Ephesians 1 paul, an apostle of christ jesus by the. The common greek preposition en seems to be used in one of two senses. Study ephesians 6 using matthew henry bible commentary complete to better understand scripture with full outline and verse meaning. Therefore, biblical exegesis should be the intellectual enzyme that transforms the stupor of our worldly and futile affections into a deep and glad and living hope.
Ephesians 6 commentary, one of over 110 bible commentaries freely available, this commentary, originally published in four parts, is a digest of vatious readings and marginal references. The book is quite similar in many ways to colossians, but that book places more emphasis on the work of christ, where this book emphasizes more the involvement of the church. That the exegesis which makes signify heavenly things cannot be borne out, but is wholly against the idiom of the epistle. This is a reason why saints should be strong in the lord, and why they should put on the whole armour of god, and prepare for battle, since their enemies are such as here described. Expository notes schaffs new testament commentary expositors greek. Ephesians chapter 6 is one of the most thorough treatments of the spiritual war in the new testament, it is but one of many texts which sheds light on this subject. Satan and his forces are real, evil, and powerful 6.
During the 12 th century ad the city dissolved and became a sight of ruins at the hands of the turks. All should be strong in the lord, and be armed with his armor, because of. Children should obey their parents, that they may live long and be happy, ephesians 6. This verse tells us that our warfare is against demons, and theyangels who rose up against godlook upon us as invaders. Read commentary on this popular bible verse and understand the real meaning behind gods word using john gills exposition of the bible.
Hildebrand, of the briercrest bible institute, caronport, saskatchewan, he pointed out to me that the book of acts, chapters 6, 7, and 8, suggests three ways by which the devil tries to hinder the work of the lord. The main idea is to be strong in the lord and in his mighty power so you can stand in the face of spiritual warfare. We must be faithful to god the only true master of all creation and clothe ourselves in the armour of his church and word. In military strategy, it is fatal to underestimate the strength of the enemy. In it diabolus the devil has taken it and the battle rages as the prince emmanuel works to recapture it. Click the verse number to read commentary, definitions, meanings, and notes for that particular ephesians 1 verse. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities. My reaction to looking at this list of groups in ephesians 6.
Many of our masters are evil, malevolent creatures under lucifers control. This is a reason why saints should be strong in the lord, and why they should put on the whole armour of god, and prepare for battle, since their enemies are such as. The focus of the story was the capture of a city called mansoul. Do not use the titles in this packet or in your bible. The great duty of children is, to obey their parents. Date the letter states several times that it was written while paul was in prison 3. Nov 12, 2019 dissensiondiversiondestruction for we wrestle. Ephesians chapter 6 verse by verse bible commentary. Everything in these three chapters spells out what is involved in christians walking worthily of their calling. The lord provides apostles, prophets, evangelists and pastorteachers. T he book of ephesians is 6 chapters of solid christian teachings. He wrote the book of ephesians sometime between ad 6062 when he was imprisoned in rome 3.
O give me that book at any price, give me the book of god from the preface of sermons on several occasions by john wesley, originally published in 1771. For example, if you knew that magic was an important practice in the firstcentury graecoroman world, which was used to protect oneself from evil spirits, and you were writing an exegetical paper on ephesians, you would probably want to consult ephesians, power, and magic. And masters should treat their servants with humanity, ephesians 6. Martyrs wrote it and others have suffered intensely for their faithfulness to it. I have included this argument to demonstrate how ephesians 4. This page explains how god enables his people to grow and become a strong a glorious church exuding christs love. Our churches, nations, families and friends are in mortal and spiritual peril. Here air is understood to be the zone between earth and the heavens which is inhabited and ruled by antagonistic forces exercising control over the world below. Those that like to get into studying the bible and its heavy doctrines prefer to study the first part of pauls letters and often treat the latter part as secondary or of less value see the right diagram where a wall separates the two sections. To us, when we think of wrestling, we think of two boys or two men spending a. Paul had called these christians to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called 4. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
The epistle to the ephesians embraces, in its brevity, the whole field of the christian religion. Pauls letter to the ephesianshow to understand it 5 paul uses a related expression in ephesians 6. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this. It first presents both the historical and literary contexts followed by an overview of the passage in the context of the letter as a whole. Then you can stand firm against the devils evil plans. Everything in these three chapters spells out what is. Enjoy and reflect on these blessings as they are explained here in the first chapter of the book of ephesians. In addition to the contribution of ephesians chapter 6, we may add several other observations concerning the spiritual war which will help us in our study of ephesians 6. To shrug off an enemy as a pushover when he is armed, organized, experienced, and dangerous, is to invite defeat. It expounds now its doctrines, now its morals, with such conciseness and such fulness combined that it would be difficult to name any great doctrine, or any essential duty, which has not its place marked in this epistle. Over in the book of job, we see satan given permission by god to attack job. We have enlisted hundreds of friends biblical scholars, theologians, homileticians and pastors dedicated to the craft of biblical preaching to provide you timely, compelling and trustworthy content. Put on the full armor of god, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Ephesians is an epistle which means it has a three part structure.
So that we can be properly prepared for battle, we are going to first look at what it means to wrestle, and then learn what we. As you start this study, ask the holy spirit to help you understand what god has said through paul. Date of the book of colossians there is evidence that the books of colossians, philemon, and ephesians were all carried to their destinations by tychicus and onesimus cf. The church, in her relation to christ, comprehending and hallowing those earthly relations on which all social unity and hers also is founded, the apostle proceeds to treat of the three greatest of those.
