[Expositor's Bible Commentary 12] • Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon by Tremper Longman, III -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Title Page Copyright Page Contents Contributors Preface Abbreviations Ephesians Introduction I. INTRODUCTION AND GREETINGS (1:1–2) II. THEOLOGICAL EXPOSITION: THE BENEFITS OF BELONGING TO THE BODY OF CHRIST (1:3–3:21)

A. Doxology: Praise to the Triune God for the Spiritual Blessings That Accompany Salvation and That Those “in Christ” Enjoy (1:3–14)

1. The Father’s Election and Predestination (1:3–6) 2. The Son’s Redemption (1:7–12) 3. The Spirit’s Seal or Down Payment (1:13–14)

B. Thanksgiving and Intercession for Increased Spiritual Knowledge (1:15–23) C. The Certainty of Salvation in Union with Christ in His Resurrection and Exaltation: Those Formerly Dead Are Now Alive by Grace (2:1–10) D. Reconciliation Accomplished: Unity of All Believers in Christ (2:11–3:13)

1. Jews and Gentiles Brought Together (2:11–22) 2. Paul’s Mission Is to Proclaim This Mystery, This Good News (3:1–13)

E. Renewed Prayer and Doxology (3:14–21)

III. ETHICAL EXHORTATIONS: THE SPIRITUAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF LIFE IN THE BODY OF CHRIST (4:1–6:20)

A. Maintain Unity within the Diversity of the One Body (4:1–16)

1. Make Every Effort (4:1–3) 2. The Source Is the Triune God (4:4–6) 3. Use the Gifts God Has Provided (4:7–12) 4. The Goals Are Unity in Faith and Knowledge, Maturity, Growth, Truth in Love, and All Members Doing Their Part (4:13–16)

B. Maintain a Holy Life (4:17–5:14)

1. Put On the “New Self” (4:17–24) 2. Put Off Falsehood and Immorality (4:25–5:14)

C. Demonstrate the Fullness of the Spirit in the Community and in the Various Relationships of Life (5:15–6:9)

1. Be Careful How You Live (5:15–16) 2. The Opposite of Drunkenness (5:17–18) 3. Personal and Corporate Praise and Thanksgiving to God (5:19–20) 4. Submitting to Others within the Ordered Relationships of Life (5:21–6:9)

a. The basic principle of mutual submission (5:21) b. Wives and husbands (5:22–33) c. Children and parents (6:1–4) d. Slaves and masters (6:5–9)

D. Prepare for Spiritual Warfare with the Armor of God (6:10–20)

1. The Need for Divine Strength in the Spiritual Battle against the Forces of Evil (6:10–13) 2. Resistance Is Possible Only by Utilizing Divine Power (6:14–17) 3. Prayer and Vigilance Are the Keys to Survival (6:18–20)

IV. CONCLUSION (6:21–24) Philippians Introduction I. LETTER OPENING (1:1–11)

A. Greeting (1:1–2) B. Thanksgiving and Prayer (1:3–11)

II. THE MEANING OF PAUL’S IMPRISONMENT (1:12–26)

A. The Effect of Paul’s Imprisonment on His Environment (1:12–18a) B. The Effect of His Imprisonment on Himself (1:18b–26)

III. LETTER THESIS: APPEAL TO UNITY AND COURAGE IN THE FACE OF EXTERNAL FOES (1:27–30) IV. APPEAL TO HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE AND THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST (2:1–18)

A. Appeal for Unity and Humility (2:1–4) B. Appeal to Christ as an Exemplar (2:5–11) C. Exhortation to Obedience (2:12–18)

V. THE EXEMPLARY SERVICE OF TIMOTHY AND EPAPHRODITUS (2:19–30)

A. The Exemplary Service of Timothy (2:19–24) B. The Exemplary Service of Epaphroditus (2:25–30)

VI. POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EXAMPLES OF HUMILITY AND BOASTING (3:1–4:3)

A. The Boast of the Jews Contrasted with the Boast of Christians (3:1–3) B. The Jewish Boast: Paul’s Confidence in the Flesh (3:4–6) C. The Christian Boast: Paul’s Knowledge in Christ Jesus (3:7–11) D. A Caveat: The Danger of Perfectionism (3:12–16) E. The Pattern of Those Who Live Cruciform Lives Versus the Negative Example of the Enemies of the Cross (3:17–21) F. Frank Admonition to Unity and Reconciliation between Euodia and Syntyche (4:1–3)

