This letter from Paul was sent to the church at Ephesus which was located in the Roman province of Asia, now modern Turkey. This church was established by Priscilla and Aquila and later pastored by Paul for some three years.
Lesson 1 - Ephesians Background, Part 1
Read Acts 18:18-21 to learn about Paul’s first encounter with Ephesus.
1. Where had Paul come from before he arrived at the port of Ephesus?
2. What did Paul do there?
3. What had the people of Ephesus asked Paul?
4. What was his answer?
In Acts 19 we find Paul returning to Ephesus. Read Acts 19:1-10.
5. How long did Paul remain in Ephesus this time (verse 10)?
6. What did Paul preach and where did he first preach it (verse 8)?
7. How long did Paul preach in the synagogue and why did he leave the synagogue according to verses 8-9?
8. According to verse 10, during Paul’s two years in Ephesus, who heard the word of the Lord?
Read Acts 19:13-20 for the following questions:
9. Who was using the name of Jesus Christ to cast out evil spirits?
10. What happened to them according to verses 15-16?
11. As this became known throughout Ephesus, how did people respond (verses 17-19)?
12. According to verse 20, what was the end result?
Lesson 2 - Ephesians Background, Part 2
Read Acts 19:23-41.
1. What was one of the projects of Demetrius, the silversmith, mentioned in verse 24?
2. What did Demetrius accuse Paul of doing that effected his business, according to verse 26?
3. What was Demetrius’ concern, described in verse 27?
4. What was the significant relationship between Artemis and Ephesus, according to verse 35?
5. How did the city official respond to the unruly crowd and what happened according to verses 36-41?
6. How was Paul involved, according to verses 30-31?
7. What did Paul do after this uproar, according to chapter 20:1?
8. As Paul was visiting other cities on his way to Jerusalem he landed at Miletus. What did he do there, according to verse 20:17?
Read Acts 20:22-38.
9. What was Paul’s message to the Ephesian elders, according to verses 20:28-31?
10. How long had Paul been with them, according to verse 31?
11. What final words of encouragement did Paul share with them in verse 32?
12. Describe their farewell from verses 36-38.
Lesson 3 - Ephesians, Chapter 1
We have seen the close relationship Paul has with the people of the church in Ephesus.
Thought to be in a prison in Rome at the time, Paul wrote this letter to the Ephesian church.
Read Ephesians chapter 1.
1. Who does Paul address this letter to in Ephesians 1:1?
2. According to verse 3, Paul gives all praise to God. What does he say God has blessed us with and what is the reason given for this blessing?
3. According to verse 4, when did God first love us and choose us to be holy in Christ?
4. According to verse 5, who provided the passage or means of our adoption into God’s family? What was God’s motivation for this? (Also see verse 9b.)
5. What characteristics of God motivated Him to purchase our freedom?
6. What was the purchase price for our freedom?
7. According to verse 9, what is it that Paul refers to as having been a mystery?
8. Summarize this mysterious plan as laid out in verses 10-12.
9. According to verse 12b, what does all this result in?
10. What is the seal or sign of our belief and identification with Christ, according to verse 13?
11. What does having the Spirit guarantee us, according to verse 14?
12. Paul repeats a theme that gives a clear picture of the purpose of God’s plan. Review 1:5-6; 1:12b; and 1:14b, and state what that purpose is.
13. What does Paul keep praying for believers according to verses 17-19a?
14. How important do you think it is for us to continue praying for these things today and to what benefit?
15. What did God’s great power accomplish, according to verses 19b-23?
Lesson 4 - Ephesians, Chapter 2
Read Ephesians chapter 2.
1. What was our condition prior to obedience to Christ according to verses 1-2?
2. Who is the ruler of the powers of the unseen world, or kingdom of the air, and is followed by those disobedient to God?
3. Those who do not obey God tend to think that they are living life on their own terms. How does verse 2 inform us about that understanding?
