Ephesians 4:16-17

4:16

From him – source

the whole body – body in its entirety, as a unit

joined – parts that were disjointed previously have now been molded into a cohesive body

and held together – effort required to keep the unity, to maintain them as a body; church splits and denominational rifts are insults to the message of Christ. But what to do about it? I tried preaching about this at one church. I tried to raise the possibility of reconciliation. That didn’t work.

by every – no exceptions

supporting ligament – In the physical body, a ligament is, “a sheet or band of tough, fibrous tissue connecting bones or cartilages at a joint or supporting an organ.” Second definition: “A unifying or connecting bond.” (definition.reference.com) So how to apply this to body of Christ? One thing that jumps out is the phrase, “tough, fibrous tissue.” In the body of Christ, we need and God has given some people who can absorb the twists and tensions of the different parts rubbing against each other. When two groups each want to emphasize their own areas of interest, it takes a degree of toughness to give each their due and keep the parts working together toward a common goal. If my shin starts thinking that the rest of the body exists for the shin’s benefit, then some corrective action is needed. The body is not here for the shin, but the shin for the body. Similarly with any other part of the body. But almost anyone who has been in the Body of Christ for any period of time can recall when one department in the church tried to dictate every other activity in the Body. That is called disease (dis-ease) or injury. If my shin demands that kind of attention, it is called shin-splints. The whole body then is affected by the problem in the shins. But when the shins are healthy, the whole body can work together to achieve a common purpose.

I got sidetracked there talking about shins and parts of the body. What I wanted to illustrate was the ligaments that tie the shins to the knees and the knees to the thighs. The respective parts of the leg perform different functions in serving the body and all these functions have equal importance. The ligaments hold them together. They flex and relax as each part serves the body. When all of these—shins, ligaments, knees, ligaments and thighs—keep to their respective responsibilities, then the body moves in the direction the head chooses to go. And as Paul has already noted: the Head is Christ.

grows – increase in size, numbers

and builds itself up – increase in strength and abilities

in love – more effective and efficient in expressing love; actively showing concern for the needs of others in the community as the result of making the Body of Christ stronger

as – while, because, as a result of

each part – None of us can do the work of the whole body; none of us is the whole body; each individual fills one portion of bodily function

does its work – A member in our body is grieving the death of his wife who died just three days ago. Different ones in the body will show their love and concern for him in different ways. Each way will rise, in part, from the various ways in which God has gifted us to serve within the Body.

4:17

So – as a result of the unity in diversity proposed above…

I – Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God (1:1)

tell – command, order, insist

you – the church in Ephesus as well as the church today

this – pay attention

and insist on it – emphasis, very important, military-like command

in the Lord – more than Paul’s authority as an apostle, now he appeals to the authority of Christ

that you must – repeated emphasis, not an option. In 3 different ways, Paul stresses this as a demand. At the same time, he evokes both his personal authority as an apostle as well as the ultimate authority of Jesus Christ our Lord.

no longer – clear change from the past

live – lifestyle, pattern of thinking and acting

as the Gentiles do – the nations, non-believers. How do they live? Some live in fear and superstition; most seem carefree and oblivious of any future consequences. Worshiping pleasure and materialism

in the futility – uselessness, hamster-on-a-wheel, routine, going nowhere

of their thinking – unthinking, mindless, never asking why or what is the purpose; NLT = “hopelessly confused”; pointless

The word “do” is modified, clarified, by the two prepositional phrases that follow. I can combine those phrases to say, “in their futile thinking.” All of that to say: The thought life dictates the actions which become the lifestyle. For the “Gentiles,” i.e., unbelieving world, their empty thinking produces empty actions which become empty lifestyles. Meanwhile, I remain caught in a rut. So I have to ask myself, “What self-defeating thoughts do I nurse that keep producing self-defeating actions and a self-defeating lifestyle?”

Ephesians 4:14-15

4:14

Then – As a result of (1) unity; (2) maturity; and (3) fullness of Christ…

we – Not an individualistic achievement but collective, group, the Body of Christ

will no longer be – This condition prevailed in the past, and perhaps still did at the time of Paul’s writing. But we can grow spiritually so that we move beyond the condition described.

infants – dependant on others, focused on self, not contributing to group growth, but only consuming

tossed back and forth – I picture a tiny boat on a stormy sea, its mast is gone or useless and it just drifts along wherever the wind and waves take it.

by the waves – popular fads, whether in social styles or in ideologies

and blown – some other force directing one’s course

here and there – aimlessly wandering, looking for truth or purpose in all the wrong places

by every wind of teaching – I remember a popular comedian some years ago saying that he had found a religion where he felt comfortable. Even as a child, I thought, “I want and need a religion that spurs me to grow; not one that makes me feel comfortable.” But more and more of us today run here and there looking for just enough religion to feel comfortable. Then as soon as this “faith” gets boring or another “ism” becomes popular, many run over to that one to get comfortable there. And this running from one ism to another can very easily take place under the umbrellas of Christian ministries, or ones that claim the name of Christ. Meanwhile, the crowd running here and there is actually infants, being pulled and tossed and blown back and forth. The infant is at the mercy of those who are stronger. And the spiritual infant remains at the mercy of others as well. And if the leadership gifts fail to train and build up, then other forces—those not loyal to Christ but more loyal to self [and therefore knowingly or unknowingly loyal to Satan]—will toss and blow the spiritual infant. Either the leaders train the infants or others will take advantage of them.

and by – two elements blow the infants: (1) every wind of teaching (above) and (2) cunning and craftiness of men (below)

the cunning and craftiness – ulterior motives, hidden agenda, say nice words we like to hear while actually working for different—self-serving—goals, gaining our confidence while taking advantage

of men – or women; people incurably selfish apart from Christ

in their deceitful scheming – redundant on purpose, another instance of repeating synonyms to achieve a superlative comparison. Paul uses four synonyms to stress the deceit, intentional scheming, of people who seek to toss and blow immature believers away from Christ.

4:15

Instead – contrast. Previous picture focused on instability of immature believers. Now Paul moves to the opposite.

speaking the truth – contrast with cunning, crafty, deceit and scheming

in love – love guides which truths need to be spoken; when and how to speak those truths. If love involves acting for the welfare or benefit of others, then that could certainly guide my speaking the truth. The welfare of others will direct who, what, when, where and how I will speak. Perhaps most important, the benefit of others will compel the why behind my speaking. As I move toward greater transparency, I ask You to guide my speech with Your love.

we will – future attainment

in all things – I think I can honestly claim that I have grown like Christ in some ways. But in others areas I still lag far behind. This phrase prods me to give more attention to those other areas. Having laid a foundation of Christlikeness in certain areas, I must build on that beginning to allow His image to shine in all things of my life.

grow up – contrast to infants in v. 14. In January, I will reach the 46th anniversary of asking God to forgive my sins and live in and through me. I still have the choice of being a 46-year-old infant or growing up. In the past, I have wallowed through phases of reverting to infancy. But increasingly, by His grace, I have chosen to grow up. And today again, I choose to grow up: To accept responsibility for my choices and my actions; to accept the challenge of becoming more like Christ; and to decide and act based on long-range, eternal values.

into him [NLT: more and more like Christ] – The fact that I will never fully attain His likeness should not deter me from the goal.

who is the head – decision-maker, control center, the Leader, CEO, authority

that is, Christ – Anointed One, Promised One, God in the flesh

Ephesians 4:13

4:13

until – This gifting-training-serving-building up process is just that: a process. The cycle continues until …

we – it’s a group thing

all – no slackers here

reach unity – again this is unity with diversity, which requires a common purpose and goal, but not uniformity. Having said that, when will we reach this unity? Never in this lifetime. For at least two reasons: (1) Given human frailty, we will always need to keep refining and redefining the goal and purpose and differentiating purpose from methodology. This, by its nature, involves a constant process. (2) The fact that we keep having new believers and immature believers means that there will always be more people who need to be trained and oriented to the purpose.

in the faith – In v. 5, I tried to deal with faith as an active expression of trust. Here Paul seems to return to the same theme: “one faith” or unity in the faith. This cannot be reduced to our merely quoting an identical, common creed. That would cancel any reason for the gifts and a call for constant process. The physical body functions at its best when all its parts work efficiently to achieve a common goal. Similarly for the body of Christ, we/she/it works most effectively when she acts on the faith God gives here—the vision—with unity of purpose.

and – double unity; not only unity in the faith—actions, but also…

in the knowledge – I always need the reminder that Biblical use of the word “knowledge” means more than intellectual information. It must include relational knowledge as well.

of the – The possessive pronoun “of” can indicate a couple things. This can refer to knowledge peculiarly belonging to the Son of God. In other words, this preposition could indicate knowledge that Jesus has, which He wants to impart to us. But the same preposition can also mean “about”. In this case, Paul would mean our relational knowledge concerning the son of God. The former meaning can be included in the second. But I sense that the second seems to be the primary intention here.

