#bible #Biblestudy #public #ephesians #ephesians4 # Ephesians 4 📖 > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] [[#🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application]] [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts]] [[#🔗 Related Passages]] [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] --- ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) ### Unity in the Body Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all. 7 However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. 8 That is why the Scriptures say, “When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.” 9 Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. 10 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. 11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. ### Living as Children of Light 17 With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. 25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil. 28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. 30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. --- ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary **Overall**- Paul has just finished the theological foundation of his letter. Now, he turns to the practical aspects of follow Jesus as a church community. **Verse 1. Something to live up to**. *“Therefore*”- Paul is transitioning from the theological part of his letter to the practical. He is now going to build onto the foundation of all that has come before. **Verses 2-6. A plea for unity**. Vs2-3- The four ways to fight for unity- - Be humble- Think of yourself less. - Be gentle- controlled strength. - Be patient- Give the grace you hope to receive. - Make room for each other- remember everyone is at a different growth rate. V4-6- Possibly an early creed that was recited to remind everyone they were to be united as God was united. **Verses 7-10. The gifts to equip and edify are from God**. Vs7-8- During the time, a king would give gifts to his people after a great victory, the spoils of war. Paul is using this imagery as he continues to build onto the theological foundation of the first three chapters. Because of all that Christ has done, He has the victory over all things. He talks more about this victory in the next verses. Vs9-10- This verse has often been misunderstood as a verse about Jesus going to hell for the three days He was dead. While there may be support for this in other places, this is not one of them. This is speaking about Jesus coming to our world, not the underworld. **Verses 11-16. A healthy body grows**. Vs11-12- This is not to indicate that these are all the gifts or that they are given out by these offices. These are to represent the ones that are in charge of equipping or training people how to live in fellowship with each other. V12- This verse reminds us that all are called into ministry. We all have a place and a gift to serve. V13- We will never arrive as the body of Christ. We are always serving and making a difference together. V15- There is some debater over how to properly translate the phrase “we will speak the truth in love.” Here are some of the following idea: - Be loving “truthers.” - Live the truth in live. - Speak true things with the motivation of love. V16- God made the church so that we would grow and benefit from having one another. When we are all serving and no one is on the sideline, we are able to grow and mature. We will be growing and full of love. --- ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights Paul typically wrote letters that began with a theological foundation, then became practical. This chapter shows the transition in this book. Verse 1- We see that Paul reminds them he is writing this letter from prison. He is saying, “These things I am writing to you is what landed me in here. Carry out every step.” Verse 4-6: Possibly an early creed restating in this text. --- ## 🧠 Chapter Summary Paul is transitioning from theology to practicality. How do we now live as a community after we have received Christ? Paul begins with talking about unity, then about using our spiritual empowerment to equip others. Notice the point is to see ourselves as a Body and not a series of islands. ***Apologetic Points***- Verse 7-10: Some have tried to use this text to argue that Jesus descended into hell and preached to those who had died. While there may some interesting points take from other sections (2 Peter), this does not fit the context. This passage is referring to the Gospel. Jesus came to “our lowly world” from His Throne in Heaven. Paul is using positional language to help us see the beauty of God’s divine plan. --- ## 🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application - 📌 Paul is getting practical - 📌 These are legit action steps for the local body. - 📌 If they needed to be reminded to fight for unity, it's okay that we still need the lesson too. #### Today, I can apply this chapter by: - ✅ I have something to live up to. (verse 1) - ✅ I have been gifted to make a difference when I unite receive gifts with others. (verse 7) - ✅ I am equipped to serve through the local church. (verse12) Make these very practical: - Christians were not designed to thrive apart from spiritual community. --- ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 Verse 1– "I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live worthily of the calling with which you have been called" - Live up to something. - Be proud to be a Christian. - 📖 Verse 7- " But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift." - We have all been gifted to make a difference when we apply what we have been given within the context of the local church. --- ## 🔗 Related Passages - 🔗 - 🔗 Examples: - John 1:1 and Genesis 1 - Romans 5 and Genesis 3 --- ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection Write 3–6 sentences reflecting on: - How this chapter encourages your faith, - Convicts your heart, - Reveals God's character. Optional format: "In light of this chapter, I am challenged to..." or "I am comforted by..." ### Links for Further Study - https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/ephesians-4/ - https://conformtojesus.com/2022/08/19/modern-bible-commentary-on-ephesians-41-32/ - https://thegracecommentary.com/ephesians-4/ - https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb/ephesians-4.html - https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-18-2/commentary-on-ephesians-41-16-2 --- ##### 📂 Internal Links Ephesians 4:1-13 [[Series_TheWay_Part3-We.Make.It.Better]]