Ephesians Curriculum jethrotools.org
Teaching Text: Ephesians 5:22-33
Teacher Study Notes:
Teaching Text: Ephesians 5:22-33
Teacher Study Notes:
- Overview / Review: In last half of the book Paul now addresses how to live as a result of God’’s grace. Paul made the directional change from God’s working in the Ephesian believers (chapters 1-3) to God working through the Ephesian believers (chapters 4-6). The first part of chapter 4 is dealing with the relationships that the Ephesian believers have with each other. Chapter 5 lists some practical ways the Ephesian believers can walk or live a life that imitates God. Paul now makes a transition and begins to be even more practical as he discusses specifically how believers are to live as imitators of God. Paul does this by addressing specific relationships. The first of these has to do with family relations and the foundational relation between husband and wife.
- Paul finished the previous verses discussing how to walk in wisdom through submission. Now he turns his attention to the marriage relationship. Notice that the context is still connected with chapter 5:1-2 and the command to be imitators. Again, just as in the beginning of chapter 5, Paul shows that God is the one to be imitated. Specifically in this passage he shows that the relationship between Christ and the church is the model that husbands and wives are too copy.
- Imitation: Paul paints a spiritual picture of what God has done and is doing through Christ in relation to the church. This is the model that is to be copied by the husband and wife. WOW! What a seemingly impossible task... except for God’s grace. Remember the repeated idea of grace through out the first half of this book. Now in the second half Paul is helping the church see ways that they can display this grace through their lives. Note Ephesians 3:20 that mentions that God can do way more than could ever be imagined through the power of the power of the Spirit at work in the believer. This is God at work displaying His grace and power through the believer for His glory. Godly family relationships are to imitate the grace of God, living by the power of God for the glory of God.
- Attraction of the audience to your Bible lesson with an illustration.
Statistics point out that the divorce rate is virtually the same for those who say they believe in God and go to church in comparison to those who do not believe in God and do not go to church.
Transition: In this passage the Ephesians are called to be wise imitators of God in their marriage relations. Believers do not always live to show God’s grace, but they need too. - Read the Bible passage
Read the Bible passage out loud or ask someone else to read it out loud, open in prayer Make general important observations about the passage and the context
Briefly review by telling what has been presented up to this point in the book. Summarize for the group what will be covered in this section. - Examination of the Bible passage with the group
(These questions are to guide your thinking and development of your Bible lesson.) How does this passage connect with Ephesians 5:1-2?
Why does Paul start with the idea of submission in verse 22?
How does this relate to the previous section and walking?
What is the main idea that Paul is emphasizing in these verses?
Define the role of the husband and wife. Try making a chart showing the differences. How does oneness, unity and specific roles relate to the rest of Ephesians?
Why is the relationship a mystery (vs. 32)? - Application of the Bible lesson Think about your relationship with God and others. Discussion: How can we show honor to God and value His grace that is shown to us? Application: Imitate God by showing grace to our husband or wife.
| curriculum_ephesians_5.22-33.pages.pdf |