Day 338: Ephesians 4-6

(The previous post concluded with the Theme of Chapter 3: Paul followed his review of the most foundational Christian Doctrine (Salvation) with his explanation for why he was now able to reveal the mystery in Christ when the previous dispensations were unable to know it: because the Holy Spirit is inside every believer. We are now ready to hear the specific explanation of this mystery in Christ.)

(In the first half of the Book of Ephesians we looked at a model Paul used that I call "1-2-3" in which:
-"1" referred to the individual and their uniqueness,
-"2" referred to the fellowship (exchange in love) between two individuals according to their uniqueness, and
-"3" referred to the entire community as a whole.
As Paul continued his explanation of the Meaning of Life in chapters 4 and 5, we will see more usages of this model.)

Ephesians 4
¹ I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called,

(Paul desired that the Ephesians walked worthy of their calling (purpose). This was an example of "1" - the individual's uniqueness, but the sentence continued...)

² with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
³ giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

(This was an example of "2" - the fellowship (exchange in love) between two individuals according to their uniqueness. Walking worthy meant in humility and love and by the Spirit. Peace was not lack of activity. Peace was like "harmony" which was the coordination between two sources. Peace could be seen as an example of "2" behavior.)

⁴ There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling;
⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.

(This sentence was an example of "3" - the entire community as a whole, as one. The first two sentences of Paul's explanation of the mystery began with a "1-2-3.")

⁷ But unto each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

(This sentence began setting the context for the first half of the Meaning of Life: The Church. Each individual was given direction from the Holy Spirit according to the "gift of Christ." Next, Paul explained in more detail about these "gifts.")

⁸ Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men.

(Paul referenced Psalm 68:18.)

⁹ (Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth?
¹⁰ He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)

(Jesus descended into the "lower parts of the earth" (Abraham's bosom - Luke 16:19-31) and then ascended (at Pentecost) so that He would fill all things, which involved giving gifts to men (via the Holy Spirit). What followed was a very long sentence that was half of the Meaning of Life, in detail.)

¹¹ And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

(The Church is given the following gifts via the Holy Spirit:
-apostles,
-prophets,
-evangelists,
-pastors, and
-teachers.

Remember, Paul stated the Church was built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, which were the first two gifts that Paul mentioned. These five gifts, often referred to as the Five Fold Ministry, were the Positional Spiritual Gifts. Different from the Motivational Spiritual Gifts (Romans 12) and the Manifestational Spiritual Gifts (1 Corinthians 12). Everyone has specific motivational gifts they are in control of and can even use to destruction. These gifts never change for the individual because they are the Being (Mind/Soul) of the individual. Any of the Manifestational Spiritual Gifts are able to be done by anyone who is open to the Holy Spirit because these gifts are initiated by the Holy Spirit. Some people have one of the positional gifts mentioned in verse 11. While the gift requires the Holy Spirit to work through the gift, the person holding a positional gift can initiate the gift. For example, any believer can manifest a prophetic word if they are open to the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit initiates this through the person (Manifestational Spiritual Gift). However, a person with the Positional Spiritual Gift of prophet would be able to intentionally get a prophetic word from God via the Holy Spirit.)

¹² for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ:

(Verse 12 was the purpose of the Positional Spiritual Gifts. Notice, verse 11 was an example of a "1" - the individual's uniqueness. Verse 12 gave two examples of a "2" - the fellowship (exchange in love) between two individuals according to their uniqueness. The third part of verse 12 was an example of a "3" - the entire community as a whole, the body of Christ which was the Church. Jesus gave these specific gifts to the Church so that individuals would be matured by serving each other so that the entire Church would be built up. How long would the Church need these gifts?)

¹³ till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

(We need these gifts until the Church is unified, fully matured in knowledge until we are equal to Christ! This was a tough verse until one remembered that if Christ is going to marry the Bride, why would Christ marry someone who was not His equal? This was a general measure from Paul, however, Paul continued to give specific measures.)

¹⁴ that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;

(We will need these gifts until we are no longer acting like children who are unstable when it comes to Doctrine and interactions with deceivers. Verses 13 and 14 were examples of "1" - the individual.)

