Compare Ephesians 5:25–27, 29 with the foundling story of Ezekiel 16:1–14. What elements of that story does Paul reflect in his own sketch?As Paul, in Ephesians 5:25–27, 29, shapes his wedding-marriage metaphor for the church and its relationship with Christ, he draws creatively on the customs and roles of an ancient wedding. In relationship to the church as bride, Christ is the divine Bridegroom who:(1) Loves the church as bride (Eph. 5:25). We must never forget that this is heart work for Jesu...
Aug 28, 2023•11 min•Season 5Ep. 1766
How does Paul use elements of the ancient wedding in appealing to Christians in Corinth? When does the presentation occur? (2 Cor. 11:1–4).Using one final element of the ancient wedding, in Ephesians 5:25–27 Paul portrays Christ as the One who: (6) presents the bride (to Himself!). In ancient times the bride would be given away by the best man, best men, or her father. Never by her groom! Here, though, Paul imagines Jesus presenting the church as bride to Himself.Paul uses marriage customs and r...
Aug 28, 2023•10 min•Season 5Ep. 1767
Paul begins with a hinge passage (Ephesians 5:21) connecting Ephesians 5:1–20 and Ephesians 5:22–33, in which he advocates for church members to submit to each other (compare Mark 10:42–45; Rom. 12:10; Phil. 2:3, 4). Believers are to do so “out of reverence for Christ” (Eph. 5:21, ESV), the first of several times Paul will identify the relationship with Christ as the most important and defining one for believers.What does Paul mean by exhorting church members to submit to each other? How are we ...
Aug 27, 2023•10 min•Season 5Ep. 1765
Bonus song: Household of Faith by Steve Green Album: Top 5 Hits Here we are at the start committing to each other By His word and from our hearts We will be a family in a house that will be a home And with faith we'll build it strong CHORUS: We'll build a household of faith That together we can make And when the strong winds blow it won't fall down As one in Him we'll grow and the whole world will know We are a household of faith Now to be a family we've got to love each other At any cost unself...
Aug 26, 2023•3 min
Read for This Week’s StudyEph. 5:21–33; Phil. 2:3, 4; Ezek. 16:1–14; 2 Cor. 11:1–4; Gen. 2:15–25.Memory Text:“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:25–27, NKJV).In Ephesians 5:21–33, Paul builds on the idea...
Aug 26, 2023•7 min•Season 5Ep. 1764
Looking back at Ephesians 5:1–20 as a whole, we watch Paul take a strong stance against sin and evil, especially in the form of sexual immorality and crude speech. He is unwilling to accept the presence of corrupt behavior among the people of God. Instead, he calls the believers in Ephesus to a high standard of conduct and to embrace their identity as the “beloved children” of God and as “saints,” or holy ones (Eph. 5:1–10, ESV). He dares to believe that when the Christians in community do so, t...
Aug 25, 2023•10 min•Season 5Ep. 1763
In Ephesians 5:18–20, Paul imagines Christians gathered to worship. What does he depict them as doing in that worship?In his final argument in Ephesians 5:1–20, Paul urges believers to turn away from the mind-numbing use of wine and instead experience together the presence and power of the Spirit. Paul bans drunkenness (probably with a quotation from Proverbs 23:31 in the Greek version of the Old Testament), suggesting he has in mind the injunctions against the use of alcohol as seen in the wisd...
Aug 24, 2023•12 min•Season 5Ep. 1762
Paul concludes Ephesians 5:1–20 with two clusters of exhortations, Ephesians 5:15–17 and Ephesians 5:18–20, completing a section with sustained interest in sexual purity. The first cluster begins with the exhortation, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise” (Eph. 5:15, ESV), restated as “do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17, ESV). In between is a call to make “the best use of the time” (Eph. 5:16, ESV).Consider Paul’s exhortations to li...
Aug 23, 2023•9 min•Season 5Ep. 1761
Read Ephesians 5:11–14. What powerful warning is Paul giving here, and how does this apply to our present situation?To understand Ephesians 5:11–14, it is helpful to observe that Paul repeatedly offers two exhortations, alternating between them: (1) live a God-honoring lifestyle as “children of light” (Eph. 5:8; see also Eph. 5:1, 2, 4, 9–10, 11, 13, 14); and (2) don’t live a sexually immoral, God-opposing lifestyle, exhibiting the “unfruitful works of darkness” (Eph. 5:11; see also Eph. 5:3–8, ...
Aug 22, 2023•10 min•Season 5Ep. 1760
Paul writes, “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience” (Eph. 5:6, NKJV).Paul has identified those who practice various sins without shame or repentance, the “sexually immoral, or impure, or who is covetous” (Eph. 5:5, ESV). He has offered a blunt assessment: Those who are in Christ and destined to be participants in His future kingdom should not act like those who are not (Eph. 5:5). He now worries over the effect ...
