diff --git a/50-eph/04.md b/50-eph/04.md index 0c775ca..64ac056 100644 --- a/50-eph/04.md +++ b/50-eph/04.md @@ -1,8 +1,14 @@ # Ephesians 4 + + ## 4:1-3 + + ### How does Paul want Christians to live? +[4:1, 4:2, 4:3] + Paul really wanted all Christians to live in a way that honored God. In Ancient Near East, people expected that a person would live in a way that would bring honor to their leader or someone they followed. Paul wanted to say that when Christians do the right things, they honor God. When a person believes in Jesus, God becomes his leader, so he needs to live the way Paul wrote about. (see: 1:4, 18; Philippians 1:27). In order to do this, Christians must do these things: @@ -16,10 +22,16 @@ Paul wanted Christians to do everything that they could to remain united, joined See: [Ancient Near East](../articles/ancientneareast.md); [Call (Calling)](../articles/call.md) + + ## 4:4-6 + + ### How else did Paul speak about Christians being joined together in this passage? +[4:4, 4:5, 4:6] + In these verses, Paul used the word “one” many times. He wanted all Christians to work together to be friends. This is called “unity.” Paul often wrote about all Christians as if they were part of one “body.” He wrote that all Christians as a group form "one" body, not many bodies. He also used this word to describe how all Christians should have the same purpose and trust in God, even though they are all different as people. @@ -38,13 +50,22 @@ Finally, Paul wrote that there is one God and Father of everyone. Paul used the See: [Baptize (Baptism)](../articles/baptize.md); [Call (Calling)](../articles/call.md); [Body of Christ](../articles/bodyofchrist.md) + + ## 4:7-10 -### How does Jesus help all believers to serve God? + + +### How does Jesus help all believers to serve God? + +[4:7] Paul wrote that God gives every believer favor or a gift in the amount that Jesus chooses. Jesus gives the gift and he decides how much of the gift each believer will receive (see: Romans 12:3-6). Paul wants his readers to know that God has given each believer a gift so they can perform a serve God in a special way (see: Romans 12:6-8). -### What did Paul mean when he wrote about Jesus coming down and going up? + +### What did Paul mean when he wrote about Jesus coming down and going up? + +[4:9] Paul wrote that Jesus “came down” and also “went up.” In Scripture, heaven is often described as being “up.” When Jesus came from heaven, he went “down” to earth. Then, Jesus went back “up” to heaven. Some scholars think that Paul was speaking about Jesus coming down when he was born. Other scholars think that Paul was speaking about Jesus coming down at Pentecost. At Pentecost, the Spirit of God came “down” upon people and gave them certain gifts (see: Acts 2:1-6). @@ -52,25 +73,44 @@ Paul further wrote that Jesus went “up” so that He might fill all things, th See: [Pentecost](../articles/pentecost.md) + + + ## 4:11 -### What special gifts does Jesus give for His body, all believers? + + +### What special gifts does Jesus give for His body, all believers? + +[4:11] In this verse, Paul wrote that Jesus gave Christians different gifts to serve him and the church (see: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 27-31). Jesus gives these gifts to “build up” other Christians, that is, to serve other Christians and help them to live in a way that honors God. See: [Church](../articles/church.md); [Gifts of the Holy Spirit](../articles/giftsholyspirit.md) + + ## 4:12-13 -### Why does God give these particular gifts? + + +### Why does God give these particular gifts? + +[4:12] Paul wrote that God calls all Christians to use their gifts people to serve him until all believers become “mature or grown” (τέλειος/g5046). Paul did not want to talk about growing in size. Instead, he wanted to say that Christians grow to become more like Jesus in the way they live. See: [Gifts of the Holy Spirit](../articles/giftsholyspirit.md) + + ## 4:14-16 -### What is the result that Paul wanted readers to think about? + + +### What is the result that Paul wanted readers to think about? + +[4:15] Paul often spoken about people who were not “mature” or “grown”(τέλειος/g5046) as if they were young children. In 4:14, Paul talked about immature believers using the metaphor of a boat. When a boat is being sailed by a person who does not know how to control it, the boat will be moved by the waves and the wind. It will go places