¹⁵ but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ;

(Verse 15 began with our job description in eternity: speaking truth in love.
-First, speaking meant words. Words are important.
-Second, truth is a right what with a right how/why...which creates.
-Third, love is an exchange that is the ultimate in profitability.

Paul went into detail about the importance of love leading to profitability in 1 Corinthians 13. We will spend eternity speaking truth in love to each other. This is the ultimate example of "2" - the fellowship (exchange in love) between two individuals according to their uniqueness. The goal is for all of us growing up into Jesus who is the Head of the Body (Church). Again, this was an example of "3" - the community as a whole.)

¹⁶ from whom all the body fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in due measure of each several part, maketh the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love.

(Paul concluded this Meaning of Life sentence with a "3-2-1," then "1-3-2":
3: "all the body"
2: "fitly framed together and knit together"
1: "which every joint supplieth"

Then, 1: "according to the working in due measure of each several part"
3: "maketh increase of the body unto the building up of itself"
2: "in love"

Half of the Meaning of Life is the Bride/Church, which is the new Jerusalem. The Bride will be made up of all of us who will be in the part of the Body we were designed for, so that we speak the truth in love to the other parts we are joined to, with the overall result being the building up of the Body for eternity.)

(A lot of people think heaven/the new Jerusalem is a Have (possession) or a Do (activity):
-Have example: "I can't wait until I have a cadillac in heaven."
-Do example: "I can't wait until I can play golf every day in heaven."

Some people see church today as the same thing:
-Have example: "We have a big building."
-Do example: "I like singing in the choir."

Eternity with Christ is about an ARE, it's about fellowship, sharing, speaking truth in love to each other. Churches today ought to have the same focus. Possessions and activities cannot increase in eternity. Fellowship and love can continually increase in eternity. Love can result in more in eternity because God's mercy will endure. When you give to me and do not expect anything in return, you are owed. If God's mercy ceased in eternity, He would equal this out immediately. However, because God's mercy continues, I would feel compelled to pay you back. If I paid you back according to uniqueness, then something that cost me little would be valued by you as more, especially if God put us together in the Body because our uniquenesses are mutually profitable. My giving you something I valued little and you valued a lot will cause you to give me something you value a lot, and that I value enormously. This exchange could continue into eternity and always result in more.)

¹⁷ This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their mind,

(Paul concluded half of the Meaning of Life in verse 16. Verse 17 began a very powerful contrast with two earlier verses. Verse 17 set the stage: Paul spoke of not making progress in the worldly ways of the unbelievers.)

¹⁸ being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart;

(Verse 17 ended with "in the vanity of their mind." Reread from that phrase through verse 18 to get the full effect. Paul stated the cause of unbelievers making progress in the world was the vanity (pride) of their Mind/Soul. The Greek word for understanding in verse 18 was dianoia. It was composed of two Greek words that meant "the channel through which the Mind/Soul operates," which is the conscious brain! The word brain is a relatively new word and was created more than a thousand years after the New Testament was written.)

(The effects were a darkened conscious brain leading to ignorance, alienated from the life of God, and hardening their heart (which would an effect). Now look at Ephesians 1:18 which spoke of the benefits of being guided by the Holy Spirit: "having the eyes of your heart/understanding enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints."

The word understanding was also dianoia. The effects of being guided by the Holy Spirit were a conscious brain that worked well: not being ignorant of the hope of God's calling, linked to God to the point of experiencing the riches, and having a heart that was enlightened as an effect. The Mind/Soul and the Holy Spirit need to be in agreement (which is living in the Spirit) and then it needs to come out through the flesh (conscious brain) which is walking in the Spirit.)

¹⁹ who being past feeling gave themselves up to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

(Paul stated these people were past emotions and gave themselves up to lasciviousness (dirty behavior), and then gave an extreme measure: all uncleanness with greediness. Paul stated that people who made progress (walked) according to the world were past emotions and did all uncleanness to the greatest amount, where the person was always actively looking to do more uncleanness.

Now look at Ephesians 3:20 which was Paul's concluding point about God before he began explaining the mystery in detail in this chapter: "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us."

