Living Ephesians:
Each week there will be a new section added to this study, for seven weeks, beginning with the Introduction. As each segment is added it will be listed here. On this site you will find:
a} Week #1: Introduction: A Young Church
b} Week #2: Brought Together
c} Week #3: A Vision of Unity
d} Week #4: Unity in Community
e} Week #5: Living in a Christ-like Way
f} Week #6: Living Wisdom
g} Week #7: Living Equipped by Prayer and Perseverance
Each week there will be a new section added to this study, for seven weeks, beginning with the Introduction. As each segment is added it will be listed here. On this site you will find:
a} Week #1: Introduction: A Young Church
b} Week #2: Brought Together
c} Week #3: A Vision of Unity
d} Week #4: Unity in Community
e} Week #5: Living in a Christ-like Way
f} Week #6: Living Wisdom
g} Week #7: Living Equipped by Prayer and Perseverance
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/0/0/24003878/1437487163.png)
Week #1
Introduction: A Young Church[i]
No one knows for sure who the author of the letter to the Ephesians is, not even to whom the letter was written. While it claims to be written by the apostle Paul, the vocabulary and style strongly suggest it comes from a different source. This was not uncommon, nor considered inappropriate, in the time of the early church – it was common for people to credit the writing to someone else. Similarly, while later manuscripts added “in Ephesus” the earlier manuscripts do not say this, but simply address the letter “to the saints who are also faithful.” The people and community are encouraged, and reminded of their responsibility to live in God’s way.
The book has a strong emphasis on grace as the only means to restoring our relationship with God. We cannot earn God’s love and, while that might seem like bad news at first, it is really good news – we cannot earn it, but because God is merciful we receive it freely and unconditionally. The very word “grace” means free gift.
The book makes some assumptions and prescriptions that are tied to the context of the writing. The letter assumes wives will be subordinate to their husbands, children will obey their parents no matter what, and slaves – common in those days – are to obey their masters. Certainly the assumptions about wives and children simply do not apply to our way of living. Similarly, while slavery was assumed and tolerated back then we clearly understand it to be wrong and intolerable today.
However, even within these difficult prescriptions are signs of compassion: husbands are to love their wives; parents are not to provoke their children; and while slaves are told to obey their masters, masters are told to treat their slaves in the same way. The way of Jesus – in any context – is a way of compassion and caring. More than anything else we are called to mutual respectability and love.
To considers as we begin our exploration of Ephesians:
- If our church received the letter to the Ephesians in the mail, what would be your reaction?
[i] this study adapted from Living the Seasons, Living the Stories from Ephesians, Seasons of the Spirit, SeasonsFUSION Pentecost 1 2012
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/0/0/24003878/3158581_orig.jpg)
Week # 2
Brought Together[i]
Focus Scripture: Ephesians 1:3–14
“The Holy Spirit is the down payment on our inheritance.”
Out of unconditional love for us, God has sent both Jesus and the Holy Spirit as guides to bring us back into right relationship with God. This is a gift of grace: when we place our faith in God, God’s salvation – or health and wholeness – is ours.
Ephesians. This letter is attributed to Paul, though scholars think someone else probably wrote it. However, it brings together Paul’s key teachings, and because of its parallels with other Pauline letters it serves as a kind of introduction to Paul’s theology, despite concerns regarding its authorship.
The letter begins with an extended blessing. In the original Greek version, today’s entire reading is one long sentence that strings together praises for God and the unity of all of creation through Christ. The Ephesians – and, indeed, all people – are included in this vision of a united cosmos bringing together heaven and earth in the presence of the Christ. The integration of these many ideas into a single sentence reflects God’s vision of cosmic unity.
What does this unity actually mean for the Ephesians? The people of Ephesus were Gentiles, so according to Jews, they were not among God’s “chosen.” Yet Paul’s theology is clear that God’s grace is for Jews and Gentiles alike (Galatians 3:28). The writer tries to explain God’s plan for the whole world. All are chosen as God’s loving people before the beginning of time (1:4). The passage makes three key points about God’s plan for the right ordering of things: its motivation and source is God’s great love; it has been in existence for all eternity; it encompasses all creation. At the fulfillment of this plan, all that exists will live in the context of relationship with God, and all will be children of God.
The hearers of the letter to the Ephesians also lived in an era of new technology. The expansion of the Roman Empire connected formerly isolated people through the building of roads, ports, and more. These connections facilitated an explosion in the spread of new ideas. It is because of the trade routes of the Roman Empire that Paul was able to engage in his mission and ministry to Gentiles and encourage Jews to expand their understanding of the scope of God’s family. Paul and those who wrote in his name used their words to draw together people from vastly different perspectives, helping them to recognize and celebrate their sameness in Christ. Ephesians 1:10 outlines God’s divine plan: “to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” (1:10). In the ancient Greek, this “plan” alludes to the stewardship or management of a household. All things are part of God’s household, and God has planned a universal family reunion.
We live in a time of heightened sensitivity to both religious conflict and religious tolerance. New media technology facilitates the flourishing of religious extremism and discrimination, yet it also creates new opportunities for ecumenical (inter-denominational) and interfaith relationships to thrive.
How do we help those who will gather in community grapple with the frustration that can emerge from interaction with Christians whose viewpoints reflect deep-seated differences to ours? How can today’s reading from Ephesians inform our understanding of the unity of all people, even amid difference?
Reflecting on the Word
Connecting with life
Unity with one another and all of creation sounds wonderful. But for many of us, working toward unity is challenging. Reflect on experiences in church, work, and other settings when people were encouraged to come together despite differences.
• What issues or obstacles make unity a challenge for you?
• How can discovering unity amid differences be a blessing?
Scripture
Ephesians 1:3–14 sets the stage for the letter’s claim that Jewish and gentile believers in Christ are unified together as part of God’s holy family.
• What parts of this passage evoke images of family?
• What parts of this passage evoke images of unity?
• How might a gentile believer in Christ have heard this passage?
• How might a Jewish believer in Christ have heard this passage?
• What does it mean to you to be “marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit”?
• How does the revelation that we are all part of one family in God help us engage in community in new ways?
• How might the Holy Spirit help us transcend differences?
Connecting scripture and life
Take a quiet moment to think about people who come from differing faith perspectives, races, and socio-economic situations. Consider the ways in which prayer can help transcend differences.
• Have you ever had an opportunity to pray with someone who was very different from you? If so, what was it like?
• Have you ever been in the presence of a person from a different faith tradition as he or she prayed? What was that like?
• Can prayer help people in conflict transcend differences? Why or why not?
• In what ways did your engagement with today’s reading from Ephesians inform your understanding of the unity of all people, even amid differences?
Reflective Prayer
Creator God, you have created a family, and you invite all people to become brothers and sisters with one another, and with Christ. May we heal the brokenness that divides us. May we grow in love for one another and the earth, and reflect the unity of your creation. Amen.
[i] this study adapted from Living the Seasons, Living the Stories from Ephesians, Seasons of the Spirit, SeasonsFUSION Pentecost 1 2012
Brought Together[i]
Focus Scripture: Ephesians 1:3–14
“The Holy Spirit is the down payment on our inheritance.”
Out of unconditional love for us, God has sent both Jesus and the Holy Spirit as guides to bring us back into right relationship with God. This is a gift of grace: when we place our faith in God, God’s salvation – or health and wholeness – is ours.
- How do you understand yourself to be “saved”?
- When do you feel like you are in close relationship with God?
Ephesians. This letter is attributed to Paul, though scholars think someone else probably wrote it. However, it brings together Paul’s key teachings, and because of its parallels with other Pauline letters it serves as a kind of introduction to Paul’s theology, despite concerns regarding its authorship.
The letter begins with an extended blessing. In the original Greek version, today’s entire reading is one long sentence that strings together praises for God and the unity of all of creation through Christ. The Ephesians – and, indeed, all people – are included in this vision of a united cosmos bringing together heaven and earth in the presence of the Christ. The integration of these many ideas into a single sentence reflects God’s vision of cosmic unity.