4. We have all followed our sinful nature at times. What do we deserve because of this, according to verse 3?
5. Rather than the wrath we deserve, what has God done for us and why, according to verses 4-5?
6. According to verse 6, what is our destiny when we are united with Christ?
7. What does this demonstrate, according to verse 7?
8. What is the basis of our salvation and what is excluded, according to verses 8-9?
9. What did God create and prepare us for, according to verse 10?
10. As Paul addresses the Gentile believers in verses 11-12, what does he say was the significance, or result, of their being “uncircumcised”?
11. What did Christ’s “shedding His blood” accomplish, according to verse 13?
12. What other unity did Christ bring, according to verses 14-18? Also see Galatians 3:28-29.
13. What does it mean to you to be a part of the household of God, and a dwelling place for His Spirit, as described in verses 19-22?
Lesson 5 - Ephesians, Chapter 3
Read Ephesians chapter 3.
1. As Paul continues his letter, he reflects back to what he has just said as the foundation for what he prepares to share. Summarize what he was reflecting on when he said “for this reason”, or When I think of all this”, in verse 1a?
2. From verse 1, where was Paul at the time he wrote, and why was he there?
3. What was the special responsibility or dispensation given to Paul that he refers to in verses 2-7? Also see Acts 9:15.
4. What is the mystery that was not previously known, which Paul refers to in verse 3? Also see Galatians 3:28-29.
5. Why would it have been so difficult to understand and accept this mystery? See Acts 10:28.
6. How is Genesis 12:3 a foretelling of God’s mysterious plan?
7. What is the intent or purpose of this plan, according to verses 9-11?
8. What is Paul’s reaction to understanding this mystery, according to verse 14?
9. According to verse 16, what is the source of strength available to us through the Holy Spirit?
10. According to verse 17, what causes Christ to be in our hearts, and what is the result of Christ’s dwelling in our heart?
11. According to verse 18, what is it we begin to understand, or comprehend, when Christ fills our heart?
12 According to verse 19, what does the experience of Christ’s love result in?
13. How does verse 20 assure us that God is able to answer our prayers?
14. Take a moment to join Paul in praise!
Lesson 6 - Ephesians, Chapter 4
Read Ephesians chapter 4.
1. As Paul continues to address the believers at Ephesus, what does he encourage them to do in verse 1?
2. What is the “calling”? See Ephesians 1:4 and I Thessalonians 2:12.
3. As Paul begins to describe a life that is lived in a manner worthy of God’s call, what characteristics does he mention in verse 2?
4. What is one of the goals of this living, according to verse 3?
5. What does Paul say is the foundation, or reason, for this unity, according to verses 4-6?
6. In verses 7-8, Paul reveals one reason why each individual is unique in the midst of this unity. What is it?
7. According to verses 12-13 and 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, why are gifts given?
8. From 4:11, 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 and Romans 12:6-8, what are the gifts mentioned?
9. What gift or gifts do you believe God has given you?
10. How are you using your gift(s) to the glory of God?
11. What is the danger Paul mentions in verse 14, if believers do not mature but remain as children in the faith?
12. How does Paul describe the walk, or lifestyle, of Gentile non-believers, according to verses 17-19?
13. What is the source of the true way believers should live, according to verse 21?
14. What is the goal of our new nature, according to verse 24?
15. List the main prohibitions Paul gives in verses 25-29.
16. According to verse 30, what does unrighteous living result in?
17. This chapter ends with specific behaviors Paul cautions against in verse 31. What are they?
18. Verse 32 gives the behaviors that should replace the negative. How does Paul say we should act?
19. How does it help us to understand that we need to act towards others as God has acted towards us? What difference should that make in the way we treat others?
Lesson 7 - Ephesians, Chapter 5
Read Ephesians chapter 5.
1. According to verses 1-2, what example are we to follow in living our lives?
2. Think about the love Christ demonstrated by giving Himself up as an offering and sacrifice for you. What kind of love did that take, and how does His example motivate you to live your life?