Aug 21, 2023•11 min•Season 5Ep. 1759
In what sense does Paul intend believers to be “imitators of God”? See Ephesians 5:1, 2, NKJV.Paul urges the believers in Ephesus to walk in love, a call important to this section (see Eph. 5:8, 15). This “walking in love” (see Eph. 5:2) is to be modeled after Christ’s own love for us (compare Eph. 4:32), expressed in His atoning sacrifice. Paul affirms four things about that sacrifice: (1) It is motivated by both the love of God the Father (Eph. 5:1) and of Christ Himself (Eph. 5:2); (2) it is ...
Aug 20, 2023•12 min•Season 5Ep. 1758
Read for This Week’s StudyEph. 5:1–20, 1 Cor. 5:1–11, Rev. 16:1–16, Col. 4:5, Prov. 20:1, Prov. 23:29–35, Acts 16:25.Memory Text:“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:15–17, ESV).Not long ago a crystal jug was placed on auction in the United Kingdom. The auctioneers described it as a “nineteenth-century French, claret jug,” est...
Aug 19, 2023•6 min•Season 5Ep. 1757
“Let your conversation be of such a nature that you will have no need of repentance. ‘Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.’ . . . If you have love in your heart, you will seek to establish and build up your brother in the most holy faith. If a word is dropped that is detrimental to the character of your friend or brother, do not encourage this evil-speaking. It is the work of the enemy. Kindly remind the speaker that the word of God forbids that ki...
Aug 18, 2023•7 min•Season 5Ep. 1756
By referring to “the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30), Paul has just invited his readers to consider their uses of speech in the context of Christ’s second coming. Ephesians 4:31, 32, then, may be understood as addressing the use of speech as we approach that grand event.In the light of Christ’s return, what attitudes and behaviors, related to speech, should be discarded? What attitudes and behaviors should be embraced? Eph. 4:31, 32.In the final exhortation of Ephesians 4:17–32, Paul again provid...
Aug 17, 2023•9 min•Season 5Ep. 1755
In discussing sins of speech within the Christian community, what exhortation does Paul share about the presence of the Holy Spirit with believers? Eph. 4:30.Paul simultaneously offers a daunting warning and a heartwarming promise. Our sins against one another in the church are not minor misdeeds with little consequence: what grieves the Holy Spirit is our misuse of God’s gift of speech to tear down others (Eph. 4:25–27, 29, 31, 32). That Paul echoes Isaiah 63:10 underlines the serious warning: ...
Aug 16, 2023•9 min•Season 5Ep. 1754
Which of Paul’s words of counsel with regard to the use of speech among believers is the most important to you just now? Why? Eph. 4:25–29.Paul repeatedly uses an interesting structure in Ephesians 4:25–32, which is illustrated by Ephesians 4:25 (NKJV): a negative command (“putting away lying”); a positive command next (“ ‘let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor’ ”); and then a rationale (“for we are members of one another,” which seems to mean “because we are members of one body and s...
Aug 15, 2023•10 min•Season 5Ep. 1753
In retelling the story of the conversion of his audience, what essential main point is Paul getting across to them? Eph. 4:20–24.Having described their former, Gentile existence (Eph. 4:17–19), Paul does not say, “That is not the way you learned about Christ.” Instead, he exclaims, “That is not the way you learned Christ!” (Eph. 4:20, ESV). Noting that the addressees “heard Him” [Christ] (NKJV), and were taught “in him” (Eph. 4:21, ESV) or “by Him” (NKJV), Paul further advocates the adoption of ...
Aug 14, 2023•10 min•Season 5Ep. 1752
EXTRA BONUS SONG: The Father’s House (Cory Asbury) / Lyrics (Today is Fathers’ Day in Brazil - wishing you dads everywhere a great day and our thank you for trying to emulate your Heavenly Father🤗👔❤️🛐📖👨🏼💼 Sometimes on this journey, I get lost in my mistakes What looks to me like weakness is a canvas for Your strength And my story isn't over, my story's just begun And failure won't define me 'cause that's what my Father does Yeah, failure won't define me 'cause that's what my Father does ...
Aug 13, 2023•10 min
Compare Ephesians 4:17–32 with Colossians 3:1–17. How does Paul advocate for believers to live in a way that encourages the unity of the church?In the prior section, Ephesians 4:1–16, Paul’s theme was the unity of the church. When we compare Ephesians 4:1 and Ephesians 4:17, we note how similar these two exhortations are about how to walk or to live. This resemblance suggests that Paul addresses the same theme—unity and the lifestyle that supports it—but from a new and initially more negative va...
Aug 13, 2023•4 min•Season 5Ep. 1751
Read for This Week’s StudyEph. 4:17–32; Col. 3:1–17; Zech. 3:3–5; Zech. 8:16; Isa. 63:10; Rom. 8:16, 26, 27.Memory Text:“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22–24, NIV).Jose Antonio lived on the streets of Palma, Spain, as a homeless man for years. With gr...
