THE STUDY ON THE EPISTLE OF EPHESIANS:

Good evening, it is a great joy to once again fellowship with you even here online. Thank God, He has
enabled all of us to use these technologies to worship Him and learn from His words. Before we begin, it
reached me that after your meeting last Sunday, we will be having two fellowships weekly. With that we will
be scheduling every Thursdays 6PM onwards for Biblical Studies while on Sundays will be topical
devotions or exhortations. This will be our temporary setup while waiting for a new Youth Pastor. Of course,
yung ating devotions will be led given by you – Yps – depending on your schedule. Okay, I guess there was
already a sent list in the Group Chat. We will stick to that so Bro. Joko will be our speaker this Sunday.
Let us open our Bible in the book of 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB)
All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in
righteousness; so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good
work.
As I have mentioned earlier, we will be using this opportunity to study the Bible.
The first question is this, WHY? WHY DO WE NEED TO STUDY THE BIBLE? IS IT NOT ENOUGH TO
JUST READ IT AND GO ON IN YOUR LIFE? Other than being a command given by God, WHAT GOOD IS
IT IN OUR END? ANYONE??
From our text earlier, there are several reasons kung natin kelangan I study ang Bible.
1. Teaching
There is so much we can learn about everything in the Bible. We will know the answer to your
favorite question – Who is God? It is where God revealed Himself to us. It is where we can learn to
properly worship Him. It is the divine instruction or doctrinal content of both the OT and the NT. The
Scripture provides the comprehensive and complete body of divine truth necessary for life and
godliness.

May we all be like the Psalmist in Psalm 119:97-105. Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all
day long. Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies.

2. Rebuke
Rebuke for wrong behavior or wrong belief. It points our mistakes; may it be in our understanding of
Christianity or our sinful lifestyle.

3. Correction
Not only does the Bible rebuke for wrong behavior or wrong belief, it also it also points the way back
to godly living. It corrects us! The word appears only here in the NT, but was used in extrabiblical
Greek of righting a fallen object, or helping back to their feet those who had stumbled. Tulungan
datayo ti Biblia nga agsubli ken Apo. Ilinteg na dagiti kammali nga araramiden tayo.

4. Training in righteousness
The scriptures provide basic guidelines for godly living. The word of God traces out in detail the
things which go to make up a godly life. Details! Is this right? Is this wrong? Brothers and sisters, it’s
in the Bible.

Kuna tayo: Lord thy will be done! And we ask ourselves, What is your will Lord, agparparigat tayo?
Gash! It is all written in the Bible. We keep talking, we keep asking, we keep thinking, but we don’t
listen. We only rely on ourselves when God’s instructions are there. We just need to open and read
and study it. Nu kasanu ka kuma ka excited every morning nga mangkita jay phone mo tanu basaen
ti chat jay crush mo, or makilkilig bago maturog para ijay “goodnight” na.. kasta met kuma iti
excitement and and thrill mo to read His word. Remember that we are in a relationship with God! Or
is it one-sided kakabsat?
Alright. Those are the reasons or benefits why we need to study the Bible. Now for our first study, we
will be dealing with the epistle of Ephesians. But for us to have a better understanding or clearer
picture of the Scripture, we need to at least set basic guidelines on studying so that we could handle the
verses properly. Han nga nu makabasa ka ti verse ket, “What do you think doest that mean? What f=do
you feel about it? Para sayo, ano sinasabi ditto? No! That is very subjective so we must be careful. We
will be considering 5C’s before we study any particular passage:
1. Communion with God
We must be rightly related with the triune God. We are to have proper reverence to God the Father
the creator of all things. We must submit ourselves to Him with utter humility and forsake our own
wisdom. After all it is His own words that we are to study. Who can give us it’s correct interpretation
but Him? We must also believe on Jesus Christ. We must turn back from our own works and fully
trust that His work on the cross, His death, burial, resurrection and ascension is sufficient to satisfy
God’s punishment for us. That He took the punishment for us. And of course, we must also be
rightly related to God the Holy Spirit who indwells in us the moment we put our trust in Christ. We
must let the Holy Spirit take control for us. He is the Spirit of Truth, so we can discern and separate
truth from lies.

2. Characters
Who wrote it? Of course, God is the Divine author of the Bible, but who was the human writer that
He used to pen a particular text? What is the background of that person?
Who was the recipient or para kanino yung text? Who was speaking? Sino-sino yung mga involved?
It’s not always about you you know. But it is always about God. We take for example Jeremiah
29:11. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not
to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving
Israelites whom King Nebuchadnezzar took captive in Babylon. It’s not for you. Yet it reveals God’s
sovereignty above all things and His character of graciousness. See!

3. Context
Next is context. Avoid cherry picking verses and extract it’s meaning like it doesn’t relate to
anything. We must examine the surrounding verses to know the whole story. What is the setting
during the text was written? Where did it happen? Let’s see Philippians 4:13 as an example. I can
do all this through him who gives me strength. Does it mean na magagawa ko lahat ng bagay?
No! When you look at the verses before and after, What Paul was saying here is that even though
He was in prison during that time, He had strength to withstand "all things," including both difficulty
and prosperity in the material world because of Christ infuses Him with His strength to sustain.

4. Content
What are the words used? Add aba naulit ulit to give emphasis? How about the grammar? Is it past,
present or future? What was the original text used? Greek? Hebrew? Aramaic? Anya nga writing
style ti nausar? Narrative ba? Poetry? Parable? Epistle? Prophecy? Those are some of the things to
consider. Example is another Misquoted Bible Verses Matthew 7:1 Judge not, lest you be judged.
Let’s look at the word Jesus uses. The word “judge” (krinó) can translate “to analyze” or “to
evaluate.” At times it can even be translated “to condemn.” In context it makes sense that Jesus is
telling us to condemn not. In many other places we are called to analyze and evaluate. But
condemnation is something we are not called to do.

5. Connection
Now that I have learned what the text means, what is it for me? Anya ti maiapply ko practically in my
life. What lessons should I consider moving on? It is important to study and accurately interpret the
Bible is so that we can know God better, know what He expects from us, and know how we can live
in a way that pleases Him.
Ayan so. I hope the discussed is a bit comprehensive for us. Sabi nga, “Do your best to present
yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the
word of truth.” -2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV)

We will be applying this on our study going on. We will begin chapter one next week so you may study it in
advance so it will be easier.

Let us pray.