What does this unity actually mean for the Ephesians? The people of Ephesus were Gentiles, so according to Jews, they were not among God’s “chosen.” Yet Paul’s theology is clear that God’s grace is for Jews and Gentiles alike (Galatians 3:28). The writer tries to explain God’s plan for the whole world. All are chosen as God’s loving people before the beginning of time (1:4). The passage makes three key points about God’s plan for the right ordering of things: its motivation and source is God’s great love; it has been in existence for all eternity; it encompasses all creation. At the fulfillment of this plan, all that exists will live in the context of relationship with God, and all will be children of God.
The hearers of the letter to the Ephesians also lived in an era of new technology. The expansion of the Roman Empire connected formerly isolated people through the building of roads, ports, and more. These connections facilitated an explosion in the spread of new ideas. It is because of the trade routes of the Roman Empire that Paul was able to engage in his mission and ministry to Gentiles and encourage Jews to expand their understanding of the scope of God’s family. Paul and those who wrote in his name used their words to draw together people from vastly different perspectives, helping them to recognize and celebrate their sameness in Christ. Ephesians 1:10 outlines God’s divine plan: “to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” (1:10). In the ancient Greek, this “plan” alludes to the stewardship or management of a household. All things are part of God’s household, and God has planned a universal family reunion.
We live in a time of heightened sensitivity to both religious conflict and religious tolerance. New media technology facilitates the flourishing of religious extremism and discrimination, yet it also creates new opportunities for ecumenical (inter-denominational) and interfaith relationships to thrive.
How do we help those who will gather in community grapple with the frustration that can emerge from interaction with Christians whose viewpoints reflect deep-seated differences to ours? How can today’s reading from Ephesians inform our understanding of the unity of all people, even amid difference?
Reflecting on the Word
Connecting with life
Unity with one another and all of creation sounds wonderful. But for many of us, working toward unity is challenging. Reflect on experiences in church, work, and other settings when people were encouraged to come together despite differences.
• What issues or obstacles make unity a challenge for you?
• How can discovering unity amid differences be a blessing?
Scripture
Ephesians 1:3–14 sets the stage for the letter’s claim that Jewish and gentile believers in Christ are unified together as part of God’s holy family.
• What parts of this passage evoke images of family?
• What parts of this passage evoke images of unity?
• How might a gentile believer in Christ have heard this passage?
• How might a Jewish believer in Christ have heard this passage?
• What does it mean to you to be “marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit”?
• How does the revelation that we are all part of one family in God help us engage in community in new ways?
• How might the Holy Spirit help us transcend differences?
Connecting scripture and life
Take a quiet moment to think about people who come from differing faith perspectives, races, and socio-economic situations. Consider the ways in which prayer can help transcend differences.
• Have you ever had an opportunity to pray with someone who was very different from you? If so, what was it like?
• Have you ever been in the presence of a person from a different faith tradition as he or she prayed? What was that like?
• Can prayer help people in conflict transcend differences? Why or why not?
• In what ways did your engagement with today’s reading from Ephesians inform your understanding of the unity of all people, even amid differences?
Reflective Prayer
Creator God, you have created a family, and you invite all people to become brothers and sisters with one another, and with Christ. May we heal the brokenness that divides us. May we grow in love for one another and the earth, and reflect the unity of your creation. Amen.
[i] this study adapted from Living the Seasons, Living the Stories from Ephesians, Seasons of the Spirit, SeasonsFUSION Pentecost 1 2012
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/0/0/24003878/5762842.jpg?257)
Week #3
A Vision of Unity[i]
Focus scripture: Ephesians 2:11–22
“Christ is our peace.”
As Christians we are constantly being called to reflect on Christ’s commission to go into the world and how we can fulfill Jesus’ call to make disciples (Matthew 28:19–20). Yet faithful discipleship involves not only reaching out to those beyond the church, but also seeking peace within the church community, honouring our commonality in Christ.
Through his life, teachings, and ministry Jesus united all peoples – even those who were former enemies – and encouraged us to move from strict adherence to legal details to a new understanding of the overall nature of God’s law: love God, and love your neighbour in the same way as you love yourself. Think of a time when you were bothered by the details of obedience and felt yourself freed by focusing instead on God’s call to love one another.
In Ephesians 1, we read words of blessing and thanksgiving for God’s glory made known through the love of Christ – a love that unites all of creation. Ephesians 2 begins with a reminder of God’s unconditional grace. This reminder sets up today’s reading – a discussion on why Jews and Gentiles are reconciled in Christ. The writer likens both Jews and Gentiles to equal citizens of a divine nation – a nation built as a dwelling place for God.
Surely this passage was written because some of the Jews and Gentiles in the churches who are the recipients of this letter did not embrace reconciliation with one another. In fact, there was often animosity among them. In Ephesians 2:11, the writer uses a derisive term used by Jewish people to describe Gentiles: “the uncircumcised.” This wasn’t just a physical descriptor, but a statement implying that the Gentiles did not quite measure up to being a part of God’s chosen people. Judaism taught that circumcision was a necessary act to show one was a part of God’s covenant. The writer claims that while once Gentiles were “strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (2:12), Christ’s sacrifice has brought them into the “commonwealth of Israel” (2:12). This political language creates an important contrast for the ancient hearer between the commonwealth created by the Roman Empire, which promised peace through sacrifice to Caesar, and the commonwealth of God, which promises peace because of the sacrifice of Jesus.
In a culture where sacrifice served as currency for appeasement of ruling powers and gods, the writer makes a transformational claim in stating that the death of Jesus could draw Jews and Gentiles into one community and end the racial, cultural, and religious animosity between the two groups – these were radical ideas, indeed. Yet in the same way that today it takes more than changes in law to address the underlying causes of social, political and cultural discord, the Christian community to whom the letter was written needed more than a legal justification for breaking down walls between them; they needed to experience a spiritual transformation to overcome their differences. Such a transformation can be possible through the faithful breaking down and rebuilding of community. Just as the dividing wall between them is broken down, the writer calls these “citizens with the saints” (2:19) to build up the household of God on the foundation of the very prophets that foretold the deliverance of the Jewish people, the apostles who proclaimed Christ’s redeeming love, and the reconciling cornerstone of Jesus himself. Together, they are called to become a holy temple, a spiritual home for God.
Reflecting on the Word
Connecting with Life
Today’s focus scripture challenges the belief that some people are chosen to experience God’s grace, while others must stand outside of it. It rejects the possibility that there are “spiritual insiders” in any given faith community – people who hold hard-to-get keys to worship, study, prayer, and experiences of faith. Rather, it shows that the peace of Christ brings believers together, even if they hold differing understandings of how to authentically practice the Christian life.
Scripture
Ephesians 2:11–22 is a response to gentile Christians who experienced disrespect from Jewish Christians. The writer says that despite their differences, Christ breaks down the barriers and eliminates the hostility between them (2:14).
The ancient hearers of this passage lived in the context of the Roman Empire – a regime that promised peace at the price of heavy taxation and submission to the authority of the emperor. The Romans professed ideals of peace, strength, freedom and prosperity, but many people in colonized areas experienced Roman rule as violent and oppressive.
Connecting Scripture and Life
Consider a conflict you have experienced either in the context of faith or differences that you see between yourself and other Christians. Re- read and reflect on Ephesians 2:14–18.
During this summer season how can we take time and ponder how to serve our church community; to faithfully address the issues that get in the way of experiencing the fullness of God’s love and sharing it with others?
REFLECTIVE PRAYER:
Merciful God, through Christ walls that divide are broken. Forgive us for times when we have failed to live as a faithful community. May we in unity support our life together, and may we may know the depths of your love and grace. Amen.
[i] this study adapted from Living the Seasons, Living the Stories from Ephesians, Seasons of the Spirit, SeasonsFUSION Pentecost 1 2012
A Vision of Unity[i]
Focus scripture: Ephesians 2:11–22
“Christ is our peace.”