VII. LETTER CLOSING (4:4–23)

A. Exhortations to Peace (4:4–9) B. Acknowledgment of the Philippians’ Gift (4:10–20) C. Closing Salutation and Benediction (4:21–23)

Colossians Introduction I. ADDRESS AND GREETING (1:1–2)

A. Senders: Paul the Apostle and Timothy the Brother (1:1) B. Recipients: Those in Colossae in Christ (1:2a) C. “Grace and Peace to You” (1:2b)

II. THANKSGIVING (1:3–8)

A. Report of Prayerful Thanks (1:3) B. Grounds for Thanksgiving (1:4–5a) C. The Dissemination and Expansion of the Gospel in Colossae and Beyond (1:5b–6) D. Epaphras as a Minister of Christ and a Messenger to the Colossians (1:7–8)

III. PRAYER REPORT (1:9–14)

A. Perpetual Prayer for the Colossians to Fully Know God’s Will (1:9) B. Purpose for Such Prayer: A Worthy Walk That Pleases the Lord (1:10a) C. Characteristics of a Life Lived unto the Lord (1:10b–14)

IV. A POETIC REFLECTION ON THE ALL-ENCOMPASSING CHRIST AND ITS APPLICATION TO THE COLOSSIANS (1:15–23)

A. Christ: The Image of the Invisible God, the Firstborn of All Creation (1:15–18a) B. Christ: The Beginning, the Firstborn from the Dead (1:18b–20) C. Christological Meditation As Applied to the Colossians (1:21–23)

V. PAUL’S MINISTRY FOR THE (GENTILE AND COLOSSIAN) CHURCH (1:24–2:5)

A. Paul’s Suffering in His Body for Christ’s Body, the Church (1:24) B. A Minister of the Mystery (1:25–27) C. The Purpose of Paul’s Labors: To Present People Complete in Christ (1:28–29) D. Paul’s Agony for Christian Assemblies He Does Not Know Personally (2:1–2) E. Christ: The Repository of Wisdom and Knowledge (2:3) F. Paul’s Concern That Fine-Sounding Rhetoric Will Deceive the Colossians and Cause Them to Seek Wisdom Apart from Christ (2:4) G. Paul’s Commitment to the Colossians’ Faith despite His Physical Absence (2:5)

VI. ON LIVING IN CHRIST AND AVOIDING CAPTIVITY THROUGH “PHILOSOPHY” (2:6–3:4)

A. Walk in the Lord Even As You Received Him and Were Instructed in Him (2:6–7) B. Be Careful Not to Be Taken Captive by “Hollow and Deceptive Philosophy” (2:8–10) C. What Has Occurred in Christ (2:11–15) D. “Do Not Let Anyone Judge You” (2:16–17) E. “Do Not Let Anyone . . . Disqualify You” (2:18–19) F. Why the Attraction to Human Regulations? (2:20–23) G. “Since, Then, You Have Been Raised with Christ . . .” (3:1–4)

VII. INSTRUCTIONS FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING (3:5–4:6)

A. Put to Death the Old Self (3:5–11) B. Put on the New Self (3:12–17) C. Christian Household Relations (3:18–4:1)

1. Between Wives and Husbands (3:18–19) 2. Between Children and Parents/Fathers (3:20–21) 3. Between Slaves and Masters (3:22–4:1)

D. Matters Pertaining to Prayer (4:2–4) E. Regarding Relations with Outsiders (4:5–6)

1. Walk Wisely (4:5) 2. Speak Gracefully (4:6)

VIII. LETTER CLOSING (4:7–18)

A. Commendation of Tychicus and Onesimus (4:7–9) B. Greetings from Paul’s Jewish-Christian Coworkers (4:10–11) C. Greetings from Epaphras, Luke, and Demas (4:12–14) D. Greetings to Laodicean Christians, Particularly Nympha (4:15) E. Instructions Regarding the Reading and Exchanging of Letters (4:16) F. An Exhortation for Archippus (4:17) G. A Signature, Request, and Blessing from Paul (4:18)

Philemon Introduction I. SALUTATION (1–3) II. THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER (4–7) III. PLEA FOR ONESIMUS (8–22) IV. GREETINGS AND BENEDICTION (23–25)

← Prev
Back
Next →

← Prev
Back
Next →