Son of God – God the Son, heretics have co-opted the term “Son of God” and twisted it to mean something less that the Bible intends. God the Son: Do I know Him relationally? Do I trust Him? Not only for forgiveness of my sins, as incredible as that is. But more: Do I trust Him to lead, provide and orchestrate my life for His glory and my good? Has my relational knowledge of God the Son deepened to the point that I can honestly say, “Wherever He leads I’ll go”? or “Whatever He says I’ll do”? Then, if I am not ready to say those things honestly, what does that infer about the task of training, preparing God’s people until we all come to a unity of that kind of relationship? I’m not sure I can even dream such a unity. In fact, I know I cannot dream or imagine that. But then, Paul already committed us “to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” This leads me to conclude, admit, confess, affirm the following: The preparing of God’s people and building us up is not the work of those God has gifted with leadership gifts. This is a work that only God can achieve. Then what is the use of the leadership gifts? These are the tools, instruments, God uses to accomplish the impossible, unimaginable task of preparing and building all of us into the unity of active faith and the unity of relational knowledge of God the Son. God trains and builds the body through the leadership gifts. He builds the body to united faith-actions and united relational knowledge through the gifts. He builds and prepares. I—if I have one of these leadership gifts—I am just a tool in His hand.

and – but wait! There’s more! God uses these leadership gift-tools to build up the body until we reach unity and also until something more.

The preposition “until” at the start of v. 13 has two objects. Both objects are verb phrases. The first verb phrase is “reach unity … [continuing through] to God.” The second verb phrase is “become mature … [continuing through] of Christ.”

become mature – Grow up, grow into; process. What does maturity look like? In physical life: We all know people who act more mature than their years and vice-versa, others who act younger, less mature, than their years. Mature behavior: Accept responsibility for oneself and for the helpless; decisions based on long-range values rather than immediate impulses. Responsibility: Work for a living rather than expecting others to give handouts, contribute to society; admit errors and faults, etc. Seek to help others in need. Decisions: Long-range values, deferred satisfaction, able to have fun but not controlled by it.

attaining – effort, striving, struggle against tendencies that would hold me back. God will not wave a magic wand and give me this. I must work at it, applying His grace and allowing the leadership gifts in the body to prepare me and build me up. Or more accurately: allowing God to prepare me and build me up as He works through the leadership gifts around me in the body.

to the whole measure – This becomes just plain scary. I am expected to become as mature (spiritually) as Christ? He set the standard. Now I must mature to that level, that mark, that measure. I know I cannot reach that. But God calls me to that maturity and I cannot rest until He says enough.

of the fullness of Christ – I am sitting in a kitchen with many containers around me. Some containers are full of solids, e.g., popcorn kernels. It is not full because there is air between the individual kernels. Other containers are clearly not full because someone has consumed some of its contents. But if I had here a glass of water, filled to the brim, there would be no room for anything else. What would it be like if I were filled completely full of Christ? What would it be like if there were no room in me for anything other than Christ? Good discussion with Nancy about these questions. She suggested two possibilities:

First is the response of priests, monks and nuns who give up all earthly possessions and devote themselves completely to Christ. As I asked her about this some more, we recognized that this expression of the fullness of Christ would be difficult to impossible for me a married person. We who are married have entered a covenant that commits us to showing the love of Christ in this relationship. Walking away from this on the pretext of devotion to the fullness of Christ does not demonstrate His fullness; but rather it would dishonor Him.

The second expression she suggested calls for extending the love of Christ to the world as Jesus did. In this option, if I attained the fullness of Christ—if I were completely full of Christ—I would be available to people in need; be forgiving, merciful, and loving; be flexible to changes; I would allow the fruit of the Holy Spirit to grow in and flow through me.

Ephesians 4:12

4:12

to – for the purpose

prepare – train, equip, strengthen, enarmor, time for practice, working out, increase proficiency, enable the saints

God’s people – the saints

for works – I’m not satisfied watching the kingdom of God; I must be involved

of service – The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve. At least two all-time characteristics of following Christ, of being God’s people: (1) Persecution or opposition; and (2) Service. Who can I serve today?

so that – train of logic goes like this: Christ gave leadership gifts; these leaders prepare the saints; and the result is…

the body of Christ – Paul’s favorite word picture when dealing with unity and diversity

may be built up - … and the result is “built up”; stronger, bigger, healthier. What results do we expect if we enter a physical fitness regimen? Less fat, stronger heart, responsive muscles, in sum, the body should look and function to its highest level. The parallel clearly applies to the body of Christ when it has been/is being “prepared” for works of service. But that brings me back to “works.” It is not God’s goal that the church merely look good (think body-building). And this passage is not talking about being versus doing. The point of the gifts and the training they provide is exclusively “for works of service.” My home worship community does not put on a top-rated performance on Sunday mornings. Set alongside other group events (whether religious or not), this would get very low marks. In that sense, our local body of Christ does not look good. But that’s not the point. The focus comes back to “works of service.” And from that perspective, this fellowship is doing fairly well, surprisingly well for its size. Some have regular ministries of visitation to elderly shut-ins. Some are involved in pro-life ministries. Some in service to families of prisoners. And I’m sure there are other “works of service” that are done so that only God sees them. So I would guess that, allowing for the size of the congregation, God would credit our body as fulfilling its purpose better than most. Thank you, Lord, for faithful leadership that has in the past, and continues today, to prepare Your people for works of service. In doing so, they enable us to be built up.

Ephesians 4:10-11

4:10

He who descended – Only One in history who came from the celestial realm to live in the terrestrial restrictions

is the very one – This is God the Son, who did not think His equality with the Father something He had to cling to, but instead emptied Himself of all that glory and humbled Himself to the form of a man—a servant—and obeyed to the point of the cross.

who ascended – God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble
higher than all the heavens – This is not just His physical ascension, although that is included. This is also His exaltation, in some respects greater, higher than He was before the incarnation.

in order to – for the purpose of, with the intended result of

fill the whole universe – fill = inhabit? Be present in? rule? Reign? I don’t see this as literally filling the universe; that would be pantheism. But there is some way in which God the Son is present in the universe in a way that surpasses His pre-incarnate presence.

4:11

It was – past tense

he – the descending-ascender; the conqueror; the captives-leader; the higher-than-the-heavens; the filler of the universe

who gave – again past tense; as with salvation itself, these gifts are not our accomplishments; we have done nothing to achieve or deserve them. If that were so they would not be gifts. But there is something unclear here: To whom has He given these apostles, prophets, et al.? Usually the verb “give” carries with it a direct object, indicating the recipient of the gift. Subsequent verses suggest that the Church was/is the receiver. It is true that the Church benefits from these gifts. And so at least indirectly she is the recipient. (In fact, NLT explicitly says He gave to the church.) But as I allow the phrase to soak into my spirit, I think I see something else at work: What if the word “some” represents the recipients? It would function as the direct object of “gave”. In that case, it is not the Church who receives the gifts, but “some” within the church are the recipients.

I could keep going down that theoretical path. But I need to bring this back to myself. Christ gave me a gift. What will I do with it? Many people I know have not even looked inside the box to discover what gift Christ gave them. At least I have done that much. And in the past I have exercised that gift. But I’ve grown lazy and/or complacent. The gift was given to me, but not for my enjoyment or my benefit. It was given to me for the benefit of the church (cf. vs 12 – 13). So probably I could answer my earlier question about the recipient: Both the individual and the Church benefit. The individual receives the gift but only for the benefit of the Church.

some – See above. Not all are apostles, just some. At the same time, the Church should expect to have more than one apostle at a time, because “some” indicates plurality.

to be apostles – sent, commissioned, crossing some kind of separator or boundary or division: geographical, linguistic, socio-economic, etc. Also tends to include sense of vision or mission that drives the apostle and makes him/her so single-minded as to seem oblivious to other interests. Plus there is an element of authority over the mission given to him/her.

prophets – calling God’s people to live as God’s people; correcting, disciplining, reproving when/where God’s people fall short of God’s calling. Prophets tend not to be a voice to the non-believer. He/she is intended as a voice of God to those who claim to be God’s people.

evangelists – Good News tellers; these are the voices of God to the non-believers. Not all are called to evangelize. We are all called to witness; and we should all be prepared to share the Good News with a seeker. But the evangelist has a special ability from God to communicate the Good News in ways that connect with unbelievers. Most do this best in a one-to-one context. Few do it well with a crowd or group.

and – list of ministry-leadership gifts. There might be a functional hierarchy. But we should not see any superiority. After all, if these are all gifts from Christ, then nothing I/we have in terms of service in the Church comes from us. So it is all about Christ, who is over all and through all and in all.

pastors – shepherd, personal care. This goes beyond a caring, friendly personality. This suggests a God-given, two-way ability. On the one hand the pastor senses what may be unseen to others. At the same time, those being pastored sense that he/she is aware and cares. When I was in the job of a pastor (I never had this gift), I occasionally sensed what was happening in a parishioner’s life. But my responses tended to be more like a prophet than a gifted pastor/shepherd. I tried to show that I cared. But they probably sensed the prophet in me. Perhaps I was not really condemning (I hope not). But at least I was probably thinking, “This person needs to shape up and live like God wants him to.” Not a very pastoral, shepherding, spirit.

and teachers – overlapping of roles, ministries, between a pastor, who cares and tenderly guides, and a teacher, who instructs. This teaching must include more than just information. If all I do is relay information, I have become a machine and I have made the listeners vulnerable to the sin of pride. But if my teaching touches the heart, the spirit, the lifestyle, then God has opportunity to change a person and give him/her life.

