Brief Summary:
Doctrine occupies the greatest portion of the Book of Ephesians. Half of the teaching in this epistle relates to our standing in Christ, and the remainder of it affects our condition. All too often those who teach from this book bypass all the foundational instruction and go directly to the closing chapter. It is this chapter that emphasizes the warfare or the struggle of the saints. However, to benefit fully from the contents of this epistle, one must begin at the beginning of Paul’s instruction in this letter.
First, as followers of Christ, we must fully understand who God declares us to be. We must also become grounded in the knowledge of God’s accomplishment for all humanity. Next, our present existence and walk must become exercised and strengthened. This must continue until we no longer totter or stagger back and forth with every spirit of teaching and subtlety of men.
Paul’s writing breaks down into three main segments.
(1) Chapters one through three introduce principles with respect to God’s accomplishment.
(2) Chapters four and five put forth principles regarding our present existence.
(3) Chapter six presents principles concerning our daily struggle.
The Book of Ephesians Summary
Summary of the Book of Ephesians – Bible Survey | GotQuestions.org
Context Summary
Ephesians 1:3–14 praises God for the blessings He has provided. Paul ties together the ideas of predestination, God’s glory, the salvation of His people, and the rights we have as children of God. In particular, believers are blessed because God chose, before creation, to save us. That salvation came at a great cost: the death of Jesus Christ. As children of God, we can be confident that God will give us what He has promised: namely, an eternity with Him in heaven.
For a more detailed summary select the link below.
“Ephesians 1:3” Bibleref.com
What does Ephesians 1:3 mean? | BibleRef.com
Ephesians 1:3
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
Context Summary
Ephesians 1:3–14 praises God for the blessings He has provided. Paul ties together the ideas of predestination, God’s glory, the salvation of His people, and the rights we have as children of God. In particular, believers are blessed because God chose, before creation, to save us. That salvation came at a great cost: the death of Jesus Christ. As children of God, we can be confident that God will give us what He has promised: namely, an eternity with Him in heaven.
For a more detailed summary select the link below.
“Ephesians 1:4” Bibleref.com
What does Ephesians 1:4 mean? | BibleRef.com
Ephesians 1:3-4
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love,
Context Summary
Ephesians 1:3–14 praises God for the blessings He has provided. Paul ties together the ideas of predestination, God’s glory, the salvation of His people, and the rights we have as children of God. In particular, believers are blessed because God chose, before creation, to save us. That salvation came at a great cost: the death of Jesus Christ. As children of God, we can be confident that God will give us what He has promised: namely, an eternity with Him in heaven.
For a more detailed summary select the link below.
“Ephesians 1:7” Bibleref.com
What does Ephesians 1:7 mean? | BibleRef.com
Ephesians 1:7
7 in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
Context Summary
Ephesians 1:3–14 praises God for the blessings He has provided. Paul ties together the ideas of predestination, God’s glory, the salvation of His people, and the rights we have as children of God. In particular, believers are blessed because God chose, before creation, to save us. That salvation came at a great cost: the death of Jesus Christ. As children of God, we can be confident that God will give us what He has promised: namely, an eternity with Him in heaven.
For a more detailed summary select the link below.
“Ephesians 1:13” Bibleref.com
What does Ephesians 1:13 mean? | BibleRef.com
Ephesians 1:13
13 In him you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
(Read Ephesians 1:15-23)
God has laid up spiritual blessings for us in his Son the Lord Jesus; but requires us to draw them out and fetch them in by prayer. Even the best Christians need to be prayed for: and while we hear of the welfare of Christian friends, we should pray for them. Even true believers greatly want heavenly wisdom. Are not the best of us unwilling to come under God’s yoke, though there is no other way to find rest for the soul? Do we not for a little pleasure often part with our peace? And if we dispute less, and prayed more with and for each other, we should daily see more and more what is the hope of our calling, and the riches of the Divine glory in this inheritance. It is desirable to feel the mighty power of Divine grace, beginning and carrying on the work of faith in our souls. But it is difficult to bring a soul to believe fully in Christ, and to venture its all, and the hope of eternal life, upon his righteousness. Nothing less than Almighty power will work this in us. Here is signified that it is Christ the Saviour, who supplies all the necessities of those who trust in him, and gives them all blessings in the richest abundance. And by being partakers of Christ himself, we come to be filled with the fulness of grace and glory in him. How then do those forget themselves who seek for righteousness out of him! This teaches us to come to Christ. And did we know what we are called to, and what we might find in him, surely we should come and be suitors to him. When feeling our weakness and the power of our enemies, we most perceive the greatness of that mighty power which effects the conversion of the believer, and is engaged to perfect his salvation. Surely this will constrain us by love to live to our Redeemer’s glory.
For a more detailed summary select the link below.
“Ephesians 1:19” Bibleref.com
What does Ephesians 1:19 mean? | BibleRef.com
Ephesians 1:15-21
15 For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which you have toward all the saints, 16 don’t cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might 20 which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule, authority, power, dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.
