Chapter Summary

Church, a mystery hidden in past ages. Prayer for inner fullness and knowledge.

Discussion Questions for Ephesians, Chapter 3

1. What does Paul mean when he refers to himself as "a prisoner for Christ Jesus" (CSB) in verse 1? How does this relate to his ministry and the message he is sharing?
2. In verse 6, Paul talks about the Gentiles being heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. How does this concept challenge the cultural and religious norms of that time? How should this challenge today's divisions within the Church?
3. Verses 3-10 talk about the mystery of Christ that was not made known to people in previous generations. What is the mystery? How does this mystery impact our understanding of God's plan for humanity?
4. Why do you think that the Lord did not reveal His plan from the beginning? Why were these other generations not given the knowledge we know today?
5. What does Paul mean when he calls God's wisdom "multi-faceted" (verse 10, CSB)? In what ways have you experienced this?
6. Reflect on verse 12 where Paul mentions "boldness and confident access through faith in him." How does faith give us boldness and confidence in our relationship with God? Where did your faith first come from?
7. Paul's stance before the Lord in verse 14 is important. Why should we have a similar stance? Have you ever kneeled in prayer? Why do we bow our heads when we pray?
8. Paul prays for the Ephesians in verses 16-19. What can we learn from his prayer about the importance of spiritual growth and understanding God's love? What are you doing to further your spiritual growth?
9. How does verse 20 encourage us to trust in God's power and provision in our lives? How has God already provided for you?
10. Why does God deserve Glory? What have you praised Him for in the last week? What can you praise Him for today? How can you remember to praise Him for everything, big and small?

Key Words/Phrase

Revelation, v. 3.

Characters

Christ, God, Holy Spirit, Paul.

Strong Verse(s)

8, 9, 10, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.