Ephesians 4:7-9

4:7

But – Contrast. Previous verses stressed oneness, unity. Here Paul turns the page to demonstrate a contrast

to each of us – individuality, differentiation. We are not the same

grace – Here Paul is clearly not talking about unmerited favor. Or if that inadequate definition is included here, it is only in a secondary aspect. This has to do with my function within the “one body.”

has been given – even this function, this unique contribution, in the “one body” is itself a gift, not earned. Not a talent which can be used for good or evil, for God, self or Satan. This gift of grace is given to us who are in the body and given for the body which means it is given for God’s use and glory
as Christ apportioned [NLT: generosity] – Christ decided which grace and how much grace to gift each person with. Both terms used in these translations have a weak side: NLT’s “generosity” emphasizes the giving but neglects that in this context the gifting of grace has restrictions, i.e., that not everyone can get as much of this gifting as he/she wants. It suggests, or leaves open, the possibility, that if I want a certain gift or more of a certain gift I already have, all I have to do is ask, because the supply is unlimited and the Giver is generous. But NIV’s “apportioned” has the opposite weakness. It keeps Christ in control of who gets what and how much. But it leaves open the implication that there is a limited supply of gifting grace. This, of course, is not true. So perhaps a better interpretation would combine the terms: “as Christ generously apportioned.”

4:8

This is why it says – Looking to Scripture for confirmation. Sometimes Paul’s use of Scriptural support baffles me.

When he ascended on high – past tense, already accomplished

he led captives in his train – picture of victorious conqueror

and gave gifts to men – original from Ps 68:18, says, “received” instead of “gave.” Confusing switch

4:9

What does – Paul seems to get sidetracked briefly with an explanatory comment

“he ascended” – Acts 1, Jesus ascended before the eyes of the disciples; in spirit world there is also His exaltation resulting from His humble obedience

mean – significance

except that he also descended – We think in reverse of this, that “what goes up must come down.” That is because our only point of reference is terrestrial. But if we adopt God’s perspective then our point of reference becomes celestial. And from that perspective, “what goes down [descends] must come up [ascends].”
to the lower, earthly regions – Not talking about Hades or descending into the earth. This refers to humiliation of becoming human and living among mortals.

Ephesians 4:5-6

4:5

one Lord – I’ve already considered the theme of “one”. “Lord” – This word has been so spiritualized that it generally lacks significance any more. For me, a very functional equivalent is “boss.” The church, the fellowship of believers has one Boss. Having said this, I think back to some of the church bosses I have encountered—whose toes (in lieu of a harsher term) I refused to kiss. It might do a lot of people and a lot of churches a lot of good to start seeing Jesus as the “Boss” of our lives as well as “Boss” of the church.

one faith – Belief, credo, confession, trust. We tend to think of faith as a passive concept—a mental process or commitment. But I see faith as an action word. Faith without works is dead. So unless I demonstrate my faith—take some risks for the Boss—unless I take those risks, I may not really have faith. But in this context, Paul may actually be thinking of a common creed. The superficial divisions in the Christian movement accomplish at least two terrible things: (1) They give a bad witness to the world—a picture of disharmony and strife instead of unity; and (2) They misrepresent the truth. The fact is that among the myriad Protestant groups we agree on about 95% of our creed. And even between Protestant and Catholic and Eastern Orthodox, the agreement rate is about 90%.

But back to Paul’s point: One faith means we enjoy a unifying belief system. Our common belief in the deity/humanity of Jesus Christ, in the triune Godhead, in the virgin birth, in the atoning sacrificial death, in the resurrection both of Jesus in the past and believers in the future, ascension and hoped for return of Christ: This common body of belief makes us “one.” So regardless of the denominational label (or its absence), as long as we hold these common beliefs, there is a sense in which we are “one” faith.

one baptism – Paul thinks of baptism as more than an outward testimony to what God has done inside. In Romans 6, he describes baptism as being “baptized into his death.” When we go into the water, we die to the life of sin, we join Christ in dying to sin. When we are raised out of the water, we rise to a new life free from sin. We join Christ in living a life characterized by victory over sin. I’m not saying that the baptism event saves us. But it is more than just a symbol. It is death to the old life and resurrection to a new life. Believers in regions where Christianity is the persecuted minority understand this very well. In such places, all who are baptized have been set apart from the root of society. Being set apart gives these believers their own identity. In that context it becomes crucial for them to act as one body because of one baptism, regardless of different denominational labels.

4:6

one God – Ultimate, Supreme, Holy, Love, Justice, Gentleness, Faithfulness, etc.

and Father – other religions recognize that God lives, or that gods live. One of the unique offerings of Christian faith involves introducing God as Father. Jewish Scripture used the term, but in a more abstract sense. Christian faith moves this notion to the level of intimacy—“Abba, Father”. (LDS takes that to extreme.) Granted, given the kinds of earthly fathers some have known, this may not be a helpful image. But when we see a healthy father relationship, we get a glimpse of our heavenly Father. Psalm 103, “As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.”

of all – Paul already introduced the notion that God is Father to us (3:14 – 15). There God’s Fatherhood is portrayed in a restrictive sense, as applying only to those who trust in Him through faith in Christ Jesus. Here, in 4:6, it appears to apply in a broader sense. On the one hand, Paul talks about us believers as being “one” in the family of God. At the same time, he describes God as Father of all. Somehow I must keep mindful that God looks on all humankind from a fatherly perspective. He cares for all; He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. Still, there is a sense in which God is chooses to act as Father—i.e., to father—those who have been adopted into His family.

who is – present tense, still true

over all – authority, supremacy

and through all – present and actively accomplishing His purpose in consequence of the acts of everyone. So that even the evil intents of a deliberate God-hater become a means by which God achieves His purposes

and in all – whispering to and pursuing even the most determined rebel

Ephesians 4:3-4

4:3

Make – imperative, command

every – do all you can

effort – work at it; this is so important that all my energy should be committed to this goal:

to keep – already established; so now the charge is to maintain it, to prevent anything that might endanger or destroy it

the unity – common purpose; each contributing differently to one goal. Unity, per se, can never be static. It is always found as a group cooperates toward a common goal.

of the Spirit – that the Spirit has created and maintains, as the Spirit sets a goal before us—gives us a vision of what He wants to do through us—then He leads us to that goal or ministry.

through – agency, how is the unity kept? Answer: through…

the bond – secure connection

of peace – right relations

NLT: binding yourselves together with peace – in this construction, peace, or right relations, forms the chords, the chains, that hold us securely together. Peace, right relations, is only possible with a prudent level of honesty and transparency, plus a healthy dose of patience and forbearance (v.2) along with humility and gentleness. In other words, the qualities listed in v. 2 form the bonds of peace needed in v. 3 to keep the unity of the Spirit.

4:4

There is – established fact, accomplished in past and currently true

one – the term is used 7 times in 2 verses. Major concern of Paul, both in this epistle as well as in others. His churches included wealthy, influential people, plus merchants, humble shop keepers, servants, slaves and beggars. Their political views may have been as diverse as their economies. But Paul calls them to unity, oneness, of the Spirit. It is human nature for me to prefer the company of those who are most like me or who most agree with me on social and political issues. But God has placed me in a congregation where the majority have political views somewhat more conservative than mine. Their views of other ethnicities tend to be vastly different. And their preferred style of worship seems to be significantly other than mine. In this context, God calls me to “make every effort” to live at peace, because whether I admit it or not, whether I like it or not, we are one.

body – physical structure? This is elusive because we have used the term in its figurative sense for so long that my mind immediately jumps to the unity-with-diversity motif. And in fact, Paul will do that soon. But his emphasis here is the unity part of that notion. A human body that works against itself has a serious medical problem, such as cancer. With such a disease, the person has a foreign, alien body within himself that eventually destroys the host body. At the least, the alien body prevents the host from normal behavior. So I need, ought, to give my worship community a brief physical exam. Are there elements within our fellowship that (who) are working for their own benefit instead of the benefit of the body as a whole? What—if any—elements are distracting us from normal operation? Drawing us away from what Jesus Christ Himself would do if He were physically present? Then given my current role as a layman: Am I contributing to the normal, healthy functioning of the body of Christ? Or to the distractions?

and one Spirit – The term can refer either to the Holy Spirit (as both NIV & NLT have with the capital “S”) or to the spirit of the group (in which case the lower case ‘s’ would be used). Perhaps both senses can fit the context. The Spirit is one and we worship Him as part of the Trinity. As our fellowships gather to worship, godly leadership will guard us so that no other spirit being gains access. In my fellowship group, I think sometimes—or some of us—allow some seemingly benign spirits in: For example, complacency and materialism to name a couple common ones. We usually think of these as attitudes. But especially in a worship group context the attitudes are more likely the outworking of spirit beings who oppose and seek to undermine the work of God through Christ in our fellowship and in our community.

