PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL WISDOM

Dr. Eric C Reese

EPHESIANSThis book has been called the "crowning

jewel," or capstone, of Paul's theology. All of the great themes of Paul started in Galatians, developed in Romans, and are now expressed in Ephesians in a wonderful summary fashion.

As you know Apostle wrote Galatians early around AD 48 -49

He developed the doctrinal truths into the book of Romans

BACKGROUNDFrom the book of Acts we know the greatest

revival that Apostle Paul was part of was in the city of Ephesus

He stayed longer in Ephesus than any other city.

Apostle stayed in Corinth for 18 months what a mess that city was.

But Paul remain in Ephesus for 24 months longer than any other city.

EPHESIANSThe Bible say God open the door to the Gospel

that no one could close.

This was some type of Revival people were leaving paganism, cults turning to God.

To give you an example of how real the revival was those living in a cult brought the magic books and burned them publicly.

To show their complete BREAK with the Past!

EPHESIANSEpaphras (Col. 1:7; 4:12; Philemon 23) was

converted during Paul's Ephesians campaign (Acts 19)

Doing this time a man by the name of Epaphras was saved.

Epaphras was a layman he had never seen Jesus he was not from Palestine.

He heard the Apostle Paul preach and got saved. He was so moved he wanted to take the life changing life freeing message back to his home area, the Lycus River Valley.

WHAT IS GNOSTICISM?

It comes from the word “gnosis” meaning to know. Gnosticism was a philosophical system built on Greek philosophy.

Gnosticism was built on Greek philosophy that taught matter was evil and the Spirit was good.

Christian Gnostics said since matter was evil, God could not really incarnate in a human body

The Gnostics supposedly had knowledge of God that was exclusive. 

Epaphras sought Paul for advice on how to combat the merging of world-views by the heretics. Paul was in prison at Rome (early 60's)

False teachers came and began to merge the gospel with Greek ontology

Apostle Paul got so upset he wrote a hard-hitting letter in short, emotional sentences, directed at the false teachers. The central theme was the cosmic lordship of Jesus. This is known as Paul's letter to the Colossians.

Soon after writing Colossians, with time on his hands in prison, he developed these same themes. Ephesians is characterized by long sentences and developed theological concepts 

BOOK OF EPHESIANS A CYCLICAL LETTER

1. Wrote to all the churches to circulate in western Turkey

2. Has no greetings and no good byes

3. It was written to churches who had not yet encounter Gnosticism

4. To prepare the churches for what was coming.

EPHESIANSThis book has life changing principals but just

like the teaching of Jesus it’s the heart of the hearer who hold the keys to the truth.

John 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 

Only the Holy Spirit can reveal to you the truth and turn it into a life style no preacher can do that only God.

EPHESIANS 1:15-1715 Ever since I first heard of your strong

faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere,[e] 

16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 

17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom[f] and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.

WHAT IS BIBLICAL EXEGESIS?"

Exegesis means “exposition or explanation.”

Biblical exegesis involves the examination of a particular text of scripture in order to properly interpret it.

Exegesis is a part of the process of hermeneutics, the science of interpretation.

SOME IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER ABOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT

The writer of the New Testament were Hebrew Thinker writing in Street Greek.

So the place to go to understand better is not a Greek Lexicon.

 Lexicon aid the reader in understanding the original text of the Greek Old and New Testament.

Why not the Greek Lexicon in Ephesians because the words used in Ephesians are not classic Greek or formal Greek.

What important to remember is the Rabbis translated the Hebrew into Greek for the Jews in the 1st Century particular those living outside of Palestine.

So I would submit to you to get a better understanding you need to go back to the Old Testament.

There is one noun and verb in Greek that really can be translated into English.

1. The word Faith2. Belief3. Trust

Really its all one word behind-Originally it refer to someone in a stable stance.

So if you are in a Stable Stance you can not knock some one over easily.

The wind could not move them. So what happen orginal meaning turns to metaphors.

So this can to be use as 1. Dependable 2. Loyal3. Trustworthy4. FaithfulIn the Old Testament the word Faith primary

means Faithfulness.

God is Faithful!!!!!! Why because they were being persecuted and false teachers was coming their way!

EPHESIANS 1:18-2018 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with

light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.[g]

19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 

20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.