Wife—It is very important to note that as Paul urges the believers to be filled with the Holy Spirit, what follows are several participles including:

- Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit;

- Singing and “psalming” from your heart to the Lord; (v. 19)

- Giving thanks always to God the Father for everything…(v. 20) 

- Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ (v. 21)

(1) How is submitting to one another an expression of being filled with the Holy Spirit?

(2) First, under the heading of “submitting to one another” comes the relationship between husband and wife. Paul begins by applying it to the wives (vv. 22-24).

a. If we are to submit to one another, why does Paul single out wives as the first subject of submission?

b. In what way should wives submit to their own husbands and why? (vv. 22-23)

c. In what way(s) is Christ the head of the church? (v. 23)

d. What then does being the “head” of the wife mean?

e. In what way(s) does the church submit to Christ?

f. How then should wives emulate such submission? (v. 24)

(3) The husbands (vv. 25-32):

a. How did Christ show His love for the church? (v. 25)

b. What is the purpose of His love and how does He achieve His purpose? (vv. 26-27)

c. In what way(s) should husbands emulate Christ’s love? (vv. 28-30)

d. As Paul points out that husbands should love their wives as their own bodies, he quotes from Genesis 2:24: What is the point that Paul tries to make?

e. Why does Paul apply this quote to talk about Christ and the church? Why does he call it a great mystery?

f. How does this great mystery help you have a glimpse of the glorious relationship the church has with her Christ?

g. If you are a husband, how does this mystery help you love your wife?

(4) Conclusion (v. 33)

a. Instead of reiterating “submission”, Paul asks wives to “respect” (or show reverence) to the husband. Why?

b. How might this help us to understand v. 21?

(5) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Ephesians 6:1–9

6:1-4 — Parents and Children

(1) As we know in the Roman society of Paul’s time, “The paterfamilias (head of household) had absolute rule over his household and children. If they angered him, he had the legal right to disown his children, sell them into slavery or even kill them” (pbs.org). Why then would Paul see the need to admonish children within a believer’s family?

(2) What does Paul emphasize in urging the children to obey their parents? (v. 1)

(3) Which of the Ten Commandments does Paul appeal to in his instruction? (Exod. 20:12)

(4) Why does he call it “the first commandment with a promise”? (v. 2)

(5) What does “honor” mean?

(6) Should we take the promise of this Commandment literally? Why or why not?

(7) Proverbs 13:24 teaches us that unless we discipline our children, we do not love them:

a. Of what does Paul caution us when we discipline our children out of “reverence for Christ”? (6:4; see 5:21)

b. Why?

c. Instead, we are to “nurture them in the discipline and admonition of the Lord”. What does that mean and how should we do it?

6:5-9 — Christian Slaves and Masters

(8) Under the system of slavery in Roman times, slaves basically had no choice but to obey their masters absolutely:

a. How should Christian slaves be different from non-Christian slaves? (vv. 5-7)

b. These days, most of us live in a free society, not as slaves but as employees or servants. How then should we apply these principles to our work?

c. What kind of reward is Paul referring to? (Matt. 16:27)

(9) Paul asks the Christian masters to treat their slaves “in the same way” (v. 9):

a. What does he mean?

b. What is the one thing that Paul highlighted to admonish the Christian masters?

c. Why?

d. Since slavery robs people of freedom and dignity and certainly is not God’s will, why does Paul not ask Christian masters to release their slaves at that time?

(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Ephesians 6:10–23

6:10-20 — Fighting a Spiritual Battle

(1) Jesus has already pointed out to us that “the world hates us” (Jn. 15:18). Who are actually behind such hatred by the world? (v. 12)

(2) According to Peter, what is the goal of our true enemy in waging war with us? (1 Pet. 5:8)

(3) How then can we be strong enough to fight this spiritual battle? (vv. 10-11)

(4) What is meant by “the full” armor? Whose armor is it? (v. 13)

(5) What is meant by “the day of evil”? (see Note 1 below)

(6) Why are we told to “stand” only? (vv. 13-14; see Note 2 below)

(7) The full armor of God:

a. What is a belt for as part of the armor? (v. 14a)

b. Why does Paul liken truth to a belt?

c. What is a breastplate for as part of the armor? (v. 14b)

d. Why does Paul liken righteousness to a breastplate?

e. Feet are necessarily fitted with footwear for a soldier. Why does Paul liken the gospel of peace to a soldier’s footwear? (v. 15)

f. What does readiness mean?

g. What is a shield for as part of the armor? (v. 16)

h. Why does Paul liken faith to a shield?

i. What is a helmet for as part of the armor? (v. 17)

j. Why does Paul liken salvation to a helmet?

k. The only offensive weapon appears to be the sword:

1. Whose sword is it? (v. 17)
2. In what way is the word of God a sword? (Refer to Matt. 4:1-11 to see how the Lord uses the word of God as a weapon.)

l. Paul has not assigned any part of the armor to prayer. Consider then the following questions.

1. Do you think prayer is, in fact, a vital part of the spiritual battle? Why or why not? (v. 18)
2. Paul asks the brethren to intercede on his behalf in his spiritual battle. What should they pray? (vv. 19-20)

6:21-23 — Final Greetings

(8) How do the final greetings reveal the purpose of this letter?

(9) What is Paul’s final benediction to the Ephesian believers?

(10) How special is it?

(11) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Note 1:

“It is not the day of the last battle at the end of the world, Rev. 20:7-9, (but) Paul has in mind the critical and decisive day which comes for each one of us, sometimes but once, again repeatedly, in which Satan pounces up us with all his forces”. (Lenski, 663)

Note 2:

“a Roman centurion, according to Polybius, had to be the kind of man who could be relied upon, when hard-pressed, to stand fast and not give way, and the same quality is necessary in the spiritual warfare.” (Bruce, 406-7)