Ephesians - Daily Bible Study DailyBibleStudy.Org

Ephesians Introduction

Ephesians, written by Paul, is the first of the prison epistles. Written in the early 60's A.D., perhaps around 62 A.D., and was written while Paul was in Rome.

Although the words 'to the Ephesians' are not included in some of the early manuscripts, this letter is general in nature, whose subject is the 'true' or 'body' of the Church, meaning the whole of Christianity.

This letter was carried concurrently with Colossians and Philemon, by Tychicus, to the various local churches in the region. Col. 4 mentions a letter to the Laodiceans, and this could possibly have been that letter.

The general concepts laid out in this letter are, the positional truths of the Church through grace, the truth concerning the body of Christ, and life lived in accordance with that position.

Ephesians Outline (New Unger's Bible Dictionary)

I. Salutation (1:1-2)

II. The believer's position in Christ (1:3-3:21)

A. The elements of his position (1:1-14)
B. Prayer for knowledge and faith to appropriate the power of the position (1:15-21)
C. Christ the Head of the church (1:22-23)
D. Method of Gentile salvation (2:1-10)
E. Union of Jew and Gentile in Christ (2:11-18)
F. The church as a temple inhabited by the Spirit (2:19-22)

III. The church as a special divine revelation (3:1-12)
A. Hidden in past ages (3:1-6)
B. Revealed especially to the apostle Paul (3:7-12)
C. Second prayer for knowledge and faith to appropriate the power of the position (3:13-21)

IV. The walk of the believer in Christ (4:1-6:9)
A. The walk worthy (4:1-3)
B. The walk as an expression of doctrinal unity (4:4-6)
C. The walk as a ministry of gifts (4:7-16)
D. The walk as a regenerated man (4:17-29)
E. The walk of the believer indwelt by the Spirit (4:30-32)
F. The walk as a child in God's family (5)
G. The walk of children and servants (6:1-9)

V. The warfare of the Spirit-filled believer in Christ (6:10-22)
A. His power (6:10)
B. His armor (6:11)
C. His foes (6:12-17)
D. His resources (6:18-22)

VI. Benediction (6:23-24)

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