212-9-Ephesians
Ephesus was: 1. Visited briefly by Paul returning from his 2nd mission. 2. The junction of several trade routes. 3. The capital of the Roman province of Asia. 4. Population of about 250,000. 5. The site of pagan Temple of Artemis (Diana) which was one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. It measured 425'X225' with 127 columns which were 60 feet high. 6. A center of literature and art. 7. Paul taught here for about 2 years on his 3rd mission. (Acts 19:10, 18) 8. Worshippers of Diana revolted against Paul here. (Acts 9:23-24) 9. The Book of Revelation (1:11 and 2:1-8) refers to Ephesus as one of the 7 Churches. 10. It had a famous theatre which was said to hold 25,000 people. 11. Tradition says that John the Revelator spent several years of his life here. 12. Most of the converts from here had been Gentiles. (Ephesians 2:11-14)
Ephesians was one of Paul's "Letters of Imprisonment." (Ephesians 4:1) By this time, Paul has been a missionary for 30 years. (Ephesians 4:1) It was written at the same time as Colossians and Philippians (61-61 AD) and delivered to Ephesus by Tychicus. (He is mentioned five times (Acts 20:4; Colossians 4:7; Ephesians 6:21; 2 Timothy 4:12; Titus 3:12) It may have been a circular letter for many branches in Asia. Philemon was the other Prison Epistle. Ephesians is most similar to Colossians. Of the 155 verses in Ephesians, 78 are also found in Colossians.
Members of the restored Church will find in Ephesians a checklist of characteristics of Christ's true church. Not tied to particular problems, it vividly challenges Saints to be worthy of their high calling. (Anderson p. 262) Doctrines to look for include; foreordination, restoration, the Holy Spirit of Promise, grace, Church leadership, Christ's love, unity of faith, righteous living, spousal love, honoring of parents, and the armor of God.
Chapter 1
Vs. 1 - Note that Paul certifies his call as an apostle of Jesus in the 1st verse of most his epistles.
Vs. 2 - Grace and Peace are major themes of this epistle. Grace appears 12 times and peace 7.
Vs. 3, 17, 20 - Paul has no question about the question as to whether Heavenly Father and Jesus are distinct individuals.
Vs. 4 - Another apparent reference to the Pre-earth life.
Vs. 5 - The Greek "Prophoridzo" (here translated predestinated) means to anticipate, to set before or to cause in advance. It does not imply a deprivation of agency. "The doctrine of election has been distorted by post-apostolic Christians who, in affirming the immateriality of God, deny the premortal existence of man. Prominent theologians have compounded these errors with another: the doctrine of unconditional election or predestination to salvation or damnation as touted by Augustine in the 4th century and later by John Calvin in the 16th sixteenth. It is argued that since fallen man, being depraved, can be saved only by divine grace, it logically follows that God must determine who will and who will not partake of that grace. One is numbered among God's elect, not for any act of his, but by God's good pleasure." (Turner "Studies in Scripture V. 6":109) President Hinckley's Patriarchal blessing given to him when he was 11 years old by a men he never saw before nor again, "The nations of the earth shall hear thy voice and be brought to a knowledge of the truth by the wonderful testimony which thou shalt bear." (CR Spring 2006)
Vs. 10 - The dispensation of the fullness of times. See BD p. 657, "Dispensations". D&C 121:26-32; 124:41; 27:13; 110:11-16; 112:3-34; 128:18;TPJS p. 193.
Vs. 13 - "The Holy Spirit of Promise is the Holy Spirit promised the saints or in other words the Holy Ghost. This name-title is used in connection with the sealing and ratifying power of the Holy Ghost, that is, the power given him to ratify and approve the righteous acts of men so that those acts will be binding on earth and in heaven. All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations, must be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, if they are to have efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead, for all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead." (D&C 132:7 DNTC 2:493-4) Being sealed by the "Holy Spirit of Promise" is the same as having your calling and election made sure. See TPJS p. 149 & 2 Peter 1:4-19
Chapter 2
Vs. 8 - Ultimately, all are saved by grace. Works cannot save us, but obedience to God's commandments cannot be ignored. Paul taught that we are saved not by faith alone nor by works alone, there must be a balance. The grace versus works controversy is, as C.S. Lewis once commented like asking which blade in a pair of scissors is more necessary (Mere Christianity, 129). Faith and works are two sides of the same coin. The emphasis is not going to the extreme with either one, but maintaining balance. (Ogden p. 202) See Hymn #111 second verse.
Vs. 12-14 See also 2:19-20; 4:3-6; 4:11-14; D&C 105:3-5. -More unity scriptures. The wall of partition mentioned in 2:14 is an apparent reference to the 4 1/2' stone wall around the temple with signs warning gentiles to keep out.
