Ephesians 1:1-14 Bible Study Notes

Ephesians Chapter 1 - Bible Study

Background/Context

U      Ephesians was not written so much to address problems in a particular church, more so, it was written to explain some of the great themes and doctrines of Christianity.

U      Ephesians is said to have been written in a more simple format/greeting because it was meant to and probably did circulate to many churches, not just the Church in Ephesus.

U      Ephesians includes the great themes of God's work in the church, the community of believers.

U      Ephesians is very similar to Colossians. Both letters Paul wrote while in his Roman imprisonment.

U      Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God."

U                  Ephesians is the fulfillment of this. It reveals the things God has prepared for those who love Him.      

Ephesians 1:1-2

U      "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus" is a really simple greeting compared to his others, because of the type of letter this was. It was again, one to be passed around to other churches

U      "the faithful in Christ Jesus" - Paul called the church in Ephesus faithful, something to keep in the back of your mind as you read this. This is not to correct or reproof the church, they were already found faithful. But it is to continue to encourage them and press them on to pursue Christ individually and together, as should we.

Ephesians 1:3-6

U      Verse 3, Paul is simply giving God praise for all that He has done for us. Including giving us all the spiritual blessings.

U      "who has blessed us" - This is God blessing us. Take note that it is past tense as well. We have already been given every spiritual blessing, it is just whether or not we are going to receive it and walk in it.

U      Also in Verse 3 we are reminded that this blessing is ours "has blessed us" shows us that God's resources are there for us always. This speaks of an attitude of certainty and assurance.

U                  "We are not sitting here, and groaning, and crying, and fretting, and worrying, and questioning our salvation. He has blessed us; and therefore we will bless Him. If you think little of what God has done for you, you will do very little for Him; but if you have a great notion of His great mercy to you, you will be greatly grateful to your gracious God." (Spurgeon)

U      "us" in Verse 3 means both Jews & Gentiles - First century Jews had a strong sense of being blessed, called, and predestined but Paul shows that these things are now give to Christians, whether Jew or Gentile. (Galatians 3:28)

U      "with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ"

U                  This describes both the KIND of blessings and the LOCATION of these   blessings

U                  They are HIGHER, BETTER, and MORE secure than earthly blessings.

U      "Our thanks are due to God for all temporal blessings; they are more than we deserve. But our thanks ought to go to God in thunders of hallelujahs for spiritual blessings. A new heart is better than a new coat. To feed on Christ is better than to have the best earthly food. To be an heir of God is better than being the heir of the greatest nobleman. To have God for our portion is blessed, infinitely more blessed than to own broad acres of land. God hath blessed us with spiritual blessings. These are the rarest, the richest, the most enduring of all blessings; they are priceless in value." (Spurgeon)

U      "every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" - this means that EVERY blessing we receive, we receive in Christ. This also means that God wants to bless us with EVERY blessing available to us.

U      "Just as He chose us in Him"

U                  Shows the Lord's free will (Verse 5 -"His pleasure and will")

U                  The fact that He chose us before we had done anything or been anything should give you some comfort that He chose you, gave His son for you, and loves you simply because you are His and He chose you. He chose love. That should give you some assurance!

U                  It has nothing to do with who you are or what you do. That fact right there about God should make you want to give it all for Him.

U      "in Love" Verse 4

U                  We cannot forget these words. Holliness and blamelessness are nothing without love. "But as love is the fulfilling of the law, and love the fountain whence their salvation flowed, therefore love must fill their hearts towards God and each other." (Clarke)

U      "in Love" God clothed us in Eden. Blood had to be shed though. "in Love" he passed over our homes, but blood had to be shed. "in Love" He sent his one and only son, but blood had to be shed. God is holy and absolutely just. God is mercy and absolutely love.

U      Verse 5 - "He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ"

U                  This is God's destiny for His children, what He ultimately wants them all   to go through... adoption.

U      God's unfolding plan for us not only includes salvation and personal transformation, but also a warm, confident relationship with the Father. (SO GOOD) -Guzik

U      In Roman law when the adoption was complete, the person who was adopted had all the rights of a legitimate son in his new family and completely lost all rights in his old family. In the eyes of the law he was a new person. So new that even all debts and obligations connected with his previous family were abolished as if they had never existed.

U                  Same goes for us as believers. We are not just adopted into the family, we are born into the family.

U      "to praise of His glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One He loves (Jesus)"

U                  Jesus was completely accepted by the Father. All His character, all His words, all His work was acceptable to God the father. And now we are accepted in Him, in Christ we are now accepted. The word accepted in this verse is the Greek "charito" which means "highly favored" or "full of grace"

U      The whole story of redemption, the whole story of Jesus and the Gospel...all of creation from Genesis to Revelation gives glory to the grace of God. God's plan in the Gospel is often rejected because it glorifies Him and His grace, not the effort or achievement of man.

U                  That what makes Him so worthy of worship. So different. So set apart. So worthy.

Ephesians 1:7-8

U      "In Him we have redemption through His blood"

U            In no one else, only in Christ Jesus

U      "redemption" always implies a price being paid for the freedom that is purchased. Here is the price; His blood. Knowing that we have been redeemed, knowing that He paid the highest price anyone could ever pay... that should also bring you to a place of seeing His worthiness and being so so grateful.

U      Jesus didn't redeem us by living a sinless life or by having good teachings... He did have those things but what redeemed us was His blood.

Ephesians 1:9-12

U      "He made known to us the mystery of His will"

U                  God's great plan and purpose is not hidden anymore, it is revealed through Jesus.

U                  Christian's can see what Non-Christians can not pertaining to the things of God and His redemptive story.

U      "to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ"

U      I like this translation, "That He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth; in Him."

U                  God's ultimate plan is to bring together all things in Christ, either through Jesus as a Savior or Jesus as a judge; this will happen in the fullness of the times. Or the Second Coming of Christ.

U      This shows that God wants to unify all things in our lives under Him. God is REALLY serious about Unity

U                  What does that look like for us individually?

U                  What does that look like for us as a group?

U      Again, the reason for Him choosing us resides in Him, not us. We can't make God choose us. He freely did.

U      Verse 12 - We are to bring Him glory! Then others will put their trust in Him too!

Ephesians 1:13-14

U      "in Him you also trusted..." NIV says "included in Christ"

U                  But this shows that God's choice works but it does not exclude human cooperation. We must respond. He pursues, we respond.

U      The ones with the inheritance are the ones who trusted, heard the word of truth, and believed.

U      "You were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise" (V14)

U                  The Holy Spirit is like a down payment for the coming glory. Nothing else is needed... the Holy Spirit gives us all things pertaining to life and the Father. Only the Spirit searches the very heart of the Father.

U      We have this "guarantee"! All to the praise of His glory!