As Christians we are constantly being called to reflect on Christ’s commission to go into the world and how we can fulfill Jesus’ call to make disciples (Matthew 28:19–20). Yet faithful discipleship involves not only reaching out to those beyond the church, but also seeking peace within the church community, honouring our commonality in Christ.
Through his life, teachings, and ministry Jesus united all peoples – even those who were former enemies – and encouraged us to move from strict adherence to legal details to a new understanding of the overall nature of God’s law: love God, and love your neighbour in the same way as you love yourself. Think of a time when you were bothered by the details of obedience and felt yourself freed by focusing instead on God’s call to love one another.
In Ephesians 1, we read words of blessing and thanksgiving for God’s glory made known through the love of Christ – a love that unites all of creation. Ephesians 2 begins with a reminder of God’s unconditional grace. This reminder sets up today’s reading – a discussion on why Jews and Gentiles are reconciled in Christ. The writer likens both Jews and Gentiles to equal citizens of a divine nation – a nation built as a dwelling place for God.
Surely this passage was written because some of the Jews and Gentiles in the churches who are the recipients of this letter did not embrace reconciliation with one another. In fact, there was often animosity among them. In Ephesians 2:11, the writer uses a derisive term used by Jewish people to describe Gentiles: “the uncircumcised.” This wasn’t just a physical descriptor, but a statement implying that the Gentiles did not quite measure up to being a part of God’s chosen people. Judaism taught that circumcision was a necessary act to show one was a part of God’s covenant. The writer claims that while once Gentiles were “strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (2:12), Christ’s sacrifice has brought them into the “commonwealth of Israel” (2:12). This political language creates an important contrast for the ancient hearer between the commonwealth created by the Roman Empire, which promised peace through sacrifice to Caesar, and the commonwealth of God, which promises peace because of the sacrifice of Jesus.
In a culture where sacrifice served as currency for appeasement of ruling powers and gods, the writer makes a transformational claim in stating that the death of Jesus could draw Jews and Gentiles into one community and end the racial, cultural, and religious animosity between the two groups – these were radical ideas, indeed. Yet in the same way that today it takes more than changes in law to address the underlying causes of social, political and cultural discord, the Christian community to whom the letter was written needed more than a legal justification for breaking down walls between them; they needed to experience a spiritual transformation to overcome their differences. Such a transformation can be possible through the faithful breaking down and rebuilding of community. Just as the dividing wall between them is broken down, the writer calls these “citizens with the saints” (2:19) to build up the household of God on the foundation of the very prophets that foretold the deliverance of the Jewish people, the apostles who proclaimed Christ’s redeeming love, and the reconciling cornerstone of Jesus himself. Together, they are called to become a holy temple, a spiritual home for God.
Reflecting on the Word
Connecting with Life
Today’s focus scripture challenges the belief that some people are chosen to experience God’s grace, while others must stand outside of it. It rejects the possibility that there are “spiritual insiders” in any given faith community – people who hold hard-to-get keys to worship, study, prayer, and experiences of faith. Rather, it shows that the peace of Christ brings believers together, even if they hold differing understandings of how to authentically practice the Christian life.
- What has been your experience of “spiritual insiders”?
- What do you need in order to embrace your individual identity as a Christian, even when your beliefs or experiences differ from others?
Scripture
Ephesians 2:11–22 is a response to gentile Christians who experienced disrespect from Jewish Christians. The writer says that despite their differences, Christ breaks down the barriers and eliminates the hostility between them (2:14).
- How might a gentile believer in Christ have heard this passage?
- How might a Jewish believer in Christ have heard this passage?
- What might seem radical or surprising about the writer’s claims?
The ancient hearers of this passage lived in the context of the Roman Empire – a regime that promised peace at the price of heavy taxation and submission to the authority of the emperor. The Romans professed ideals of peace, strength, freedom and prosperity, but many people in colonized areas experienced Roman rule as violent and oppressive.
- How might this passage have provided an alternative political vision for its audience?
- How might this passage have informed the relationship between believers in Christ who experienced political disagreements?
Connecting Scripture and Life
Consider a conflict you have experienced either in the context of faith or differences that you see between yourself and other Christians. Re- read and reflect on Ephesians 2:14–18.
- How does this passage inform your understanding of your relationship with people with whom you disagree?
- How can transformation occur in the relationships between you and those with whom you disagree?
- How can worship, study, prayer, and fellowship help facilitate such transformation?
During this summer season how can we take time and ponder how to serve our church community; to faithfully address the issues that get in the way of experiencing the fullness of God’s love and sharing it with others?
- What makes it difficult to go to those places?
- What are the risks and potential rewards?
REFLECTIVE PRAYER:
Merciful God, through Christ walls that divide are broken. Forgive us for times when we have failed to live as a faithful community. May we in unity support our life together, and may we may know the depths of your love and grace. Amen.
[i] this study adapted from Living the Seasons, Living the Stories from Ephesians, Seasons of the Spirit, SeasonsFUSION Pentecost 1 2012
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/0/0/24003878/8935867_orig.jpg)
Week #4
Unity in Community[i]
Focus Scripture: Ephesians 4:1–16
“Each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”
The writer of the letter to the Ephesians exhorts community members to follow their senses of calling, not for personal fulfillment, but for the sake of unity in Christ. As individuals follow God’s call, they and we, will come together to achieve God’s vision of unity.
There are many forms of ministry, and many different gifts that each of us receives. None of us are to be all things to all people, nor masters of everything. Rather, God invests wonderful talents, gifts, and graces in each one of us, and challenges us to use those to build up the church and the community.
In Ephesians 4:1–16, as well as in many other letters found in the 2nd Testament, the Christian community is called to be Christ’s body. Just as Christ embodies God in the world, so does the Christian community embody Christ in the world, ultimately extending God’s physical presence with us into the present.
The writer begins this passage by noting that he is a “prisoner in the Lord.” Next, the writer invites the community to “lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1). What does the worthy life look like? It is characterized by an attitude of humility and grace, not just for virtue’s sake, but for the sake of the unity of the community – that its unity may serve to maintain the unity of the Spirit. The unity of the people has an important function: it reflects and teaches about the unity of the Trinity: God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. (Paul reflects on God’s unity in 1 Corinthians 8:6.)
In Ephesians 4:8–9 the writer draws a quotation from Psalm 68:18, a psalm that was likely written to a king returning to Jerusalem in victory. Jewish tradition later interpreted it as rehearsing the story of Moses receiving the Law at Mount Sinai with the “gifts” being the blessings of the Law. In this a prophecy of Christ is read into the text. The writer notes that Jesus descended from heaven into “the lower parts of the earth” before ascending again to be with God, reinforcing the cosmic unity of creator and creation through the embodiment of Christ.
When reflecting on the solidarity of the community, unity should not be confused with conformity; God’s glory is reflected through a diversity of gifts, from prophecy to teaching. Such gifts complement one another in the work of building up Christ’s body. The ability to work as a unified body is equated with maturity that is set apart by solid doctrinal understanding and the ability to see through deception. Such a body speaks the truth in love. In Ephesians 4:15, Christ is framed as the head of the faithful body. As the people respond to God’s call to be the people that God created them to be, both as individuals and as a group, they will become knit together as one body that grows together in love.
As the Ephesians reading outlines an ideal vision for life in Christian community, the other lectionary readings for this week touch on the complications of life in our broken world and a hopeful vision for God’s vision of an earthly kin-dom.
Contemporary culture places a strong emphasis on personal fulfillment, even at the expense of community. This reading from Ephesians provides an antidote to such individualism by connecting individual vocation with cosmic fulfillment, and by reminding us that our individual lives are not lived in isolation, but as part of community. Such vocation is different from a secular sense of individual achievement – rather, it is the embodied response to God’s gifts and the ways in which God seeks them to work within the creation. When individuals who are living as God calls them to live come together in community, they have the ability to grow together in truth and love as they engage in the work of ministry. Indeed, they become the embodiment of Christ in the world.
