Ephesians 5:1-21
1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
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 gone 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
- Verse 1 & 2
- Do you see how 4:32 and 5:1 & 2 are connected- how these three verses are saying essentially the same thing? Do you see how we are to imitate God in 4:32? and in 5:2?
- Verses 3 & 4
- There is a connection in the New Testament between sexual immorality and idolatry.
- See Acts 15:20, especially Colossians 3:5, and 1 Corinthians 6:19
- How do you see these concepts as being similar or related?
- See Acts 15:20, especially Colossians 3:5, and 1 Corinthians 6:19
- Rather than letting our actions, desires and speech center around our own sexual gratification, what does Paul (in verse 4) say should characterize our lives?
- We will discuss the significance of the “not/but” commands of the Bible. See how many you can pick out in this week’s passage.
- There is a connection in the New Testament between sexual immorality and idolatry.
- Verse 5
- “For” is a grounding word telling us that the command we just received is grounded in the truth that follows.
- If chapters 1-3 give us the positive motivation in response to the gospel to “walk in a manner worthy” of our calling, what reason does verse 5 here give us?
- In light of what Paul has already taught us about our salvation “by grace… through faith… for good works” (2:8-10), how are we to understand the relationship here between our behavior and our “inheritance in the kingdom of God?”
- See also 1:11 and 2:18
- In light of what Paul has already taught us about our salvation “by grace… through faith… for good works” (2:8-10), how are we to understand the relationship here between our behavior and our “inheritance in the kingdom of God?”
- If chapters 1-3 give us the positive motivation in response to the gospel to “walk in a manner worthy” of our calling, what reason does verse 5 here give us?
- “For” is a grounding word telling us that the command we just received is grounded in the truth that follows.
- Verses 6 & 7
- There seems to be group of people (see the pronouns- “no one” in v. 6; “them” in v. 7; “they” in v. 12) who are bringing a false teaching into the church.
- What does this false teaching seem to be?
- Who is the wrath of God coming upon? What term does Paul use for those people in v .6? Have we seen this term before?
- See 2:12)
- What relationship do believers have to those people?
- See how v. 7 makes this relationship clear
- There seems to be group of people (see the pronouns- “no one” in v. 6; “them” in v. 7; “they” in v. 12) who are bringing a false teaching into the church.
- Verses 8-14
- Do you see a sense in which the command here is for us to become, in a sense, what we already are?
- These verses transition us to a picture of leaving darkness and walking as “children of light.”
- Considering what we have learned about “speaking the truth in love (v. 15), what does it look like to “expose… the unfruitful works of darkness?” And what does it not look like?
- And thinking back to the role of our pastors/shepherds/teachers (4:11-13), how do these leaders help us fulfill the command here to not be deceived into walking in darkness?
- The quotation in verse 14 is a little odd because it seems like an Old Testament quotation but isn’t exactly found anywhere in the OT. What do you make of it?
- Do you see how awakening from sleep is related to the ideas of light and darkness?
- Verses 15 -17
- Meditate on the connection between these three statements:
- We should be diligent about walking wisely.
- In doing so, we make the best use of the time.
- The days are evil.
- What does this last phrase mean? And how does it move us to obey the command in v. 15?
- Meditate on the connection between these three statements:
- Verses 18-21
- We have a not/but command here. Try to envision what each side of this command looks like:
- In verse 18, what does it look like (and sound like) when people “get drunk with wine” leading to “debauchery?”
- Helpful point: “debauchery” is one of those words that is hard to define, but you know it when you see it.
- Contrast that with the picture Paul creates in v. 19-20.
- Do you see how Paul paints a picture of what it looks like for people to be controlled by the Spirit rather than “spirits?”
- In verse 18, what does it look like (and sound like) when people “get drunk with wine” leading to “debauchery?”
- Compare it with v. 1 to see how v. 21 rounds out our passage:
- If the sins in v. 3 and 4 describe how people use others to satisfy their own sinful desires, how does v. 21 call us to live?
- We have a not/but command here. Try to envision what each side of this command looks like:
I look forward to meeting and discussing this text with you all.
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