Regardless of what we thought or asked (and the emotion involved) God is able through the Holy Spirit to do exceeding abundantly above all that we think or ask. The world works all uncleanness with greediness, while God through the Holy Spirit is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we think or ask.

**This showed that all the spiritual benefits we will experience in eternity were available to us now!**)

²⁰ But ye did not so learn Christ;

(Paul blatantly stated the ways of the people walking according to the world were not something that Christ taught people to do. Christ taught the opposite: walking in the Spirit.)

²¹ if so be that ye heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus:
²² that ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old man, that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit;

(Paul contrasted the amount of truth we were taught from Jesus was the same amount that we ought to put away our former sinful life. Notice, Paul stated we should "put away" this old life that we were married to and...)

²³ and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

(Paul told believers to renew their Mind/Soul. This is done by pursuing growth through embracing the principles of non-contradiction, causality, and contrastive thinking.)

²⁴ and put on the new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.

(Paul told believers to "put on" the new man which was an effect of God flowing through us.)

²⁵ Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.

(Here was another "1-2-3" example:
1) The individual ought to put away falsehood, so that
2) we exchange with each other (speaking the truth in love) because
3) we are one in the Body of the Bride.)

²⁶ Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
²⁷ neither give place to the devil.

(Paul said we could be angry, but we should not sin. Notice, Paul did not say, "don't be angry"...that would have denied our emotions. However, Paul said not to let the sun go down on your wrath. When we sleep, our brain changes: either for the better or the worse. This advice was trying to prevent a person from changing his brain for the worse. Letting your wrath solidify a place in your brain is creating a stronghold for the enemy. Paul covered this in 2 Corinthians 10. A stronghold is a place of resources for the enemy within our territory, which would be giving the devil a place within our brain. Having the enemy in your flesh (conscious brain) can limit your ability to walk in the Spirit which Paul covered in Romans 7.)

²⁸ Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need.

(Paul contrasted stealing with working so that the individual was able to supply to those other parts of the body/church that were in need.)

²⁹ Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear.

(Paul contrasted corrupt speech with our job description in the Bride: speaking the truth in love. We can administer grace unto others. This happens when the Holy Spirit works through us towards another person.)

³⁰ And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption.

(Believers are sealed until the day of redemption (Judgment Day). Then, the body of Christ will no longer be "engaged" to Jesus, but married to Him. Paul concluded this half of the Meaning of Life explanation contrasting the specific actions that ought to be "put away" with the specific actions that we ought to exhibit to each other.)

³¹ Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice:
³² and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you.

(Theme of Chapter 4: Paul presented Half of the Meaning of Life concerning The Bride/Church, which is the new Jerusalem. The Bride will be made up of all of us who will be in the part of the Body we were designed for, so that we speak the truth in love to the other parts we are joined to, with the overall result being the building up of the Body for eternity. Next, Paul covered the other Half of the Meaning of Life.)




Ephesians 5
¹ Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children;
² and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell.

(Walk in love. Walking in love implied it was an action that we ought to progress in. This is possible since love is "giving a value without expecting anything in return from the person you gave to." Christ gave Himself for us in love. Throughout the Bible, "an odor of a sweet smell," or as it was translated in the KJV "a sweet smelling savour," was burnt in order to appease God's anger/wrath. Christ's death appeased God's wrath against us which allowed us to attain Salvation.)

³ But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as becometh saints;
⁴ nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, or jesting, which are not befitting: but rather giving of thanks.

(Paul listed the actions that would bring God's wrath and then contrasted it by exhorting the Ephesians to give thanks, which was the same as a sweet smelling savour.)

⁵ For this ye know of a surety, that no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
⁶ Let no man deceive you with empty words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience.

(Deception is a right what with a wrong or no how/why. "Empty words" have a wrong or no how/why, they are words that either have a wrong definition or have not been defined. Paul blatantly stated these actions that prevented people from attaining Salvation brought the wrath of God.)

⁷ Be not ye therefore partakers with them;
⁸ For ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light
⁹ (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth),
¹⁰ proving what is well-pleasing unto the Lord;
¹¹ and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them;
¹² for the things which are done by them in secret it is a shame even to speak of.

