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Ephesians Chapter One

1. Paul addresses a body of faithful saints (Eph. 1:1), greeting them with a prayer for God’s grace and peace (Eph. 1:2). Likely an encyclical epistle, expanding the Colossian epistle to a more comprehensive discourse on the Mystery of the Church (cf. Eph. 3:3).
2. Paul begins the Book with a Paterological benediction: ascribing blessedness to God the Father for His grace eternal plan (Eph. 1:3-14).
   1. The Father is the source of all blessings (v.3 cf. Jas. 1:17).
      1. Members of the Church are not lacking any spiritual blessing.
      2. Members of the Church possess heavenly blessings apart from any earthly activity.
      3. Members of the Church reap these blessings due to our position “in Christ.”
   2. The Father is the One Who lovingly elected each Member of the Church to an eternity of holy perfection in His immediate presence (v.4).
   3. The Father is the One Who predestined each Member of the Church to full adult standing through adoption as sons (v.5).
   4. These grace blessings are free gifts of the Father in the Beloved One (Christ) (v.6).
   5. The Beloved One’s blood is the Father’s grace provision for our redemption (the forgiveness of our trespasses) (v.7).
   6. The Father is the One Who reveals to the Church the mystery of His will (vv.9-10).
      1. It pleases the Father to reveal His will.
      2. It pleases the Father for His purpose to be fulfilled in the Son.
      3. The grace eternal plan of the Father is progressing towards a Dispensation of the Fullness of Times.
         1. This dispensation will feature the headship of Christ over all things.
         2. Heavenly headship over the Church and their angelic subjects.
         3. Earthly headship over Israel and their Gentile subjects.
   7. The Father also supplies the eternal inheritance to each Member of the Church in Christ (the Heir of All Things, Heb. 1:2) (vv.11-12).
   8. The Father assigned the Holy Spirit with the work of sealing each Member of the Church in Christ as a deposit for our eternal inheritance in Christ (vv.13-14).
3. Paul had some particular believers in mind, as he rejoiced in their faith and love, and as he prayed for their hope (Eph. 1:15-23).
   1. Believers need to have spiritual eyes to see with the Father’s perspective (vv.18-19a).
      1. What the Father has done (our calling).
      2. What the Father will do (our inheritance).
      3. What the Father is doing (our power).
   2. Believers need to have the Father’s perspective towards an exalted and glorified Lord Jesus Christ (vv.19b-23).

Ephesians Chapter Two

1. Chapter 2 takes all of the eternal plan of Chapter 1 and demonstrates its activity in the life of believers.
2. The unbeliever is a spiritually dead creature (Eph. 2:1) conducting his life according to the κόσμος kosmos world system under Satanic authority (Eph. 2:2) and operating under the power & influence of his own sinful nature (Eph. 2:3).
3. God the Father’s mercy and love towards spiritually dead creatures (Eph. 2:4-5a) motivated His work in saving them by grace (Eph. 2:5b-10).
   1. The Father made us alive (spiritual life) in Christ.  This is the definition of salvation.
   2. The Father positionally seated us in the heavenly places in Christ.  This is for both present and future grace demonstrations.
   3. The Father’s grace is designed for His own glory, and leaves no room for human boasting.
4. The spiritually alive creation can now conduct his life according to the grace eternal plan of God the Father (Eph. 2:10).
5. Previously far away Gentiles and previously nearby Jews are fused together into one body in Christ through the Spirit with access to the Father (Eph. 2:11-22).

Ephesians Chapter Three

1. Paul began a train of thought (Eph. 3:1) in response to the eternal glory of the Church (Eph. 1&2), but doesn’t get that train rolling until the end of the chapter (Eph. 3:14-19).
2. The union of Gentiles and Jews into one body was mystery doctrine, not revealed in the Old Testament, but reserved for New Testament revelation to the Apostles and Prophets of the Church (Eph. 3:2-7).
   1. The greatest example of grace in action (Paul) was selected to be the primary Apostle to the Gentiles (Eph. 3:8).
   2. The greatest example of grace in action was selected to be the primary human author of New Testament revelation in written form (Eph. 3:9).
      1. The Church and the mystery doctrine given to the Church are manifestations of the Father’s wisdom to the angelic realm of creation (Eph. 3:10).
      2. Thus it is that in the Church, God the Father accomplishes His grace eternal plan in the Body of Christ (Eph. 3:11-13).
3. In view of the eternal glory of the Church, Paul offers a Paterological prayer of praise for the Body of Christ to realize the blessings in time that are uniquely ours (Eph. 3:14-19).
4. This section of Ephesians closes with another benediction: ascribing glory to God the Father for His grace eternal plan (Eph. 3:20-21).