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It is our aim to make the spiritual blessings in the heavenlies spiritual realities on the
earth by faith, and as a means to this end we direct attention to the
Structure of Ephesians as a whole.
A | a | 1: 1, 2. Grace and peace to saints and faithful from
God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
b | 1: 3-14. "Blessed be God"; all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies.
B | 1: 15-. Paul hears of the Ephesians'spiritual affairs; result--"thanks."
C | c | 1: -15. Love to all saints.
d | 1: 16-19. Paul's prayer for the saints. "That He may give"; "that ye mat know."
D | 1: 20-23. The mighty Power, Principalities, &100: Salvation.
E | 2: 1-18. (1) Death and life. (2) Distance and nearness. (3) Peace and enmity.
The two walks. Old and new creation. "Good works."
F | 2: 19-22. The temple "fitly framed together" (sunarmologoumene).
The foundation of the Apostles and Prophets--Jesus Christ Himself.
G | 3: 1-13. | e | The prisoner in the Lord.
f | The dispensation of the mystery. "The same body" (3: 6).
H | 3: 14-21. Paul's prayer. "The love of Christ which passeth knowledge."
"The fulness of God."
"Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus."
G | 4: 1-6. | e | The prisoner in the Lord.
f | The unity of the Spirit, "One body."
F | 4: 7-16. The body "fitly joined together" (surnarmologoumenon).
The ministry of the Apostles and Prophets--The Son of God.
E | 4: 17-6: 9. (1) Love and lust. (2) Light and darkness. (3) Wisdom and folly.
The two walks. Old and new creation. "Good works."
D | 6: 10-17. The power of His might. Principalities, &100: Conflict.
C | c | 6: 18. Prayer for all saints.
d | 6: 19, 20. Saints'prayer for Paul. "may be given"; "make known."
B | 6: 21, 22. Ephesians hear of Paul's affair; result--"comfort."
A | a | 6: 23. Peace with love and faith to the brethren from
God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
b | 6: 24. Benediction on all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption.
The harmony of this epistle is evident upon the surface. The spiritual blessings
A | b have but one practical answer according to the corresponding member A | b,
namely, "love unto the Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption." All the blessings enumerated
in chapter 1: 3-14, many of them unknown to the pages of Scripture before, are focussed
to one point in the practical issue--sincere love to the Lord. How simple, yet how
sublime! Love to all saints in C | c is balanced by prayer for all saints in C | c, a
lesson the argument of which needs no more enforcing than its statement. Paul prayed
for the saints at Philippi either because he had them in his heart, or they had him in theirs
(see various readings of Phil. 1: 7). Circumscribed prayer indicates sectarian narrowness
and straitened affections.
The might and power exhibited in the resurrection of Christ, and the subjection of all
principality and power beneath His feet in D yields a blessed practical word of
encouragement in D, for in the "power of His might" (same word as Eph. 1: 19) we are