(Our actions ("walk") prove whether or not we are believers, whether we are "children of the light." Verse 11 was the example Jesus set for us: having no fellowship with unprofitable works, but exposing them with light.)

¹³ But all things when they are reproved are made manifest by the light: for everything that is made manifest is light.

(Believers are light and go towards the light.)

¹⁴ Wherefore he saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine upon thee.
¹⁵ Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise;
¹⁶ redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

(Verse 15 could be summarized in this way: Walk with a careful awareness and focus on making profitable decisions. In order to do this, the believer must be "awake." The word awake (from verse 14) meant "collect faculties and senses, gather in marketplace to fulfill a purpose, learn cause and effect in public square." The word sleep (from verse 14) meant "disengage your focus, halt your abilities in relation to time and place, yield trust to various sources." Clearly, being awake was wise and remaining asleep was unwise.)

¹⁷ Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

(We ought to understand the Will of God. Actually, those who do not understand God's Will were considered "foolish." The rest of this chapter gave the specific explanation for the other half of the Meaning of Life: The Church is married to Jesus.)

¹⁸ And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit;

(Be filled with the Spirit, not with drunkenness.)

¹⁹ speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
²⁰ giving thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;
²¹ subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ.

(Every believer ought to be humble enough to willingly subject (KJV "submitting") themselves to other believers. We saw that the Bride will be made up of all the believers speaking the truth to each other in love. Verse 19 began with speaking and verse 21 ended in humility and love.)

²² Wives, be in subjection unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
²³ For the husband is the head of the wife, and Christ also is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body.

(Doctrine: Christ is the Head of the Church, the husband is the head of the wife, the "head" being the leader. Leadership is "facilitating the purpose and progress of another person.")

²⁴ But as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their husbands in everything.

(Marriage Doctrine: Wives, be to your husbands in everything. Simple instructions from Paul. Could this be because women naturally are about sharing? Women are destructive when they supply their own causes and then make effects from them. Verse 24 pointed women to get causes from their husband.)

(Verses 25-31: the exhaustive instructions for a husband to his wife.)

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it;

(Marriage Doctrine: The husband gives himself up for the wife. Masculinity is putting the interest of others (including your wife and kids) above your own interest. This is really tough to do, which is why it takes a tough person to do it. Many husbands focus their wives on submitting, but ignore the fact that everything the husband does ought to be in the best interest of the wife. After all, everything Christ did was for the benefit of the Church. Jesus did not personally benefit from anything He did.)

²⁶ that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word,

(Marriage Doctrine: Husbands are to sanctify and cleanse their wives with the Word of God. In Israel, every boy was meant to memorize the Torah. In 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, Paul would not suffer a woman to speak in church that could go home and ask her husband. God's design for Marriage involved the husband knowing the Word of God well enough he could teach it to his wife. Paul was trying to help spouses have a better Marriage. In eternity, the Groom will sanctify and cleanse the Bride by the Word of God, and since the Groom (Jesus) is the Word, this Marriage will be paradisiacal.)

²⁷ that he might present the church to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

(Jesus (Groom) will present the Church (Bride) to Himself. Notice, the benefit the husband ought to get from being about the wife's best interest is that he can present his wife to himself, and the wife ought to be towards the husband in everything.)

²⁸ Even so ought husbands also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his own wife loveth himself:
²⁹ for no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as Christ also the church;

(Marriage Doctrine: Husbands are to nourish and cherish their wives:
-Nourisheth meant "growing and maturing." This was a husband teaching and confronting his wife, for her benefit.
-Cherisheth meant "gently." This was a husband providing a safe place for the wife, so that he could "nourish" her in a way that would be for her benefit.)

³⁰ because we are members of his body.

(Throughout this explanation of the second half of the Meaning of Life, Paul switched between earthly Marriage (between husband and wife) and Eternal Marriage (between Jesus and the Church). For example, the previous sentence began with earthly Marriage and concluded with Eternal Marriage, blatantly stating that believers were members of Jesus' Body. Paul was more clear that this meant Jesus' Bride...)

³¹ For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh.

