Ephesians Bible Study Resources
Study questions, maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.
Bible Study: Ephesians: Our New Life in Christ
Jump to: Background; ** Maps; ** Key Words; ** Encyclopedias; ** Commentaries; ** Articles; ** GotQuestions ** Next **
Ephesians Basics
- Author: Paul, the Apostle
- Who was Paul?
- Date: 60-61 AD; Paul is in prison in Rome.
- Purpose: Spell out the implications of the church as revealed in Christ
- Key Themes: Roles of the church; The church is not viewed as an institution, but a collection of believers; The church is the place where God’ reconciling will for the wold is manifest.
Structure
- Chapters 1-3 The new community in the purpose of God (doctrine)
- Chapters 4-6 The new community in the life of believers (application)
Genre: Understanding Epistles
Ephesians Background & Outlines
Paul’s use of the Old Testament
Blue Letter Bible: Chronology of Acts/Epistles
Blue Letter Bible: Ephesians Outline
Ray Stedman Overview: Ephesians: The Calling of the Saints
John MacArthur: Author, Date, Background
Paul in Ephesus: Acts 18-20
James Van Dine: Intro to Ephesians
Ephesians Introduction – J Vernon McGee
Ephesians Introduction – Myer Pearlman
Keys to Ephesians – William Orr
Synthetic Bible Study on Ephesians – James M Gray (1906)
Ephesians: Queen of the Epistles – The Mystical Body of Christ– Wil Pounds
Ephesians Study Guide – by Chuck Smith
Maps
Journeys
Paul’s Conversion and Early Ministry– Holman Bible Atlas
Paul’s 1st Journey – Bible-History.com
1st Missionary Journey of Paul– Holman Bible Atlas
Paul’s 2nd Journey – Bible-History.com
2nd Missionary Journey of Paul– Holman Bible Atlas
Paul’s 3rd Journey – Bible-History.com
3rd Missionary Journey of Paul– Holman Bible Atlas
Paul’s Journeys– Holman Bible Atlas
Paul’s Arrest and Imprisonment– Holman Bible Atlas
Paul’s Voyage to Rome– Holman Bible Atlas
Pentecost and the Jewish Diaspora– Holman Bible Atlas
Apostles’ Journeys – Bible-History.com
Geography
Israel in New Testament Times – Bible-History.com
New Testament Jerusalem – Bible-History.com
Herod the Great’s Kingdom – Bible-History.com
Herod’s Kingdom Divided – Bible-History.com
The Kingdom of Herod Agrippa I – Holman Bible Atlas
The Kingdom of Agrippa II– Holman Bible Atlas
Expansion of the Early Church in Palestine– Holman Bible Atlas
Key Words in Ephesians
Occurrences are based on New American Standard Text. “4x/3v” means the word appears 4 times in 3 verses. “3x” means the word appears 3 times in 3 verses.
Christ/in Christ (46x/43v); God (33x); Lord (23x); in Him/through Him/etc. (23x/18v); Spirit (14x); Father (10x)
love (15x/14v) – Strong’s G26 in Eph 1:4; Eph 1:15; Eph 2:4; Eph 3:17; Eph 3:19; Eph 4:2; Eph 4:15; Eph 4:16; Eph 5:2; Eph 5:33; Eph 6:23. Strong’s G25 in Eph 5:25; Eph 5:28; Eph 6:24
grace (12x) – Strong’s G5485 in Eph 1:1, Eph 1:5, Eph 1:7, Eph 2:5, Eph Eph 2:7, Eph 2:8, Eph 3:2, Eph 3:7, Eph 3:8, Eph 4:7, Eph 4:29, Eph 6:24.
glory (9x) – Strong’s G1391 in Eph 1:6, Eph 1:12, Eph 1:14, Eph 1:18, Eph 3:13, Eph 3:16, Eph 3:21; Strong’s G1741 in Eph 5:27.
riches (5xs) – Strong’s G4149 in Eph 1:7; Eph 1:18; Eph 2:7; Eph 3:8; Eph 3:16; rich (1x) – Strong’s G4145 in Eph 2.4.
