Lesson 11, Series1: EPHESIANS 6:10-24

PREPARATION

Find a very comfortable posture.  Listen to the sounds in the environment around you… Breathe and listen…breathe and listen….listen to your own breathing; to the air entering and leaving your lungs.  Now listen to the Word of God, reading Ephesians 6:10-24 several times out loud (if possible).

OBSERVATION

1. Underline the verbs.  Take note of the verb tenses.
2. Mark the illustrations with a highlighter or colored pencil.
3. List each piece of armor and name the purpose.
4. Indicate the contrasts with arrows.
5. Circle the use of “so that”, then indicate with another color the reasons for the counsel and commands given.
6. Using the other prepositions and connective words, create a inventory of the ways the author commands the Ephesians to pray.

INTERPRETATION

1. Analyze the significance of the verb tenses.
   1. In the original Greek and in the Spanish NIV translation from the Greek, the verbs as well as the pronoun “you” are in plural form throughout the passage.  The English language is less able to translate this significant grammatical form. Reread the passage with plural verbs and pronouns in mind. How is the impact different?
   2. Consider how the message for the listeners in Ephesus might have been different if the passage had been written in a singular individual genre.
2. Develop the significance of several key phrases:
   1. be strong
   2. I am an ambassador in chains.
   3. the gospel of peace
   4. the mystery of the gospel  (Where in this letter has this phrase been used before?)
3. Divide the passage into paragraphs.
   1. Write the main idea for each paragraph.
   2. Discover the similarities in the ideas of each paragraph.
   3. Infer the purpose for which Paul wrote this section, 6:10-24, to the church at Ephesus.

APLICATION

1. How do we follow these instructions of Paul as we pray in the congregation? In the family?
2. How might we mutually help and support each other to stand firm, to put on the full armor and to pray?  For what purpose?

CONCLUSION

1. As we finalize this Inductive Studies of the book of Ephesians, what have been the benefits in your life?  We would love to hear your comments that you may leave at the bottom of this page.
2. As a final wrap-up, we recommend that you take the opportunity in the next few days to read through the entire Letter to the Ephesians in one sitting.

¡BENDICIONES!

Patricia, Susan y Nathalie