Reflecting on the Word
Connecting with life
“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” (Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking: A Seeker’s ABC, San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1993, page 119.)
The root word for “vocation” is the Latin word vocare, meaning, “to call.” Vocation is not just about the work we do, but also the work God creates and calls us to do. Reflect on your own vocational journey.
Scripture
Ephesians 4:1–16 affirms the importance of bodies to God. The humanity of Jesus reminds us that God loves our bodies. What we do with our bodies matters, because people of faith together are the embodiment of Christ in this world.
Connecting scripture and life
This passage connects the fulfillment of each individual’s calling with the unity of the church and, ultimately, the unity of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIVE PRAYER
Come, Holy Spirit. Forgive us for the ways in which we have failed to be the people and the community you call us to be. Fill us with your humility, gentleness and patience, that we may bear one another with love as we bear your presence in the world. Amen.
[i] this study adapted from Living the Seasons, Living the Stories from Ephesians, Seasons of the Spirit, SeasonsFUSION Pentecost 1 2012
Unity in Community[i]
Focus Scripture: Ephesians 4:1–16
“Each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”
The writer of the letter to the Ephesians exhorts community members to follow their senses of calling, not for personal fulfillment, but for the sake of unity in Christ. As individuals follow God’s call, they and we, will come together to achieve God’s vision of unity.
There are many forms of ministry, and many different gifts that each of us receives. None of us are to be all things to all people, nor masters of everything. Rather, God invests wonderful talents, gifts, and graces in each one of us, and challenges us to use those to build up the church and the community.
- Reflect on a time when you felt you had to “do it all” and remembered that God does not expect that of us.
In Ephesians 4:1–16, as well as in many other letters found in the 2nd Testament, the Christian community is called to be Christ’s body. Just as Christ embodies God in the world, so does the Christian community embody Christ in the world, ultimately extending God’s physical presence with us into the present.
The writer begins this passage by noting that he is a “prisoner in the Lord.” Next, the writer invites the community to “lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1). What does the worthy life look like? It is characterized by an attitude of humility and grace, not just for virtue’s sake, but for the sake of the unity of the community – that its unity may serve to maintain the unity of the Spirit. The unity of the people has an important function: it reflects and teaches about the unity of the Trinity: God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. (Paul reflects on God’s unity in 1 Corinthians 8:6.)
In Ephesians 4:8–9 the writer draws a quotation from Psalm 68:18, a psalm that was likely written to a king returning to Jerusalem in victory. Jewish tradition later interpreted it as rehearsing the story of Moses receiving the Law at Mount Sinai with the “gifts” being the blessings of the Law. In this a prophecy of Christ is read into the text. The writer notes that Jesus descended from heaven into “the lower parts of the earth” before ascending again to be with God, reinforcing the cosmic unity of creator and creation through the embodiment of Christ.
When reflecting on the solidarity of the community, unity should not be confused with conformity; God’s glory is reflected through a diversity of gifts, from prophecy to teaching. Such gifts complement one another in the work of building up Christ’s body. The ability to work as a unified body is equated with maturity that is set apart by solid doctrinal understanding and the ability to see through deception. Such a body speaks the truth in love. In Ephesians 4:15, Christ is framed as the head of the faithful body. As the people respond to God’s call to be the people that God created them to be, both as individuals and as a group, they will become knit together as one body that grows together in love.
As the Ephesians reading outlines an ideal vision for life in Christian community, the other lectionary readings for this week touch on the complications of life in our broken world and a hopeful vision for God’s vision of an earthly kin-dom.
Contemporary culture places a strong emphasis on personal fulfillment, even at the expense of community. This reading from Ephesians provides an antidote to such individualism by connecting individual vocation with cosmic fulfillment, and by reminding us that our individual lives are not lived in isolation, but as part of community. Such vocation is different from a secular sense of individual achievement – rather, it is the embodied response to God’s gifts and the ways in which God seeks them to work within the creation. When individuals who are living as God calls them to live come together in community, they have the ability to grow together in truth and love as they engage in the work of ministry. Indeed, they become the embodiment of Christ in the world.
- How does your living embody Christ in the world?
- How does it interact with the communities of which you are a part?
Reflecting on the Word
Connecting with life
“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” (Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking: A Seeker’s ABC, San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1993, page 119.)
The root word for “vocation” is the Latin word vocare, meaning, “to call.” Vocation is not just about the work we do, but also the work God creates and calls us to do. Reflect on your own vocational journey.
- What in your life gives you energy, joy, and hope?
- Where do your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet?
Scripture
Ephesians 4:1–16 affirms the importance of bodies to God. The humanity of Jesus reminds us that God loves our bodies. What we do with our bodies matters, because people of faith together are the embodiment of Christ in this world.
- Why do you think the writer compares the fulfilled church to the body of Christ? What makes this metaphor powerful?
- What does the passage teach about how Christians are called to embody God’s goodness?
- Which parts of this passage might be most challenging for Christian communities? Which parts might provide encouragement?
Connecting scripture and life
This passage connects the fulfillment of each individual’s calling with the unity of the church and, ultimately, the unity of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
- What does the idea of God’s call mean to you?
- Why is an individual’s calling important to the church?
- How can the church help individuals discern and pursue God’s call in their lives?
REFLECTIVE PRAYER
Come, Holy Spirit. Forgive us for the ways in which we have failed to be the people and the community you call us to be. Fill us with your humility, gentleness and patience, that we may bear one another with love as we bear your presence in the world. Amen.
[i] this study adapted from Living the Seasons, Living the Stories from Ephesians, Seasons of the Spirit, SeasonsFUSION Pentecost 1 2012
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/0/0/24003878/4480025.jpg?279)
Week # 5
Living in a Christ-like Way![i]
Focus Scripture: Ephesians 4:25—5:2
“Don’t let the sun set on your anger.”
Living and loving like Jesus is hard. Many of us struggle to live in ways that are
worthy of God’s call. Read carefully this passage reveals an honest account of the struggles of life, along with the hope and grace that come with a life lived in love. This segment’s reading from Ephesians challenges us to live faithfully in our broken world.
Anger is a common human emotion. Quite often, it is always caused by some other emotion – jealousy, perhaps, or a sense of feeling left out, or a sense of injustice for yourself or others. Anger is not always a negative; sometimes it inspires us to positive action. Yet it can also eat away at us. The advice not to let the sun set on our anger is good advice, for it encourages us to deal with that anger while it is still fresh, and not to let it fester.
Unlike the focus scripture posted last week [Week 4 – Ephesians 4:1–16], which invited us to reflect on how believers-in-Christ are to live together in the world, the scripture for this week confronts us with a list of expectations for what not to do. This leads us to consider what might have been happening in the faith community that received this letter?
Most scholars believe the letter to the Ephesians wasn’t written by Paul, but by an imitator of Paul, one who was likely a member of one of Paul’s churches. It is highly plausible that the letter was written in response to a crisis in a church, and that the author took Paul’s name as a means of claiming authority. In the earliest Greek manuscripts, the letter is not addressed to a specific community, so it may have been sent to a number of congregations. It is likely that a copyist added the greeting to the church in Ephesus. Perhaps several churches faced similar problems; indeed, many of the exhortations in this passage are important instructions for churches today.
Ephesians 4:25—5:2 directs people of faith to live in ways that distinguish themselves from the rest of society. It is not difficult to imagine that they lived in a world of dishonesty, slander, frustration, and anger. The writer begins by telling people to be truthful because, “we are members of one another” (Ephesians 4:25). Together, they are members of one body.
The writer says that it is okay to be angry – God makes space for anger in our world. But we must be mindful of how we respond to our anger. This is an allusion to Psalm 4:4: “When you are disturbed, do not sin; ponder it on your beds, and be silent.” The writer of Ephesians takes it in a new direction, telling believers not to go to bed angry so as not to allow evil to take root in their lives.