in the heavenly places (5x) – Eph 1:3; Eph 1:20; Eph 2:6; Eph 3:10; Eph 6:12.; heavenly – Strong’s G2032
body (9x/8v) – Strong’s G4983 in Eph 1:23; Eph 2:16; Eph 4:4; Eph 4:12; Eph 4:16; Eph 5:23; Eph 5:30; Strong’s G4954 in Eph 3:6.
church (9x) – Strong’s G1577 in Eph 1:22; Eph 3:10; Eph 3:21; Eph 5:23; Eph 5:24; Eph 5:25; Eph 5:27; Eph 5:29; Eph 5:32.
Gentiles (5x) – Strong’s G1484 in Eph 2:11; Eph 3:1; Eph 3:6; Eph 3:8; Eph 4:17.
flesh (9x/7v) – Strong’s G4561 in Eph 2:3; Eph 2:11; Eph 2:15; Eph 5:29; Eph 5:31; Eph 6:5; Eph 6:12.
formerly (5x) – Strong’s G4218 in Eph 2:2; Eph 2:3; Eph 2:11; Eph 2:13; Eph 5:8; former – Strong’s G4387 in Eph 4:22.
walk (7x/6v) – Strong’s G4043 in Eph 2:10; Eph 4:1; Eph 4:17; Eph 5:2; Eph 5:8; Eph 5:15.
power (6x) – Strong’s G1411 in Eph 1:19; Eph 1:21; Eph 3:7; Eph 3:16; Eph 3:20; Strong’s G1849 in Eph 2:2.
redemption (3x) – Strong’s G629 in Eph 1:7; Eph 1:14; Eph 4:30.
Dictionaries & Encyclopedias
City of Ephesus
Holman Bible Dictionary: Ephesus
Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Ephesus
McClintock and Strong: Ephesus
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Ephesus
Kitto’s Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature: Ephesus
Letter
Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary: Ephesians, Theology of
Holman Bible Dictionary: Ephesians, Book of
McClintock and Strong: Ephesians, Epistle to
Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Ephesians, Epistle to – Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Ephesians, Epistle to
Kitto’s Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature: Ephesians, Epistle to
Paul
Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary: Paul the Apostle
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary: Paul
Easton’s Bible Dictionary: Paul
Fausset Bible Dictionary: Paul
Holman Bible Dictionary: Paul
Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Paul the Apostle
Kitto’s Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature: Paul
Morrish Bible Dictionary: Paul
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Paul, the Apostle
McClintock and Strong: Paul
The Nuttall Encyclopedia: Paul
The Jewish Encyclopedia:
Tychicus
Holman Bible Dictionary: Tychicus
Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Tychicus
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Tychicus
Kitto’s Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature: Tychicus
Tychicus in NT: Acts 20:4, Ephesians 6:21; Colossians 4:7; 2 Timothy 4:12; Titus 3:12
Commentaries & Study Bibles
Top 5 Commentaries on Ephesians – Ligonier.org
Best Commentaries on Ephesians – Tim Challies
Calvin’s Commentary on the Bible: Ephesians
Albert Barnes Notes on the Whole Bible: Ephesians
Alfords Exegetical Commentary: Ephesians
Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary on the Bible: Ephesians
Reformation Study Bible Notes: Ephesians
Precept Austin Commentaries & Sermons: Ephesians
Chuck Smith: Ephesians Study Guide
Irving Jensen’s Chart of Ephesians 1-3 (Page 63)
Precept Austin: Ephesians Study Questions 1
My favorite commentaries
The Message of Ephesians by John Stott
The Epistle to the Ephesians: A Verse by Verse Exposition by FF Bruce
Articles
Analysis of Ephesians 1:3-14 “In Him”, etc – Irving Jensen
Irving Jensen’s Chart of Ephesians 1-3 and then Ephesians 4-6 – Goto page 63
James Rosscup: Importance of Prayer in Ephesians
John Bunyan: The Saint’s Knowledge of Christ’s Love
Jack Crabtree: Divine Determinism and the Problem of Evil
What Does It Mean to Be Filled With the Spirit? A Biblical Investigation – Andreas Köstenberger
Cult Prostitution In New Testament Ephesus- A Reappraisal- S. M. Baugh