Aug 12, 2023•4 min•Season 5Ep. 1750
Two notes help to expand our study of Ephesians 4:7–10.1. Translating Ephesians 4:9. Some translations indicate that the descent occurs before the ascent (e.g., NKJV, “He also first descended”; KJV, RSV, ESV, NASB). Other translations follow the Greek text more closely, leaving the issue of the timing of the ascent and descent open (e.g., NIV, “What does ‘he ascended’ mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?” ASV, HCSB, LEB, NLT), which allows for the view, expressed in ...
Aug 11, 2023•11 min•Season 5Ep. 1749
What danger threatens the Christlike maturity of the church? Eph. 4:14.Paul perceives an environment not unlike our own in which various ideas, such as “every wind of doctrine” and “deceitful schemes” (ESV), are thrust upon believers. He uses three sets of images to describe the dangers of wayward theology: (1) the immaturity of childhood, “so that we may no longer be children” (ESV); (2) danger on the high seas, “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine” (ESV);...
Aug 10, 2023•6 min•Season 5Ep. 1748
Drawing on Psalm 68:18, Paul has just described the risen, exalted, conquering Jesus as giving gifts to His people from on high. What “gifts” does the exalted Jesus give, and for what purpose? Eph. 4:11–13.Paul identifies four groups of “gifted” people as part of the treasure trove of the exalted Jesus that He gives to His church: (1) apostles; (2) prophets; (3) evangelists; (4) shepherds (ESV) and teachers (the structure of the Greek phrase suggests these are a single group). Christ gives these...
Aug 09, 2023•9 min•Season 5Ep. 1747
“However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. That is why the Scriptures say,‘When he ascended to the heights,he led a crowd of captivesand gave gifts to his people.’“Notice that it says ‘he ascended.’ This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself” (Eph. 4:7–10, NLT).What is happening here, and what...
Aug 08, 2023•8 min•Season 5Ep. 1746
What seven “ones” does Paul cite in support of his theme of the unity of the church? What point is he seeking to make with this list? Eph. 4:4–6.Paul’s list of seven “ones” has a poetic feel to it and may echo a hymn of affirmation used in Ephesus. The list begins by mentioning two “ones” together: “There is one body” (referring to the church as the body of Christ, Eph. 4:12, 16; Eph. 1:23; Eph. 5:23, 29, 30) and “one Spirit” (Eph. 4:4). The third one is the “one hope of your calling” (Eph. 4:4;...
Aug 07, 2023•9 min•Season 5Ep. 1745
Read Ephesians 4:1–16. How does Paul encourage believers to nurture the unity of the church?Paul begins the second half of Ephesians (chapters 4–6) with a stirring call to unity, but in two major parts. First, in Ephesians 4:1–6 he asks believers to nurture “the unity of the Spirit” by exhibiting unity-building virtues (Eph. 4:1–3), a call he supports with a poetic list of seven “ones” (Eph. 4:4–6). Second, in Ephesians 4:7–16, Paul identifies the victorious, exalted Jesus as the Source of grace...
Aug 06, 2023•11 min•Season 5Ep. 1744
Read for This Week’s StudyEph. 4:1–16; Phil. 2:3; Ps. 68:18; Acts 2; 1 Cor. 12:4–11, 27–30; Isa. 5:4.Memory Text:“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11, 12, ESV).One of Aesop’s fables is called “The Belly and the Feet.” It goes like this: “The belly and the feet were arguing about their importance, and when the feet kept saying that they were so much st...
Aug 05, 2023•7 min•Season 5Ep. 1743
Drawing on Psalm 68:18, Paul has just described the risen, exalted, conquering Jesus as giving gifts to His people from on high. What “gifts” does the exalted Jesus give, and for what purpose? Eph. 4:11–13.Paul identifies four groups of “gifted” people as part of the treasure trove of the exalted Jesus that He gives to His church: (1) apostles; (2) prophets; (3) evangelists; (4) shepherds (ESV) and teachers (the structure of the Greek phrase suggests these are a single group). Christ gives these...
Aug 04, 2023•9 min•Season 5Ep. 1747
However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. That is why the Scriptures say,‘When he ascended to the heights,he led a crowd of captivesand gave gifts to his people.’“Notice that it says ‘he ascended.’ This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself” (Eph. 4:7–10, NLT).What is happening here, and what ...
Aug 04, 2023•8 min•Season 5Ep. 1746
Ellen G. White, “Modern Revivals,” in The Great Controversy, pp. 461–478.“How can we harmonize our dwarfed spiritual condition with the presentation of our text [Eph. 3:14–19] that describes the fullness of knowledge it is our privilege to possess? How can Heaven look upon us, who have had every spiritual and temporal advantage that we might grow in grace, when we have not improved our opportunities? The apostle did not write these words to tantalize us, to deceive us, or to raise our expectatio...
Aug 04, 2023•10 min•Season 5Ep. 1742
