Day 1 Introduction to the Text Ephesians 4:1-6

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1 Day 1 Introduction to the Text Ephesians 4:1-6 In the first three chapters of Ephesians, Paul lays the theological foundation for the new creation brought about by God. God devised a plan from the very beginning of time to redeem His people. At the center of His plan is the Lord Jesus Christ through whom He secured His people s redemption. In redeeming His people, God created a new community whose identity is no longer based on being Jew or Gentile, but instead, is grounded in Jesus Christ through union with Him in His death and resurrection. With this new community of believers, God is actually forming a new temple which He indwells with his Spirit. With these great truths in mind, Paul now moves on to chapters 4-6 to exhort believers to live in a way that demonstrates their new identity, community, and relationship with Jesus Christ through their relationships with each other. In the first of these exhortations, Paul urges believers to maintain unity within the body of believers. Why does Paul start with maintaining unity? Because anytime you bring two diametrically opposed cultures together, tension between the two groups is bound to develop. Through the Law of Moses, God instructed the Jews how to live in covenant relationship with Him. God s instructions required the Jews to live a way contrary to the nations around them. The different ways of living resulted in hostility between the Jews and Gentiles. But through the blood of Christ, God broke down the dividing wall, removed the hostility, and made the two into one new man by reconciling both Jew and Gentile through the cross (Eph 2:13-16). Thus, God established unity between Jew and Gentile believers through His Spirit. Now Paul calls believers to maintain that unity. But how are they to do it? Preserving this unity is possible through appropriating social virtues that will quell tensions that could surface in any set of human relationships. This unity is essential and possible because of the common faith that believers share (Arnold, 226). Our common faith is in one God who exists in perfect relationship among three persons: God the Holy Spirit (v4), God the Son (v5), and God the Father (v6). Scripture Memory: Ephesians 4:1-3 1

2 Day 2 Observe the Text Read Ephesians 4: What did Paul implore the Ephesian Christians to do? (v1) 2. What three virtues does Paul emphasize to foster unity among Christians? (v2) 3. What are Christians supposed to show each other and how are they to do it? (v2) 4. What does Paul implore the Ephesian Christians to preserve and how are they to do it? (v3) 5. According to Paul, what are the seven elements of Christian unity? (vv4-6) 2

3 Day 3 Interpret the Text Read Ephesians 4:1-6 again Verse 1: Therefore The force of the inferential conjunction therefore (οὖν) reaches all the way back to the introductory blessing and all that Paul has said in between. This includes such identity-forming truths as the fact that they have been brought near to God by the blood of Jesus Christ, that they (Jews and Gentiles) together form one new person in Christ, that they are the new covenant temple that God fills with his presence, that they have been made alive with Christ and are joined to him in his resurrection and exaltation, that they have been saved and redeemed from every form of evil, and many more. On this basis, then, Paul appeals to them about changing their behavior and patterns of conduct. In Paul s thought, and especially in Ephesians, a changed life comes before good behavior. The new identity in Christ is what produces the good works (Arnold, 228). I implore you Although this verb is often used in the sense of comfort (e.g., Matt 2:18; 2 Cor 1:4; Eph 6:22; Col 2:2), here the meaning is clearly exhort in the sense of appealing to them to adopt a certain set of behaviors consistent with their new identity in Christ ( ). to walk in a manner worthy To walk worthily is a comprehensive expression that encompasses how people live in every aspect of their daily lives. Walking is an OT and Jewish metaphor for conduct (see comment on 2:2). Paul used the same expression in his exhortations to the Colossians and the Thessalonians (Col 1:10; 1 Thess 2:12) (229). Verse 2: with all humility and gentleness, with patience First, Paul appeals for humility (tapeinophrosynē, GK 5425), a noun conveying lowliness or a humble position a quality not valued among the Greek world, which detested hints of servility. It may be translated also as modesty (BDAG, 989) and often occurs in a list of similar virtues (cf. Col 3:12). To this trait and the next Paul attaches the word pasēs ( all, completely ), as though to emphasize that a touch of these will not suffice. The second trait to embrace is (complete) gentleness (prautētos, GK 4559), sometimes rendered as meekness, or mildness, though these sound too passive. BDAG, 861, nicely defines it as the quality of not being overly impressed by a sense of one s self- 3

4 importance. Also a trait of Jesus (2 Co 10:1) and a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22 23), this quality does not suggest weakness but characterizes the person who does not need to assert or dominate and is not touchy, resentful, or retaliatory. To this Paul adds patience (makrothymia, GK 3429) as the third trait. A more precise translation may be steadfast or long-suffering the ability to bear up or persevere under difficult circumstances. This virtue characterizes God himself (the adjectival form, usually translated slow to anger, is found in the LXX: Ex 34:6; Nu 14:18) and is also a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22) (Klein, 106). Verse 3: the unity of the Spirit The unity of the Spirit, which is to be preserved, is not the fact that there is one Spirit: that fact cannot be affected by anything that human beings do. But the one Spirit, in whom believers are baptized into one body, imparts unity to those who are thus baptized: as fellowmembers of the one body, they should live in unity one with another (Bruce, 334). Verse 4: one body and one Spirit Clearly Paul refers to the universal church here, for obviously he knew of many local churches. Possession of the Spirit is the common experience of all Christians. The Spirit promotes unity. Factions, splits, and disharmony always derive from other sources (Klein, 108). Verse 5: one Lord, one faith, one baptism It is not difficult to understand why one faith and one baptism are attached to one Lord : he is the object of his people s faith (Eph. 3:12) and it is into him that they have been baptized (Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27). The one faith is not their common body of belief it is their common belief in Christ (Bruce, 336). Verse 6: one God His confession of the one God reflects the central Jewish conviction of monotheism as set forth in the Shema (Deut 6:4) and confessed by Jews throughout the Second Temple period (e.g., Josephus, Ant. 3.91; 4.201; 5.97; 8.343). The OT also spoke of God as the Father of his people (e.g., Deut 32:6; Isa. 63:16), but not to the degree that characterizes the NT. This is due largely to the distinctive teaching of the new covenant that God is near, accessible, and with his people (Eph 2:13) (Arnold, 236). 4

5 Read Ephesians 4:1-6 one more time. Day 4 Apply the Text 1. How would you describe your relationship with other Christians? 2. Of the three virtues Paul mentions in verse 2, which one comes the easiest to you and why? Which one is the most difficult for you and why? 3. How can the Spirit help us to maintain the bond of peace with others in our church? 4. Paul says that there is one body (v4) and one faith (v5). In what ways has the modern church lost sight of these two elements of Christian unity? 5

6 Day 5 Implement the Text Review and reflect on your study of the passage 1. What one virtue do you plan to work on in your character? 2. How do you need to show humility, gentleness, and patience in dealing with a difficult relationship this week? 3. How will you work better at maintaining peace with others God has put in your life? 6

7 Bibliography Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from the New American Standard Bible, 1995 Update. Arnold, Clinton E. Ephesians. Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, Bruce, F. F. The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Klein, William W. Ephesians. In The Expositor s Bible Commentary: Ephesians Philemon (Revised Edition), edited by Tremper Longman III and David E. Garland, Vol. 12. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan,

8 Sermon Notes