The Peculiarities of Ephesians and the Ephesian Address – David A Black
Orgizesthe in Ephesians 4:26: Command or Condition – Daniel B Wallace
Ephesians 1:3-4 and the Nature of Election – Leslie James Crawford
Ephesians 2:3 and Peccatum Originale – David L Turner
Ephesians 2:14-16 – A History of Recent Interpretation – Michael S Moore
What the OT Prophets Did Not Know- The Mystery of the Church in Eph 3:2-13 – Sigurd Grindheim
“Equipping Ministry in Ephesians 4? T David Gordon
Paul’s Use of Psalm 68:18 in Ephesians 4;8 – Gary V Smith
Inheritance in Paul and Ephesians – D R Denton
Ephesians 5:18 Being the Fullness of God in Christ by the Spirit – Timothy Gombis
Ephesians 5:18-20 and Mealtime Propriety – Peter W Gosnell
Ephesians 5:23 Headship in Ephesians – Stephen Clark
Ephesians 6:12 The True Nature of the Believer’s Conflict – David Searle
Ephesians 6:12 Struggling Against the Rulers, Against the Authorities – David Searle
Ephesians 6:12 The Powers of Darkness – David Searle
The Meaning of Kephale (“Head”): An Evaluation of New Evidence, Real and Alledged – Wayne Grudem
A Radically New Humanity: The Function of the Haustafel in Ephesians – Timothy G Gombis
The Homonoia Coins of Asia Minor and Ephesians 1:21 – John Paul Lotz
Paul’s Mystery in Ephesians 3 – W Harold Mark
The Use of Israel’s Scriptures in Ephesians – Thorsten Moritz
The Importance of Prayer in Ephesians – James Rosscup
Slavery and the New Testament Equality and Submissiveness – Michael Parsons
Caesarea, Rome, and the Captivity Epistles – Bo Reicke
The Eschatology of Ephesians – Stephen S Smalley
From Slaves to Sons! Tim J R Trumper
Approaching ‘Personhood’ in the New Testament, with Special Reference to Ephesians – Max Turner
GotQuestions.org
Treat like any commentary. Read carefully, thoughtfully and require proof.
Book of Ephesians – Bible Survey
What is the seal of God? What is the seal of the Holy Spirit?
What are the heavenly places/realms?
What does it mean that Satan is prince of the power of the air?
What does it mean that salvation is by grace through faith?
What does it mean that there is only one baptism?
What does it mean to speak the truth in love?
What does the Bible say about anger?
How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?
How can I overcome ministry burnout?
What is the power of the Holy Spirit?
Will the Holy Spirit ever leave a believer?
What is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?
When / How do we receive the Holy Spirit?
Should we worship the Holy Spirit?
What are the psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs mentioned in Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16?
Does a wife have to submit to her husband?
What does it mean that husbands are to love their wives?
What does the Bible say about disobedient children?
What does the Bible say about obeying parents?
What does it mean to honor my father and mother?
What does the Bible say about disobedient children?
What does the Bible say about spiritual warfare?
What can I do when I am under spiritual attack?
Does a believer have authority over Satan?
What does it mean to be strong in the Lord
What are the wiles of the devil
What are the heavenly places/realms?
What does it mean that Satan is prince of the power of the air
What are principalities and powers?
What is the full armor of God?
What does it mean to have peace with God?
What is the breastplate of righteousness?
What is the readiness of the gospel of peace?
What is the sword of the Spirit?
EWhat is the helmet of salvation?
What is a prayer of supplication?
What is praying in the Spirit?
Who was Tychicus in the Bible?
Next: Philippians
Previous: Galatians
Series: Resources by Book
Photo by Pierre Bamin on Unsplash