The Message of
Ephesians
God’s new society
John Stott
Rector Emeritus of All Souls Church, Langham Place, London, and President of the
London Institute for Contemporary Christianity
Series editors: J. A. Motyer (OT)
John Stott (NT)
Derek Tidball (Bible Themes)
Inter-Varsity Press
,Inter-Varsity Press
38 De Montfort Street, Leicester LE1 7GP, England
Email:
Website: www.ivpbooks.com
Main Text © John R. W. Stott 1979
Study guide © Inter-Varsity Press 1989
John R. W. Stott has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be
identified as Author of this work.
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, photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without the prior permission of Inter-Varsity Press or the Copyright Licensing Agency.
Unless otherwise stated, quotations from the Bible are from the Revised Standard Version, copyrighted
© 1946, 1952 © 1971, 1973, by the Division of Christian Education, National Council of the Churches
of Christ in the USA, and used by permission
Originally published under the title God’s New Society in 1979
First published as The Message of Ephesians in 1984
Second edition (with study guide)1981
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Stott, John R. W. (John Robert Walmsley) 1921–
The message of Ephesians: God’s new society. – 2nd ed.
(Bible speaks today series)
I. Title II. Series
227.506
ISBN-13: 978-0-85110-963-3
ISBN-10: 0-85110-963-2
Inter-Varsity Press is the publishing division of the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship
(formerly the Inter-Varsity Fellowship), a student movement linking Christian Unions in universities
and colleges throughout Great Britain, and a member movement of the International Fellowship of
Evangelical Students. For information about local and national activities write to UCCF, 38 De
Montfort Street, Leicester LE1 7GP, email us at , or visit the UCCF website at
www.uccf.org.uk.
All royalties from this book have been irrevocably assigned to the Evangelical Literature Trust (UK),
which distributes books to pastors, theological teachers and students, and seminary libraries in the
developing world. Further information may be obtained from, and donations sent to, The Evangelical
Literature Trust, The Church Office, Stoke Park Drive, Ipswich IP2 9TH, UK.
, General preface
THE BIBLE SPEAKS TODAY describes three series of expositions, based on the books of
the Old and New Testaments, and on Bible themes that run through the whole of
Scripture. Each series is characterized by a threefold ideal:
• to expound the biblical text with accuracy
• to relate it to contemporary life, and
• to be readable.
These books are, therefore, not ‘commentaries’, for the commentary seeks rather to
elucidate the text than to apply it, and tends to be a work rather of reference than of
literature. Nor, on the other hand, do they contain the kinds of ‘sermons’ that attempt
to be contemporary and readable without taking Scripture seriously enough. The
contributors to The Bible Speaks Today series are all united in their convictions that
God still speaks through what he has spoken, and that nothing is more necessary for
the life, health and growth of Christians than that they should hear what the Spirit is
saying to them through his ancient—yet ever modern—Word.
ALEC MOTYER
JOHN STOTT
DEREK TIDBALL
Series editors
, Contents
General preface
Author’s preface
Chief abbreviations
Introduction to the letter (1:1–2)
I. New life
1. Every spiritual blessing (1:3–14)
2. A prayer for knowledge (1:15–23)
3. Resurrected with Christ (2:1–10)
II. New society
4. A single new humanity (2:11–22)
5. Paul’s unique privilege (3:1–13)
6. Confidence in God’s power (3:14–21)
III. New standards
7. Unity and diversity in the church (4:1–16)
8. A new set of clothes (4:17–5:4)
9. More incentives to righteousness (5:5–21)
IV. New relationships
10. Husbands and wives (5:21–33)
11. Parents, children, masters and servants (6:1–9)
12. Principalities and powers (6:10–20)
13. Conclusion (6:21–24)
Study guide
Ephesians
God’s new society
John Stott
Rector Emeritus of All Souls Church, Langham Place, London, and President of the
London Institute for Contemporary Christianity
Series editors: J. A. Motyer (OT)
John Stott (NT)
Derek Tidball (Bible Themes)
Inter-Varsity Press
,Inter-Varsity Press
38 De Montfort Street, Leicester LE1 7GP, England
Email:
Website: www.ivpbooks.com
Main Text © John R. W. Stott 1979
Study guide © Inter-Varsity Press 1989
John R. W. Stott has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be
identified as Author of this work.
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, photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without the prior permission of Inter-Varsity Press or the Copyright Licensing Agency.
Unless otherwise stated, quotations from the Bible are from the Revised Standard Version, copyrighted
© 1946, 1952 © 1971, 1973, by the Division of Christian Education, National Council of the Churches
of Christ in the USA, and used by permission
Originally published under the title God’s New Society in 1979
First published as The Message of Ephesians in 1984
Second edition (with study guide)1981
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Stott, John R. W. (John Robert Walmsley) 1921–
The message of Ephesians: God’s new society. – 2nd ed.
(Bible speaks today series)
I. Title II. Series
227.506
ISBN-13: 978-0-85110-963-3
ISBN-10: 0-85110-963-2
Inter-Varsity Press is the publishing division of the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship
(formerly the Inter-Varsity Fellowship), a student movement linking Christian Unions in universities
and colleges throughout Great Britain, and a member movement of the International Fellowship of
Evangelical Students. For information about local and national activities write to UCCF, 38 De
Montfort Street, Leicester LE1 7GP, email us at , or visit the UCCF website at
www.uccf.org.uk.
All royalties from this book have been irrevocably assigned to the Evangelical Literature Trust (UK),
which distributes books to pastors, theological teachers and students, and seminary libraries in the
developing world. Further information may be obtained from, and donations sent to, The Evangelical
Literature Trust, The Church Office, Stoke Park Drive, Ipswich IP2 9TH, UK.
, General preface
THE BIBLE SPEAKS TODAY describes three series of expositions, based on the books of
the Old and New Testaments, and on Bible themes that run through the whole of
Scripture. Each series is characterized by a threefold ideal:
• to expound the biblical text with accuracy
• to relate it to contemporary life, and
• to be readable.
These books are, therefore, not ‘commentaries’, for the commentary seeks rather to
elucidate the text than to apply it, and tends to be a work rather of reference than of
literature. Nor, on the other hand, do they contain the kinds of ‘sermons’ that attempt
to be contemporary and readable without taking Scripture seriously enough. The
contributors to The Bible Speaks Today series are all united in their convictions that
God still speaks through what he has spoken, and that nothing is more necessary for
the life, health and growth of Christians than that they should hear what the Spirit is
saying to them through his ancient—yet ever modern—Word.
ALEC MOTYER
JOHN STOTT
DEREK TIDBALL
Series editors
, Contents
General preface
Author’s preface
Chief abbreviations
Introduction to the letter (1:1–2)
I. New life
1. Every spiritual blessing (1:3–14)
2. A prayer for knowledge (1:15–23)
3. Resurrected with Christ (2:1–10)
II. New society
4. A single new humanity (2:11–22)
5. Paul’s unique privilege (3:1–13)
6. Confidence in God’s power (3:14–21)
III. New standards
7. Unity and diversity in the church (4:1–16)
8. A new set of clothes (4:17–5:4)
9. More incentives to righteousness (5:5–21)
IV. New relationships
10. Husbands and wives (5:21–33)
11. Parents, children, masters and servants (6:1–9)
12. Principalities and powers (6:10–20)
13. Conclusion (6:21–24)
Study guide
