Reading: Ephesians 4:1-16 Context: How does “living a life worthy of the calling” connect to the previous chapters? The previous chapters have outlined the honour and privilege of being joined to God’s great eternal purpose through the Lord Jesus Christ. This is glorious. We have been rescued from a life destined for God’s full wrath. […]
Read More WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 08: Unity in the BodyReading: Ephesians 3:1-13 Context: Why does Paul refer to himself as a “prisoner for Christ Jesus”? First, he is describing his current location. He’s in prison. The reason he’s in prison is because of Jesus. That is to say, in line with what it means to follow Jesus, he is facing opposition and resistance that […]
Read More WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 06: Paul’s Ministry to the GentilesReading: Ephesians 2:11-22 Context: What was the historical relationship between Jews and Gentiles in Paul’s time? Jews and Gentiles were antagonistically situated. The name Gentile is defined by not being a Jew. Jews were very proud of their identity and had practices that made them distinct from others. Rather than being a bridge to understand […]
Read More WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 05: Unity in ChristReading: Ephesians 2:1-10 Context: What does Paul mean by being “dead in your transgressions and sins”? Two related realities help us to understand what Paul means by being dead in transgressions and sins. The first reality, linked to the spiritual poverty Jesus describes in the Beatitudes, is the state in which our condition before the […]
Read More WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 04: Dead to AliveReading: Ephesians 1:1-14 Context: What does it mean that these blessings are “in the heavenly realms”? These blessings are already live – right now, in a realm I can’t see with my physical eyes. Paul uses “heavenly realms” as an active, present sphere. Here, Christ is already enthroned and where — remarkably — I already […]
Read More WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 02: Chosen and BlessedContext: Ephesians – Who Wrote It, When, and Why It Matters Paul identifies himself as the author twice in the text (1:1, 3:1), and the early church overwhelmingly accepted his authorship. Paul wrote Ephesians from house arrest in Rome, somewhere around AD 60 to 62, making it one of four so-called “prison epistles” alongside Philippians, […]
Read More WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 01: Book OverviewWriting to someone you love is not a forgotten art. It still takes place today. What helps us to do it well today is considering how well others did it in yesteryear. There can be no doubt that Paul loved the saints in Ephesus a great deal. The time he spent there in developing the […]
Read More For Reading Out Loud – Ephesians 6There is a war going on. There is a war to be won. It is a war that takes place whether we believe it or not and it’s war that is happening in the unseen realm with repercussions felt in the seen realm. It’s important to see that struggle taking place in the context of […]
Read More Exploring Ephesians: Finally … Win The StrugglePaul is serious about the church living the life in the light of the eternal plans revealed to them. He’s built a foundation of what God has done in Christ. He has described vividly why there’s good reason to rejoice in the glorious works of Christ. It’s in the light of that we are to […]
Read More Exploring Ephesians: From The Old, Now Walk In The NewUnity is an interesting concept. Getting it confused with conformity is so subtle and so prevalent whenever there’s an effort to paint unity in the eyes of one person or organisation. So unity in the light of the glorious God who has expressed a love that can never be fathomed fully is a far better […]
Read More Exploring Ephesians: One
Life With CD 