(Paul referenced Genesis 2:24. Here is what we wrote on this blog for that verse:
"Cleave in this verse was the same cleave as used in Deuteronomy 10:20: 'Thou shalt fear Jehovah thy God; him shalt thou serve; and to him shalt thou cleave, and by his name shalt thou swear.' God is superior to us and we cleave to Him. Likewise, women are a superior help to males; women are perfect for males, unless you believe we are equal or greater than God.")

³² This mystery is great: but I speak in regard of Christ and of the church.

(Paul stated this mystery was great and then stated it: Christ and the Church will become one flesh in Marriage. This was the mystery Paul said was now known because of the New Testament Church!)

³³ Nevertheless do ye also severally love each one his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she fear her husband.

(Theme of Chapter 5: Paul presented the other half of the Meaning of Life, which was the great mystery. The first half of the Meaning of Life concerned The Bride/Church, which was the new Jerusalem. The Bride will be made up of all of us who will be in the part of the Body we were designed for, so that we speak the truth in love to the other parts we are joined to, with the overall result being the building up of the Body for eternity. The other half of the Meaning of Life was that Jesus will be married to the Church in an Eternal Marriage.)




Ephesians 6
¹ Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

(It is right for children to obey their parents.)

² Honor thy father and mother (which is the first commandment with promise),
³ that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

(Honoring your father and mother was the first commandment with a promise. Verse 3 was the promise. See also Exodus 20:12.)

⁴ And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but nurture them in the chastening and admonition of the Lord.

(The father's responsibility is to not provoke his children to wrath but bring them up in the chastening and admonition of God. The word chastening in this verse meant "the whole training and education of children." The word admonition meant "exhortation." Paul just applied the Doctrines from the Meaning of Life to parents and children.)

⁵ Servants, be obedient unto them that according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
⁶ not in the way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers; but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
⁷ with good will doing service, as unto the Lord, and not unto men:
⁸ knowing that whatsoever good thing each one doeth, the same shall he receive again from the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

(Paul applied the Meaning of Life Doctrines to servants. As servants, we ought to act as we would towards our master the same way we would act towards God. How we act towards our master is an expression of our will in how we want to be led. To bring this passage into our culture, you can look at servants and masters as employees and bosses. We ought to do our job unto God, not unto the people who pay us. Doing the will of God from the heart is grace.)

⁹ And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, and forbear threatening: knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no respect of persons with him.

(As masters (bosses), we ought to lead how we want to be led.)

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might.
¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

(Paul covered offensive spiritual warfare in 2 Corinthians 10. In that passage, Paul stated that when our obedience was made full, then we would do offensive spiritual warfare that is led by the Holy Spirit. The Armor of God covered defensive spiritual warfare. This is the place where we make our obedience full so that we can do offensive spiritual warfare. Remember, spiritual warfare is not physical, it is done according to words and thoughts. Likewise, the armor of God helps us stand against the devil's wiles (evil tricks). The devil will use deception – A right what with a wrong or no how/why, which is made up of words and thoughts.)

¹² For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

(Doctrine: Spiritual warfare is just that: spiritual. It is made up of words and sentences. Paul identified levels of evil spirits: from principalities to powers to world-rulers to spiritual hosts in heavenly places.)

¹³ Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand.

(This was defensive spiritual warfare. The goal was to stand, not attack or defeat the enemy. As we go through the pieces of the armor of God, notice the basic Doctrine that was represented by each piece...)

¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

(Loins guarded with truth – The "loins" being the place of creation. Truth being "facts that create": a right what with a right how/why.)

(Breastplate of Righteousness - The breastplate guards the heart where Righteousness comes from when we live by the divine influence upon the heart: grace.)

¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

(Feet shod with the Gospel of peace - remember in John's Gospel Account Jesus said believers only needed to clean their feet to be completely clean because the feet were the only part of the body in contact with the "world/dust" (John 13:10). Also, peace referred to harmony: synchronizing with another person. So, our feet come in contact with the world, and what we ought to bring to the world is the Gospel and do it in a manner that harmonizes with people.)

¹⁶ withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.

