# Ephesians 04 📖: Unity in the Body of Christ [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[-Ephesians Overview]] | [[Ephesians 03]] | [[Ephesians 05]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] > [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]] > [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] > [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]] > [[#🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application]] > [[#💬 Discussion Questions]] > [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🔗 Related Passages]] > [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] > [[#📂 Internal Notes]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) ### Unity in the Body **Principle**: Foundation of the church, after Jesus, is unifying under His Word. [[#Verse 01.]] I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live worthily of the calling with which you have been called, [[#Verse 02.]] with all humility and gentleness, with patience, putting up with one another in love, [[#Verse 03.]] making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. [[#Verse 04.]] There is one body and one Spirit, just as you too were called to the one hope of your calling, [[#Verse 05.]] one Lord, one faith, one baptism, [[#Verse 06.]] one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. [[#Verse 07.]] But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. [[#Verse 08.]] Therefore it says, “; .” [[#Verse 09.]] Now what is the meaning of “,” except that he also descended to the lower regions, namely, the earth? [[#Verse 10.]] He, the very one who descended, is also the one who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things. [[#Verse 11.]] And he himself gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, [[#Verse 12.]] to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ, [[#Verse 13.]] until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God—a mature person, attaining to the measure of Christ’s full stature. [[#Verse 14.]] So we are no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes. [[#Verse 15.]] But practicing the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head. [[#Verse 16.]] From him the whole body grows, fitted and held together through every supporting ligament. As each one does its part, the body builds itself up in love. ### Living as Children of Light **Principle**: Live in the Light. [[#Verse 17.]] So I say this, and insist in the Lord, that you no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. [[#Verse 18.]] They are darkened in their understanding, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. [[#Verse 19.]] Because they are callous, they have given themselves over to indecency for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. [[#Verse 20.]] But you did not learn about Christ like this, [[#Verse 21.]] if indeed you heard about him and were taught in him, just as the truth is in Jesus. [[#Verse 22.]] You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires, [[#Verse 23.]] to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, [[#Verse 24.]] and to put on the new man who has been created in God’s image—in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth. [[#Verse 25.]] Therefore, having laid aside falsehood, because we are members of one another. [[#Verse 26.]] ; do not let the sun go down on the cause of your anger. [[#Verse 27.]] Do not give the devil an opportunity. [[#Verse 28.]] The one who steals must steal no longer; instead he must labor, doing good with his own hands, so that he will have something to share with the one who has need. [[#Verse 29.]] You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it would give grace to those who hear. [[#Verse 30.]] And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. [[#Verse 31.]] You must put away all bitterness, anger, wrath, quarreling, and slanderous talk—indeed all malice. [[#Verse 32.]] Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you. ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary ###### Verse Overall. Paul has just finished the theological foundation of his letter. Now, he turns to the practical aspects of following Jesus as a church community. ###### Verse 01. - Something to live up to. - *“Therefore*”- Paul is transitioning from the theological part of his letter to the practical. He is now going to build onto the foundation of all that has come before. ###### Verse 02. - A plea for unity. Vs2-3- The four ways to fight for unity- - Be humble- Think of yourself less. - Be gentle- controlled strength. - Be patient- Give the grace you hope to receive. - Make room for each other- remember everyone is at a different growth rate. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. - Possibly an early creed that was recited to remind everyone they were to be united as God was united. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. - The gifts to equip and edify are from God. ###### Verse 08. - During the time, a king would give gifts to his people after a great victory, the spoils of war. Paul is using this imagery as he continues to build onto the theological foundation of the first three chapters. Because of all that Christ has done, He has the victory over all things. He talks more about this victory in the next verses. ###### Verse 09. - This verse has often been misunderstood as a verse about Jesus going to hell for the three days He was dead. While there may be support for this in other places, this is not one of them. This is speaking about Jesus coming to our world, not the underworld. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. - A healthy body grows. ###### Verse 12. - This is not to indicate that these are all the gifts or that they are given out by these offices. These are to represent the ones that are in charge of equipping or training people how to live in fellowship with each other. - This verse reminds us that all are called into ministry. We all have a place and a gift to serve. ###### Verse 13. - We will never arrive as the body of Christ. We are always serving and making a difference together. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. - There is some debate over how to properly translate the phrase “we will speak the truth in love.” Here are some of the following idea: - Be loving “truthers.” - Live the truth in love. - Speak true things with the motivation of love. ###### Verse 16. - God made the church so that we would grow and benefit from having one another. When we are all serving and no one is on the sideline, we are able to grow and mature. We will be growing and full of love. ###### Verse 17. ###### Verse 18. ###### Verse 19. ###### Verse 20. ###### Verse 21. ###### Verse 22. ###### Verse 23. ###### Verse 24. ###### Verse 25. ###### Verse 26. ###### Verse 27. ###### Verse 28. ###### Verse 29. ###### Verse 30. ###### Verse 31. ###### Verse 32. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights Paul typically wrote letters that began with a theological foundation, then became practical. This chapter shows the transition in this book. Verse 1- We see that Paul reminds them he is writing this letter from prison. He is saying, “These things I am writing to you is what landed me in here. Carry out every step.” Verse 4-6: Possibly an early creed restating in this text. 1. Paul quotes Psalm 68:18 (4:8), a psalm celebrating God's victorious ascent. 2. Paul lists seven "ones" in 4:4-6: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father. 3. "Equip" (4:12) comes from a word used for mending nets and setting broken bones. 4. "Tossed back and forth by waves" (4:14) uses sailing imagery that would be familiar in a port city like Ephesus. 5. The word for "trickery" (4:14) originally referred to dice playing. 6. Paul quotes Psalm 4:4, "Be angry and do not sin" (4:26). 7. "Opportunity" (4:27) translates *topos*, meaning a place or foothold. 8. The word for "unwholesome" talk (4:29) was used of rotten fruit or spoiled fish. 9. Grieving the Holy Spirit (4:30) echoes Isaiah 63:10 and shows the Spirit is a person who can be grieved. 10. Ephesians 4:11 is the only place in the New Testament where the noun "pastor" (shepherd) is used of a church leader. ## 🧠 Chapter Summary Paul is transitioning from theology to practicality. How do we now live as a community after we have received Christ? Paul begins with talking about unity, then about using our spiritual empowerment to equip others. Notice the point is to see ourselves as a Body and not a series of islands. ***Apologetic Points***- Verse 7-10: Some have tried to use this text to argue that Jesus descended into hell and preached to those who had died. While there may be some interesting points to take from other sections (2 Peter), this does not fit the context. This passage is referring to the Gospel. Jesus came to “our lowly world” from His Throne in Heaven. Paul is using positional language to help us see the beauty of God’s divine plan. ## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter Christ is the ascended Lord who gives gifts to His church (4:8-11). He is the head, and the whole body grows up into Him as each part does its work (Colossians 2:19). ## 🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application - 📌 Paul is getting practical - 📌 These are legit action steps for the local body. - 📌 If they needed to be reminded to fight for unity, it's okay that we still need the lesson too. #### Today, I can apply this chapter by: - ✅ I have something to live up to. (verse 1) - ✅ I have been gifted to make a difference when I unite receive gifts with others. (verse 7) - ✅ I am equipped to serve through the local church. (verse12) Make these very practical: - Christians were not designed to thrive apart from spiritual community. ## 💬 Discussion Questions 1. Paul names humility, gentleness, patience, and bearing with one another as ways to keep unity (4:2-3). Which of these is hardest for you right now? 2. Leaders are given to equip the saints for the work of ministry (4:11-12). What ministry has God equipped you to do? 3. Paul calls us to put off the old self and put on the new (4:22-24). What specific habit needs to be put off and replaced? ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 verses 1-3: Live worthy of your calling with humility and patience, keeping the unity of the Spirit. - 📖 verses 11-12: Christ gave leaders to equip the saints for the work of ministry. - 📖 verse 15: Speaking the truth in love, we grow up into Christ, who is the head. - 📖 verses 26, 29: Do not sin in your anger, and let your words build others up. - 📖 verse 32: Be kind and compassionate, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you. ## 🔗 Related Passages - 🔗 [[John 17#Verse 21.|John 17:21]] - That they may all be one. - 🔗 [[1 Corinthians 12#Verse 12.|1 Corinthians 12:12-13]] - One body, one Spirit. - 🔗 [[Psalm 68#Verse 18.|Psalm 68:18]] - He ascended on high and gave gifts. - 🔗 [[Colossians 03#Verse 09.|Colossians 3:9-10]] - Put off the old self, put on the new. - 🔗 [[Psalm 04#Verse 04.|Psalm 4:4]] - In your anger do not sin. - 🔗 [[Colossians 03#Verse 13.|Colossians 3:13]] - Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection 📝 SOAP: [[Ephesians 04 - SOAP|Fight For Unity]] ### Links for Further Study - https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/ephesians-4/ - https://conformtojesus.com/2022/08/19/modern-bible-commentary-on-ephesians-41-32/ - https://thegracecommentary.com/ephesians-4/ - https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb/ephesians-4.html - https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-18-2/commentary-on-ephesians-41-16-2 ## 📂 Internal Notes Ephesians 4:1-13 [[Series_TheWay_Part3-We.Make.It.Better]] [^1]: [[Series_BAssurance_2_1Peter1.13-25]] aux