What do you judge to be Paul’s purpose in listing a variety of titles for the evil spiritual powers depicted in Ephesians 1:21, Ephesians 3:10, and Ephesians 6:10-20? Paul describes “our struggle” (Ephesians 6:12, NRSV), using a Greek word for the competition between wrestlers (palé). Since wrestling was regarded as excellent preparation for battle, this is an appropriate description of … Continue reading –>
Read through Ephesians 6:10-20, noting each time Paul uses some form of the verb stand. Why is this idea so important to him? We must understand Paul’s military metaphor in the context of the ancient battlefield. What did it mean to “stand” (Ephesians 6:11, Ephesians 6:13-14)? Does the verb suggest a defensive-only posture? Battle speeches included in the writings of … Continue reading –>
Read Romans 13:11-14, 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8, and 2 Corinthians 10:3-6. How do these verses compare with Ephesians 6:10-20? Why do you think Paul uses this kind of imagery? In his letters, Paul frequently employs military language and imagery, inviting believers to mimic exemplary, soldierly behavior. While Ephesians 6:10-20 represents his longest and most concentrated use, military language exhibits one of his … Continue reading –>
Paul ends his letter with a powerful call to battle that draws together themes and ideas important to the letter as a whole. He begins by announcing the overarching theme of the conclusion, offered in the tone of a commander’s battle cry: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” (Ephesians … Continue reading –>
Study Paul’s ringing conclusion to his letter, Ephesians 6:10-20. What does Paul’s battle cry mean to us today, as combatants in the great controversy? Paul concludes Ephesians with a call to battle, urging believers to take their stand in the church’s war against evil (Ephesians 6:10-20). He begins with an overarching exhortation to “be strong in the Lord” (Ephesians … Continue reading –>
Sabbath Afternoon Read for This Week’s Study: Ephesians 6:10-20; Deuteronomy 20:2-4; Romans 13:11-14; 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8; 1 Corinthians 15:23-24. Memory Text: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10-11, ESV). Bleary-eyed, the servant stumbles out of his … Continue reading –>
A Book and a Ride By Andrew McChesney Alexei Arushanian, a 33-year-old Ukrainian living in Poland, was running late. He had just finished his work, installing windows, and had to stop at the gas station as he raced to meet his wife for an evening shopping trip. At the gas pump, Alexei noticed a young … Continue reading –>
Paul’s respect for children as fellow believers (Ephesians 6:1-3) heightens our concern for the ways in which children are treated in our world today. His word to fathers (Ephesians 6:4) invites us to consider parental responsibilities. Applying Paul’s counsel to slaves (Ephesians 6:5-8), and, especially, his counsel to slave masters (Ephesians 6:9), is more challenging, … Continue reading –>
In Paul’s final words to slaves, “whether he is a slave or free” (Ephesians 6:8), the word “free” refers to slave masters, allowing Paul to transition to his counsel to them while imagining slaves and slave masters standing on an equal footing before Christ in the judgment (compare 2 Corinthians 5:10; Colossians 3:24-25). Assuming that you are … Continue reading –>
What does Paul require of Christian slaves in his detailed instructions to them? Ephesians 6:5-8. Paul asks Christian slaves to obey their masters, offering heartfelt, excellent service. What is notable is his repeated reference to a grand substitution that he asks them to make. They are not to place their slave master in the place of … Continue reading –>