The writer of Ephesians tells us that it is okay to be angry, but that we must not allow anger to cause us to hurt others or to act against God’s will. Rather, we are called to discipline ourselves by practicing kindness and love toward one another, harnessing our anger in ways that lead to love. The nuance in this passage is important because it provides validation to those who are victims of pain and injustice that their anger is legitimate. It offers space for reflecting on faithful expressions of anger and pain.
But the author doesn’t stop there. The list continues: Those who steal must find honest work, and share earnings with those in need. All must be thoughtful about what they say, making sure they limit their words to that which will build up the community and give grace.
By using the phrase “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Ephesians 4:30) the author is referring to Isaiah 63:10, but it has a new meaning for baptized Christians. They are already recipients of God’s promise; to show their respect and gratitude, they should conduct themselves in ways that will not produce pain for God. Instead, they should let go of their grievances against one another just as God has let go of their sins, and be gentle and forgiving of one another, as Christ has been gentle with, and forgiven, them.
The people are called to imitate God. The family metaphor from Ephesians 1:5 appears again – not only are they adopted, but they are also beloved. Therefore they should live in love as Christ loved them. The passage ends with a reflection on Christ’s love through his death, describing it in the sacrificial language of the Hebrew Scriptures.
Reflecting on the Word
Connecting with life
Anger can inspire violence and wrath or passion and justice. We all know what it feels like to be angry, but many of us struggle to harness our anger in ways that lead to righteousness.
Scripture
Ephesians 4:25—5:12 focuses on the way Christians should not live. Many of the behaviours listed are entrenched in anger. Anger itself is not necessarily bad, but it is important to be mindful of our responses to anger.
Imagine that Ephesians was written directly to your faith community.
Connecting scripture and life
Anger is often an expression of vulnerability, fear, pain, and/or resentment. It is a legitimate response to abuse, terrorism, environmental degradation, and other forms of injustice.
This segment of our study of Ephesians reminds us that we are all members of one body, and we are to treat each other as selflessly as Christ treats us. The writer encourages us to not let our words and actions be done in anger, but for the purpose of building up one another. We are prompted to “get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger” and to “be kind and compassionate to one another.” This text is a template for how to live as Christians within the community of faith.
PRAYER OF REFLECTION
Patient One, may your peace fill our minds and hearts like an ever-flowing stream. Wash away pain that expresses itself through slander, dishonesty, anger and frustration. Show us how to use our anger, not as a weapon, but as a tool for justice. Amen.
[i] this study adapted from Living the Seasons, Living the Stories from Ephesians, Seasons of the Spirit, SeasonsFUSION Pentecost 1 2012
Living in a Christ-like Way![i]
Focus Scripture: Ephesians 4:25—5:2
“Don’t let the sun set on your anger.”
Living and loving like Jesus is hard. Many of us struggle to live in ways that are
worthy of God’s call. Read carefully this passage reveals an honest account of the struggles of life, along with the hope and grace that come with a life lived in love. This segment’s reading from Ephesians challenges us to live faithfully in our broken world.
Anger is a common human emotion. Quite often, it is always caused by some other emotion – jealousy, perhaps, or a sense of feeling left out, or a sense of injustice for yourself or others. Anger is not always a negative; sometimes it inspires us to positive action. Yet it can also eat away at us. The advice not to let the sun set on our anger is good advice, for it encourages us to deal with that anger while it is still fresh, and not to let it fester.
- What is a situation or issue that makes you angry?
- How can you turn that anger into positive action?
Unlike the focus scripture posted last week [Week 4 – Ephesians 4:1–16], which invited us to reflect on how believers-in-Christ are to live together in the world, the scripture for this week confronts us with a list of expectations for what not to do. This leads us to consider what might have been happening in the faith community that received this letter?
Most scholars believe the letter to the Ephesians wasn’t written by Paul, but by an imitator of Paul, one who was likely a member of one of Paul’s churches. It is highly plausible that the letter was written in response to a crisis in a church, and that the author took Paul’s name as a means of claiming authority. In the earliest Greek manuscripts, the letter is not addressed to a specific community, so it may have been sent to a number of congregations. It is likely that a copyist added the greeting to the church in Ephesus. Perhaps several churches faced similar problems; indeed, many of the exhortations in this passage are important instructions for churches today.
Ephesians 4:25—5:2 directs people of faith to live in ways that distinguish themselves from the rest of society. It is not difficult to imagine that they lived in a world of dishonesty, slander, frustration, and anger. The writer begins by telling people to be truthful because, “we are members of one another” (Ephesians 4:25). Together, they are members of one body.
The writer says that it is okay to be angry – God makes space for anger in our world. But we must be mindful of how we respond to our anger. This is an allusion to Psalm 4:4: “When you are disturbed, do not sin; ponder it on your beds, and be silent.” The writer of Ephesians takes it in a new direction, telling believers not to go to bed angry so as not to allow evil to take root in their lives.
The writer of Ephesians tells us that it is okay to be angry, but that we must not allow anger to cause us to hurt others or to act against God’s will. Rather, we are called to discipline ourselves by practicing kindness and love toward one another, harnessing our anger in ways that lead to love. The nuance in this passage is important because it provides validation to those who are victims of pain and injustice that their anger is legitimate. It offers space for reflecting on faithful expressions of anger and pain.
But the author doesn’t stop there. The list continues: Those who steal must find honest work, and share earnings with those in need. All must be thoughtful about what they say, making sure they limit their words to that which will build up the community and give grace.
By using the phrase “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Ephesians 4:30) the author is referring to Isaiah 63:10, but it has a new meaning for baptized Christians. They are already recipients of God’s promise; to show their respect and gratitude, they should conduct themselves in ways that will not produce pain for God. Instead, they should let go of their grievances against one another just as God has let go of their sins, and be gentle and forgiving of one another, as Christ has been gentle with, and forgiven, them.
The people are called to imitate God. The family metaphor from Ephesians 1:5 appears again – not only are they adopted, but they are also beloved. Therefore they should live in love as Christ loved them. The passage ends with a reflection on Christ’s love through his death, describing it in the sacrificial language of the Hebrew Scriptures.
Reflecting on the Word
Connecting with life
Anger can inspire violence and wrath or passion and justice. We all know what it feels like to be angry, but many of us struggle to harness our anger in ways that lead to righteousness.
- How have you seen anger expressed In negative ways?
- How have you seen anger expressed in positive ways?
- When has anger moved you to make a needed change or to work for justice?
Scripture
Ephesians 4:25—5:12 focuses on the way Christians should not live. Many of the behaviours listed are entrenched in anger. Anger itself is not necessarily bad, but it is important to be mindful of our responses to anger.
- How might the readers of this letter have heard this list of rules?
- According to the writer, how should people respond to anger? What nuance is offered?
- How can kindness and forgiveness serve as an antidote to anger?
Imagine that Ephesians was written directly to your faith community.
- How might this passage speak to people within your community?
- How might they respond to this passage?
- How might reflecting on the model of Jesus inform their response?
Connecting scripture and life
Anger is often an expression of vulnerability, fear, pain, and/or resentment. It is a legitimate response to abuse, terrorism, environmental degradation, and other forms of injustice.
- How might a victim of serious injustice hear this passage?
- How can the church support such people in times of anger?
- What broad-range injustices evoke anger in you?
- How can anger empower you and your faith community to work for justice?
- How can Ephesians 4:29 inform your response?
- In what ways might individuals and the church “live in love, as Christ loved us” (Ephesians 5:2)?
This segment of our study of Ephesians reminds us that we are all members of one body, and we are to treat each other as selflessly as Christ treats us. The writer encourages us to not let our words and actions be done in anger, but for the purpose of building up one another. We are prompted to “get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger” and to “be kind and compassionate to one another.” This text is a template for how to live as Christians within the community of faith.