Chapter 3
Vs. 1 - Paul is in prison because of his testimony of Jesus. See also Rev. 1:9
Vs. 4 - "Paul employs the term mystery 20 times in his letters in discussing Christ, the gospel, the resurrection, Israel, the Gentiles, speaking in tongues, iniquity and godliness. A mystery is a divine secret of unknown truth. Three mysteries are discussed in Ephesians." One is discussed in ch. 3, "Salvation of the Gentiles". Another is the events of the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times (1:10) and the third is Marriage and the Church; "Just as the saints become members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones, so those married for eternity in the Lord become one flesh with each other - Ephesians 5:30-33. (See Turner in Studies in Scripture 6:136-139)
Vs. 17 - Neal A. Maxwell- “The cares and anxieties of the world are pervasive and persistent. They also vary widely from person to person. But it is usually the case (whatever the objective load of these cares is and even if it is actually small) that these worries will expand so as to fill whatever worry space is available in that individual. Thus what may be an easily manageable load for one person may seem overwhelming to another. Hence the need for us to put in perspective the cares and anxieties of the world. Otherwise the cares and anxieties will spread, crowding out space needed for spiritual things. “…It is well, then, to put the cares of the day and the anxieties of the moment in the context of the things of eternity. After all, the little things are little. “Peter and Paul urged us to become ‘grounded,’ ‘rooted,’ ‘established,’ and ‘settled’ (Colossians 1:23; 2:7; Ephesians 3:17). Being thus settled does not immunize us against trials, but it does against concerns over the basic realities about God, life, meaning, and the universe. We can and will be tried tactically, but this can occur without our calling into question the whole strategy of God's plan of salvation. Enduring involves coping with those moments when we cannot give an easy explanation for what is happening to us or around us, but we can still know that God loves us (see 1 Nephi 11:17).” (If Thou Endure It Well p.127.)
Chapter 4
Vs. 5 - see D&C 1:30
Vs. 11-14-Reasons we need apostles & prophet
Vs. 17-19 - Our walk should be different
Vs. 26 - Note the JST
Chapter 5
Vs. 5 - Note how shortly after Paul says that we are saved by grace, he devotes this chapter to this we must do, to be saved.
Vs. 22-33 - See D&C 121:36,37,41.
Chapter 6
Vs. 1-4 - A good family home evening.
Vs. 5-9 -Perhaps 30% of people in the Roman Empire were slaves. The Church did not advocate social reform. Advise here is given to servants and masters.
Vs. 11-18 - "Put on the Whole Armor of God" by Harold B. Lee p. 223 Institute Eternal Marriage manual or on-line. The most deadly contest in life is not with human enemies but with the devil.
212-9-Phillipians
A letter written from Rome in about 61 or 62 AD during Paul’s 1st imprisonment. He was in his own rented home, where for two years he was allowed to receive visitors and preach the gospel. It was one of his four Prison Epistles, the others being Colossians, Ephesians and Philemon. All but Philemon were apparently sent at the same time. The letter comes about ten years after Paul’s first visit there.
Philippi was named after Alexander the Great’s father Phillip II. Paul visited here on his second mission. (Acts 16) There was only a small Jewish congregation. Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into prison here for casting out the evil spirit from a young lady who had used her evil spirit to help her in her divination. Paul’s most noted converts from this area were Lydia a dealer in purple who had the missionaries stay with her after her conversion. She was from Thyatira in Asia. The other was the Jailer, who was converted when Paul’ and Silas’ singing from the prison caused an earthquake. Thinking that they had escaped on his watch, he was about to kill himself, but was taught the gospel by those two missionaries. Paul demanded an apology from the local magistrates for their poor treatment of he and his companion. This may be the most positive & most personal of all Paul's writings. They seem to be the most faithful branch in the Church.
Chapter 1 - vs. 12 & 13 - See also 2 Nephi 2:1-2
Vs. 21-24 - To live or die for the gospel
vs. 27 - the word conversation is better translated conduct with today’s usage of the words.
Chapter 2 - vs. 7 - A literal translation from the Greek of “but made himself of no reputation” would be “He emptied himself”
vs. 12 - Note first how obedient the people in Philippi were and then note the end of the verse which tells us to “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. President McKay said, “Work out your own salvation, is an exhortation to demonstrate by activity, by thought, obedient effort the reality of faith. But this must be done with a consciousness that absolute dependence upon self may produce pride and weakness that will bring failure. With fear and trembling we should seek the strength and grace of God for inspiration to obtain the final victory” (CR Apr. 1957 p. 7) See also 2 Nephi 25:23.
vs. 25-30 - Treating those who return from missions early because of illness.
Chapter 3 - vs. 8 - Paul had apparently lost his family, his standing in the community as a Pharisee, probably a member of the Sanhedrin. Another word for dung is refuse, both are polite translations. Paul reminds me of Amulek in Alma 10:4 and then 15:16.
A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; for from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things. (Lectures on Faith, 1985, p. 69)
vs. 12- 14 - Paul does not consider himself saved. See also 2 Tim. 4:7-8
vs. 17-21 - Paul encourages the saints to look to heaven and not to Rome as the source of their lasting citizenship.
Chapter 4 - vs. 8 The 13th article of faith, admonition of Paul appears to come from here and 1 Cor. 13:7
Sister Kathleen Hughes. She said, " We all know the scriptural teaching that where 'much is given much is required.' Remember, though, that where much is required, much is also given."
