The

Story of God

Bible Commentary

EPHESIANS

Mark D. Roberts

Tremper Longman III & Scot McKnight

General Editors

ZONDERVAN

Ephesians

Copyright © 2016 by Mark D. Roberts

This title is also available as a Zondervan ebook.

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

ISBN 978-0-310-32723-3

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.®

Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Cover design: Ron Huizinga

Cover image: iStockphoto®

Editorial Board

of

The Story of God Bible Commentary

Old Testament general editor

Tremper Longman III

Old Testament associate editors

George Athas

Mark J. Boda

Myrto Theocharous

New Testament general editor

Scot McKnight

New Testament associate editors

Lynn H. Cohick

Michael F. Bird

Joel L. Willitts

Zondervan editors

Senior acquisitions editor

Katya Covrett

Senior production editor, Old Testament

Nancy L. Erickson

Senior production editor, New Testament

Christopher A. Beetham

This commentary is dedicated to three men who have helped me understand and live the story of God in Ephesians.

To Don Williams,

my uncle and lifelong role model, whose seminary lectures first stirred my passion for Ephesians and who modeled its truth through his own imitation of Christ.

To Lloyd Ogilvie,

my pastor and mentor, whose preaching of Ephesians proclaimed the ministry of all of God’s people and who profoundly shaped my identity as a Christian, a pastor, and a theologian.

To Howard E. Butt, Jr.,

my inspiration and friend, whose lifelong zeal for the good news of Ephesians now lives in me and who motivated me to believe that God can indeed do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.

Contents

Acknowledgments

The Story of God Bible Commentary Series

Abbreviations

Introduction to Ephesians

1. Ephesians 1:1–2

2. Ephesians 1:3–14

3. Ephesians 1:15–23

4. Ephesians 2:1–10

5. Ephesians 2:11–22

6. Ephesians 3:1–13

7. Ephesians 3:14–21

8. Ephesians 4:1–6

9. Ephesians 4:7–16

10. Ephesians 4:17–5:2

11. Ephesians 5:3–14

12. Ephesians 5:15–20

13. Ephesians 5:21–33

14. Ephesians 6:1–4

15. Ephesians 6:5–9

16. Ephesians 6:10–20...