Ephesians
By: Emily, Kayla, Seth, and Sam
Basic Information
-60-62 AD
Chapters 1-3
-Paul wrote Ephesians in prison to encourage believers to walk as fruitful followers of Christ and to serve in unity and love in the midst of persecution.
-Paul begins by saying "every believer has been chosen by God before the foundation of the world."
"He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will" (1:4-5).
Teaches us to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling”
-Paul teaches that it takes hard work to be in unity with others, and that we are to be “imitators of God” (5:1)
It is a spiritual battle and prayer is the key weapon. “full armor of God” (6:11). "stand firm"
Talking Points
Slavery
Leading discussions
-Slavery
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as you obey Christ; not only while being watched, and in order to please them, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Render service with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not to men and women, knowing that whatever good we do, we will receive the same again from the Lord, whether we are slaves or free. (Ephesians 5:5-8)
- Paul is pretty much telling the slaves that they should obey their masters. Even though slavery is wrong. He states that god will see their hard work and it will pay off in heaven. He reminds the slave owners that everyone is a slave in gods eyes. Pretty much saying that no one is better than another human.
-Marriage
Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church, the body of which he is the Savior. Just as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be, in everything, to their husbands. (Ephesians 5:22-24)
-Paul says that the wives should be subject to their husbands but their husbands should treat them and love them like their faith. They should teach their wives things and answer questions for them since they are supposed to remain silent in church.
"Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ" (Ephesians 5:21)
Marriage is a picture of Christ and the church and the way that Jesus Christ loved the church is the way that the husband must love his wife, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her" (5:25).