What if we interpreted the term with a lower case ‘s’? That would suggest that our fellowship of believers operates with a common spirit or attitude or feeling. It is clearly not true nor realistic to expect that we all have the same feeling or attitude. But we could, as a group, operate and work with a common purpose. And the idea of a common purpose guiding our respective ministries blends well with Paul’s pending topic of diversity.

just as – draws a comparison between one body and S(s)pirit vis-à-vis our hope

you were called – I constantly need this reminder that all of what God is doing and wants to do in my life is evidence of His calling—not evidence of my choosing Him, but of His choosing me. This does not say anything about TULIP Calvinism’s claim that God did not choose others. It simply affirms, confirms and reminds that from the start to the end, this salvation, sanctification and glorification is the work of God in Christ. I/we are just the fortunately blessed recipients of His calling.

to one hope – In the NT, “the hope” consistently refers to the return of Christ. And that hope carries with it the implication that when He returns, we shall be like Him. When I dare to compare myself—where I am in my spiritual pilgrimage—with Christ and where He is spiritually, I find it (admit it) impossible to believe that when He returns I will be like Him. But those two realities combine to form the one hope of the NT.

when you were called – accomplished fact

Ephesians 4:1-2

4:1

As a prisoner – Restricted movement, controlled by another—either physically or figuratively. Probably uses it with double meaning. While he was probably in a prison when he wrote this, he had also come to a point in his walk with Christ that allowed the Lord Jesus to dictate his movements. Somehow I need to come to that same point of submission.

But “prisoner” in the context that follows also carries with it a degree of authority. As he demonstrated in chapter 3, he is suffering on behalf of the communities of faith, such as the Ephesians, which he has planted around the empire. With that authority, he leads into the commands that follow.

for the Lord [NLT = for serving the Lord] – I prefer NIV here. The NLT version seems to exclude the figurative application.

then [NLT: therefore] – as a result of: Paul’s calling to be an apostle to the Gentiles, as a result of: God’s name on His family… God’s wealth of power… our being rooted in love, et al., the following exhortations arise from these foregoing facts.

I urge [beg] you – Strong emotional appeal, based on Paul’s apostolic authority and his constant praying for them, which had formed a bond.

to live a life – ongoing pattern of behavior or lifestyle, hallmark of a person’s character

worthy of the calling – The calling—its high standards—is described in chapters 2 and 3. These are lofty goals. Today [nowadays], I know I fall far short of that calling. The calling in chapter 2 indicates a love for believers that sees no distinctions. And chapter 3 gives a prayer that God’s power will enable us to live by that love. Now Paul presses me to do my part by putting into action the principle of love for believers with no regard to distinctions.

you have received – when God called me to follow Him, He called me to love the brothers and sisters and thus demonstrate to the world the power of God with our community.

4:2

Be – Imperative, command: Live this way; act accordingly

completely – entirely, no exceptions

humble – not demanding my “rights”

and gentle – difficult quality for me to picture. We use the phrase, “gentle as a lamb.” Those of us who find gentleness elusive often excuse our non-gentle ways. I rationalize that I’m just this way. I don’t know how to be gentle. But Paul gives the command to live this way completely. Having written that, it occurs to me that I don’t usually picture Paul in a lamb-like attitude either. So I need the Holy Spirit to open my eyes to what gentleness really looks like.

be patient – another command, perhaps fleshing out the previous command. Patient: setting aside my timetable

bearing with one another [NLT = making allowance for each others faults] – focusing on, admitting to my faults, without demanding reciprocation.

Ephesians 3:20-21

3:20

Now to him – transitional phrase, beginning of a doxology or formalized blessing used in the NT church

who is able – skills, gifts, talents; God is not just vague intellectual concept; He is One who acts

to do – He acts, gets involved, participates, influences and is Himself influenced by people and events on earth

immeasurably – infinitely, extremely

more than – He surpasses

all – without limit or boundaries

we ask – What am I asking God for today? Today, I am asking God that after years—decades—of forming Christ within me, I ask that Christ within me prove Himself greater than the addiction/obsession that has plagued me.

or imagine – Frankly, after so long, I am not able to imagine my life without this battle. It has formed my life purpose for years. Now I don’t know what other life purpose I might latch onto.

On a different note, what can I imagine God doing? I can imagine Him starting a Spanish language congregation from our home congregation. If/since He can do more than that, I cannot picture it (the “more than”) at this point.

according to – in compliance with, because of, directed by

his power – strength, energy, drive

that is at work – present tense; ongoing, continuous state. God’s power is now—at this moment—at work, operating, functioning, guiding and motivating me. He is now active within me. Sometimes I just go through routines. Can it be possible that He has actually brought me, directed my steps and influenced events around me, to bring me to this point? That being true (and I’m still processing that possibility), then can I trust Him to continue working in and around and through me today and tomorrow? The uncertainty here depends on my continuing to trust His working—present, ongoing tense.

within us – in me, around me, on me, through me

3:21

to him – to the One described in previous verses. To the One who is currently working in me and can work, accomplish, incredibly more than I can imagine

be glory – 24 elders around the throne, heavenly creatures ceaselessly flying around the throne, proclaiming His glory, greatness, majesty, splendor. I take no glory, praise, credit for myself. If I metamorphose through these upcoming days and weeks, it will be God working in and around and through me. If I continue trusting His present-tense working, it will be His gift of faith enabling me to trust. This is not about me; it is all about Him. If I fail again, it will result from my ceasing to trust that He is at work. It would be my failure, not His.

in the church – Let the church bring glory to God the Father

and in Christ Jesus – Let the ongoing witness of Christ Jesus bring glory to God the Father

throughout all generations – as long as there are generations living

forever and ever – as long as there is time

Amen – may it be so.

Ephesians 3:18-19

3:18

may have power – strength, energy, drive

together with - not by myself but in concert, linked with, other believers

all the saints – holy ones: initially I think of other believers, but this could also include heavenly beings who serve God

to grasp – comprehend, understand

how wide – available to all, no matter what I’ve done, if/when I repent

and long – available for all time; His live never ends

and high – available to the aristocracy and/or those who achieve fame, prestige and/or power

and low – available to those who debase ourselves [this read on these dimensions is not intended to explain the meaning or Paul’s intention, only my impression or application]

is – present tense, ongoing, continuous

the love of Christ – In this light, I must strike the comment above about heavenly beings being included in “all the saints.” Not having rebelled, they cannot comprehend this love. Even I—having rebelled—cannot grasp it. I can only catch glimpses. Whichever direction I look, wide, long high or low, His love extends beyond my view.

3:19

and to know this love – What is the difference between grasping and knowing? I discussed this question just now with my wife Nancy who is an ESL teacher. Together we came to this comparison: If she teaches her language learners the general rule of making a past tense verb, a student might grasp that rule. In her class, for a time, he can apply the rule. But soon thereafter, he forgets it and reverts to previously ingrained patterns. He has not yet internalized the rule. He has a grasp of it but he does not yet truly know it. It is not yet consistently a part of his behavior pattern.

Perhaps this is something akin to what Paul has in mind here in vs. 18 – 19. In the right context, with the proper cues, I can catch a glimpse of the immensity of God’s love in Christ. Intellectually, I know these facts. But away from those stimuli, I easily lose grasp of His love. I forget it and I fail to let His love guide my behavior. Perhaps this is because I have not yet come to know—to internalize—this love.

that surpasses knowledge – If Paul wants me to know something that goes beyond knowledge, then clearly he has two different aspects of knowledge in mind. The sense I get is this: Perhaps “knowledge” as used here refers to information, pure and simple. In this sense, this love exceeds the bounds of human intellect. We cannot quantify it, adequately define it, or describe its boundaries. However, I can “know” this love in the sense that I experience it. I experience Him.

Another angle on the two uses of know and knowledge: As with everything related to God, this love too exceeds my finite mind. I can only know—understand, comprehend—as much of Him—His ways, plans, love, etc.—as He chooses to reveal to me. So, perhaps Paul is simply telling me that I will never fully know—understand—the love of God in Christ. But still Paul calls me to understand as much of this love as God has made available for me to encounter.

that – in order that, with the intended goal or purpose

you may be filled – saturated like a sponge

to the measure – the completeness, totality

of all the fullness of God – triple repetition of synonyms of “full.” Suggests the fullest I can possibly be. Fullness of God does not mean that I could contain all of God—logical impossibility. But what does it mean then? How do I express it? All of God is available to me. All of me can be available to all of Him. But that sounds too cliché. The triple aspect of fullness is a superlative structure that addresses the condition of my soul: How full can I be? Full? Fuller? Fullest? This superlative structure says that Paul is praying that I will be the fullest-filled possible—fullest of God as I can be.

Ephesians 3:17

3:17

so that – the desired result of preceding strengthening is …

Christ may dwell – abide, permanent residence, suggests intimacy. Curious that the strengthening from God is meant to produce this intimate dwelling. I usually think of these in reverse order: intimacy leads to strength. Maybe it is a spiral process? Each leads progressively to the other?

in your hearts – at the core of my being, center of emotions and will. From here He directs and affects every part of my life.

through faith – Sometimes it really requires faith to know that Christ is—present
tense—dwelling at the center of my life. I get so accustomed to His being here that I forget Him. Then the question is: Does He still hold the center-most place in my life?

