As I prepare to read, I want to remember the background. Paul is writing from prison, he’s writing merely to encourage them and to share his heart with them. Having spent 2 years and a few months with them, he cares for them deeply. That is clear as well from the charge he gives their Elders when he meets them on his way to Jerusalem.
These are people who have turned from their old lives, perhaps live steeped in years of superstitious worship of Artemis or another God, to this new offshoot of Judaism. They are trying to follow this new way, a way not familiar at all to them, or to anyone really. Paul had taught them and he is reminding them in this letter of what they should stay true to. I can imagine hearing these words they were reminded of the man who came ans showed them the love and grace of God that had transformed their lives.
I wonder how foreign the words in Ephesians 1:3-10 were to them? Blessed, chosen, predestined, redemption, forgiveness. Grand, lofty, idealistic concepts that Paul is proclaiming as reality.
In Ephesians 1:13-14, after this grand description of what God has given us in Christ, Paul makes a point of reminding them that “In him you also, … “. He did not want this to be just lofty ideas to them, no, “you also … were sealed”.
Ephesians 1:16-17 – You are still on my heart, and I’ve heard of your faith and love and I can’t stop thanking God for it. I image, from Paul’s perspective, that he leaves a place and he wonders if he’s done enough, Will they hold onto what they’ve learned? So when word gets back to him about the strength of the saints in Ephesus, he’s overjoyed and this inspires his letter.
Ephesians 1:15-21 is one of those amazing Pauline run on sentences where he can’t seem to put too many words of praise for who God is and what he has done through Christ. It seems obvious that Paul is enthralled with Jesus and he’s trying to make the Ephesians see what he sees. “Do you get it?” he seems to say, “Do you understand what an amazing God we serve, who has given us all this in Jesus?!?! No, no, really, do you see?!? ‘The eyes of your heart enlightened’, ‘Glorious inheritance’, ‘immeasurable greatness’.
I wonder, is my enthusiasm for God’s working in my life through Christ, the riches he’s given me through my conforming to his will, am I this excited to have this amazing relationship with God? Perhaps I don’t understand it like Paul did. I bet, if he were here, he’d implore me and our churches to ‘get it’.

A variety of thoughts from various sources:
Acts 18-20

• Priscilla and Aquilla were tent makers, Paul worked with them
• A year and a half in Corinth.
• Sosthenes – Look where else he turns up.
• Paul from Corinth to Ephesus (with Priscilla and Aquilla) to Antioch.
• Priscilla and Aquilla stay in Ephesus?
• Apollos arrives in Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquilla set him straight on baptism.
• Apollos to Corinth, Paul heads back to Ephesus. The timeline here is less than clear.
• Acts 19:1-7 – These 12 Ephesians that Paul meets are confused about the Holy Spirit because of their confusion about baptism. Surely these folks were not taught by Priscilla and Aquilla, for they would have taught what Paul taught. Perhaps they were taught be Apollos, prior to their arrival.
• Over two years in Ephesus, “so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.” Acts 19:10, ESV
• Many miracles, it was here that we learn of Paul’s miraculous hanky and the sons of Sceva who tried to invoke Jesus’ name with no faith in him.
• Riot – A two hour chant!: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
• On through Macedonia and into Greece for 3 months. Back through Macedonia to Troas.
• Headed to Jerusalem, avoiding Ephesus (he does not want to get distracted from getting to Jerusalem, maybe?). Went through Assos, Mitylene, Chios, Samos and Miletus via ship.
• Sends for he Ephesian elders from Miletus.
• Paul warns them to watch out for division

Easton’s Bible Dictionary

• Written by Paul in Rome about the same time as Colossians. About 4 years after Acts 20 and his charge to the elders.
• Not written from special circumstances (refuting false doctrine or dealing with a specific problem), but merely out of Paul’s love for them.
• Paul seems “to set forth the ground, the cause, and the aim and end of the church of the faithful in Christ. He speaks to the Ephesians as a type or sample of the church universal.”

Unger’s Bible Dictionary

• It seems that this letter was meant to be circulated. The words “To the Ephesians” are not in the more reliable manuscripts.
• “The apostle’s real object in writing this epistle is to set forth the believer’s union with Christ “

Holman Bible Dictionary

• “While it is not the longest of the Pauline Epistles, Ephesians is the one which best sets out the basic concepts of the Christian faith. “
• “the Queen of the Epistles”

This is my first time, except for one chapter books like Jude and Philemon, for me to read an entire book in one sitting. I must say, it was a little tiring and I felt myself getting distracted at times. On the other hand, I was able to piece together a bigger picture theme of the book and better appreciate the flow from one topic to another.
Reading it with the knowledge that Paul was not speaking to refute false doctrine or to correct false teachers, but was instead speaking form his heart to theirs out of his love for them gave the text a little different meaning as well.

