Exhortation to Unity - Week 7

Ephesians 4:1-16


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Exhortation to Unity

Read Ephesians 4:1-16

1. Read verse 1. Where is Paul writing from? Why does he describe himself this way? Previously Paul has been discussing the mystical doctrines of the Trinity and the Church as the spiritual temple and Body of Christ. To what is Paul now turning his attention?
(a) Paul is writing from prison in Rome in the spring of 63 A.D. (b) He describes himself as a "prisoner for the Lord" to underscore the reason why he is in chains. (c) Paul turns his attention to the practical aspects of living a Christian life.

2. Read verse 2. What is lowliness and meekness (hint: see John 13:3-20)? How do we forbear one another in love?
(a) Lowliness and meekness is akin to humility. Instead of raising oneself over others, we should place others above ourselves. (b) We forbear on another in love by serving one another's needs and by edifying one another.

3. Read verse 3. What is the unity of the Spirit?
(a) The unity of the Spirit is another way of saying that there is one Baptism, one Spirit, and one Body of Christ.

4. Read verse 4. What is the one body? The one Spirit? What is the one hope? What is our call?
(a) The one body is the Church. (b) The one Spirit is the Holy Spirit. (c) The one hope is the hope of salvation. (d) The one call is the call to a holy life in Christ; the call of the Christian.

5. Read verse 5. Who is the one Lord? What is the one Faith? Why only one baptism?
(a) The one Lord is God. (b) The one faith is faith in Christ's Redemption as handed down from Christ through the Apostles. (c) There is only one baptism because the sanctifying grace of baptism is super-abundant with respect to the fallen nature of man. Therefore, only one baptism is necessary to bury the old self and rais a new creation in Christ.

6. Read verse 6. In what is the oneness of the preceding verses rooted?
(a) The oneness of the preceding verses is rooted in the oneness of the Triune God.

7. Read verse 7. How is grace given to each member of the Body? What does this variety of grace look like (see Romans 12, Ephesians 4:11 and 1 Corinthians 12).
(a) Grace is give to each member of the Body "according to the measure of Christ's gift." (b) This variety of grace, sometimes referred to as charismatic grace or actual grace (as opposed to sanctifying grace), may manifest itself in the gifts of the Spirit. As found in 1 Corinthians 12:
To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. (1 Cor 12:8-11, RSV)


8. Read verse 8. Why does Paul quote this passage from Psalm 68 (see Points to Ponder)? Why does his rendering of the passage vary from the original text of the psalm?
(a) Paul quotes this passage from Psalm 68 in order to make the point that Jesus does in heaven what David did on earth. While in its own context, Psalm 68 is a celebrates the physical works of God, in the context of Paul's letter to the Ephesians, this same Psalm celebrates the spiritual works of God. (b) The original passage reads:
Thou didst ascend the high mount, leading captives in thy train, and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there. (Ps 68:18, RSV)
By changing "receiving gifts among men" to "gave gifts to men", thus alluding to the free gift of grace from God.

9. Read verse 9. What is Paul alluding to in speaking of Christ's "descent" into the "lower parts of the earth" and his subsequent "ascent" (see Points to Ponder)?
(a) Paul is alluding to when Christ died and went to Hades (Greek), or Sheol (Hebrew), which is the realm of the dead. This is not the same as the realm of the damned. The just of the Old Covenant could not come into God's presence until Christ's Redemptive act made available the sanctifying grace necessary for their full communion with God. Therefore, in going "down" to the realm of the dead, Christ brings the good news of their salvation and ascends in order to lead the just to their place in the Heavenly Kingdom. Thus, those who were dead were made alive in Christ. Just as our own selves, in Baptism, were made alive in Christ.

10. Read verse 10. How high has Christ ascended? What effect does this ascent have on his rule of the universe?
(a) Christ has "ascended far above all the heavens". (b) The effect is that Christ now rules the universe (i.e. all of creation).

11. Read verse 11. What five offices in the Church does Paul name? Are these offices earned?
(a) Paul names the following five offices in the Church: apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. (b) As these offices are gifts from God, they are not earned.

12. Read verse 12. What is the function of the offices Paul mentions? Greek has no punctuation, so English translator can sometimes discover different meanings by adding commas or periods. What happens to verse 12, if we add a comma between "to equip the saints" and "for the work of ministry"? What is the goal of both the equipping of the saints and the work of the ministry?
(a) The function of the offices Paul mentions is "to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ". (b) If we add a comma as indicated, we now have "to equip the saints, for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ". This meaning shows that equipping the saints and the work of ministry are in themselves reasons for the offices mentioned by Paul. (c) The goal of both equipping the saints and the work of ministry is to build up the Body of Christ.

13. Read verse 13. What is the dominant image of this passage? What is "mature manhood"?
(a) The dominant image of this passage is the idea of maturity of manhood. (b) "Mature manhood" in this context is to measure up to the manhood of Christ.

14. Read verse 14. What does Paul mean by "children"? What does he warn against? What are "winds of doctrine"? Does Paul attribute all bad teaching to mere misunderstanding or honest mistakes?
(a) Paul uses the term "children" to denote someone who his impressionable. (b) Paul warns against being "tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles". (c) The "winds of doctrine" refer to changes in doctrine. (d) While some bad teaching could just be a misunderstanding or an honest mistake, Paul attributes bad teaching to the cunning of men (i.e. a willful act).

15. Read verse 15. How are we to speak? Which is more important: truth or love? Who is supposed to grow? Toward what are we growing?
(a) We are to "speak the truth in love". (b) Since love is the foundation of truth, love is more important. (c) We are all supposed to grow. (d) We are growing towards Christ.

16. Read verse 16. From what does the "whole body" derive grow and upbuild itself? Are some parts of the body more important than others? Can some parts malfunction if others work well?
(a) The "whole body" derives, grows and upbuilds itself from love. (b) All parts of the body are equally important. (c) While some parts may malfunction, it is not because other parts are working well.


Disclaimer: I do not wish to present myself as an expert in either theology, history, or scriptural interpretation. I am merely someone who is attempting to answer the call of Christ. The ultimate authority and interpreter of scripture is our Holy Catholic Church. If at any point I deviate from the teachings of the Church, please correct me, alfredo@nevarez.net, as this is my shortcoming and in no way meant to be an expression of my views superceding those of the Church founded by Jesus Christ.

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