And – Another specific prayer request. First was: Strengthen so that Christ may dwell. Second comes in v. 18


I pray that you – Do we have any instance of Paul praying for himself? No doubt he did, but I don’t recall where or if is recorded. This phrase reminds me of the importance of praying for others. Paul prays for his churches and asks them to pray for him. He asks others to pray for him often. But praying for himself? I don't know.

being rooted – present perfect? Status achieved in the past but continues to present. The base, source of nourishment, going down deep, to draw rich nutriments, but also to hold firm through the storms.

and established – There is a constant tension between established and moving forward. But perhaps in the Christian life, the only true forward movement occurs when we are firmly established.

I’m reflecting a bit more on “rooted,” as it connects with my walk with the Lord. As I look back at the storms, I tend to focus on my falling in the storm. [I’m mixing metaphors.] But at the same time that I was slipping and falling, I was also burrowing my roots deeper and broader into the soil of Christ. I thank you Lord God for bringing me to this place. Can I say what follows logically? I thank you Lord God for the storms: The attacks, ambushes and betrayals. I thank you for KE’s duplicity, for J’s outright lies. I thank you for A & B’s campaign of lies and deceit. I thank you for L’s hatred and its vehement outpouring. I thank you even for all the jobs that have dismissed me one way or another. Through them all, as they have increased the pain and added the scars, I did not realize their hidden benefit: My roots have grown deeper, broader and stronger.

Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 3:14-16

3:14

For this reason – Renews train of thought from v. 1

I kneel – humility, servitude, ready to obey

before the Father – not servitude to anyone but especially to the Father, i.e., God the Father

3:15

from whom – source, origin

his – ownership, we are not our own; we are bought with a price

whole – Jewish background, Gentile background; American, Filipino, Iraqi, East Indian, et al., entire...

family – not designated as creation, but as family, relatives. These are my siblings

in heaven – those who have died already. But also could include heavenly beings loyal to the Father?

and on earth – me and us still here

derives – draws forth, source

its name – how we are called, but more: speaks to character; if we carry the name of the Father, then something of His character must be found in us.

3:16

I pray – specific request

that out of – source; resource; supply

his glorious – beyond description

riches – of what? Money does not fit the context. NLT: unlimited resources, which gets us away from wealth/money per se. Perhaps Paul intentionally leaves it vague.

he – God the Father

may strengthen – strong in the Lord, strong, mighty, effective for Him

you – me, us

with power – intentional redundancy for emphasis (what else is He going to strengthen us with, if not power?)

through – channel, means of delivering, imparting strength

his Spirit – God the Spirit, as I avail myself to the Holy Spirit, He—God—can and does strengthen me

in your inner being – all these years I have eschewed external “fixes” for my struggles. I want—I need—God to strengthen me in my inner person in order to become the man He envisions me to be. In that way, He receives the praise instead of a man-made contrivance.

Ephesians 3:11-14

3:11

according to his eternal purpose – another reflection of his manifold wisdom, i.e., from eternity He operated with this goal in mind and employed principles consistent with this goal.

which he accomplished – so at least in one sense the goal, purpose, has already been achieved. As in other elements of God’s plan, there is both an “already” and also a “not yet” aspect. God has achieved the purpose of revealing to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. That is, God’s demonic enemies already know that they are defeated and all people are invited to the Kingdom. I am the one who forgets this already-achieved aspect and fails to act accordingly. What would it look like if I daily, constantly, saw that my Commander has already defeated his and my enemy?

in Christ Jesus our Lord – our chief, leader, boss, captain, owner

3:12

in him and through faith in him – two factors involved, each with equal value: in him, becoming part of Christ Jesus, belonging to him, entering in, joining others who are in him; second, through faith in him, believing, trusting, relying that He did, does and will do all He claimed/claims.

we may approach God – He (Paul? God?) stops me again with this amazing privilege to approach God

with freedom [NLT: boldly] – I don’t care for NLT here. ‘Boldly’ feels like I might forget who is God and who is not. But ‘with freedom’ tells me He is still God, but the door to His throne room is always open to me/us.

and [with] confidence – assurance that my prayer, request will receive favorable audience with the King.

3:13

I ask you – Paul to Ephesians

Therefore – in light of Paul’s apostleship, the particular mission God has given him to the Gentiles; and also in light of his/our free, confident access to God

not to be discouraged – loss of courage, consider giving up

because of – on account of, in reaction to

my sufferings – The follower of Christ should expect sufferings. I wish I had been taught this from the start.

for you – Paul embraces these sufferings as an expected result of bringing the Good News to the Gentiles.

which are your glory – something to be proud of! Ephesians should be proud, glad, thankful, that God ordained Paul to suffer on their behalf. Look at how important they are. I’m starting to have thoughts that I may be given the privilege of suffering for Christ. I don’t know if this is God preparing me or if it is my own pride suggesting it. It could be one explanation for the long dry spell I have experienced. Time will tell.

Ephesians 3:10

3:10

His intent – God always has a purpose, reason, goal, aim, desired result, for everything He does

was that now – contrast with “ages past”; ages ago God was already planning and working for this day, i.e., the day when, because of Christ’s work, God could reveal the plan and unveil the clues.

through the church – with all her faults, the church is still the avenue through which God chooses to work in this world. My society criticizes and scoffs at the church. And I certainly have had my issues with her. But God still chooses to work through her. So I remain loyal to the church, not because she has been good to me. I remain loyal to her because that is where God has chosen to do His work. Or as this verse says, perhaps not where but through whom God works. In either case, if that is the scene of God at work, then I want to be there. And I will tolerate the pettiness, role-playing, politics, etc., in order to be present and accounted for and to participate as God works through the church.

manifold – multi-layered; many kinds; numerous parts or aspects

wisdom of God – I’m a little stumped here, because we usually quote the Bible saying, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” But how can God fear the LORD? He cannot. So this must mean something different from our usual understanding of wisdom. The fear of the LORD is not wisdom itself. It just starts us on the way. Amateur stabs at explaining wisdom itself: guiding principles that determine one’s course of action; understanding what results—achievements or failures—tomorrow will arise from which actions today, acting with tomorrow and long-range consequences in mind. So God’s manifold wisdom involves the principles by which He covenanted with Abraham and with the nation of Israel, understanding that such covenants prepared the incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and for our atonement and grace available to all—even Gentiles.

should be made known – revealed, clarified

rulers and authorities in heavenly realms – I feel increasingly aware that I/we are dealing not so much with human governments. But more than that, we are dealing with forces, personalities, powers that we cannot see. That is why prayer becomes so difficult, such a battle, because that is where spiritual warfare is fought: not against the people campaigning for a lawless society, but against the forces behind those people, the powers pulling the puppet strings tied to those people.

Ephesians 3:7-9

3:7

I became – specific point in time when he decided? Was drafted? Drawn into?

servant – do the will of another; not my will but yours; softer word but similar concept to “prisoner” above

of the gospel – serving no a person but a message of good news; the Person is of course contained in the message and earlier Paul already identified himself as a prisoner of Christ Jesus; but here he is bound in servitude to the message

by the gift – freely bestowed, something he did not previously have, but now it is his and he can put it to use

of God’s grace – not only free, but also empowering, enabling to do God’s will

given me – triple emphasis on free gift

through – agency, by means of

the working of his power – double emphasis on energy, exertion. But this is not human power; it is God’s power working in and through Paul.

3:8

Although – in spite of the fact that …

less than the least – not inferiority, but least deserving in light of formerly having persecuted; I have not persecuted His followers, but I need to keep mindful of how I have dragged His name through the mud. Not to obsess about that, but keep it in mind so as to keep mindful of how undeserving I am of His grace.

of all God’s people – Healthy realization of the offenses he committed against our almighty, holy God. Well, I have not persecuted believers. But I have certainly given cause for his name to be slandered. I can either wallow in regret and shame or rejoice in his gifted grace that enables me to be a servant of the Gospel.

this grace – grace for a specific task

to preach – proclaim, announce, spread the word

to the Gentiles – a different people group for whom God specifically prepared him and motivated him. Now God empowers Paul with His grace for this particular service.

the unsearchable – beyond measure, bottomless pit

riches of Christ – Rich in material things, yes, but more: Mercy, grace, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control, compassion, strength, et al.

3:9

and to make plain – in addition to preaching, this grace also enabled him to teach, clarify, instruct

to everyone – preach to Gentiles but make plain to everyone

the administration [NLT = mysterious plan] – operation, organization, how God’s plan works, how the pieces fit together

of this mystery – not immediately plain, the clues are in the OT, but a person has to go back and look again to recognize them and discover the solution to the mystery

which for ages past – at least since Abraham

was kept hidden – these are the clues interlaced through OT

who created all things – Creation ex nihilo

Ephesians 3:1-6

NOTE: The first portion of chapter 3 involves a reconstruction of Paul's status and vision as an apostle. So I have gone through this portion rather quickly.