that the people in it do not want to go. In the same way, when someone is not mature, they go the wrong places. Perhaps Paul wanted to say that a believer who is not mature can be tricked into accepting the false things that other people teach (see: 5:6-13). @@ -82,9 +122,15 @@ Paul then wrote that in Christ the “whole body,” that is, all Christians are See: [Gifts of the Holy Spirit](../articles/giftsholyspirit.md) + + ## 4:17-19 -### How did Paul describe the way unbelievers act? + + +### How did Paul describe the way unbelievers act? + +[4:17, 4:18, 4:19] In 4:1-3, Paul wrote that Christians should live in a way that honors God. In these verses, he wrote that Christians must stop living in the way Gentiles lived. Paul wrote about how unbelieving Gentiles behave in several ways. @@ -97,15 +143,27 @@ In 4:1-3, Paul wrote that Christians should live in a way that honors God. In th See: [Gentile](../articles/gentile.md) + + ## 4:20-21 + + ### How do Christians learn more about Jesus? +[4:20] + Paul wrote about Christians understanding or learning more about Jesus in a way that is much better than how unbelievers can think or know anything. In the New Testament, only Paul wrote about “learning Jesus” and he only wrote about it here in 4:20. Christians are to know about Jesus in the way you know another person. When a Christian knows Jesus in this way, he wants to live in a way that pleases Jesus. + + ## 4:22-24 -### What did Paul mean when he wrote about the old self and the new self? + + +### What did Paul mean when he wrote about the old self and the new self? + +[4:22, 4:23, 4:24] Paul wrote about how believers "learn more about Jesus" using the metaphor of changing clothes. He wrote about the way that Christians used to live as if it were putting off or taking off a piece of clothing called the “old self.” He also wrote about the way Christians are now to live as if they were “putting on”(ἐνδύω/g1746) a new piece of clothing called the “new self.” @@ -113,25 +171,45 @@ Paul also told Christians to be “renewed”(ἀνανεόω/g0365) in the way See: [Old and New Self](../articles/oldnewself.md) + + + ## 4:25 -### What change did Paul write that believers should make in how they talk? + + + +### What change did Paul write that believers should make in how they talk? + +[4:25] Paul wrote that Christians need to change the way they talk to other people. They are to “putting on” the new self and not tell lies or speak falsely in any way. In their old self, Christians used to follow Satan, who is the father of lies (see: John 8:44). However, the Holy Spirit gives Christians the power to follow the Holy Spirit instead of Satan. See: [Old and New Self](../articles/oldnewself.md) + + ## 4:26-27 -### What did Paul write to the believers about anger? + + +### What did Paul write to the believers about anger? + +[4:26] Paul quoted from Psalm 4:4 and wrote that in the believer, anger should be not sin. Although a Christian may get angry, he should make sure he does not commit any sin because of that anger. Paul also wrote that believers must be at peace with other people, even after they are angry with them. Paul wanted to say that when it can hurt a Christian to remain angry with someone. + + ## 4:28-30 -### How are believers taught to speak to one another? + + +### How are believers taught to speak to one another? + +[4:29] Paul already wrote that Christians should not lie (see: 4:25). Now in these verses, he wrote more strongly that Christians are not to say any “unwholesome” or “corrupt”(σαπρός/g4550) words or ideas. @@ -139,13 +217,22 @@ Christians should speak in a way that “builds up” other people. When a belie **Advice to translators:** Some cultures use the metaphor of a wall to talk about the way people speak to one another. The things people say can “build up” a person. They can also “tear down” a person. + ### How do Christians grieve the Holy Spirit? +[4:30] + Paul wrote that believers must not “grieve”(λυπέω/g3076) the Holy Spirit of God. One way they do this is to speak in a way that was wrong or evil (see: Isaiah 63:10; Acts 5:1-10). + + ## 4:31-32 -### What changes did Paul write that a believer needs in his life? + + +### What changes did Paul write that a believer needs in his life? + +[4:31, 4:32] Paul concludes the things that Paul was talking about. Paul wanted Christians to change the way they live. God gave the Holy Spirit to Christians to help them to do this.