CH 1. Introduction and Prayer of thanksgiving

Q1. The letter’s greeting (v1-2) can be divided into three parts: sender, receiver, and greeting words. What is the common expression found in those three parts? 

Christ Jesus and God. 

What does it imply?

Q2. Paul started his letter with praising God. What was his situation according to 3:1, 4:1, 6:20? 

He was in prison (Rome)

Note he doesn’t pray to be released from prison.

Q3. Reason of praise = Blessing from God. Paul explains about the blessing in verses 4 – 14. How many times does Paul say, ‘in Christ,’ ‘through Jesus’, or similar phrase? 

Ten. 

Each and every blessing comes through Jesus Christ and in Christ. Note the matching expressions.

He is the father of Jesus Christ, thus he blesses those in Christ. (3) 

V4-6 entail more about the heavenly blessing in v3. V4 starts with ‘just as’

Chose us in Christ -> to be legal heirs (sons). In love, …. in his dearly loved son. (4-6) Here, ‘in Christ’ means that we are called into ‘dearly loving father-son relationship.’

V7-14 tell what we have in Christ. 

7-10: In him we have redemption through his blood. (v7)

Riches of grace lavished …. Wisdom and insight (v8): this is redundant part and related to the theme of Ephesians.

V9-10 are also related to the theme of the book. God’s mysterious plan in Christ: to head up all things in Christ. 

11-12: in Christ, we became the inheritance (of God). To set our hope on Christ = to become the reason of the praise to the Lord. As God brings all things together under Jesus’ feet, they will praise the Lord seeing God’s great works revealed through His workers.

13-14: In whom, when you believe in Christ, you received the Holy Spirit. 

Q4. Verses 4 – 6 summarize the blessing from God. We are chosen to be holy and blameless before God. How could we be blameless? (two, v5, v6)

By being adopted as God’s children

By the work of grace

This question is not good.

Q5. What was the motivation of God’s salvation works in verses 4-6? (hint, focus on the last phrase of each verse)

God’s love

In love, pleasure of his will, in his dearly loved son.

Q6. Verses 7-10 explain more about the God’s salvation of verses 4-6. (a) What is the grace mentioned in verse 6 about? (b) What is the mystery of God’s salvation? (v9-10)

Grace: Redemption through Jesus’ blood. Forgiveness of our offense (not ‘sin’)

Mystery of God: To head up all things in Christ. (And Christ is the head of the church. Through joining the body of Christ, we will be saved.) 

Q7. Who is the down payment of our salvation? 

The Holy Spirit.

(v15-16) “For this reason”: If you know God’s plan to sum up all things in Christ, you would want to know more about Christ.

Q8. When Paul heard of their faith, he praised the Lord. What was Paul’s prayer for them? (17)

Knowing more about God and His salvation blessings

This is a theme of the Ephesians.

Q9. What are included in the wisdom that Paul wanted them to know? (v18-19)

The hope of his calling

The wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints

The incomparable greatness of his power that raised Jesus and make all things submit under him. This power will transform us to be holy and blameless and thus raise us from dead.

As you read through the book of Ephesians, you can focus more on those terms.

(v20-23) is a digression that Paul was excited to explain about the power.

Q10. Verses 22-23 are the mystery of God’s salvation. How can we win over our enemies including the Death? (meditation question)

Through Jesus Christ who is over all things. He was given to us as our head. Stay connected to Him, then we will get victory over all.