3:1

For this reason – Because the two have been made one; because the two-made-one is the dwelling place of our holy God; because this is all done in Christ, ergo …

I, Paul, the prisoner – More than one sense of the prisoner. Consensus that Paul was in prison as he wrote this letter. But more than that, he is held captive by the claims of Christ on his life.

of Christ Jesus – He is a prisoner belonging to, owned by, Christ Jesus. Prisoner IN a Roman jail; but owned, albeit willingly, by Christ Jesus. While Rome restricted his movements to a cell or a jail or house arrest or whatever, it was Christ Jesus who ultimately controlled his movements. Am I there? No. Do I want to come to that point? Yes, but it feels scary.

for the sake of – on behalf of, for the benefit of

you Gentiles – the irreligious, whose background was so extremely different from that of Paul.

3:2

Surely – no doubt

you have heard – either from Paul himself or by word of mouth

about the administration [NLT= special responsibility of extending] – God grants grace freely, but how can we ask if we haven’t been told? God gave Paul the mission of proclaiming, announcing the good news of God’s grace to Gentile world.

for you – on your behalf, for your benefit

3:3

that is – to clarify

the mystery – not a riddle to be solved but a secret to be revealed

made known to me by revelation – God opened Paul/Saul’s eyes of the heart to see what was in Scripture all along.

3:4

my insight – God gave Paul special understanding of Scripture. Traditional interpretation had become so convoluted that God’s message was hidden.

the mystery of Christ – cf. v. 6

3:5

was not made known – God deliberately obscured this message from most people in the past; only a few saw partial glimpses

as it has now been revealed – the veil has been lifted, fog dispelled, clearly exposed

by the Spirit – Holy Spirit communicating to, communing with, inspiring the spirits of His messengers

to God’s holy apostles and prophets – message is for all; but apostles and prophets get special insight in order to communicate with others

3:6

This mystery is – now we come near to the heart of Paul’s theology, i.e., his doctrine of the Church

through the gospel – I would have expected him to say “through Christ.” While the gospel is the message, the good news of Christ, it is not Christ himself. There is something about the message itself that effects the ensuing benefits.

Gentiles – see previous discussions regarding Jew/Gentile; Religious/Irreligious

are – present tense; current, already achieved and ongoing condition

heirs together – recipients of all the blessings promised to Israel and the faith children of Abraham. Not second class citizens

members together – without the Gentiles, the Irreligious believers, the Body of Christ would be incomplete

of one body – interdependence

sharers together – on par with believing Israelites. Each needs the other to receive

promise in Christ Jesus – God promised; that cannot change

Ephesians 2:20-22

2:20

built – constructed, past participle; so already erected. The figurative structure housing God’s household has already been created. We have now been brought into the household to fulfill our responsibilities and roles. Paul mixes metaphors here. In v. 19, we are God’s household. That refers to the people within the building. Now he shifts (sorta) to the image of the house itself. Or this could be seen as another figure of speech illustrating the people within.

on the foundation – solid basis, the underground base on which the structure stands and rises

of the apostles – those commissioned by Jesus

and prophets – primarily refers to the OT figures, but the office of prophet was clearly also functioning in the NT era

with Christ Jesus … chief cornerstone – all the rest of the structure—the house and the household—orients from and finds position and purpose in relation to where Jesus Christ is and what Christ Jesus is doing and what Christ Jesus HAS done.

2:21

In him – How many times in two chapters has Paul tied everything into Christ?

the whole – entirety, complete, no part unconnected

building – figurative imagery to picture an organic whole, an organism of believers: church, Kingdom of God, fellowship of believers, koinwnia

is joined – present participle, accomplished fact; current condition, we who follow Christ are already connected to Him and with each other, whether we like it or not, whether we realize it or not. I recall a telephone conversation with a local pastor. I asked him if there would be a time or context when I could present the needs of the persecuted church. He asked me one question, trying to assess exactly which kind of Christians (read denominations) we worked with. Before I finished my first sentence, he interrupted to say, “I’m sorry, but we will not be working together.” I thought later, that whether he wants to work together or not, we are working together, because the agency I represent (VOM) works with all denominations who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. So we are helping this pastor’s denomination and therefore working together, in spite of his not wanting us to cooperate. The Kingdom of God, the Household of God, is already joined as a Body, whether we recognize that or not.

together – arm in arm, if one is attacked we all are attacked

and – in addition to previous; another effect for the Household of God of being “in him”

rises – present progressive; while joined has already been achieved in the past and continues as a present condition, here “rises” describes an ongoing process of rising, growing higher, bigger more magnificent

to become – in process of becoming, future or ongoing achievement

a holy temple – This fellowship of believers, represented by the imagery of a building, is the dwelling place of our holy God. This is not merely another social gathering. How can I contribute to the sense of God’s holy presence in our gatherings?

in the Lord – again reminded that we do not achieve this on our own, but God has accomplished the joining and continues to produce the rising or growth, doing this in Christ Jesus.

2:22

And in him – in addition to the big picture version of all Christ’s followers becoming a magnificent holy temple …

you too – the Ephesians specifically, and our individual fellowships by inference

are being built together – still a work in progress; different groups within the Ephesian church were still being fitted into a whole

to become – not yet fully realized, but this is the aim

a dwelling – local church is not the magnificent holy temple pictured in v. 21. But it is nevertheless a dwelling …

in which God lives by his Spirit – God living in our local church makes it just as much a holy place as is the holy temple of v. 21, which represents the universal church. Having grown up in the church as a pastor’s kid, having pastored myself as well, and having lived in an apartment that was part of the church building, I need this reminder that the church is the dwelling place of our holy God. True, he is talking more particularly about the fellowship, the people, than the building. True, at that time there were few if any buildings identified as churches. Still, in our society, the building represents the fellowship. And I would do well to remember that whether I meet with believers during the week or on Sunday for worship, the places where we meet are holy because the structures and the relationships are the dwelling place of our holy God.

Ephesians 2:17-19

2:17

He – He, God of the universe, Creator, Guide, Adonai, the One, et al.,

came – Perhaps the most remarkable statement in history. This is more than a physical coming, although that is definitely true as well. When visitors come to my home, that is peer to peer visitation. No humbling involved then. But when “He came,” He transcended both the metaphysical barrier between His home and mine, as well as the spiritual barrier between His glory there and His humility here.

and preached – both in words and in action, attitude and spirit, He proclaimed. Not only as invitation, but also as announcement

peace – right relations between individuals or groups, although in this case between humankind and God the Father

to you who were far away – Non-religious and other-religious. I picture my friends from India, converts from Hinduism, who testify to finally finding peace with God.

and … to those who were near – We/I knew all the words of religious Christian practice, but did not know the peace. Now I wonder if I have grown so accustomed to this peace that I no longer recognize it. Or have I grown away from Him and this causes my unawareness of peace? I’m inclined to the former, but often wish for assurance.

2:18

For – Reason for above is found in what follows

through him – Means by which this is accomplished is Jesus Christ—His person and work

we both – Jew and Gentile, Religious and Irreligious and Other-religious

have access – Privilege of entry. This shocking statement counterpoints the opening of v. 17, “He came.” If it is incredible that He came, it is every bit as amazing that we have access. The Religious tend to lose sight of how astounding this is. I often succumb to the feeling that I am good enough to come into God’s presence. That very attitude—if nothing else—makes me unworthy. The Irreligious either gave up hope of access or lost desire for access.

to the father – To call Him Father here, instead of King or Majesty, moves the statement from amazing to intimate, which is somewhat incongruous. How incredible is that? The King who dwells in unapproachable light adopts us in and through Christ. He thereby changes the way we see Him. While He is still King of kings, we now see Him as Father.

by one Spirit – Paul is setting the stage to urge these Christian believers to live in unity.

2:19

Consequently – as a result of the foregoing

you are – present tense condition of Gentiles, Non-Christian-background believers

no longer – change in status, enjoy new position and condition and relationship with God and with God’s people

foreigners and aliens – unaccustomed to native ways; learn new language, customs and lifestyle

but – contrasting reality

fellow citizens – may not know the idioms, stories and customs, but still you are fellow citizens, with full rights and responsibilities, equal par with those who grew up in church

with God’s people – specifically the Jews as pictured by Paul, but as I’ve noted, this applies to those of us who were in church before we were born

and members – belonging, have an equal role with rights and responsibilities

of God’s household – household members have responsibilities. So with members of God’s household. Gentile/Irreligious converts also carry responsibilities in His household.

Ephesians 2:15-16

2:15

by – agency, i.e., how Jesus made the two one and how He destroyed the barrier is explained in the following

abolishing – total destruction, similar to “destroyed” in v. 14, but feels stronger; no trace is left of the former barrier

in his flesh – physically, by becoming human, by dying a human death, by the extreme physical suffering that prefaced His death

the law – the list of do’s and don’t’s

with its commandments and regulations – Yet Jesus said not one stroke of the Law would pass away. Somehow, I/we need to keep a balance between two extremes: Brought into God’s family totally by grace through faith, having no connection with my behavior. At the same time, the Law stands and God calls me to live by standards He has written on my heart.