My friend Pinakidion and I are going to begin a series on the book of Ephesians. All of our posts will begin with [Ephesians] so the Googlers can find it.
This should call me higher in my Bible study. My typical study involves reading and typing my comments as I go and posting them to the blog as soon as they are done. He’s suggested we follow a more rigorous pattern from the book Reading the Bible for All Its Worth. It will mean I will read it through several times in several versions.
Our first posts, an overview of the book and the context after reading it through in one sitting, will be on Monday. We’ll then be posting roughly a chapter at a time, Thursdays and Mondays from then on out.
We won’t be using any commentaries, but Bible dictionaries and similar reference works are OK. See Pinakidion’s post on this for more info on the process.
You’re welcome to join us, if you feel so inclined. Pinakidion’s friend Scott is planning on it.
It ought to be fun, in a mind expanding sort of way.

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Romans 15:1 – “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” – ESV Do we truly ‘bear with the failings of the weak’? That’s not the standard I see lived out in so much of Christiandom. Harsh criticsm is more the rule. It is my nature to be the same way. I assume everyone should be like me, have my perspective and insight, my understanding, appreciate what I appreciate. When they are not, I have too little grace.
Romans 15:14 – My inability to trust that folks are “able to instruct one another” is discouraging to me. It’s jsut another aspect of y pridefull, critical heart. I think that people need my opinion and insight, or jsut that something should not go forward without my inout. I keep praying that God will deliver me from the curse of my pride and judgemntal nature. Oe day, i do believe that I will look back and realize that he has.
Romans 16::3-16 – I wish we knew the story behind these reationsips. Behind each naem is a connection with Paul and a story, probably many. Epaenetus – the first convert in Asia, Androonicus and Junia – well known to the apostles, why? Apelles is approved, Rufus is chosen adn his Mom was like a Mom to Paul! I want to know these stories!
Romans 16:17 – A warning we would do well to pay more attention to. Avoid those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the gospel. There is plenty of that going around all over, and no, that is not another reference to the unity proposal.
Romans 16;22 – I wonder what it was like to be with Paul and to take down his thoughts as he wrote them. To watch him in his excitement in delivering them adn in his passion for the people they were prepared for.

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This may be one of the most ignored and most abused passages in scripture. Ignored by those who are mature so that they can continue to look down on, criticize and ridicule those who are not, and abused by the immature to force the mature to stoop to their level.
The mature ignore it because they would have to swallow their pride and their greater understanding of ‘freedom in Christ’ for the sake of their brother. They are right, not just in their own mind, but this passage implies that they do have a greater and deeper understanding of God’s plan and heart. But they ignore this passage, written primarily to them, warning them not to use their greater understanding too freely. Consider this paraphrase of the ESV version of Romans 14:15:

For if your brother is grieved by what you [do], you are no longer walking in love. By what you [do], do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.

