The questions are based on the NET Bible.
CH 1. Introduction and Prayer of thanksgiving
Q1. The letter’s greeting (v1-2) can be divided into three parts: sender, receiver, and greeting words. What is the common expression found in those three parts?
Christ Jesus and God. They are connected by Jesus and God.
Q2. Paul started his letter with praising God. What was his situation according to 3:1, 4:1, 6:20?
He was in prison.
Q3. Reason of praise = Blessing from God. Paul explains about the blessing in verses 4 – 14. How many times does Paul say, ‘in Christ,’ ‘through Jesus’, or similar phrase?
Ten.
Q4. Verses 4 – 6 summarize the blessing from God. We are chosen to be holy and blameless before God. How could we be blameless? (two, v5, v6)
By being adopted as God’s children
By the work of grace
Q5. What was the motivation of God’s salvation works in verses 4-6? (hint, focus on the last phrase of each verse)
God’s love
Q6. Verses 7-10 explain more about the God’s salvation of verses 4-6. (a) What is the grace mentioned in verse 6 about? (b) What is the mystery of God’s salvation? (v9-10)
Grace: Redemption through Jesus’ blood. Forgiveness of our offense (not ‘sin’)
Mystery of God: To head up all things in Christ. (And Christ is the head of the church. Through joining the body of Christ, we will be saved.)
Q7. Who is the down payment of our salvation?
The Holy Spirit.
Q8. When Paul heard of their faith, he praised the Lord. What was Paul’s prayer for them?
Knowing more about God and His salvation blessings
Q9. What are included in the wisdom that Paul wanted them to know? (v18-19)
The hope of his calling
The wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints
The incomparable greatness of his power that raised Jesus and make all things submit under him. This power will transform us to be holy and blameless and thus raise us from dead.
Q10. Verses 22-23 are the mystery of God’s salvation. How can we win over our enemies including the Death? (meditation question)
Through Jesus Christ who is over all things. He was given to us as our head. Stay connected to Him, then we will get victory over all.
CH 2. NEW life in Christ
Q1. Our former status: We were ( ) in our ( ) and ( ).
Dead, offenses, sins.
In this world, sin is an act that hurts others. But, in the Bible, it is any act that hurts God.
Offense (transgression): violation of a certain code of the law
Sin: failure to reach required target, God’s righteousness.
Q2. Verses 2 -3 explain our former status. Fill the blanks
People in the world seek the desires of () and thoughts of (). We might think there is nothing wrong with them. The Bible, however, says that they are under the control of () that also works in the heart of disobedient people against the law. Therefore, even though the law was not given to them, such people are by () children of wrath.
Some acts are not so obvious to be sins. However, unless we are in the Holy Spirit, we are under the Satan who have controlled human hearts since Adam’s fall and seeking own desires and thoughts. They are sins.
Q3. But ( ), being rich in ( ), because of his great ( ) with which he loved us, even though we were dead in ( ), made us alive together with Christ – by ( ) you are saved.
God, mercy, love, offenses, grace.
Here, we can see the grace of God who paid back their offenses with the sacrifice of His Son.
Q4. Fill the blanks.
God saved us by () to demonstrate the surpassing wealth of his (). For you are saved by (), not from your (), so that you cannot (). For we are His creative work, we are to do () of God.
Q5. Verses 11 – 16 tell two things Jesus accomplished. What are they? (#1: v11, v14-16, #2: v12-13, v19)
He made reconciliation between the Jews and the Gentiles. The Jews formerly despised the Gentiles.
The gentiles had been alienated from God, but were brought near to God by Jesus’ blood.
Q6. What does the middle of wall of partition mean? And by what means did Jesus nullify this? (v14-15)
The hostility between the two parties, which was triggered by the law.
In his flesh: through his death.
Q7. What is the purpose of making both parties, the Gentiles and the Jews, one body? (v18, v19-20, v21-22)
Coming to the Father
Becoming God’s household
Becoming God’s dwelling place.
CH 3. Paul’s Relationship to the Divine Mystery
Q1. At the time Paul wrote this letter, he was in prison. According to verse 1~2, why was he in prison?
As Christ’s servant, his ministry for the Gentiles made him imprisoned.
His message of salvation by grace, without following Jewish traditions, made the Jews persecute him. So thus, Paul was wrongly accused by the Jews.
Q2. Why does Paul call the gospel the mystery of Christ? (v5, 9-11)
It had been hidden since the creation and was revealed to Paul and the apostles (the disciples). Revelation through his servants and the church is God’s plan. And Jesus Christ is the center of this revelation.
Q3. What is the content of the mystery? (v6, 12)
Gentiles to be fellow heirs of the God’s promise to (Abraham), which is heaven. How? In Christ, we have confident access to God.
Q4. Why does Paul tell the readers not to lose their hearts because of Paul’s suffering? (v7, 13)
Paul was called to be the apostle for the Gentiles and because of it, he suffered. God made him suffer for the Gentiles. That’s why his suffering would be a sign of God’s love for them.
The mystery was hidden -> rejection and persecution is inevitable when you become minister of the mystery.
Q5. What is Paul’s role as the servant of the gospel? (two, v8, v9)
To proclaim the unfathomable riches of Christ to the Gentiles
To enlighten everyone about God’s secret plan
Q6. What is the role of the church regarding to the mystery? (v10)
To reveal multifaceted wisdom of God to the rulers and even to the spirits.
