Sermon Tone Analysis

Background

Paul wrote Ephesians while he was imprisoned, probably in Rome.

There is a healthy debate that Paul wrote this letter to be read by many other churches other than the one at Ephesus, considering its generality.

Most date this letter around AD 60-62

Let’s look at

Let’s look at Ephesians 5:8–10

Compare to verse 8

What do you think Paul was referring to when he speaks of darkness?

Darkness was thought of as a curse.

Thus the OT speaks of death as a land of darkness (Job 10:21–22; 17:13; Ps. 88:6).

Darkness is frequently associated with supernatural events involving the judgment of God, such as the plagues of Egypt (Exod.

10:21), the coming of the Lord (Isa.

13:9–10; Joel 2:31; Matt.

24:29), and Christ’s crucifixion (Matt.

27:45).

The day of God’s judgment is often described as a day of darkness (Joel 2:2; Amos 5:18–20).

Elsewhere darkness forms part of God’s punishment on the disobedient (Deut.

28:29; 1 Sam.

2:9; Job 5:14; 15:30; 20:26; Ps. 107:10; Isa.

47:5; Jer.

13:16; Ezek.

32:8).

In the NT the place of punishment for humans and sinful angels is designated “the outer darkness” (Matt.

8:12; 22:13; 25:30; cp. 2 Pet.

2:4; Jude 6, 13).

Darkness often has an ethical sense.

Scripture speaks of ways of darkness (Prov.

2:13; 4:19), walking in darkness (John 8:12; 1 John 1:6; cp. 2 Cor.

6:14; Eph.

5:8), and works of darkness (Rom.

13:12; Eph.

5:11).

In this ethical sense God has no darkness in Himself (1 John 1:5).

Powers hostile to God can be termed darkness.

People thus face a choice of whether to yield allegiance to God or to darkness (Luke 22:53; John 1:5; 3:19; Col. 1:13; 1 Thess.

5:5).

Darkness also symbolizes ignorance, especially of God and of God’s ways (Isa.

8:22; 9:2; John 12:46; Acts 26:18; 1 Thess.

5:4; 1 John 2:9).

God’s deliverance (either from ignorance or hostile powers) is described as lighting the darkness (Isa.

9:2; 29:18; 42:7–16; Mic.

7:8; 1 Pet.

2:9).

See Light.

Darkness was thought of as a curse.

Thus the OT speaks of death as a land of darkness (; ; ).

Darkness is frequently associated with supernatural events involving the judgment of God, such as the plagues of Egypt (), the coming of the Lord (; ; ), and Christ’s crucifixion ().

Powers hostile to God can be termed darkness.

People thus face a choice of whether to yield allegiance to God or to darkness (; ; ; ; ).

In the NT the place of punishment for humans and sinful angels is designated “the outer darkness” (; ; ; cp. ; , ).

Darkness often has an ethical sense.

Scripture speaks of ways of darkness (; ), walking in darkness (; ; cp. ; ), and works of darkness (; ).

In this ethical sense God has no darkness in Himself ().

Powers hostile to God can be termed darkness.

People thus face a choice of whether to yield allegiance to God or to darkness (; ; ; ; ).

Darkness also symbolizes ignorance, especially of God and of God’s ways (; ; ; ; ; ).

Darkness also symbolizes ignorance, especially of God and of God’s ways (; ; ; ; ; ).

Children of light is a very packed statement.

What does that mean to you?

Children of light is a very packed statement.

What does that mean to you? Look at ; ; ; ; ; ;

Walk as children of light.

See .

Cf. also ; ; ; ; ;

5:8 Walk as children of light.

See 1 John 1:5–7.

Cf. also Ps. 27:1; Isa.

9:2; 42:6; 49:6; John 9:5; Acts 13:47; 26:18.

The light we have in us is a two-way light: it reflects the love of Christ that dwells within us (by our deeds) and provides a lamp to those still in darkness

8. sometimes—“once.”

The emphasis is on “were.”

Ye ought to have no fellowship with sin, which is darkness, for your state as darkness is now past.

Stronger than “in darkness” (Ro 2:19).

How do these verses coincide with the notion of being in the world, but not of the world?

children of light—not merely “of the light”; just as “children of disobedience” is used on the opposite side; those whose distinguishing characteristic is light.

Pliny, a heathen writing to Trajan, bears unwilling testimony to the extraordinary purity of Christians’ lives, contrasted with the people around them.

5:8–10.

It would be a gross inconsistency for a Christian to participate in the flagrant sins of non-Christians.

The Ephesian Christians were once just like those who are disobedient.

But no longer!

Rather than doing deeds of immorality, impurity, and greed, they should do deeds of goodness, righteousness, and truth.

Christians are no longer darkness, but children of light.

Therefore, we should do deeds of light, not darkness.

Only as you walk in God’s light can you please him.

Verse 9 speaks of the Fruit of the Light.

What does this sound familiar with?

5:9 Fruit of light is similar to fruit of the Spirit (cf.

Compare with .

What is the common theme here?

5:9 Refers to natural results.

Rooted in Christ, the believer’s life should produce Christlike virtues.

9. fruit of the Spirit—taken by transcribers from Ga 5:22.

The true reading is that of the oldest manuscripts, “The fruit of the light”; in contrast with “the unfruitful works of darkness” (Eph 5:11).

This verse is parenthetic.

Walk as children of light, that is, in all good works and words, “FOR the fruit of the light is [borne] in [Alford; but Bengel, ‘consists in’] all goodness [opposed to ‘malice,’ Eph 4:31], righteousness [opposed to ‘covetousness,’ Eph 5:3] and truth [opposed to ‘lying,’ Eph 4:25].”

Compare verse 10 with .

What is the common theme here?

Without qualification they now belong to the Lord’s light (v.

8).

Their conduct must produce that which corresponds to the nature of God (contrast v. 3), and a knowledge of what pleases Christ (i.e., a knowledge of how he conducted himself during his earthly ministry) is instrumental in living this way (vv.

9–10).

5:10 Believers are called to adopt Christ’s standards and desires as their own.

Compare Rom 12:1–2.

The Bible gives general principles for life, not always specific for every situation.

But followers of Christ must use wisdom to discern how to apply those principles to the concrete issues of their lives.

Verses 10–11 describe three further aspects of such a life.

First, living as light means discerning (HCSB) those daily choices that please God (v.

10; cf.