So, for those with a more enlightened, perhaps more liberal, view of things, are you willing to give up that view for your weaker brother?
The immature abuse this passage by placing them in the seat of protection and throwing Romans 14 in the face of those with more liberal interpretations. “You need to accept me on this because of Romans 14!” They fail to recognize that they’ve just labeled themselves as “the one who is weak in faith”. In doing so, do they seek deeper understanding form those who are stronger or more mature? Do they seek to grow? No, it is frequently used to entrench their position and to guarantee it’s acceptance as valid & right. (Ironically, by putting themselves in the ‘weaker’ position in this passage, aren’t they essentially admitting that they are wrong?) They do not seek to accept those who’s faith is stronger or to grow in their own. They seem to say “I’m weak, I’m staying that way, and you need to deal with it.” So, to those who are weak, or perhaps more conservative, are you willing to admit that you may have something to learn from the more liberal among us?
We are to welcome those who’s faith is weak and requires external things to hold it up – like special days, abstinence from certain foods and other rules and regulations. There is no exception, no circumstance for not welcoming them. This is hard, because you and I can start talking about things that we think are big enough to say something like “Well, that now falls outside of Christianity.” Maybe so, but that is for God to decide not us. We can discuss and debate if we like. We may even feel that the person has crossed the boundary of Christianity into something else, but we are told to ‘welcome him’.
Are we doing so with each other within our own narrow fellowship? Think about issues like dating outside the church, giving levels, the level of importance assigned to evangelism, attendance expectations, Kip & Portland or even, dare I say, signing agreements. If we cannot respectfully welcome each other on these things, still welcoming each other, what hope is there for our relationship with the other COC’s? If you’re not in the ICOC, what about your tribe, be it COC, Baptist, Catholic, etc.
Usually my QT notes aren’t’ so ‘preachy’, but this is one of modern, divided Christianity’s biggest downfalls, in my view. And I am not exempt. Recently, my brother Clarke posted here about the call of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for 10,000 disciples to pray for their fellowship. Clarke (not a member of a Disciples of Christ church) challenged “every COC, ICOC, and ICC blogger to sign up, commit to pray, and advertise the program on their blogs.” I followed the link and found that their “General Minister and President” was a woman, which gave me pause. Based on my understanding of scripture, I don’t believe that women should be ministers or in positions of authority, so I was hesitant to sign up for this. But Clarke and my friend Alan who have indicated that they feel the same way, have signed up, seemingly without hesitation. I am not being asked to validate their doctrine, but simply to pray for them. Why should that be hard to stomach? It should not, but it is. Even as I type this, I know that I ought to go, sign up and give them my heart, yet I remain hesitant. God help my prideful, judgmental heart!. I will commit to praying for these brothers and sisters.
As long as we refuse to accept those who’s faith requires more rules and regulations or those who have a more liberal view, Christianity will remain deeply divided and each particular group will remain entrenched in the safety of their own convictions. And we will be no different than the world. And we will not grow.

Romans 12:1 – A living sacrifice. Living is ongoing, constant, consistent. The old sacrifices were one time, occasional. Who we are, what we do and how we live ought to be a continual sacrifice.
Romans 12:6 – “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: …” (ESV) We all have gifts that differ, therefore we will have service to God that differs, offerings that differ. Yet they all are pleasing to God. I heard it said once that in the old ICOC we favored one gift – evangelism – heavily over all others. Maybe 20% of our members had this gift, this person said. What that meant was that the other 80% felt that they never measured up, that they weren’t good enough. I feel that we are finally getting to a place where we can honor the varying gifts in our membership. I am excited about what will be revealed as we do.
Romans 12:10 – The second half of this verse in the ESV says “Outdo one another in showing honor.” Outdo one another. Go overboard to show honor. Whatever level I can go to to honor my brother, it is never too much. I wonder, do I have that spirit?
Romans 13:1-7 – I see nothing in this passage indicating that we are to agree with or support whoever is in power. We are to respect them and submit to their authority, but we do not have to agree. I’m not sure that I can see in this how it means that we are obligated to obey every law to the letter. Speed limits come to mind, but’ that’s just because it’s my nature to want to drive fast (I generally do not, I stay within 5-10 MPH of the posted limit). But what of building codes? Other traffic laws? Laws regulating car maintenance and safety? There are laws dictating any number of things, some pretty ridiculous. Are we in sin each and every time we violate them? I think that this is more about respect and submission. That submission can be in the form of obedience and compliance, but that was not Paul’s main point. His point was larger than that, to our hearts and our attitude to those in authority. Obedience can be made through clenched teeth and mumbling under our breath. Does that fulfill this passage?

Romans 11:4-6 – Does this mean, as it seems to imply, that God picked out some folks back in Elijah’s day an kept them from sinning? And that, in Paul’s day, God had picked out some Jews to be ‘His’? The implication, at least in my mind, is that perhaps even those who had been picked didn’t even know they had been picked. I guess that’s not necessary from the text, just my mind’s interpretation. Still, it seems to say that God sort of said “Just in case, I’ll set aside these folks to be my people.” I have to remember, though, in these passages that God sees the entirety of time in one viewing. He can look & know who will respond and choose them before they actually do. I also have to remember that Paul’s point in Romans was not to explain God’s choosing us and how that happens, but to explain that Jews and Gentiles are alike and that we are saved by God’s grace. Still, trying to sort out God’s choosing and man’s choosing makes my head spin.
Romans 11:7-10 – I think that this can apply to all of us. If we are not earnestly seeking God, anywhere and in any way, our eyes may not be able to see Him or our ears hear Him, for our preconceived notions about who He is or where He is will blind and deafen us. I certainly think that my believing that I had God all figured out has blinded me to a greater vision of His being and His glory in the past.
Romans 11:17-24 – These verses clearly show that our choices influence God’s choices in grafting us to cutting us off. God has not made it purely His choice alone, He has left it to us as well. The bottom line remains – had God not chosen to reach out to us, we would be doomed.
Romans 11:29 – “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” – ESV. How cool is that!