It is remarkable that even angels wait for the church to reveal God’s wisdom. Rulers in heavenly realm refer to angels and spirits.
Q7. What are Paul’s prayers for the readers? (three in stages. V16-17, v18-19a, v19b)
Indwelling of Jesus Christ in us, in love
To know the surpassing love of Jesus
To be filled up to all the fullness of God.
Q8. The love of Christ is beyond our knowledge. How could we know it? (v17-19)
Jesus who lives in us makes us experience Jesus’ love.
CH 4. Live in Unity
Q1. What is to live worthily of the calling? (v2-3)
Doing every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit
Q2. Why do we need to live that way? (v4-6)
We are called to belong to one body of Christ and one Spirit of God. It is our identity.
Q3. Why does the Lord Jesus give gifts to each one of us? (v12)
To equip each one of us, so thus to build up the body of Christ
Q4. Summarize how we could grow to Jesus Christ. (three. V13, v14-15, v16)
Unity of faith and knowledge of Christ
Practicing truth in love and grow up into Christ.
Whole body grows together, supporting each other.
Q5. Verses 17-22 explain how non-believers come to live a futile life. Fill in the blanks (v18-19, 22)
Hardened heart & () -> alienated from () -> their conscience becomes () -> seeking ().
Q6. What is a life of seeking truth? (three in order. V22-24)
To lay aside the old man that is seeking deceitful desires
Renewed mind
Put on the new man created in God’s image. Belonging to the body of Christ and live accordingly.
Q7. “Therefore, having laid aside ( ), each one of you speak the ( ) with his neighbor because we are members of ( )”
Falsehood, truth, one another.
What would be the falsehood? It is not clearly stated in Ephesians. But it could be rendered as anything that is not truth: we have life in the body of Christ & we are one.
Q8. What is the ultimate purpose of the instructions in verses 26-32? (hint: focus on the later parts of the instructions: 26-27, 28, 29, 31-32)
To build up one another and the body of Christ.
Q9. According to your answer in Q8, what is to grieve the Holy Spirit of God?
To break down the body of Christ.
CH 5. Live wisely, in Love and Light. Exhortations to Household
Q1. What are the two reason we should live in love? (v1-2)
We are children of God. We should imitate Him
Christ loved us and gave himself for us.
Q2. In comparison with verse 2, how does the life of verses 3-4 show the opposite of love? (hint: think about the nature of love)
Self-indulgence is the opposite of sacrificial love
Q3. What would the empty words that deceive us as in verse 6? (hint: verse 5)
Your salvation is secure even though you live immoral and impure.
Q4. “Therefore do not be sharers with them, for you were at one time ( ), but now you are ( ) in the Lord. Live like children of ( )” You might ask what is to live as like children of light. It is not complicated but so obvious if you want to live so. “the fruit of the ( ) consists in all goodness, righteousness, and ( ).” By pursuing those things, we will ( ) what is pleasing to the Lord”
Darkness, light, light, light, truth, learn.
We will know God’s will through obedience and thus know what is good.
Q5. “Awake, O ( )! Rise from the ( ), and Christ will ( ) on you!”
Sleeper, dead, shine
Q6. Why is a life in the light wise? (v12-16)
All things will be made visible. Quiet soon (for the days are evil). If you know that, you would not live in darkness.
Q7. How to live wise? (four, v17, v18, v19-20, v21)
Understand what the Lord’s will is
Be filled by the Spirit
Speaking hymns and spiritual songs, giving thanks to God
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Q8. Why do wives need to submit to their husbands and husbands need to love their wives?
Just as Church submits to Christ, her head. Just as Christ loves the church, his body.
Q9. What kind of love should husbands love their wives? (v25-28)
To give oneself for his wife. To take care her as your own body.
Q10. According to Paul in verses 31-32, ( ) and ( ) relationship is to reflect ( ) and ( ) relationship.
Husband, wife, Christ, church
CH 6. Exhort. to Household (cont.), Spiritual warfare, Closing
Q1. In those days, a household included house slaves as well. It was a small community. Paul’s exhortation to households show how their faith should change their everyday lives. Summarize his exhortations.
To children:
To fathers:
To slaves:
To masters:
Q2. What is the reason that Paul asks us to have the full armor of God? (two, v11, v12)
To stand against the scheme of the devil
The war is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual powers.
Q3. Fill the blanks
Stand firm therefore, by fastening the belt of () around your waist, by putting on the breastplate of (), by fitting your feet with the () that comes from the good news of (), and in all of this, by taking up the shield of () with which you can extinguish () the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of () and the sword of () (which is the word of God).
Q4. How to summarize the exhortation to the spiritual warfare? (two. v14-17, v18)
Stand firm with the full armor of God
Pray unceasingly.
Q5. what is the purpose of sending Tychicus?
To make the readers know Paul’s circumstances in God’s providence and to encourage them.
The God’s providence: God proclaims the secret of salvation through the church, which has been hidden since the creation.
Q6. “Peace to the brothers and sisters, and ( ) with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all those who ( ) our Lord Jesus Christ with an ( ).”
Love, love, undying love.