It is this relational aspect of the christian life that permeates the book of ephesians and it is the foundation by which believers can have confidence that the battle is won. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the. Having read the background article on the book of ephesians, now skim through ephesians one more time and create your own title for each of the major sections below you can divide these into smaller sections, each with its own title, if you wish. Ephesians 6 bible commentary matthew henry concise. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians chapter 6 kjv king james version we have a wonderful promises in rom8. The grace of god is everything that he has chosen to show us about himself. These things i have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. A mans method of sinning is satans method of ruining his soul. Commentaries for ephesians chapter 6 the duties of children and parents. In the cosmology of ephesians, this world refers to the present age in enmity with god cf. Christians must be fighters because we struggle against the evil spiritual forces of darkness. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood the syriac, arabic, and ethiopic versions, and some copies, read you, instead of we. Pauls letter to the ephesians global church of god.
The enemy against which we are called to wrestle can never be fought in the natural plain or in the physical sphere, for. Author the apostle paul, the author of ephesians, is one of the most towering figures in the history of the world. Introduction, indicating the sender, the receiver of the letter, and a greeting, 2. As any invaded people would, they see themselves as rising to defend their home and territory despite the fact that they probably know that god has given this earth to us as an inheritance this is a spiritual parallel of israel coming out of egypt. Paul the author of this letter, realizing that the ephesians were starting to forsake their first love, wrote this epistle to encourage them to love both god and their fellow saints. To be unprepared against such an evil enemy or to run from the fight is to insure defeat. This exception is the passage describing christs humiliation and exaltation 2. The duty of servants is summed up in one word, obedience. The letter is addressed to the church in the city of ephesus, capital of the roman province of asia asia minor, modern turkey. Ephesians 6 commentary commentary critical and explanatory.
From chapter 1 to 6, in that order, you will read about. Essay about letter to the ephesians 1186 words bartleby. Through jesus, god has provided everything we need to stand against the devils plans. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities. What our danger is, and what need we have to put on this whole armour, considering what sort of enemies we have to deal with the devil and all the powers of darkness. His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints his consecrated people, that they should do the work of ministering toward. While this book begins, paul, an apostle of christ jesus through the will of god, to the saints who are at ephesus, and the faithful in christ jesus 1. Outline of the book of colossians floral heights church. Paul, who is the author of ephesians, is writing to the church in ephesus and possibly surrounding asia minor cities. The concept of power in ephesians in light of its historical setting by. This helps prohibit taking the passage out of its literary context, and thereby missing the authors point for bringing up. Working preacher is a ministry brought to you by luther seminary.
The apostles were to teach servants and masters their duties, in doing which evils would be lessened, till slavery should be. Read commentary on this popular bible verse and understand the real meaning behind gods word using john gills. Ephesians 6 bible commentary matthew henry complete. Does it not appear, philosophically speaking, a somewhat violent assumption to decide that man is really the highest being in the created universe, or, at least, that between man and his maker there are no gradations with different moral colourings of. Because the name ephesus is not mentioned in every early manuscript, some scholars believe the letter was an encyclical, intended to be circulated and read among all the churches in asia minor and was simply. The book has been preserved and passed down through painstaking efforts. John suggests that fully a third of the angels chose to follow satan and were cast down to earth. From it hang the scabbard in which the sword was sheathed, ephesians 6. Later in ephesians, this ruler is labeled the devil 4. The working preacher team believes that god uses good biblical preaching to change lives.
Moreover, he gave us this in the son that he loves jesus. May 14, 2012 ephesians is an epistle from the apostle paul to the church of ephesus. Sep 26, 2018 a chapter by chapter and verse by verse study of ephesians taught by pastor paul leboutillier of calvary chapel ontario, oregon. The more clearly any book of scripture, as this, treats of the economy of the. Ephesians 6 commentary greek testament critical exegetical. Martin luther called him the wisest man after christ10 and thanked god for sending him as an apostle. Servants should show all obedience and fidelity to their masters, ephesians 6. The apostles were to teach servants and masters their duties, in doing which evils would be lessened, till slavery should be rooted out by the influence of christianity. Jesus christ is our redeemer from sin, the beloved the word indicates the one who is in the state of being loved by god, who himself paid the price for our release from sin and death.
In this chapter of our ephesians bible study we learn that christians are chosen by the father vs 36, redeemed by the son vs 712, and sealed by the holy spirit vs and 14. However, most of the commentaries that i read suggest. In this verse exousia is a metonym that stands for those invested with the right and the might. Armor god has prepared us for battle what do i need to know about the passage. At the end of the day it is completely irrelevant if the particular opponent we face is a principality, a power, or a ruler of the darkness of this age. All christians are to put on spiritual armour against the enemies of their. Verse 6 all this makes us praise him for his wonderful grace. The outcome of the this battle is the mastery over my life. Parents should be tender towards their children, ephesians 6. This letter, in many ways, is the crowning glory of the new testament. The syriac, arabic, and ethiopic versions, and some copies, read you, instead of we. Ephesians sets forth what no other book of the new testament describes so completely the nature of the body of christ, which is the true church.