Romans 10:2 – I always read this passage with self justification of my judgment and criticalness of others’ faith. Their zeal is not based on knowledge. But reading it and considering it in context, Paul is almost making excuses from the Jews. “I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God” he says, if it were only based on knowledge.
Romans 10:3 – “Ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own” Wow, that hits home. I have felt that I have attempted to become righteous on my own terms, in my own way. I need to pay more attention to God’s way.
Romans 10:6-10 – Don’t worry about who is or isn’t going to heaven, who is or isn’t saved. Worry about yourself, if you do that and you follow Jesus as your Lord with faith you’ll be saved. Although this does give a sort of overview of salvation (faith and submission), it is by no means an check list of how to be saved. There’s no mention of repentance, baptism, love. Yet so many in Christianity use it this way – “all you have to o is believe and say you do.” Of course, the COC and ICOC have used Acts 2:38 (“all you have to do is repent and be baptized”) and Matthew 28:18-20 (If you’re not making disciples, you aren’t a disciple and aren’t saved) in much the same way. This simple, one verse type of salvation is contrary to the design of the scriptures, I think. The Bible is not a How To book, nor does it contain a How To list on becoming right with God. I think God wants us to seek and to study to find Him and I think as we teach others, we would do well to teach them to search and study.

Romans 9:3 – I cannot imagine saying this. I guess I can imagine the longing to have those you love know what you know, but to wish to be cut off?
Romans 9:13 – Was this God speaking about Jacob and Esau? Did God say he hated Esau?
Romans 9:14-24 – I have to admit that a plain reading of this passage seems to support the idea of pre-destination. I can’t wrap my mind around this and I am only reading Romans 9 in isolation, but it seems that Paul is saying God chooses. Some, like Pharaoh and Esau, are chosen to be objects of God’s wrath, others are chosen for higher purposes. I can’t bring myself to believe the Calvinist position of predestination, however. I’m still not sure what to make of this.
Romans 9:30-31 – This verse and verse 24 remind me that the greater point that Paul was making is that Jew and Gentile are alike, both in sin, both justified by faith. So, if it is our faith that will save us it is not simple God’s pre-destination, right? That still, unfortunately, doesn’t quite explain the previous section! Another question to ask the Master when I get there. 🙂

Romans 8:3-5 – We “who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Remembering the context of Romans 1-7, and my recent study of repentance (metanoia) I see this in a new light. It is not an oppressive command or expectation, to do all the right things, but is a new mindset, a new outlook, a new & very different way of looking at life. Living not in the way of the flesh, or the world, but in God’s way, the way of the spirit. In that way, as it says in Romans 8:1, “there is no condemnation”. That’s the opposite of the traditional view, or at least, my traditional view, of this passage (and others like it). In that view, living the right way, full obedience, is evidence of being in the spirit. If you were in the spirit you wouldn’t do that,brother. It’s a twisting of Paul’s admonition to the Romans to live as f they understood the glorious truth of how separate (holy) they are from the world around them. Not a command to do the right thing, but an observation that your life tells me that you don’t really understand what you are a part of.
Romans 8:12 – I like the ESV translation here. In the NIV it says we have an “obligation”, in the ESV it says “we are debtors”. An obligation sounds oppressive and demanding, where to be indebted to someone means you have received something of great value from them. Seems to describe the situation between us and God better.
Romans 8:18 – What would you endure for $100,000,000? Think about Survivor or Fear Factor. These people endure pretty amazing things for money. How much more should we face spiritual challenges in the face of what has been promised us – eternity with God? When you think of it, it seems so silly to compare them. This is why complaining is of no value.
Romans 8:23 – I have felt this at times, a longing to be done fighting against the onslaught of the world.
Romans 8:34 – I love this verse! Didn’t Jesus say that it would be His words that would judge in the last day. You could say that Jesus, although not directly but indirectly, is him who condemns. Paul is saying here, who would condemn us? Oh, that would be Jesus who’s job it is to condemn, through His word, and He’s on our side!
Romans 8:37-39 – What a list! I wonder, do I really understand how close I am to God? Nothing can separate me from His love. Not my sin or anything. I sometimes ‘feel’ that He is distant, but nothing can separate me from His love. What will it take fro that to sink in for me? I guess I shouldn’t feel too bad, Paul had to drive this point home for the Romans too.