3. What are the prohibitions Paul mentions in verses 3-4?
4. In verse 5, what reason does he give for these prohibitions?
5. What do you think it means to live in the light rather than darkness (verses 8-9)?
6. According to verse 10, what is the key to living in the light?
7. According to verse 17, what keeps us from living like the foolish or unwise?
8. From verses 18-20, rather than wine, what are we to be filled with and what does it result in?
9. Give an example of how we can be continually giving thanks to God and “speaking to one another” with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.
10. As Paul transitions to relationships in verse 21, what is the reason he gives for submission to one another?
11. The Greek word used in verse 21 (translated as “submit”), hupotasso, means “subject to” or “obey”. This is the context in which we see it used elsewhere in scripture. For example: Luke 2:51, 10:17 and Hebrews 2:8. How does this guide our understanding of Paul’s use in verse 21 and following? In other words, what is the basis of the submission we are asked to give?
Note: For the rest of chapter 5 through 6:9, Paul gives specific examples of this God-given authority that calls for submission.
12. In verses 22-24, what is the authority structure and what example is it built on?
13. In verse 25 the husband’s God-given role is outlined. How is Christ the model for a husband and how is he to treat his wife because of it?
14. What is the relationship mentioned in verse 32 that parallels the husband-wife relationship?
15. Without Christ as the model and the Holy Spirit working through God’s people, what do you think a marriage relationship tends to be like?
16. To what extent is mutual submission to Christ necessary for a successful marriage?
17. What cultural trends do you see that stand in conflict with God’s plan for marriage?
18. In 1 Peter 2:13-3:2, Peter writes about this issue of submitting to authority. What guidance do you see for a spouse married to someone who does not share their faith or understanding?
Lesson 8 - Ephesians, Chapter 6
Read Ephesians chapter 6.
1. What is the commandment given in verses 1-2?
2. What do you see is the difference between obeying and honoring parents?
3. What do you think the phrase “in the Lord” adds to the meaning of this command? Why is it important to include it?
4. Review the Lord’s Commandments as first given in Exodus 20:1-17. In verse 12, the command to honor one’s parents has two unique standings. One is that it is the only commandment regarding familial relationships included there. The second is mentioned in Ephesians 6:2. What is it?
5. According to verse 4, what is to be the focus and goal for raising children and what is to be avoided?
6. Read Hebrews 12:5-11. How is God’s treatment of His children to be a model for parents today?
Note: Next Paul takes on the relationship between slave and master. The word “doulos” is used 130 times in the original Greek in the New Testament and always means “slave”. Most Bible translations more often translate the word as “servant” or “bondservant” instead. These words are distinctively different. Paul, James, Peter, Jude, and others did not hesitate to refer to themselves as slaves of God and Christ. A slave is one who has been purchased, and clearly God has purchased us (see 1 Corinthians 6:20 and 7:23) with all the implications of His ownership reflected in our calling. As Paul addresses the relationship of slave and master, he does not condemn but calls for righteous conduct on the part of each. Although slavery in the cultural context has been abolished for good reason, Scripture still calls us to be slaves of Christ.
7. What instruction does Paul give slaves in verse 5-6?
8. What does verse 7 say about the way one should work (who is the real master)? How should this principle effect the way we behave in a work setting?
9. As we apply Paul’s advice to slaves to our work setting, what encouragement does verse 8 give us, especially when we feel our efforts are not acknowledged or rewarded?
10. What standard is given in verse 9 to masters (employers or supervisors in our context)?
11. As Paul begins his final words in verse 10, what is his admonition and what is its source?
12. What must we do to stand against the attacks of Satan, according to verse 11?
13. How does Paul describe this conflict with Satan in verse 12?
14. List the pieces of armor given in verses 14-17.
15. According to verse 18, what is the necessary activity we must engage in?
16. What is the one piece of armor listed that is used for offense (verse 17b), and why do you think it is crucial?
17. Explain what these last two elements have meant in your life.