(Read Ephesians 1:15-23)
God has laid up spiritual blessings for us in his Son the Lord Jesus; but requires us to draw them out and fetch them in by prayer. Even the best Christians need to be prayed for: and while we hear of the welfare of Christian friends, we should pray for them. Even true believers greatly want heavenly wisdom. Are not the best of us unwilling to come under God’s yoke, though there is no other way to find rest for the soul? Do we not for a little pleasure often part with our peace? And if we dispute less, and prayed more with and for each other, we should daily see more and more what is the hope of our calling, and the riches of the Divine glory in this inheritance. It is desirable to feel the mighty power of Divine grace, beginning and carrying on the work of faith in our souls. But it is difficult to bring a soul to believe fully in Christ, and to venture its all, and the hope of eternal life, upon his righteousness. Nothing less than Almighty power will work this in us. Here is signified that it is Christ the Saviour, who supplies all the necessities of those who trust in him, and gives them all blessings in the richest abundance. And by being partakers of Christ himself, we come to be filled with the fulness of grace and glory in him. How then do those forget themselves who seek for righteousness out of him! This teaches us to come to Christ. And did we know what we are called to, and what we might find in him, surely we should come and be suitors to him. When feeling our weakness and the power of our enemies, we most perceive the greatness of that mighty power which effects the conversion of the believer, and is engaged to perfect his salvation. Surely this will constrain us by love to live to our Redeemer’s glory.
For a more detailed summary select the link below.
“Ephesians 1:19” Bibleref.com
What does Ephesians 1:19 mean? | BibleRef.com
Ephesians 1:19
19 and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might
Ephesians 1:15–23 celebrates the value of our salvation in Christ. Paul’s prayers for the believers of Ephesus not only include praise for their success, but an appeal for their growth. This passage heavily involves the supremacy of Christ. As believers, we are not only followers of Jesus, but also recipients of His blessings and power. Paul seeks to remind the Ephesian church that a complete understanding of Christ leads to a greater love and a stronger faith.
For a more detailed summary select the link below.
“Ephesians 1:22” Bibleref.com
What does Ephesians 1:22 mean? | BibleRef.com
Ephesians 1:22
22 He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly,
Context Summary
Ephesians 2:1–10 clearly explains the relationship between our lack of obedience, the grace of God, and our salvation. Those who are saved by Christ do not deserve this salvation. It is only by mercy, and by grace, that God chooses to forgive. In this section, Paul will repeat the claim that human effort has no impact on salvation whatsoever. No Christian can brag about their ”goodness,” since we are saved entirely by the grace of God, not by our own good deeds.
For a more detailed summary select the link below.
“Ephesians 2:1” Bibleref.com
What does Ephesians 2:1 mean? | BibleRef.com
Ephesians 2:1
You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins,
Context Summary
Ephesians 2:1–10 clearly explains the relationship between our lack of obedience, the grace of God, and our salvation. Those who are saved by Christ do not deserve this salvation. It is only by mercy, and by grace, that God chooses to forgive. In this section, Paul will repeat the claim that human effort has no impact on salvation whatsoever. No Christian can brag about their ”goodness,” since we are saved entirely by the grace of God, not by our own good deeds.
For a more detailed summary select the link below.
“Ephesians 2:4” Bibleref.com
What does Ephesians 2:4 mean? | BibleRef.com
Ephesians 2:4
4 But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us,
Context Summary
Ephesians 2:1–10 clearly explains the relationship between our lack of obedience, the grace of God, and our salvation. Those who are saved by Christ do not deserve this salvation. It is only by mercy, and by grace, that God chooses to forgive. In this section, Paul will repeat the claim that human effort has no impact on salvation whatsoever. No Christian can brag about their ”goodness,” since we are saved entirely by the grace of God, not by our own good deeds.
For a more detailed summary select the link below.
“Ephesians 2:8-9” Bibleref.com
What does Ephesians 2:8 mean? | BibleRef.com
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, that no one would boast
Context Summary
Ephesians 2:1–10 clearly explains the relationship between our lack of obedience, the grace of God, and our salvation. Those who are saved by Christ do not deserve this salvation. It is only by mercy, and by grace, that God chooses to forgive. In this section, Paul will repeat the claim that human effort has no impact on salvation whatsoever. No Christian can brag about their ”goodness,” since we are saved entirely by the grace of God, not by our own good deeds.
For a more detailed summary select the link below.
“Ephesians 2:10” Bibleref.com
What does Ephesians 2:10 mean? | BibleRef.com
Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.
Context Summary
Ephesians 2:11–22 explains how those who are saved, by grace through faith in Christ, have become part of a single family. Prior to the coming of Jesus, the Jewish people considered Gentiles to be unclean and inferior. Here, Paul explains how the gospel extends hope, promise, and a relationship with God to Jews and Gentiles alike. Most of the Ephesian church would have been Gentiles, and Paul frequently found himself countering anti-Gentile sentiment among various churches.
For a more detailed summary select the link below.
“Ephesians 2:19” Bibleref.com
What does Ephesians 2:19 mean? | BibleRef.com
Ephesians 2:19
19 So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God,
