Ephesians (Life Application Bible Commentary | LABC)
Overview
When Paul wrote Ephesians, he wanted his readers to see God’s eternal purpose for the church. Paul claimed to have received a revelation about the church that had never before been known-that the church would be comprised of both Jewish and Gentiles, sharing equal status in the body as coheirs, co-members of the body, and joint partakers. He wrote about this revelation so that all the believers could understand the great mystery of Christ and the church (see 3:4–7; 5:32) Today, many Christians take their faith and their church for granted. Thus, they become critical of fellow believers, worship services, and church leaders, and often they become susceptible to wrong doctrines. As you read Ephesians, examine your attitudes in the light of Paul’s description of the church, the body of Christ. Consider how you might encourage and strengthen fellow believers and how you can work together with other believers to spread the good news about Christ.
About the Series
The Life Application Bible Commentary series provides verse-by-verse explanation, background, and application for every verse in the New Testament. In addition, it gives personal help, teaching notes, and sermon ideas that will address needs, answer questions, and provide insight for applying God’s Word to life today. The content is highlighted so that particular verses and phrases are easy to find.
Each volume contains three sections: introduction, commentary, and reference. The introduction includes an overview of the book, the book’s historical context, a timeline, cultural background information, major themes, an overview map, and an explanation about the author and audience.
The commentary section includes running commentary on the Bible text with reference to several modern versions, especially the New International Version and the New Revised Standard Version, accompanied by life applications interspersed throughout. Additional elements include charts, diagrams, maps, and illustrations. There are also insightful quotes from church leaders and theologians such as John Calvin, Martin Luther, John Wesley, A. W. Tozer, and C. S. Lewis. These features are designed to help you quickly grasp the biblical information and be prepared to communicate it to others. The reference section includes a bibliography.
Top Highlights
“‘Take up’ is a technical military term describing preparation for battle. The armor is available, but the believer-soldier must ‘take it up’ in order to be ready.” (Page 131)
“How can one live worthy of the calling? The Greek word for ‘worthy’ (axios) refers to a balance, as on scales. Thus, believers are to live ‘in balance’ with their calling. How they act should match what they believe. Remembering Christ’s sacrifice should cause believers to live for his glory in every area of their lives.” (Page 74)
“Believers cannot experience unity without the presence of the Holy Spirit, and neither can they maintain unity without allowing the Spirit to work in their lives. The Greek word translated endeavoring or ‘make every effort’ is spoudazontes. The Greek word has no sense of the possibility of failure (‘just try, even though you might fail’). The word conveys the idea of working toward something difficult with a determination to make it happen. Paul knew that maintaining unity among believers would take hard work and continual diligence.” (Page 76)
“How should a man love his wife? (1) He should be willing to sacrifice everything for her. (2) He should make her well-being of primary importance. (3) He should care for her as he cares for his own body. No wife needs to fear submitting to a man who treats her in this way.” (Page 114)
“How can anyone pray on all occasions? Make quick, brief prayers your habitual response to every situation you meet throughout the day.” (Page 136)