Study guide for Ephesians

Geographical location

Temple of Artemis of the Ephesians, one of the Seven Wonders of the World

Introduction

Ephesians is one of Apostle Paul’s prison epistles. Paul wrote this letter in his cold prison cell around 60-62 A.D. Ephesus was a large port city which was known as a queen city in Asia Minor. The temple of Artemis of the Ephesians was known throughout the Roman Empire as one of the Seven Wonders of the World.  Ephesians worshiped idols before they met Christ. Ephesus was pioneered by Paul through his second and third missionary journeys. Priscilla and Aquila, and Apollos were his local fellow-missionaries who prepared the ground work for Ephesus pioneering ministry. Paul debated publicly with the Jews in the synagogues for three months until some became hardened. (Acts 19:8-9) After leaving the synagogue, Paul focused on disciple-making ministry at the lecture hall of Tyrannus. (Acts 19:9-10) Paul daily taught the disciples in the lecture hall and he has a fruitful ministry. All those who lived in Asia heard the word of God as the result of his successful ministry at the lecture hall. Probably this successful ministry led to the pioneering of churches in Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, and Colossae which appeared as the seven churches in the book of Revelation.  Paul had a close shepherd and sheep relationship with the saints in Ephesus. Paul left Timothy to oversee the Ephesus church later. The Apostle John oversaw the work after Timothy. One of Paul’s themes in Ephesians is that of unity in the body of Christ. Imprisoned in Rome, Paul had a shepherd broken heart for his flocks who were struggling to maintain unity among themselves. Paul saw the diversity of the ethnic groups struggling to maintain harmony. Paul believed that the true unity could be maintained if all believers remained in Christ. Though he was in chains for the gospel and was waiting for trial before Nero, he wanted to help his flocks to have victory over sin and the devil who tried to divide God’s people like a prowling lion ready to devour his prey.  Paul wrote to the diverse body of believers in Ephesus to break the walls of human barriers and to be united as one body in Christ. He encouraged them to act with love toward each other because all Christians are one family in Christ. He instructed them how to live a life of love by defining the basic relationships between husband and wife, parent-children, slave and master. Finally, he compares Christ’s relationship to the church to the body, a building, and a wife. The book of Ephesus will enlighten the eyes of our hearts so that we can walk in Christ’s love and to wear God’s armor to engage in the spiritual battle for the gospel work in our time.

Outline of contents

1 Greetings (1:1-2)

2 Paul encourages believers to appropriate their riches in Christ (1:3-3:21)

A. Paul blesses God for giving believers heavenly riches (1:3-14)

B. Paul prays to God that believers would know their riches (1:15-23)

C. Paul teaches that believers were saved by God’s grace (2:1-10)

D. Paul teaches that Christ’s riches involve reconciliation (2:11-3:13)

E. Paul prays that his readers will grasp their riches (3:14-21)

       3. Paul encourages believers to apply their riches in Christ (4:1-6:20)

            A. Walk in Christ’s love in earthly relationship (4:1-6:9)

            B. Put on the armor of God for spiritual warfare (6:10-20)

        4. Conclusion (6:21-24)