PRAYER OF REFLECTION
Patient One, may your peace fill our minds and hearts like an ever-flowing stream. Wash away pain that expresses itself through slander, dishonesty, anger and frustration. Show us how to use our anger, not as a weapon, but as a tool for justice. Amen.
[i] this study adapted from Living the Seasons, Living the Stories from Ephesians, Seasons of the Spirit, SeasonsFUSION Pentecost 1 2012
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/0/0/24003878/7265602_orig.jpg)
Week #6
Living Wisdom[i]
Focus Scripture: Ephesians 5:15–20
“Speak to each other with hymns, psalms, and spiritual songs.”
This letter has made a lot of comparisons between life in the Spirit, and life in the world – that is, life in accordance with God’s way as opposed to life that is focused on self and things of the current world. As such, this passage encourages us to be filled with God’s Spirit, singing and making praise with heart and with voice. Think of a song of praise that speaks to your heart, and sing it.
Understanding God’s ways requires not only opening our hearts, but also using our head. Faithful discernment is marked by experience and reason. As we reflect on our experiences, God is continually revealed to us in new ways. Ephesians 5:15-20 emphasizes the importance of wisdom in using our time in Christ-like living; encouraging the reader to live with wisdom, to use their time well, and to reject foolishness.
But what does it mean to live with wisdom? The writer of the letter to the Ephesians wants people to make the most of every opportunity they have to live lives that are in keeping with God’s hopes and dreams for humankind. Over all else in this passage comes the instruction that we should always give thanks to God.
A concern is raised about drinking alcohol, and we should note that this is not an admonition against the occasional glass of wine but rather a statement about the ways in which people were living at the time. It would seem that people had been getting drunk (which “leads to depravity” we are told in verse 18) and this keeps them from living wise Christian lives. The instruction about not living foolishly really has more to do with common sense. Use your best judgment; don’t cloud it with too much liquor or with other ideas that get in the way of worshipping and serving God with joy. From the earliest days of the church, outsiders have confused spiritual ecstasy with drunkenness (see Acts 2:13) but the concern here goes beyond that.
The passage concludes with instruction about worship, singing, and giving thanks at all times and for everything. This is challenging for there are times in which we, rightly, experience frustration and hurt rather than gratitude. This verse speaks to a vision of God’s realm, in which brokenness is healed and all can rejoice with integrity. In the meantime, it is a helpful reminder to monitor one’s own grievances and look for opportunities to give thanks.
Today, we live in a culture that makes many competing demands on our time, yet we have more leisure time available to us than generations past did. According to the 2008 American Time Use Survey, people in the United States spend an average of 2 hours and 45 minutes per day watching television, but only 8 minutes per day engaged in spiritual activities. Like the recipients of the letter to the Ephesians who easily succumbed to quaffing wine rather than drinking the living water of God, we are inclined to consume stimulating “junk food” for our brains rather than calming our hearts and minds that we might instead consume the “living bread” of Jesus.
As we ponder this reading, we are reminded that God calls us to be mindful of the ways in which we spend our time, whether in leisure or in worship. Time is a precious gift and resource to be managed wisely. Faith communities can help people create space in their lives to focus on simpler living, practice thanksgiving and other forms of prayer, and take time to discern God’s will.
Reflecting on the Word
Connecting with life
In a culture where we are so very busy, a call to make the most of our time can be an incredible challenge. Many of us are stretched thin with oft-conflicting responsibilities, pressures, and needs.
Scripture
Wisdom is required to discern the best uses of our time and our worship, according to Ephesians 5:15–20. People are called to make the most of their time, avoiding foolishness and drunkenness.
Living Wisdom[i]
Focus Scripture: Ephesians 5:15–20
“Speak to each other with hymns, psalms, and spiritual songs.”
This letter has made a lot of comparisons between life in the Spirit, and life in the world – that is, life in accordance with God’s way as opposed to life that is focused on self and things of the current world. As such, this passage encourages us to be filled with God’s Spirit, singing and making praise with heart and with voice. Think of a song of praise that speaks to your heart, and sing it.
Understanding God’s ways requires not only opening our hearts, but also using our head. Faithful discernment is marked by experience and reason. As we reflect on our experiences, God is continually revealed to us in new ways. Ephesians 5:15-20 emphasizes the importance of wisdom in using our time in Christ-like living; encouraging the reader to live with wisdom, to use their time well, and to reject foolishness.
But what does it mean to live with wisdom? The writer of the letter to the Ephesians wants people to make the most of every opportunity they have to live lives that are in keeping with God’s hopes and dreams for humankind. Over all else in this passage comes the instruction that we should always give thanks to God.
A concern is raised about drinking alcohol, and we should note that this is not an admonition against the occasional glass of wine but rather a statement about the ways in which people were living at the time. It would seem that people had been getting drunk (which “leads to depravity” we are told in verse 18) and this keeps them from living wise Christian lives. The instruction about not living foolishly really has more to do with common sense. Use your best judgment; don’t cloud it with too much liquor or with other ideas that get in the way of worshipping and serving God with joy. From the earliest days of the church, outsiders have confused spiritual ecstasy with drunkenness (see Acts 2:13) but the concern here goes beyond that.
The passage concludes with instruction about worship, singing, and giving thanks at all times and for everything. This is challenging for there are times in which we, rightly, experience frustration and hurt rather than gratitude. This verse speaks to a vision of God’s realm, in which brokenness is healed and all can rejoice with integrity. In the meantime, it is a helpful reminder to monitor one’s own grievances and look for opportunities to give thanks.
Today, we live in a culture that makes many competing demands on our time, yet we have more leisure time available to us than generations past did. According to the 2008 American Time Use Survey, people in the United States spend an average of 2 hours and 45 minutes per day watching television, but only 8 minutes per day engaged in spiritual activities. Like the recipients of the letter to the Ephesians who easily succumbed to quaffing wine rather than drinking the living water of God, we are inclined to consume stimulating “junk food” for our brains rather than calming our hearts and minds that we might instead consume the “living bread” of Jesus.
As we ponder this reading, we are reminded that God calls us to be mindful of the ways in which we spend our time, whether in leisure or in worship. Time is a precious gift and resource to be managed wisely. Faith communities can help people create space in their lives to focus on simpler living, practice thanksgiving and other forms of prayer, and take time to discern God’s will.
- How might you use your time to cultivate wisdom in loving others, doing justice, and worshipping God?
Reflecting on the Word
Connecting with life
In a culture where we are so very busy, a call to make the most of our time can be an incredible challenge. Many of us are stretched thin with oft-conflicting responsibilities, pressures, and needs.
- What does it mean to you to live carefully and well in your day-to-day life?
- What activities do you engage in to “escape” from your day-to-day life?
- How does your day-to-day life differ from your vision of what an ideal life looks like?
Scripture
Wisdom is required to discern the best uses of our time and our worship, according to Ephesians 5:15–20. People are called to make the most of their time, avoiding foolishness and drunkenness.
- In what ways might wisdom and attention to time impact worship?
- What keeps us from always giving thanks to God?
- What connections do you see between being wise about time and giving thanks?
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/0/0/24003878/3742617.jpg?250)
Take a quiet moment to view the image of the children playing Ring around the Roses.
Notice the lightness of motion and the sense of timelessness expressed in this photo.
Connecting scripture and life
The church has an important role in supporting people as they discern ways to be good stewards of their own lives. It can provide important guidance for people in developing priorities.
PRAYER OF REFLECTION
Great God of wisdom, you patiently offer us wisdom for living. You share with us ways in which we can know ourselves, each other, and the greater world. Beyond that, when we seek to align ourselves with your will, you invite us into new relationship. Open us to learn – always – of your goodness and your glory. Amen.
[i] this study adapted from Living the Seasons, Living the Stories from Ephesians, Seasons of the Spirit, SeasonsFUSION Pentecost 1 2012
Notice the lightness of motion and the sense of timelessness expressed in this photo.
- How might you interpret this image as an example of the joyful worship described in Ephesians 5:15–20 ?
