“Answers For A Study in the Book of Proverbs and Ephesians” is a weekly post in addition to the regular “apologetics” posts on the weekend where the original questions can be found at the bottom of the study, and then answers appear here mid-week. This gives you time to do your own research, and then check your answers. Keep in mind these will be basic answers with a little depth, but you can go much deeper for discussion if you’d like.
Note: The answers will focus on what the text of the Bible says, and commentaries and speculative answers will be noted as such. There are many scholarly commentaries out there but it will be important, as students of the Bible, to keep the text of the Bible as our first source. Commentaries can be used, keeping in mind that they are human thoughts about God’s Word.
The Goal for the notes, questions and answers: Share and reuse to lead your own Bible study!
Bible Study
Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us when we commit to growing closer to the LORD.
NOTE: Questions are taken directly from the chapters, and answers should be found and cited from the Scripture text in order to be Biblically accurate (unless asked to summarize in your own words). Study Bibles, commentaries and your own thoughts can be used for “Discussion” or “Going Deeper” questions. Cite your sources to share with your group.
Daily Devotional:
Read one chapter a day from the book of Proverbs for five days and take two days off. This week read Proverbs chapters 1-5, note any questions you may have, or anything that stands out to you as a life application.
1. From your daily devotional reading in the book of Proverbs, discuss the following:
a. What is the main purpose of Solomon’s writing of these Proverbs? (1:2-7)
“The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity; To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion, A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel, To understand a proverb and a figure, The words of the wise and their riddles.” Proverbs 1:1-6
- The main purpose of Solomon’s proverbs is…
- to know wisdom and instruction
- to discern sayings of understanding
- to receive instruction in wise behavior, righteousness, justice and equity
- to give prudence to the naïve
- to give youth knowledge and discretion
- (to help) a wise man hear and increase in learning; acquire wise counsel, understand a proverb and figure out the riddles of the wise (thought provoking questions)
- Ultimately, the main purpose is to know the LORD
b. What does it means to “fear the LORD” as used in verse 1:7?
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7
From the Life Application Study Bible:
“The foundation of knowledge is to fear the LORD—to honor and respect God, to live in awe of His power, and to obey His Word.”
- Trust and faith in God should form the foundation of our “Worldview” and we gain this trust and faith by reading, studying and understanding God’s Word in the Bible.
- “Fear of the LORD” is not being scared of God and cowering, or trying to hide from Him (although the evil ones will do that); but for a believer it is giving God the reverent respect, awe, honor, love and thanksgiving as a child would (should) do for a parent whom they love and admire. It is also understanding that discipline is part of that package, and the wisdom of the Parent (God) is always true, righteous and just.
c. What are some take-aways, or life applications, you learned from the reading of these first five chapters of Proverbs?
Answers will vary…
- God’s wisdom is greater than any human wisdom, and we do well to read, study and learn the Word of God found in the Bible.
- Biblical wisdom is timeless, and it gives us guidance and principles to use in our daily lives, no matter our age and no matter our circumstances – it is for everyone, everywhere and at all times!
- Having a reverent fear of the LORD is not cowering in the corner, but understanding the magnitude of who God is and giving Him all honor, respect, praise and thanksgiving for what we have now, and what he has prepared for us eternally!
Bible Study in Ephesians:
Read the following sections of the Bible that relate to the book of Ephesians, then to the best of your ability answer the following questions:
2. The book of Acts is a blueprint for most of Paul’s Epistles. Go to the book of Acts and read chapters 18:19-21; 19:1-41; 20:17-38. Summarize what you learned about Paul’s experience with the people of Ephesus to help us understand Paul’s relationship with these people, and a little more about the purpose for the Epistle.
Paul had a significant history with the people of Ephesus. We see a blueprint of events that happened in Ephesus as follows:
Acts 18:19-21:
“They came to Ephesus, and he left them there. Now he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, but taking leave of them and saying, “I will return to you again if God wills,” he set sail from Ephesus.”
- This was at the end of Paul’s second missionary, and he does return later during his third missionary journey.
- Note: Paul was always trying to reason with both the Jews (and the Gentiles) which usually ended up getting him in trouble, but not until after he had made converts to the faith!
Acts 19:1-41:
Paul returned to Ephesus during his third missionary journey, and the events from Acts chapter 19 are summarized as follows:
- Paul came to Ephesus and found some disciples who had not yet been baptized with the Holy Spirit, but after Paul explained the Gospel (about Jesus) they were baptized.
- Paul preached boldly in the Synagogue there for about three months, reasoning and persuading them about the Kingdom of God.
- After some of the people became hardened towards Paul, and spoke evil of him, he took the disciples and went to the school of Tyrannus to reason there daily – this took place for two years so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the LORD both Jews and Greeks.
- God performed many extraordinary miracles through Paul while he was in Ephesus, even to the point of his garments being laid on those who were sick and they were healed.
- Some people tried to copy Paul, but were overcome by “evil spirits” who did not know them, although they were repelled by the mention of Jesus, and they feared Paul too – these things became known across the land and the Name of Jesus was being magnified! People were even burning their pagan books of magic.
