Scripture Text: Ephesians 3:14-21
4 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
So much of good Bible reading comes down to simply learning to ask the right questions of the text and then finding ways to answer those questions from God’s Word. Below are a handful of what I call “breadcrumb” questions. In my study, I’ve walked just ahead of the class in the text and created questions that I believe will help guide you in understanding the passage. When we gather on Sunday, we’ll walk through these questions together. Over time, you’ll develop a greater ability to ask these questions on your own and, with the help of the Holy Spirit, find the answers in His Word.
Breadcrumb Questions
- Paul begins verse 1, “For this reason…” This begs the question, what reason is Paul referring to? Also, have we seen this phrase before?
- See 3:1, where Paul says this phrase, but then interrupts himself.
- What “reason” is he referring to back in 3:1?
- Look for clues (repeated words, themes, or ideas) in this passage of what truth (“reason”) Paul is referring to here.
- Compare 2:22 and 3:17
- See 3:1, where Paul says this phrase, but then interrupts himself.
- What is Paul doing in our passage?
- See v.14 in particular.
- Something is causing Paul to “bow [his] knees before the Father.”
- The “reason” from v.13 (and v.1) is causing him to fall to his knees.
- This is a posture of awestruck humility before God in prayer in response to the amazing truths God has revealed to him, as explained in chapters 1 and 2.
- The “reason” from v.13 (and v.1) is causing him to fall to his knees.
- So, Paul is praying. What, in particular, is he praying for?
- See v.16, 17 and 18.
- He lists multiple things that he is praying for. Do these seem to be totally distinct and separate things? Or do they seem to be the same thing repeated in different way?
- One thing Paul prays for is that God would give the Ephesian believers strength. The question is, “strength to do what?”
- See v. 18 and 19.
- Paul prays that they would comprehend “with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ…” In light of the mystery of the gospel explain in chapters 1 and 2, how has the love of Christ been shown to be limitless, without borders or “dividing walls?”
- Does this lead you to believe that Paul’s emphasis in this text is on Christ’s love for the individual believer? Or for a broader family of God? In other words, is Paul trying to impact us here with the Christ’s love for us as individuals or as a group?
- Thinking back on Paul’s background as a Pharisee of Pharisees, why do you think this revelation of God’s plan of salvation for the world- both Jews and Gentiles alike- was so impactful for him?
- Does meditating on these things fill in your understanding of why Paul, in v.14, would call God “the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named?”
- In the doxology here, what has God done (considering all we’ve heard in chapters 1-3) that is “far more abundantly than all that [Paul could] ask or think?”
- According to v.21, how does God intend to glorify Himself on earth and “throughout all generations forever and ever?”
I look forward to meeting and discussing this text with you all.
HD Bible Study 
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