Scofield Reference Bible Notes/Ephesians

by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield

Book Introduction - Ephesians

Read first chapter of Ephesians
WRITER: The Apostle Paul ( 1:1)
DATE: Ephesians was written from Rome in A.D. 64. It is the first in order of the Prison Epistles. Acts 20:1-27:44. (See Scofield "Acts 28:30") and was sent by Tychicus, concurrently with Colossians and Philemon. It is probable that the two greater letters had their occasion in the return of Onesimus to Philemon. Ephesians is the most impersonal of Paul's letters. Indeed the words, "to the Ephesians," are not in the best manuscripts. Colossians 4:16 mentions an epistle to the Laodiceans. It has been conjectured that the letter known to us as Ephesians is really the Laodicean letter. Probably it was sent to Ephesus and Laodicea without being addressed to any church. The letter would then be "to the saints and the faithful in Christ Jesus" anywhere.
THEME: The doctrine of the Epistle confirms this view. It contains the highest church truth, but has nothing about church order. The church here is the true church, "His body," not the local church, as in Philippians, Corinthians, etc. Essentially, three lines of truth make up this Epistle: the believer's exalted position through grace; the truth concerning the body of Christ; and a walk in accordance with that position.
There is a close spiritual affinity between Ephesians and Joshua, the "heavenlies" answering in Christian position to Canaan in Israel's experience. In both there is conflict, often failure, but also victory, rest, and possession Joshua 21:43-45; Ephesians 1:3; 3:14-19; 6:16,23. As befits a complete revelation, the number seven is conspicuous in the structure of Ephesians.
The divisions are, broadly, four:

• The apostolic greeting1:1,2
• Positional; the believer's standing "Christ" and "in the heavenlies" through pure grace, 1:3-3:21.
• Walk and service, 4:1-5:17
• The walk and warfare of the Spirit-filled believer, 5:18-6:24.

CHAPTER 1

Verse 1

in Christ
The believer's place as a member of the body of Christ, vitally united to Him by the baptism with the Holy Spirit 1 Corinthians 12:12,13.

Verse 3

in heavenly places
Literally, the heavenlies. The same Greek word is used in John 3:12 where "things" is added. In both places the word signifies that which is heavenly in contradistinction to that which is earthy. In Ephesians "places" is especially misleading. "The heavenlies" may be defined as the sphere of the believer's spiritual experience as identified with Christ in nature. 2 Peter 1:4, life, ; Colossians 3:4; 1 John 5:12, relationships ; John 20:17; Hebrews 2:11 service, ; John 17:18; Matthew 28:20, suffering ; Philippians 1:29; 3:10; Colossians 1:24 inheritance Romans 8:16,17 and future glory in the kingdom ; Romans 8:18-21; 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6; 5:10. The believer is a heavenly man, and a stranger and pilgrim on the earth. ; Hebrews 3:1; 1 Peter 2:11.

Verse 5

predestinated
Predestination is that effective exercise of the will of God by which things before determined by Him are brought to pass. See Election,
(See Scofield "1 Peter 1:2")
Foreknowledge, (See Scofield "1 Peter 1:20")
adoption
Adoption (huiothesia, "placing as a son") is not so much a word of relationship as of position. The believer's relation to God as a child results from the new birth John 1:12,13 whereas adoption is the act of God whereby one already a child is, through redemption from the law, placed in the position of an adult son. Galatians 4:1-5.
The indwelling Spirit gives the realization of this in the believer's present experience Galatians 4:6 but the full manifestation of the believer's sonship awaits the resurrection, change, and translation of saints, which is called "the redemption of the body" ; Romans 8:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 ; Ephesians 1:14; 1 John 3:2.

Verse 7

sins
Sin. (See Scofield "Romans 3:23").
grace Grace (in salvation). Eph 1:6-7; 2:5,7,8; Romans 3:24. (See Scofield "John 1:17").

Verse 9

mystery
See, Romans 16:25,26; Ephesians 3:3. (See Scofield "Matthew 13:11").

Verse 10

dispensation of the fullness of times
The Dispensation of the Fulness of Times. This, the seventh and last of the ordered ages which condition human life on the earth, is identical with the kingdom covenanted to David. 2 Samuel 7:8-17; Zechariah 12:8
Summary;
Luke 1:31-33; 1 Corinthians 15:24, and gathers into itself under Christ all past "times":

• (1) The time of oppression and misrule ends by Christ taking His kingdom. Isaiah 11:3,4.
• (2) The time of testimony and divine forbearance ends in judgment. Matthew 25:31-46; Acts 17:30,31; Revelation 20:7-15.
• (3) The time of toil ends in rest and reward. 2 Thessalonians 1:6,7.
• (4) The time of suffering ends in glory. Romans 8:17,18.
• (5) The time of Israel's blindness and chastisement ends in restoration and conversion. Romans 11:25-27; Ezekiel 39:25-29.
• (6) The times of the Gentiles end in the smiting of the image and the setting up of the kingdom of the heavens. Daniel 2:34,35; Revelation 19:15-21.
• (7) The time of creation's thraldom ends in deliverance at the manifestation of the sons of God. Genesis 3:17; Isaiah 11:6-8; Romans 8:19-21.

