SETTING THE STAGE
Paul begins this letter with an introduction and an address: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus” (1:1). Paul’s use of the term apostle (apostolos in the Greek) refers to one who has been commissioned by a higher authority to fulfill a particular mission. Paul is consistent in each of his letters in claiming that he was commissioned by Jesus Himself to spread the gospel to the Gentile (non-Jewish) world. Thus, Paul establishes from the beginning of this letter that he is stepping into that role as an apostle, providing the guidance they need to follow so they can mature in their faith.
Paul refers to these believers as saints. While this term often brings up images in our minds of venerated figures in church history who have churches and cathedrals named after them, the Greek term that Paul employs (hagioi) simply refers to those who have been called to follow Jesus and are faithful in pursuing His ways. In the New Testament, the word almost always appears in the plural, and it always refers to the people of God.
In other words, a saint is just another name for a Christian. But Paul’s use of the term is especially poignant for the believers in Ephesus. The city at the time rivaled Corinth for its decadence and pagan worship practices. It was one of the filth capitals of the Roman world, and the believers were constantly surrounded by debauchery. Yet Paul reminds them that God had called them out of that cesspool of evil and sin. They had risen from their surroundings—like beautiful lilies on a stagnant pond—and God considered them saints.
For believers today, the word saint doesn’t suggest that we are all perfect or that any of us is better than anyone else. However, it does remind us that we are set apart for a higher purpose . . . which is the literal meaning of the word holy. All believers in Christ are saints—adopted children of God who have been given the blessings of God’s eternal kingdom.
Greeting to the Saints (Ephesians 1:1–6)
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,
To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
1. In his greeting to the believers, Paul not only identifies himself as the author but also establishes his credibility by calling himself an apostle. What does Paul want his readers to understand about his calling as an apostle (see verse 1)?
[Your Response Here]
2. Paul is clear in this passage that God chose these believers and predestined them for spiritual adoption into His family. The word predestined implies setting boundaries so that a person stays on a certain course and reaches a specific destination. According to Paul, for what reason does God choose to predestine a person (see verses 4–6)?
[Your Response Here]
Redemption in Christ (Ephesians 1:7–14)
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
3. The mystery that Paul mentions refers to something that is not discoverable through human knowledge or insight. What mystery has God revealed to the believers (see verses 9–10)?
[Your Response Here]
4. Paul reminds the believers that they not only have been chosen by God but also have received a promised inheritance from Him (see verses 11–14). Why would this have been important for them to remember, given the temptation they were facing to return to their former ways?
[Your Response Here]
Dead Idols and the Living God (Isaiah 46:8–13)
8 “Remember this, and show yourselves men;
Recall to mind, O you transgressors.
9 Remember the former things of old,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things that are not yet done,
Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
And I will do all My pleasure,’
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man who executes My counsel, from a far country.
Indeed I have spoken it;
I will also bring it to pass.
I have purposed it;
I will also do it.
12 “Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted,
Who are far from righteousness:
13 I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off;
My salvation shall not linger.
And I will place salvation in Zion,
For Israel My glory.”
5. God calls His people to recall and remember how He revealed Himself to them in the past (see verses 8–9). What about His nature does God want the people to remember?
[Your Response Here]
6. How does God summarize His sovereignty and His purposes (see verses 10–13)?
[Your Response Here]
Paul not only confirms that God is sovereign but also that He has a perfect plan for His creation. In Ephesians 1:10, he uses the phrase gather together, which can also mean “to unite” or “to sum up.” In ancient times, it was used to describe the process of adding a column of figures and putting the sum up at the top. Paul thus states that God will make all things “add up” for believers in the end...
