Ephesians 4:1-16 (Guide B)

Context — Community First

It’s important to remember that, like many cultures in the world today, Paul’s context is community-oriented. This is often hard for Americans to truly grasp. We are focused on the individual first; Ephesians would have put community first.

This is important in how this passage flows and how it connects to the whole of the letter. The “you” that Paul is begging in verse 1 is, again, plural. This community focus impacts how we read unity and gifts in this chapter but also how we understand the “calling” mentioned in verses 1 and 4. This calling is not for individual believers alone, but for the whole body of Christ.

Mission Connection

Again, the missional…