Historical Context Of Jesus Chapter 4

Introduction The New Testament of the Bible contains eight letters to the early Churches written by the Apostle Paul; among those is the letter to the Church in Ephesus. Ephesians chapter 4 focuses on the need for unity within the body of Christ, or the church, as well as the necessity of being mature and developed in knowledge of the teaching of Christ. All of this is necessary for believers to not conduct their lives as they did when they lived by the world’s standards, but to live set apart, being transformed into the image of Christ.
Context
Historical Cultural Context The Apostle Paul was one of Jesus’ disciples; after Jesus ascended to Heaven, Paul and the 11 others were left to continue the ministry of spreading the good news of
The first one Paul concludes with a “doxology that praises God” for His power that unites the Church, believers to each other and to God through the work of Jesus Christ. (Thielman, 2010, p. 245) Additionally, the first three chapters of the book discuss “spiritual privileges gained through Christ” as well as the “grace given by Christ to” motivate these gifts. (Bartlett, 1987, p. 339) As ethnic diversity is a major part of the culture Paul urges believers to not be divided on any grounds, because they serve one God who is far more powerful than any force of division. Further, Paul begins the second major section of the letter with a call to unite the church. The latter part of the book focuses on driving home the point of unity that Paul made in the preceding chapters as well as calling believers to live transformed by the work of Christ, points that were made all throughout the letter. Overall, the fourth chapter ties all the presented ideas together allowing Paul to make his point clearly to the believers in
Paul begins by explaining to the believers that humility, gentleness, patience and love are the fundamental beginnings of being unified. (Thielman, 2010, p. 246) The necessity for this unity is derived from the one Lord, and one faith that all the believers have in common; despite their cultural and ethnic backgrounds, God unites them, His omnipotent force can easily overcome human boundaries. These are basic qualities that believers are called to have throughout scripture, and are seen in the life and conduct of the disciples and through Jesus. Paul calls the believers to “walk in a manner worthy to the calling” to which they have received. (ESV 1) This calling overcomes the bounds placed on them by the society in which they reside, and into the calling of unity that gospel allows them. Presently, believers, specifically in America, are living in a culture that is entangled in and, therefore encouraging, all kinds of sin. Race and ethnicity are a huge factor dividing people and what they