Verse 13

sealed
The Holy Spirit is Himself the seal. In the symbolism of Scripture a seal signifies:

• (1) A finished transaction Jeremiah 32:9,10; John 17:4; 19:30.
• (2) Ownership Jeremiah 32:11,12; 2 Timothy 2:19
• (3) Security Esther 8:8; Daniel 6:17; Ephesians 4:30

CHAPTER 2

Verse 2

world
kosmos = world-system. Colossians 2:20; John 7:7. (See Scofield "Revelation 13:8").

Verse 5

dead
Death (spiritual), Summary: Spiritual death is the state of the natural or unregenerate man as still in his sins. Ephesians 2:1 alienated from the life of God Ephesians 4:18,19 and destitute of the Spirit. Prolonged beyond the death of the body, spiritual death is a state of eternal separation from God in conscious suffering. This is called "the second death." ; Revelation 2:11; 20:6,14; 21:8.
saved (See Scofield "Romans 1:16").

Verse 8

grace Grace (in salvation). Ep 5,7,8 Colossians 1:6; Romans 3:24; John 1:17 (See Scofield "John 1:17")
saved
See note, (See Scofield "Romans 1:16")

Verse 10

created
(See Scofield "Ephesians 4:24").

Verse 12

world
kosmos = mankind. (See Scofield "Matthew 4:8").

Verse 15

new man
Here the "new man" is not the individual believer but the church, considered as the body of Christ in the sense of Ephesians 1:22,23; 1 Corinthians 12:12,13; Colossians 3:10,11. (See Scofield "Hebrews 12:23").

CHAPTER 3

Verse 2

grace
Grace (imparted). Ephesians 3:2-8; Ephesians 4:7,29; Romans 6:1; 2 Peter 3:18.

Verse 3

mystery
(See Scofield "Matthew 13:11").

Verse 6

That the Gentiles
That the Gentiles were to be saved was no mystery Romans 9:24-33; Romans 10:19-21. The mystery "hid in God" was the divine purpose to make of Jew and Gentile a wholly new thing--"the church, which is his Christ's body," formed by the baptism with the Holy Spirit 1 Corinthians 12:12,13 and in which the earthly distinction of Jew and Gentile disappears ; Ephesians 2:14,15; Colossians 3:10,11. The revelation of this mystery, which was foretold, but not explained by Christ Matthew 16:18 was committed to Paul. In his writings alone we find the doctrine, position, walk, and destiny of the church.

Verse 9

mystery
(See Scofield "Matthew 13:11").

CHAPTER 4

Verse 11

gave
In 1 Corinthians 12:8-28 the Spirit is seen as enduing the members of the body of Christ with spiritual gifts, or enablements for a varied service; here certain Spirit-endued men, viz. apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, are themselves the gifts whom the glorified Christ bestows upon His body the church. In Corinthians the gifts are spiritual enablements for specific service; in Ephesians the gifts are men who have such enablements.
some
The Lord, in bestowing the gifted men, determines, providentially (e.g.) Acts 11:22-26 or directly through the Spirit (e.g.) ; Acts 13:1,2; 16:6,7 the places of their service. "Some" (churches or places) need one gift, as, (e.g.) evangelist; "some" (churches or places) need rather a pastor or teacher. Absolutely nothing in Christ's service is left to mere human judgment or self-choosing. Even an apostle was not permitted to choose his place of service Acts 16:7,8.

Verse 12

perfect
(See Scofield "Matthew 5:48").

Verse 22

old man
(See Scofield "Romans 6:6").

Verse 24

new man
The new man is the regenerate man as distinguished from the old man (See Scofield "Romans 6:6") and is a new man as having become a partaker of the divine nature and life 2 Peter 1:4; Colossians 3:3,4 and in no sense the old man made over, or improved ; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15; Ephesians 2:10; Colossians 3:10. The new man is Christ, "formed" in the believer ; Galatians 2:20; 4:19; Colossians 1:27; 1 John 4:12.
righteousness (See Scofield "Romans 10:10").

Verse 26

sin
Sin. (See Scofield "Romans 3:23").

Verse 29

grace
Grace (imparted). vs. Philippians 1:7; Romans 6:1; 2 Peter 3:18.

CHAPTER 5

Verse 9

righteousness
(See Scofield "1 John 3:7").

Verse 23

saviour
(See Scofield "Romans 1:16").

Verse 25

even as Christ
Christ's love-work for the church is threefold: past, present, future:

• (1) For love He gave Himself to redeem the church (Ephesians 5:25);
• (2) in love He is sanctifying the church (Ephesians 5:26);
• (3) for the reward of His sacrifice and labour of love He will present the church to Himself in flawless perfection, "one pearl of great price" (Ephesians 5:27) Matthew 13:46.

Verse 32

bride
Ephesians 5:30,31 are quoted from Genesis 2:23,24 and exclude the interpretation that the reference is to the church merely as the body of Christ. Eve, taken from Adam's body, was truly "bone of his bones, and flesh of his flesh," but she was also his wife, united to him in a relation which makes of "twain... one flesh" Matthew 19:5,6 and so a clear type of the church as bride of Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:2,3. The bride type are Eve Genesis 2:23,24 Rebecca
(See Scofield "Genesis 24:1").
Asenath (See Scofield "Genesis 41:45")
(See Scofield "Genesis 37:2")
Zipporah Exodus 2:21. (See Scofield "Hosea 2:2").
mystery (See Scofield "Matthew 13:11").

CHAPTER 6

Verse 17

salvation
(See Scofield "Romans 1:16").

Verse 19

mystery
(See Scofield "Matthew 13:11").