When it came to Yahavah, his choice was moving with Abram, and bringing forth not necessarily the Kingdom of Israel, itself but one whom would come to establish the heavenly Israel which would be completed by the Lord Jesus.
The Apostles all of them, seen and witness the resurrection of Yeshua. They were all born under the law, and they were the ones whom were predestined by this nature of Gods will, in order to bring forth the ability to have Israel’s sins paid for, and the Gentiles paid for. In order for all of humanity to be restored. We must not forget that God has reconciled the world unto himself through Christ. Jesus having died on the cross, and giving up his life, fulfilling all of the Old Testament by loving God and loving others, and his Father rising him up again by the Holy Spirit of the Father, and trusting in faith this happened, salvation is delivered not only to the Jewish people, but Gentiles and that is a beautiful message.
Having a copy of the Young’s Literal Translation, people are welcome to take a look at a English to Greek translation which doesn’t really play around with the wording.
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READ Ephesians 1:1
Ephesians 1:1 Who are the recipients in general terms? Where are they? (Did you see their two "addresses"?)
Saints ( hagios - set apart from the world and unto God for His use)
At Ephesus - some modern manuscripts delete this "address" which is support for this being a circular letter and might have gone to the 7 churches in Asia
Ray Stedman - The letter is commonly called "The Epistle to the Ephesians," but, as a footnote in the Revised Standard Version points out, this is not found in many of the ancient manuscripts. Most have just a blank for the address of these saints. Many scholars, therefore, feel that this is a circular letter which was written to many churches, probably those in the region of Ephesus. Some think it may have been addressed to the very churches to which Jesus had John address the letters in the book of Revelation, beginning with Ephesus and ending with Laodicea. (God at Work)
Faithful in Christ Jesus (they were saints who were truly acting saintly!)
Note: They had two "addresses" an earthly one, in Ephesus, and a heavenly one, in Christ Jesus. In Christ or In Him occurs 19x in Ephesians and 17 of those are the first 3 chapters - doctrine (our wealth).
READ Ephesians 1:13-15
Ephesians 1:13 How had the Ephesians become saints?
1) Listened to the message of truth = Gospel of salvation
2) Believed (cf Ro 10:17 "So faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of Christ)
3) Sealed in Him (Christ) with the Holy Spirit of promise
Note: As background remember that Paul had taught in Ephesus about 3-5 years earlier (this is an approximation). The point is that the Ephesian believers were generally "young" in the faith. And yet did Paul consider this profoundly doctrinal treatise to be "too deep" for them? Who should be studying Ephesians in the modern church?)
As as aside Dr John MacArthur credits the book of Ephesians which he preached at the beginning of his ministry as the pivotal teaching God used to grow the saints into a Biblically sound church. He writes "Those months that we spent studying Ephesians eight years ago – seven or eight years ago – were the months that formed the character of Grace Church in terms of its present dimensions of ministry." (Introduction to Ephesians)
Pastor Ray Stedman - I hope that, as we begin this doctrinal portion of Ephesians, your heart will be anticipating tremendous truth. I would like to urge you to read this letter through once a week during the time that we are engaged in studying these first three chapters. Read it through in various versions, and in different ways. Read it through at one sitting the first week, and then the next week take a chapter a day. Other weeks read it in some of the paraphrases. Let this truth come to you afresh in new and different language. I can guarantee that if you will do this faithfully until we finish our study you will never be the same person again. This truth has the power to change you, and it will! I think that, of all Paul's letters, the letter to the Romans and this one to Ephesians have affected me most profoundly. Both are attempts at a systematic and rather exhaustive setting forth of the whole Christian view of life and of the world.
Remember what we learned in ACTS 19 - How did they demonstrate the reality of their conversion? burned magic books (ceased practicing magic = their works demonstrated the faith was genuine. Faith alone saves, but the faith that truly saves is never alone.
Ephesians 1:15 What do we learn about the saints in Ephesus?
Paul "having heard" - Where is Paul (we'll discuss later - he is in Rome, in prison) -
Paul implies others had told him -
This indicates they were "living epistles" - their transformed lives were evident to others.
(But how could Paul have known since he was in prison? Acts 28:30 says Paul was "welcoming all who came to him" so undoubtedly he had heard good reports.)
What had Paul heard about the saints at Ephesus?
1) Their faith in the Lord Jesus
2) Their love for all the saints
It is interesting that some 30-35 years later John wrote Jesus' scathing rebuke directed at the church at Ephesus "I have this against you, that you have left your first love"! Rev 2:4+
SUMMARIZE WHAT LEARNED SO FAR ABOUT THE RECIPIENTS:
Where - at Ephesus (physical address); in Christ Jesus (spiritual address)
Who - saints
What - faithful (Why?) IN Christ Jesus
READ Ephesians 2:1-3
Ephesians 2:1-2 What does Paul remind the readers they were prior to listening to and believing the Gospel?
Dead in trespasses and sins ("were dead" = past tense)
How did they walk ( walk = live, conduct themselves in everyday life)?
Formerly walked according to…
World - course of this world (the way the lost world thinks and does things)
Devil - according to the prince of the power of the air
Flesh - Eph 2:3 ("we") lusts of the flesh
Note these are every believers 3 inveterate mortal enemies - the world, the flesh and the devil
READ Ephesians 2:11-18
Ephesians 2:11-12 How does Paul specifically identify his readers? What was their spiritual status when they were dead in their trespasses and sins?
They were Gentiles ~ "uncircumcision" ("Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision”")
Formerly…(note this is a great place to practice marking a list on your observation worksheet)
GENTILES
"UNCIRCUMCISION"
Separate from Christ
Excluded from the commonwealth (CITIZENSHIP) of Israel
Strangers to the covenants of promise
Having no hope (OUR HOPE = HOPE SURE, NOT HOPE SO -- THEY HAD NO HOPE SURE!)
Without God in the world
Ephesians 2:13 What kind of wording is "but now?" Contrast - so what is Paul contrasting.
Formerly far off <BUT NOW> brought near
HOW? Brought near by the blood of Christ (the Cross)
Ephesians 2:14-16 What is the key phrase? Clue what does Paul state 3 times about Gentile and Jewish believers?
In each verse he mentions ONE: Spiritual Math - 1 + 1 = 1
Eph 2:14 Who made both groups into ONE WHAT WAS THE RESULT? broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,
Eph 2:15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into ONE new man, thus establishing peace,
Eph 2:16 and might reconcile them both in ONE body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.
(METAPHOR OF A BODY = CHURCH = NOT AN ORGANIZATION BUT AN ORGANISM - Eph 1:22-23)
Ephesians 2:17 What did the preaching of Christ accomplish for those "far away" (Gentiles) and those who "were near" (Jews)?
What were they (Gentiles) "far away" from?
Peace (with God)
WHAT OTHER KEY WORD DO YOU SEE? - PEACE KEY WORD - 4X in vv 14-17
www.preceptaustin.org
J.