(Above all, take the shield of faith - our understanding and experience which will quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. The fiery darts will be quenched if in your understanding and experience (faith) you have truth (a right how/why). Notice, darts have to be thrown from a relatively close distance. These darts were thoughts and circumstances the enemy wanted believers to understand and experience. Notice, there was no back armor on this armor of God. That was because it was defensive armor, meant to face the enemy and continue to stand.)

¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

(Helmet of Salvation - Salvation comes by grace through faith, two things that we grow in by increasing our understanding and experience.)

(Sword of the Spirit - The Word of God. This was the only weapon in the armor of God that could be used in an offensive manner. Clearly spiritual warfare has to do with words and our offensive weapon is the Word of God. In verse 17, the word word was rhema - the revelatory and powerful word from God that has no precedent. This was the same sword that proceeds out of Jesus' Mouth in the Revelation 2:16 that gives Him victory over the enemy. This is a two-edged sword, which some people say is defensive and offensive.)

¹⁸ with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,

(Praying always, which is made up of words.)

¹⁹ And on my behalf, that utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,

(Paul asked the Ephesians to pray that he had boldness to continue to make the mystery of the Gospel known to others.)

²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

(Paul was in prison during this letter. He asked for prayer that he would speak boldly, as he ought to speak.)

²¹ But that ye also may know my affairs, how I do, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things:
²² whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose, that ye may know our state, and that he may comfort your hearts.

(This letter was delivered by Tychicus.)

²³ Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
²⁴ Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ with a love incorruptible.

(Theme of Chapter 6: Paul applied the Meaning of Life Doctrines to parents, children, servants, and masters. Then Paul presented the pieces of the armor of God. This was used to do defensive spiritual warfare.)

(The Book of Ephesians was written at the same time as Colossians and Philemon, with all three being delivered by Tychicus. These letters were written by Paul around 64 AD from Rome during his time in prison. While this was the fifth book of the section of the New Testament known as the Pauline Epistles and the second book of the section known as the Prison Epistles, it actually chronologically preceded the previous book (Galatians). Paul stated the purpose for writing this letter was so that the Ephesians perceived Paul's understanding of the mystery in Christ: Ephesians 3:4.)

(We have seen that Romans presented the most foundational Christian Doctrine: Salvation. We have seen that 1 Corinthians focused on the application of the foundational Doctrine towards a very new church. We have also seen that 2 Corinthians was a more mature application of foundational Doctrine. In the previous book (Galatians), we saw a review of these first three Pauline Epistles. For example, Paul revisited the lack of division between Jew and Gentile like he covered in the Book of Romans, as well as the need to separate from sinners and then forgive and receive the repentant sinner like he covered in both letters to the Corinthians. The Book of Ephesians was also referred to as "Paul's second doctrinal letter," with Romans being referred to as "Paul's first doctrinal letter." We have seen that each of these letters from Paul included Doctrine. Again, the Book of Romans presented the most foundational Doctrine: Salvation, which can be seen as "The Cause of Christianity." The Book of Ephesians was referred to as a Doctrinal letter because it dealt with the largest Doctrine, the Doctrine that was "The Ultimate Effect of Christianity: The Meaning of Life." This was the mystery "in Christ" that Paul referred to.)

(In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul implied that he had been to the third heavens and heard unspeakable words that were not lawful for a man to utter. It was possible that Paul saw the Meaning of Life, but could not blatantly speak it. Instead, we saw Paul presented the Meaning of Life indirectly, in much the same way Jesus spoke indirectly about being the Son of God as recorded in the Gospel according to John. Paul began his presentation with as little detail as possible, yet giving the entire picture. As Paul progressed through his letter, he gave more detail about the smaller portions of the entire picture in the absence of the rest of the picture. The best way to understand this letter during the first read is to begin with the last four chapters of the New Testament: Revelation 19-22. In those chapters, we see that all believers will spend eternity in the new Jerusalem. The new Jerusalem was referred to as the House of God, the Temple of God, and the Bride. The new Jerusalem is Christ's Bride. What is the Meaning of Life? All believers interact with each other as "cells in the body" of the Bride which is married to Jesus. Paul stated the same conclusion in the last half of this book. We saw that Paul referenced Doctrine from the previous Pauline Epistles covered in the New Testament.)

Day 339