- What can children teach us about making the most of time?
Connecting scripture and life
The church has an important role in supporting people as they discern ways to be good stewards of their own lives. It can provide important guidance for people in developing priorities.
- Why does God care about how we use our time?
- What external factors get in the way of living ideal lives? How might the church help?
- When you are feeling detached from God, what enables you to reconnect?
- What are habits/behaviours that can keep us from focusing on God?
PRAYER OF REFLECTION
Great God of wisdom, you patiently offer us wisdom for living. You share with us ways in which we can know ourselves, each other, and the greater world. Beyond that, when we seek to align ourselves with your will, you invite us into new relationship. Open us to learn – always – of your goodness and your glory. Amen.
[i] this study adapted from Living the Seasons, Living the Stories from Ephesians, Seasons of the Spirit, SeasonsFUSION Pentecost 1 2012
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/0/0/24003878/4483657.jpg?378)
Week #7
Living Equipped by Prayer and Perseverance [i]
Focus Scripture: Ephesians 6:10–20
“Put on the armour of Christ.”
The author knows that people in the early church do not have the means to confront the power of Rome; for the most part, early church members are poor, and not at all equipped to do physical battle. But what they do have, this author tells us, is something more important. Armed with truth, righteousness, a readiness to proclaim the gospel of peace, salvation, and the word of God, we are ready to confront all that this world can throw at us.
Our study of Ephesians concludes with a reflection on the spiritual forces that get in the way of our living as God calls us to live, as well as a description of the ways in which God prepares and protects us for the challenges of the life of faith. This week’s focus passage calls believers to prayer and perseverance, even amid trying times.
The letter to the Ephesians is filled with moral teaching and challenging requirements for the spiritual life. As we come to the end of the letter, the writer suggests that humans may not necessarily have the capacity to resist temptation on their own because there are greater spiritual forces battling for human hearts and minds. This passage is referred to as the “panoply passage.” In ancient Greek, pan means “all” and oplon means “arms” in terms of armour or more directly, weaponry. Thus, panoply refers to a complete suit of armour. The text uses military imagery to describe how this new Christian community is to prepare for the struggles for justice, wholeness, harmony. The writer encourages the people to derive strength from God’s strength. They are not merely in individual struggles with themselves and their own worst desires; rather, they are challenged to be prepared for the external forces that have the power to subject them to its will.
Ancient culture personified this force of in a variety of ways: a demonic power called Satan; “fallen” angels who had rebelled against God; powerful astrological bodies; and more. These powers exist not only in the heavens, but also in the world.
What follows is a detailed metaphor for the people to be equipped against such spiritual forces. The writer exhorts them to put on the “whole armour of God.” It begins with a belt of truth, circling the wearer as God’s truth encircles those who believe. Next is a breastplate of righteousness designed to guard the heart. Ancient soldiers wore sandals that had spikes on the bottom that helped them stand firm. Their shields were made of wood covered in canvas and animal hide. Soaking the shields in water before going into battle meant that when the enemy’s flaming arrows hit the shields, they would fizzle out. Helmets were made of skin and metal, while Roman swords were short and straight. From the belt of truth to the helmet of salvation, all of the elements in this list are designed for protection rather than attack except for one: the sword of the Spirit – the word of God.
This description of armour would have been recognizable to the original recipients of this letter because they lived in the era of Pax Romana, or “Roman peace.” This describes Roman political rule from the reign of Caesar Augustus (27 BCE–14 CE) through 180 CE. Ideals of peace, strength, clemency, freedom of movement, and prosperity characterized the period, but many people in colonized areas like Asia Minor experienced the Roman rule as violent and oppressive. Hearers of the letter would have been used to seeing Roman soldiers and also being victims of their violence. Indeed, some scholars believe that the evil force with which Paul and later writers grappled was the Roman Empire itself.
The letter concludes with the exhortation to pray, to be alert, to persevere. Prayer is the means by which the community of faith can be strong in the strength of God’s power, and strong in the strength of Christ’s power. The repeated exhortation to prayer in the letter to Ephesians reminds us that we have ongoing invitations to stand in holy presence.
Reflecting on the Word
Connecting with life
Military language and imagery can be perceived as empowering or threatening, depending on the context. In the United States and elsewhere, public dialogue is taking place about the role of inflammatory political rhetoric in instigating violence.
Strength, power, and prayer are the watchwords of Ephesians 6:10–20.
Connecting scripture and life
Ephesians 6:10–20 provides an opportunity to reflect on the role of violence in our communities and the power of language to unify or divide. It paradoxically calls believers in Christ to proclaim the gospel of peace while dressed for battle. In a time when inflammatory rhetoric can spread around the world in an instant via the Internet, this passage offers an opportunity for mindful reflection on the power of words.
This week also provides opportunity to reach out to those people who are victims of “spiritual violence” – people who have been hurt by the church. Read the following article “Spiritual Violence and Spiritual Welcome.”
Spiritual Violence and Spiritual Welcome
By Norman Habel
My first experience of spiritual violence occurred many years ago in America. I had given a presentation to the leaders of the church on the meaning of Genesis 2–3. After exploring the text in context, I came to the conclusion that the narrative was “more than history.” The reaction of some church officials was to suspect heresy, but that I should discuss the paper with clergy at pastoral conferences. At one such conference in Iowa I discovered what it meant to be treated as an outcast. No one single pastor from that conference spoke to me in person either before or after the presentation. I was ostracised!
A few weeks later I received a letter from a group who claimed to speak for the true church. In that letter, they suggested that I cleanse the church from the evil I represented by using the enclosed. What was enclosed was a razor blade!
Ironically, the right wing groups involved claimed that they were fulfilling the message in Ephesians 6. They claimed to be wearing the armour of God, to be girded with the truth, and to be using the sword of the Spirit against evil. Anyone who dared to read the biblical text in a way that differed from their accepted tradition was to be rejected so as to protect that body of Christ. In my opinion, however, their approach was one of spiritual violence.
A second example relates to a young man who, some years after the experience, announced that he was gay. Some years earlier, he was a member of a Pentecostal church. A call was issued for any who wished to give their lives totally to Jesus to come to the front and make their commitment public. The preacher then asked this young man two questions: “Do you give you life totally to Jesus?” He answered, “Yes!” “And have you ever had any feelings for other men?” He paused, unsure what the question meant. Suddenly a group of elders surrounded him, placed their hands on his head and proceeded to cast out the demon of homosexuality within him.
This example also illustrates the readiness of those with a strong religious bias to perform acts which amount to spiritual violence. Frequently the actions are not as violent as these examples. People are treated as less than welcome because their beliefs, life-style, or dreams are somewhat different than those in authority or those who claim to be ambassadors of the truth.
How should the church respond to the issue of spiritual violence in its midst? All too often those who have suffered such violence have left the church, but many remain and are still hurting.
One response is to provide workshops where people in pain can discuss their plight honestly. In my opinion, Job provides an excellent model. He not only experiences spiritual violence at the hands of his friends, he is ready to scream at God. Providing sufferers with a right to scream and a rite to scream is a positive way to begin. In a workshop entitled “Job, Jennifer and Jesus,” participants have a rite to question, a rite to scream, and a rite to dream.
Perhaps, if we return to Ephesians 6 we might ask what it means to “proclaim the mystery of the Gospel” in cases of spiritual violence. What is the message? Surely not a doctrine or a sermon that intensifies the pain!
Dr. Norman Habel is Professorial Fellow, Flinders University, South Australia.
PRAYER OF REFLECTION
God of Power, God of Peace, you equip us to face the existential, political and spiritual challenges of this and every era. May we be mindful of your protection, and help us share your word in ways that promote love, grace, and justice. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
[i] this study adapted from Living the Seasons, Living the Stories from Ephesians, Seasons of the Spirit, SeasonsFUSION Pentecost 1 2012
Living Equipped by Prayer and Perseverance [i]
Focus Scripture: Ephesians 6:10–20
“Put on the armour of Christ.”