His purpose – reason, motivation, desired result

was to create – make something completely new

in himself – Not possible outside the work and community of Christ

one new man – Since he’s writing about plural groups of people, the question rises: What does Paul mean by “one new man”? New entity, organism, being? Or does he mean an individual person who is neither Jew nor Gentile, but Christian instead? I like the latter view. It calls me to make no distinction—in Christ’s community—between this background and that.

out of the two – Wherever I see divisions in the Body of Christ, I must work to make the two one.

thus making peace – right relations between two parties who were formerly at odds.

2:16

and – additional part of His purpose

in this one body – It is impressive how often Paul ties everything into our group unity in and connection with Christ

to reconcile ... to God – heal the estrangement, the enmity

...both... – whether from religious or irreligious background, both sides of equation need reconciliation to God. This is achieved together, in the unity of the Body of Christ. We do not arrive at reconciliation with God in solitude, only in community.

through the cross – suffering, paying penalty. Death on the cross achieved more than paying for my/our sin. It also achieved reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles (religious and irreligious) as well as reconciliation between us and God.

by which – the cross was the means enabling Christ to …

he - Jesus Christ, God the Son

put to death – increasing intensity: “destroy” (v. 14), “abolishing” (v. 15), now “put to death” (v. 16). Suggests finality

their hostility – enmity, estrangement, suspicion, opposition

Ephesians 2:13-14

2:13

But now – contrast from separated, et al., and also distinct from what was termed “formerly”

in Christ Jesus – All the change has been achieved IN Christ Jesus

you who were once – past tense, at one time, former condition

far away – spiritually distant from the things of God

have been brought – present perfect, event completed in the past which continues to the present

near – contrast to separated, excluded and foreigners

through – agency, by means of

the blood of Christ – He shed His blood to bring me near, to reconcile me to God the Father. In the OT, men placed their hands on a sacrificial animal. By faith they transferred their sins to that sacrifice. As it was slain, the temple worker caught the blood and threw it on the altar. This faith act by the OT man led to the forgiveness of his sins and his reconciliation to God—his being brought near through the blood. The NT continues this imagery with Christ as the sacrificial lamb. With all the words and imagery, I still sometimes struggle to believe that all I have to do is place my hands—by faith—on Jesus Christ and God will bring me near. What amazing grace!

2:14

For – The following provides the reason or basis for the above

he himself – emphatic repetition

is – present tense, ongoing

our peace – right relationships between two groups. This could refer to our right relation with God. But in this context it addresses the relationships between two groups of people with different backgrounds and therefore different world views.

has made – present perfect tense, already accomplished fact established in the past and effective to the present

the two one – Paul is talking about the former division between Gentiles and Jews having been resolved in Christ. But the principle applies to any relational division of people who claim to be in Christ.

and has destroyed [NLT: when...he broke down] – present perfect tense again. It was accomplished in the past and continues today. Demolished, obliterated, exploded, removed

the barrier – For Jews vis-à-vis Gentiles, that barrier was the Law. Today it is “the list” of do’s and don’t’s that contribute to religious people giving an attitude of superiority.

dividing wall – why the repetition? For emphasis?

of hostility – does my religiousness convey superiority? Does that contribute to
hostility from those who were far off from Christ?

Ephesians 2:11-12

2:11

Therefore – Because of the gift of salvation, and because that gift has a divinely ordained purpose, then as a result the following is true:

remember – bring to mind, keep this in mind

that formerly – in my previous condition; this speaks to a point at which my life changed from the previous lifestyle to how I am now called to live

you who are Gentiles – Those born into non-religious homes

by birth – through no choice of their own

called “uncircumcised” – treated as inferior, unclean

by those who call themselves – claim to be, whether true or not

“the circumcision” – claims of attitude of superiority

(that done … of men) – Paul frequently distinguishes between physical circumcision versus spiritual/heart circumcision

2:12

at that time – the former time. To a degree this applies to us all, whether born in a Christian home or in a non-religious one. As a pastor’s kid, I certainly had the religious context for my upbringing. But I still look back at a former time and by God’s grace, I see a different person now.

you were separate from Christ – There was a gulf between Christ and me.

excluded – While “separate” simply describes a current condition, in a passive sense, “excluded” goes to the next step: Someone has taken specific action to cause my separation, to set me aside from the elite.

from citizenship in Israel – In spite of growing up in a Christian home, I was prevented from enjoying the benefits of citizenship: Benefits include right or privilege of coming to the King with my petitions, enjoying the full blessings of the kingdom.

and foreigners – I did not speak the language or grasp the customs of the citizens. Granted, I said the words that all my religious friends used. But the significance, the meaning of those terms escaped me. I simply echoed the sounds without the understanding.

to the covenants of the promise – the whole concept of a contractual agreement between the infinite, holy God and finite, sinful people was foreign, alien to me. I still thought I had to keep earning His favor.

without hope – Hopeless, no vision for the future, no prospect of improvement. I kept trying, not realizing the futility of my situation.

without God – Godless. That is a frightening way to say it. True, there is a general sense in which God is with all humankind. But in the more particular sense, I received little to no help or strength from Him. (I’m referring to the “former time”.)

in the world – If I was hopeless and Godless, then I was left at the mercy of the world, those beings who oppose God. That means, at the mercy not only of godless humans, but also of anti-god spirits.

Ephesians 2:8-10

2:8

For – what follows gives the reasons/bases for the foregoing

it is by grace – This gifting of my salvation remains a difficult proposition. I have slandered and tarnished the name of Christ so horribly. I have done things I cannot bring myself to admit to anyone. And I have stood the next day to lead worship and preach from God’s holy Word. I should not even be alive now, much less to have the hope of salvation by any means. But when I face the truth of this verse, it just stops me in my tracks.

you have been – past tense, already accomplished

saved – From hell, yes. But more: Saved from a life of shame, self-degradation. Does it also save me from a life of failure and futility? It has raised me out of the pit of bitterness and all its tentacles already. What more will he save me from?

through faith – Seeing the invisible, what cannot be seen; touching the intangible, what cannot be handled. Faith is given; I must exercise, employ, apply it

and – added thought

this – What is the antecedent of “this”? Grace? Saved? Faith? All of the above? I asked Nancy about the antecedent (She is an expert in grammar). She said it refers to “saved”. But it is also true that all three are gifts—not from, by or of myself, but only from God.

not from yourselves – Even having preached this concept so many times, I still confess the tendency to think and act contrarily. If my salvation is totally from God, why do I doubt him?

it is the gift – Sometimes we redundantly say “free gift.” But I need that redundant emphasis. I act/think like I have to do something for the gift.

2:9

not by works – Still we are called to do good works. But Paul teaches that good works come from God’s gift of faith (see Romans 1)

so that – consequence

no one can boast – I am not at this place. At least I think I am not here.

2:10

For – Reason for the foregoing, i.e., gift of salvation

we - collectively

are - present tense, even to this day I and we collectively continue to be...

God’s workmanship – Artistic creation, rather than me working to please God, He has worked to create us

created in Christ Jesus – Plural pronouns before and after this phrase recall the group aspect to our calling. In a sense, I am God’s workmanship. But this passage says we—not just I—are God’s creation in Christ Jesus.

to do – created for a purpose

good works – Our/my good works are the result of God’s work in us/me, not vice-versa

which – viz., the good works

God prepared – He still has a plan for us/me

in advance – sounds redundant, but it emphasizes the aspect of planning

for us to do – Again, it is not just a matter of me doing something, but rather

us—the body of Christ—doing what God planned for us to do.

Ephesians 2:6-7

2:6

And – Second in the trio of things God did

raised us up – In each of the three, God literally did the act in Christ; but Paul sees a parallel benefit for me/us. Here he distinguishes between being made alive and raised up. An infant is alive, but lacks the strength to rise up. Other analogies come to mind. Perhaps this is what Paul has in mind: God not only gave me new life with Christ, but he also gave me the strength to live this new life.

and – third act of God, that he did for us with Christ

seated with him – This has to do with authority. Christ is seated on the throne in heaven. I still/often tend to see myself struggling under the oppression of the enemy forces. I need to see myself as already seated in authority with Christ

in the heavenly realms – God has been showing me that we live in two realms already. What I do physically both reflects and also influences what takes place in the unseen realm of spiritual warfare.

2:7

in order that – God did these three things in/to/for us with Christ for the purpose of the following

in the coming ages – this could refer to the next phase of earth’s history after the return of Christ. But I think it also refers to the span of time from Paul’s writing the letter onward. So it includes the present age

he might show – God would be able to demonstrate

the incomparable riches – beyond comparison, immeasurable wealth

of his grace – How could I take advantage of this wealth of grace? In one respect, that is a rhetorical question: We cannot take advantage of it in the sense of exhausting it or endangering its supply. In another sense, it is not rhetorical: I take advantage of His grace by presuming that whatever I do, no matter how I live, God will always make alive, raise up, and seat me with Christ. But Paul refers to these acts in the past tense. So God has already done these in/for me. How dare I presume to keep coming back for more? Yes, if/when I slip, His grace is sufficient. But the devious conniving to which I am prone actually cheapens this immeasurable wealth of grace.

expressed – made known, revealed

in his kindness – mercy, tenderness, a mother’s heart

to us in Christ Jesus – all of these blessings are available to me in Christ Jesus. But not available apart from Him.

