Mark D. Roberts - Ephesians

Story of God Bible Commentary Series Endorsements

Getting a story is about more than merely enjoying it. It means hearing it, understanding it, and above all, being impacted by it. This commentary series hopes that its readers not only hear and understand the story, but are impacted by it to live in as Christian a way as possible. The editors and contributors set that table very well and open up the biblical story in ways that move us to act with sensitivity and understanding. That makes hearing the story as these authors tell it well worth the time. Well done.

Darrell L. Bock
Executive Director of Cultural Engagement, Howard G. Hendricks
Center for Christian Leadership and Cultural Engagement,
Senior Research Professor of New Testament Studies
Dallas Theological Seminary

The Story of God Bible Commentary series invites readers to probe how the message of the text relates to our situations today. Engagingly readable, it not only explores the biblical text but offers a range of applications and interesting illustrations.

Craig S. Keener
Professor of New Testament
Asbury Theological Seminary

I love the Story of God Bible Commentary series. It makes the text sing, and helps us hear the story afresh.

John Ortberg
Senior pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church

In this promising new series of commentaries, believing biblical scholars bring not only their expertise but their own commitment to Jesus and insights into todays culture to the Scriptures. The result is a commentary series that is anchored in the text but lives and breathes in the world of todays church with its variegated pattern of socioeconomic, ethnic, and national diversity. Pastors, Bible study leaders, and Christians of all types who are looking for a substantive and practical guide through the Scriptures will find these volumes helpful.

Frank Thielman
Professor of Divinity
Beeson Divinity School

The Story of God Bible Commentary series is unique in its approach to exploring the Bible. Its easy-to-use format and practical guidance brings Gods grand story to modern-day life so anyone can understand how it applies today.

Andy Stanley
Senior Pastor
North Point Ministries

Im a storyteller. Through writing and speaking I talk and teach about understanding the Story of God throughout Scripture and about letting God reveal more of His story as I live it out. Thus I am thrilled to have a commentary series based on the Story of Goda commentary that helps me to Listen to the Story, that Explains the Story, and then encourages me to probe how to Live the Story. A perfect tool for helping every follower of Jesus to walk in the story that God is writing for them.

Judy Douglass
Author, Speaker, Encourager
Office of the President, Cru
Director of Womens Resources, Cru

The Bible is the story of God and his dealings with humanity from creation to new creation. The Bible is made up more of stories than of any other literary genre. Even the psalms, proverbs, prophecies, letters, and the Apocalypse make complete sense only when set in the context of the grand narrative of the entire Bible. This commentary series breaks new ground by taking all these observations seriously. It asks commentators to listen to the text, to explain the text, and to live the text. Some of the material in these sections overlaps with introduction, detailed textual analysis and application, respectively, but only some. The most riveting and valuable part of the commentaries are the stories that can appear in any of these sections, from any part of the globe and any part of church history, illustrating the text in any of these areas. Ideal for preaching and teaching.

Craig L. Blomberg
Distinguished Professor of New Testament
Denver Seminary

Editorial Board
of
The Story of God Bible Commentary

Old Testament general editor

Tremper Longman III

Old Testament associate editors

George Athas

Mark J. Boda

Myrto Theocharous

New Testament general editor

Scot McKnight

New Testament associate editors

Lynn H. Cohick

Michael F. Bird

Joel L. Willitts

Zondervan editors

Senior acquisitions editor

Katya Covrett

Senior production editor, Old Testament

Nancy L. Erickson

Senior production editor, New Testament

Christopher A. Beetham

ZONDERVAN

Ephesians

Copyright 2016 by Mark D. Roberts

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

ePub Edition October 2016: ISBN 978-0-310-59912-8

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Cover design: Ron Huizinga

Cover image: iStockphoto

Interior composition: Matthew Van Zomeren

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This commentary is dedicated to three men who have helped me understand and live the story of God in Ephesians.

To Don Williams,

my uncle and lifelong role model, whose seminary lectures first stirred my passion for Ephesians and who modeled its truth through his own imitation of Christ.

To Lloyd Ogilvie,

my pastor and mentor, whose preaching of Ephesians proclaimed the ministry of all of Gods people and who profoundly shaped my identity as a Christian, a pastor, and a theologian.

To Howard E. Butt, Jr.,

my inspiration and friend, whose lifelong zeal for the good news of Ephesians now lives in me and who motivated me to believe that God can indeed do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.

Old Testament series