Livingstone - Ephesians

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Life Application Bible Commentary: Ephesians

Copyright 1996 by The Livingstone Corporation. All rights reserved.

Contributing Editors: James C. Galvin, Ed.D., and Ronald A. Beers

Cover photograph of bridge and path copyright by Alyn Stafford / iStockphoto. All rights reserved.

Cover photographs of woman with a laptop and man holding a pen copyright by Dan Wilton / iStockphoto. All rights reserved.

Cover photo of man reading copyright by Ronnie Comeau / iStockphoto. All rights reserved.

Interior illustration of armor copyright 2004 by Tracy Walker. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NRSV are taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

(No citation is given for Scripture text that is exactly the same wording in all three versionsNIV, NKJV, and NRSV.)

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

TYNDALE, Life Application, New Living Translation, NLT, and Tyndales quill logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Ephesians / Bruce B. Barton... [et al.] ; editor, Philip Comfort.
p. cm. (Life Application Bible commentary)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8423-2813-5 (soft cover : alk. paper)
1. Bible. N.T. EphesiansCommentaries. I. Barton, Bruce B.
II. Comfort, Philip Wesley. III. Series.
BS2695.3.E63 1996
227.507dc20 96-31517

Build: 2020-10-02 11:43:19 EPUB 3.0

The Life Application Bible Commentary series provides verse-by-verse explanation, background, and application for every verse in the New Testament. In addition, it gives personal help, teaching notes, and sermon ideas that will address needs, answer questions, and provide insight for applying Gods Word to life today. The content is highlighted so that particular verses and phrases are easy to find.

Each volume contains three sections: introduction, commentary, and reference. The introduction includes an overview of the book, the books historical context, a timeline, cultural background information, major themes, an overview map, and an explanation about the author and audience.

The commentary section includes running commentary on the Bible text with reference to several modern versions, especially the New International Version and the New Revised Standard Version, accompanied by life applications interspersed throughout. Additional elements include charts, diagrams, maps, and illustrations. There are also insightful quotes from church leaders and theologians such as John Calvin, Martin Luther, John Wesley, and A. W. Tozer. These features are designed to help you quickly grasp the biblical information and be prepared to communicate it to others. The reference section includes an index and a bibliography.

What builds a friendship? Certainly common values, ideals, and experiences help. But friendship also needs mutual appreciation and respect, vulnerability, and spending many hours together. And shared experiences bond peopleespecially experiences of suffering together and working together to reach a common goal.

Of all the churches planted and visited along Pauls missionary journeys, he enjoyed a very close relationship with the church at Ephesus. Paul first visited the city briefly on his way home to Jerusalem ( A.D. 53), but he promised to return (Acts 18:19-21). He did, just one year later, on his third missionary journey. This time, Paul lived and ministered in the city for three years (Acts 20:31). During these stays in Ephesus, Paul developed close relationships with the believers there. Paul taught about the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-7), encountered opposition in the synagogue (Acts 19:8-9), and held an open forum in a lecture hall for seekers from all over the province of Asia (Acts 19:9-10). He healed the sick and cast out demons (Acts 19:11-12). Many confessed their sins and turned to Christ (Acts 19:13-20). Paul became a controversial figure, incurring the anger of many Greek businessmen and Jews. In fact, the silversmith Demetrius stirred up a riot against Paul and his traveling companions (Acts 19:23-41). Pauls enemies were as ferocious as wild beasts (1 Corinthians 15:32). No wonder Paul and the Ephesian believers were close.

To underscore this close relationship, consider the farewell scene between Paul and the elders of the Ephesian church as Paul was about to leave for Jerusalem. Listen to his final instructions to them at Miletus, recorded in Acts 20:18-35.

When they arrived, he said to them: You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given methe task of testifying to the gospel of Gods grace.

Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyones silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: It is more blessed to give than to receive. (Acts 20:18-35 NIV )