Ephesians 2:4-5

2:4

But – contrast, what came before ended in God’s wrath toward us sinners. Now Paul will contrast that wrath with God’s love.

because of – as a result of, the reason for this change is to follow

his great love – Usually Bible describes God’s acts of love or (as here) His motive of love. But I John says He IS love. All three are true. This verse gives the reason/motive/driving force behind His actions.

for us – Here the “us” includes both groups described in verses 1 – 3

God, who – He is a Person, but more: He is the Almighty Person, the only Holy Person, the Always Present Person; unable to look on sin yet His love finds expression in this mercy…

is – present tense, ongoing characteristic

rich – abundant supply

in mercy – granting benefits and good that we do not deserve

2:5

made us – collectively, all who are in Christ

alive – gave us life. Physically, He gave everyone life. But this speaks of a different life, i.e., spiritual life, life in the Spirit, or as Jesus said, “Abundant life.” Have I become so accustomed to this “abundant life” that I no longer recognize its abundance?

with Christ – Why does he say “with” instead of “in”? Was I given this life at the same time when God raised Christ from the dead? As opposed to giving me life when I came into Christ? In either case, I/we cannot have this life apart from Christ. At the same time, I note that the pronouns are all plural. This is not an individualistic event. All who are in Christ, all collectively, have been made alive with Christ.

even when – in spite of the fact that, contrary to the condition of our natural state

we – all of us

were – past tense

dead – no spiritual life, insensate, unaware

in transgressions [NLT: because of our sins] – any crossing of the line. How many times have I crossed the line? Too many to count

it is by – agency, source of this change, means by which this change is effected

grace – cf. above; not just undeserved favor, but more: undeserved favor that produces a faithful, faith-filled, faith life, a changed life, saying No to ungodliness and Yes to godliness (Titus).

you have been – already accomplished

saved – delivered from bondage of sin; more than saved from hell, though that is also part of the benefit.

Ephesians 2:3

2:3

All - No exceptions

of us also – Not only you, viz., Gentiles, i.e., born in unbelieving homes, but also “us,” viz., Jews, i.e., raised in believing homes. Even though I was raised in a Christian home, I still find myself in the foregoing description: dead, following the ways of the world, etc.

lived – pattern of behavior

among them – i.e. the ways of the world

at one time – in the past

gratifying – seeking to please

cravings – urges, passions, impulses, that which I though would make me happy

sinful nature – Within me there was/is that which rises up and seeks to please self instead of pleasing, honoring, glorifying God. Instead, this element within me seeks to please, honor, glorify self.

and – in addition to and on par with “gratifying”

following – obeying. We all obey something greater than self. It’s like a nose ring tied to a chain that pulls me where it wants to go and I just follow blindly

its desires – wants, goals, pleasures

and thoughts – whatever idea pops into my mind

Like the rest – no difference between me from a Christian home and children born to atheist family

we – both groups

were – past tense. Writing to Christian converts; so that lifestyle pattern belongs to the past

by nature – born this way, woven into who we are/were

objects of wrath – intense anger from God. He hates the sin and as long as I/we live(d) in that pattern, God had no alternative but to expend His intense anger.

Ephesians 2:1-2

2:1

As for you – Sharp change in tone; preparing to show similarities and contrasts between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians

dead – no life, no awareness or sensation, unresponsive, beyond hope

in – location, where; NLT = because of – as a result

your – my, not Adam’s, but my

transgression – crossing the line, testing the limits

and sins – this seems to me to be more deliberate than transgressions. There is a reason he lists both transgressions as well as sins. The former seems milder in nature, perhaps unintentional or resulting from neglect, while “sins” seems more deliberate and akin to rebellion.

2:2

in which – figuratively where; condition of life you used to live – this was my lifestyle

when – at that former time

you followed – I followed; we think we are liberated when we “do our own thing.” But really we are following the ways of this world – What sources do I still allow to lead me into the ways of this world? I still watch too much TV. Thank You for the sensitivity to avoid some of its garbage. But I invite You to speak to me about more. What else is there that still pulls me away?

and – these go together

the ruler of the kingdom of the air – code phrase for Satan/accuser or Devil/enemy. No distinction between “the ways of the world and “ruler of the kingdom of the air.” I easily forget that “the world” is the working, the expression of the Devil’s leading. To follow the former is to follow the latter.

the spirit – we don’t see him with our natural eyes; but he is there all the same

who - personhood; living being

is now at work – present, ongoing tense

in those who are - present tense

disobedient – whenever I disobey, I align myself with God’s enemy. And God’s enemy is my enemy.

Ephesians 1:22-23

1:22

God placed – God the Father takes the initiative

all things – all creation: people and things

under his feet – under Christ’s feet; this takes His exaltation to the next logical step: dominion and submission. Jesus Christ, God the Son, not only lives to be the most honored (exalted), but also reigns and rules and exercises authority. Corresponding to this comes submission of everyone and everything to His authority. This is what I picture in the phrase “under his feet.” Old Testament kings sometimes are shown placing their feet on the heads of their defeated foes. Perhaps Paul has in mind the rebellious enemies of Christ who will be forced to submit.

That thought takes me back to the verb tense, “placed.” The past tense verb says that God has already done this. So all things are already under the authority and rulership of Christ. Have already been placed under…

and – 4 things God did for His Son: Raised Him, Seated Him [exalted], placed all under Him [authority], and now appointed

appointed – named

head – decision maker, center of thought, initiative

over everything – no exceptions; even in areas of my life where I struggle to yield, He is head in spite of my not yielding

for – on behalf of; NLT = for the benefit of

the church – Is this a shocking statement? The resurrection, exaltation, authority and dominion of God the Son, Jesus Christ was all done by God the Father for the benefit of the church! I’m not sure how this squares with other places where everything seems to be done for the glory of God the Father or the glory of God or Christ. But maybe the two are not mutually exclusive. For if the church is truly the Church, truly the Body of Christ, then whatever benefits the church does in fact bring glory to Christ who is God and gives glory to the Father. Still it seems somewhat of a surprise to see that all this is done for the benefit of the church.

1:23

is his body – Originally the paragraph above read "Bride of Christ." But I went back and changed “Bride of Christ” to “Body of Christ” because of this verse. Principle still stands

fullness – completion, embodiment, body without head is lifeless, head without body is lifeless and purposeless. But fullness says more: I’m not sure what more, but this is a weak guess: The body fills him. (I wanted to say “completes” but felt uneasy). On the other hand, if the Greek is teleos, then Paul is thinking of purpose, ultimate end. But that does not fit with the closing phrase

who fills – word used here and preceding is pleroma [I've been trying to avoid consulting commentaries and such and just letting the Word speak to me, but I finally had to look this one up]. So this is not talking about ultimate purpose, but completion or “filling the contents of” [Strong’s]. So what we have is a mystery: The church fills the contents of the One who fills the contents of everything in every way. I don’t understand this. But partly it seems to suggest the kind of holy union of which marriage is supposed to represent. Husband and wife become/are made one. Husband and wife each feels like the other completes oneself. Perhaps this verse is suggesting something of the same holy union between Christ and the church?

Ephesians 1:21-22

1:21

far above – As if to emphasize the supremacy of Christ; already portrayed at the right hand of God; emphasizes nothing and no one else even comes close to the exaltation of Christ

rule … given – scholars can discuss nuanced differences of these terms. For me, Paul simply is trying to encompass every possibility of authority figure whether in this earthly realm or in the heavenly realm

present age … one to come – expansion on previous to include time factors as well as the physical-spiritual continuum.

1:22

God placed – God the Father takes the initiative

all things – all creation: people and things

under his feet – under Christ’s feet; this takes His exaltation to the next logical step: dominion and submission. Jesus Christ, God the Son, not only lives to be the most honored (exalted), but also reigns and rules and exercises authority. Corresponding to this comes submission of everyone and everything to His authority. This is what I picture in the phrase “under his feet.” Old Testament kings sometimes are shown placing their feet on the heads of their defeated foes. Perhaps Paul has in mind the rebellious enemies of Christ who will be forced to submit.

That thought takes me back to the verb tense, “placed.” The past tense verb says that God has already done this. So all things are already under the authority and rulership of Christ. Have already been placed under…

and – 4 things God did for His Son: Raised Him, Seated Him [exalted], placed all under Him [authority], and now appointed

appointed – named

head – decision maker, center of thought, initiative

over everything – no exceptions; even in areas of my life where I struggle to yield, He is head in spite of my not yielding

for – on behalf of; NLT = for the benefit of

the church – Is this a shocking statement? The resurrection, exaltation, authority and dominion of God the Son, Jesus Christ was all done by God the Father for the benefit of the church! I’m not sure how this squares with other places where everything seems to be done for the glory of God the Father or the glory of God or Christ. But maybe the two are not mutually exclusive. For if the church is truly the Church, truly the Body of Christ, then whatever benefits the church does in fact bring glory to Christ who is God and gives glory to the Father. Still it seems somewhat of a surprise to see that all this is done for the benefit of the church.