- A great disturbance arose because of Paul, and the fact that people were turning away from idol worship was causing the loss of business for many merchants, so they dragged Paul’s companions into the Theatre where the riotous shouts for “Artemis” (the goddess of Ephesus) was causing chaos. Thankfully, the town clerk was able to quiet them and still the riot.
- Paul had left a mark, and a Church of strength, in Ephesus that would last into the next century and beyond.
Act 20:17-38:
- Paul was now on his way to Jerusalem (where he would be arrested and eventually sent to Rome for trial), but first he met with the elders from Ephesus:
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- Paul met with the Ephesians elders and recapped the time he had spent with them in building their Church for three years (v. 31).
- Paul also told them he knew of the danger that awaited him ahead, but that this was part of what his mission was to be: v. 24 “But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the Gospel of the grace of God.”
- Paul also spoke about this being the last time he would see them, and he warned them of “wolves” (false teachers) that would come in, and how they should be prepared to defend the faith, remembering Paul’s own example to them should be theirs to share and model to the future generations and believers.
- At the end of their meeting Paul prayed with them, grieved with them and embraced them.
- What a great example Paul set in his time and relationship with the people of Ephesus. He left them not only a legacy and model of what it means to be a Christ follower, but examples of how to live in unity with each other, and the boldness to share the truth of the Gospel message with everyone.
3. Go to the book of Revelation and read chapter 2:1-7. What does Jesus have to say (through the Apostle John’s writing) about the Church of Ephesus? How can Jesus’ assessment of the Church of Ephesus help us in our Christian walk today?
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: ‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent. Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’ Revelation 2:1-7
- Jesus, speaking through the writing of the Apostle John, commends the Church of Ephesus for their deeds, toil, perseverance, and not tolerating evil men; putting to the test those who call themselves apostles (and finding false teaching within them) – all for the sake of Jesus’ Name (and His Gospel teaching).
- Jesus says He has one thing against them: “you have left your first love” – He says they need to repent or He would “have to remove their lampstand our of its place.”
- Their first love can be seen in what we have studied so far about the background of the book of Ephesians, especially in the book of Acts. They were “in love” with the LORD through the Gospel teachings of Paul, even to the point of many being arrested, and as history tells us, persecuted for the faith.
- Their lampstand is their influence, light and truth of their teaching (credibility) on the believers and non-believers as well. They would cease to be an effective church.
- Jesus also commends them for hating the deeds of the Nicolaitians:
From gotquestions.org
“The exact origin of the Nicolaitans is unclear. Some Bible commentators believe they were a heretical sect who followed the teachings of Nicolas—whose name means “one who conquers the people”—who was possibly one of the deacons of the early church mentioned in Acts 6:5. It is possible that Nicolas became an apostate, denying the true faith and became part of a group holding “the doctrine of Balaam,” who taught Israel “to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.” Clement of Alexandria says, “They abandoned themselves to pleasure like goats, leading a life of self-indulgence.” Their teaching perverted grace and replaced liberty with license.
Other commentators believe that these Nicolaitans were not so called from any man, but from the Greek word Nicolah, meaning “let us eat,” as they often encouraged each other to eat things offered to idols. Whichever theory is true, it is certain that the deeds of the Nicolaitans were an abomination to Christ. They, like the Gnostics and other false teachers, abused the doctrine of grace and tried to introduce licentiousness in its place (2 Peter 2:15, 19; Jude 1:4).
Jesus commends the church of Ephesus for hating the deeds of the Nicolaitans as He does (Revelation 2:6). No doubt the leaders of the Ephesian church protected their flock from these destructive heresies and kept their people from committing the same evil deeds. All sin is hateful to Christ, as it should be to His followers, as we hate men’s evil deeds, not the men themselves. For the church at Pergamos, Jesus had not commendation, but censure. Unlike the Ephesians, they actually embraced the teachings of the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2:15). Jesus warns them that unless they repent, they are in danger of the judgment that is sure to fall on those who teach false doctrine, attack His church, and destroy His people. The sword of judgment is poised over their heads, and His patience is not limitless (Revelation 2:16; 19:15).
The lesson for us is that the church of the Lord Jesus throughout the ages has been plagued by those of the Nicolaitan spirit. The only way to recognize false teaching is to be intimately familiar with truth through the diligent study of the Word of God.”
- Jesus ends His message to Ephesus by saying: “To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.” (2:7b) We can all be overcomers, but not without standing behind the saving grace of Jesus through His shed blood on the cross for our sins, and then defeat of death and Satan by His Resurrection from the grave. This is the Gospel message that we are to share with everyone!
- Jesus’ assessment of the Church of Ephesus can help us in our Christian walk today by showing us both what He commends in His followers, and by what needs to be addressed and fixed in our walk, so that we can be the light He wants us to be in this fallen world, until He returns to bring us back to the original intention God had for us in the Garden, in early creation.
Please join us as we continue to read and study Proverbs and Ephesians as part of our Christian Apologetics’ class each week!
Note: Class presentation, videos, reflections and Bible study questions are posted on the weekend – Bible study answers (like these) are posted mid-week.
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Teri Dugan
TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com
1 Peter 3:15
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