The author knows that people in the early church do not have the means to confront the power of Rome; for the most part, early church members are poor, and not at all equipped to do physical battle. But what they do have, this author tells us, is something more important. Armed with truth, righteousness, a readiness to proclaim the gospel of peace, salvation, and the word of God, we are ready to confront all that this world can throw at us.
- What reassures you that you are equipped by God?
Our study of Ephesians concludes with a reflection on the spiritual forces that get in the way of our living as God calls us to live, as well as a description of the ways in which God prepares and protects us for the challenges of the life of faith. This week’s focus passage calls believers to prayer and perseverance, even amid trying times.
The letter to the Ephesians is filled with moral teaching and challenging requirements for the spiritual life. As we come to the end of the letter, the writer suggests that humans may not necessarily have the capacity to resist temptation on their own because there are greater spiritual forces battling for human hearts and minds. This passage is referred to as the “panoply passage.” In ancient Greek, pan means “all” and oplon means “arms” in terms of armour or more directly, weaponry. Thus, panoply refers to a complete suit of armour. The text uses military imagery to describe how this new Christian community is to prepare for the struggles for justice, wholeness, harmony. The writer encourages the people to derive strength from God’s strength. They are not merely in individual struggles with themselves and their own worst desires; rather, they are challenged to be prepared for the external forces that have the power to subject them to its will.
Ancient culture personified this force of in a variety of ways: a demonic power called Satan; “fallen” angels who had rebelled against God; powerful astrological bodies; and more. These powers exist not only in the heavens, but also in the world.
What follows is a detailed metaphor for the people to be equipped against such spiritual forces. The writer exhorts them to put on the “whole armour of God.” It begins with a belt of truth, circling the wearer as God’s truth encircles those who believe. Next is a breastplate of righteousness designed to guard the heart. Ancient soldiers wore sandals that had spikes on the bottom that helped them stand firm. Their shields were made of wood covered in canvas and animal hide. Soaking the shields in water before going into battle meant that when the enemy’s flaming arrows hit the shields, they would fizzle out. Helmets were made of skin and metal, while Roman swords were short and straight. From the belt of truth to the helmet of salvation, all of the elements in this list are designed for protection rather than attack except for one: the sword of the Spirit – the word of God.
This description of armour would have been recognizable to the original recipients of this letter because they lived in the era of Pax Romana, or “Roman peace.” This describes Roman political rule from the reign of Caesar Augustus (27 BCE–14 CE) through 180 CE. Ideals of peace, strength, clemency, freedom of movement, and prosperity characterized the period, but many people in colonized areas like Asia Minor experienced the Roman rule as violent and oppressive. Hearers of the letter would have been used to seeing Roman soldiers and also being victims of their violence. Indeed, some scholars believe that the evil force with which Paul and later writers grappled was the Roman Empire itself.
The letter concludes with the exhortation to pray, to be alert, to persevere. Prayer is the means by which the community of faith can be strong in the strength of God’s power, and strong in the strength of Christ’s power. The repeated exhortation to prayer in the letter to Ephesians reminds us that we have ongoing invitations to stand in holy presence.
Reflecting on the Word
Connecting with life
Military language and imagery can be perceived as empowering or threatening, depending on the context. In the United States and elsewhere, public dialogue is taking place about the role of inflammatory political rhetoric in instigating violence.
- What has been your experience of language or imagery instigating violence?
- In what ways might language and imagery promote peace?
- To what extent do television and the Internet shape the ways in which we hear and see violent language and images?
Strength, power, and prayer are the watchwords of Ephesians 6:10–20.
- How does the rhetoric in this passage either reflect or deny Jesus’ call for mercy, justice, and love?
- How might this letter have been heard by a citizen of the Roman Empire?
- How might Jesus have responded to this passage?
- How might this battle language come across to someone living in a wartorn country?
- How might it come across to a military family?
- How might it come across to a veteran?
- How might someone new in their faith hear these words?
- What are your feelings about this imagery and language? How does eliminating it change your understanding of the text?
Connecting scripture and life
Ephesians 6:10–20 provides an opportunity to reflect on the role of violence in our communities and the power of language to unify or divide. It paradoxically calls believers in Christ to proclaim the gospel of peace while dressed for battle. In a time when inflammatory rhetoric can spread around the world in an instant via the Internet, this passage offers an opportunity for mindful reflection on the power of words.
- In what ways might you, individually and as the church, witness for peace in your community, your country, and indeed, throughout the whole world?
- What is the role of the church today in standing for peace and justice in the world?
- What garment, other than armour, might help to do that?
- What garments can help empower all who seek God’s grace to spread a vision for God’s realm that is marked by peace, justice, and unconditional love?
This week also provides opportunity to reach out to those people who are victims of “spiritual violence” – people who have been hurt by the church. Read the following article “Spiritual Violence and Spiritual Welcome.”
Spiritual Violence and Spiritual Welcome
By Norman Habel
My first experience of spiritual violence occurred many years ago in America. I had given a presentation to the leaders of the church on the meaning of Genesis 2–3. After exploring the text in context, I came to the conclusion that the narrative was “more than history.” The reaction of some church officials was to suspect heresy, but that I should discuss the paper with clergy at pastoral conferences. At one such conference in Iowa I discovered what it meant to be treated as an outcast. No one single pastor from that conference spoke to me in person either before or after the presentation. I was ostracised!
A few weeks later I received a letter from a group who claimed to speak for the true church. In that letter, they suggested that I cleanse the church from the evil I represented by using the enclosed. What was enclosed was a razor blade!
Ironically, the right wing groups involved claimed that they were fulfilling the message in Ephesians 6. They claimed to be wearing the armour of God, to be girded with the truth, and to be using the sword of the Spirit against evil. Anyone who dared to read the biblical text in a way that differed from their accepted tradition was to be rejected so as to protect that body of Christ. In my opinion, however, their approach was one of spiritual violence.
A second example relates to a young man who, some years after the experience, announced that he was gay. Some years earlier, he was a member of a Pentecostal church. A call was issued for any who wished to give their lives totally to Jesus to come to the front and make their commitment public. The preacher then asked this young man two questions: “Do you give you life totally to Jesus?” He answered, “Yes!” “And have you ever had any feelings for other men?” He paused, unsure what the question meant. Suddenly a group of elders surrounded him, placed their hands on his head and proceeded to cast out the demon of homosexuality within him.
This example also illustrates the readiness of those with a strong religious bias to perform acts which amount to spiritual violence. Frequently the actions are not as violent as these examples. People are treated as less than welcome because their beliefs, life-style, or dreams are somewhat different than those in authority or those who claim to be ambassadors of the truth.
How should the church respond to the issue of spiritual violence in its midst? All too often those who have suffered such violence have left the church, but many remain and are still hurting.
One response is to provide workshops where people in pain can discuss their plight honestly. In my opinion, Job provides an excellent model. He not only experiences spiritual violence at the hands of his friends, he is ready to scream at God. Providing sufferers with a right to scream and a rite to scream is a positive way to begin. In a workshop entitled “Job, Jennifer and Jesus,” participants have a rite to question, a rite to scream, and a rite to dream.
Perhaps, if we return to Ephesians 6 we might ask what it means to “proclaim the mystery of the Gospel” in cases of spiritual violence. What is the message? Surely not a doctrine or a sermon that intensifies the pain!
Dr. Norman Habel is Professorial Fellow, Flinders University, South Australia.
- In what ways can the church be a peaceful, loving space for those who have been rejected or dismissed by someone offering what might be considered a distortion of Christ’s love?
PRAYER OF REFLECTION
God of Power, God of Peace, you equip us to face the existential, political and spiritual challenges of this and every era. May we be mindful of your protection, and help us share your word in ways that promote love, grace, and justice. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
[i] this study adapted from Living the Seasons, Living the Stories from Ephesians, Seasons of the Spirit, SeasonsFUSION Pentecost 1 2012