Ephesians has always been my favorite book in the New Testament. It must be the armor thing. That was always a great lesson in Seminary, FHE, Primary, even Gospel Doctrine. There’s just something about being warriors for Christ.

As I have grown in understanding of the gospel, I have learned to love Ephesians even more. Paul just has a way of bringing it home. He even broaches “unpopular subjects”, that we tend to skirt around in our time period.

So, accept my take on this book…with love.

Paul starts off with this beautiful, clear statement: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings…” Three beings in this sentence-God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, the spiritual revealer.

In Ephesians 1:10, Paul talks about the dispensation of the fullness of times. Is he talking about us? According to Victor L. Ludlow, Paul is the only one who talks about dispensations. “The Greek word means oikonomia, describing the administration or stewardship of a household or group…an extended family or large group working together under centralized leadership…In a gospel dispensation, the prophetic leaders administer the spiritual affairs of the group…As the group loses its cohesiveness, the dispensation comes to an end.” (Principles and Practices of the Restored Gospel, p. 503). Paul is telling us that all of us, who accept Christ, will be gathered together, both in heaven and earth, in the last dispensation, into one big family unit.

His discussion about mercy is beautiful.

Then he gets into a sticky subject, about Gentiles being “outsiders”.  Apparently, Outside of the temple, in Jerusalem, was the Court of the Gentiles. That’s where all the moneychangers, sacrificial bird sellers, etc. hung out. Beyond that was a wall that protected the temple from outsiders. ONLY Jews could pass beyond this wall, lest the temple become unclean, unworthy, and completely spoiled.

In 1871, one of the pillars, that held up this wall, was discovered. Inscribed in the pillar were these words, in Greek: “No man of another nation to enter within the fence and enclosure round the temple, and whoever is caught will have himself to blame that his death ensures.” I guess they meant business.

Well, this is the beautiful part. Christ broke down this wall when he suffered for our sins. By accepting Christ, and His gospel, we can all enter into our Heavenly Father’s presence. “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.” (Eph. 2:19)

Christ is peace. He brought peace with Him, He invites us all into His peace. Eph. 4:5 says, “One Lord”=whom we all worship, “One faith”=the doctrine we espouse, “One baptism”=the ordinances we practice. (Dallin H. Oaks, Foundation Principles and Ordinances Regional Representative Seminar, 1990)

Jesus Christ, who descended below all things, will rise above all things; and take us up with Him. He who brought life and light into the world, He who deserved to suffer least, suffered most; for me. Paul hopes that we will all choose Christ, and His gospel, “until we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God.” (Eph. 4:13). To attain “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”, it “requires far more than acquiring knowledge. It is not even enough for us to be convinced of the gospel; we must act and think so that we are converted by it. In contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.” (Dallin H. Oaks, CR Oct. 2000).

The word repent, in Greek is “metanoeo”,  a verb. “This powerful word has great significance. In this word, the prefix meta means “change.” The suffix relates to four important Greek terms: nous, meaning “the mind”; gnosis, meaning “knowledge”; Pneuma, meaning “spirit”; and pnoe, meaning “breath.” Thus, when Jesus said “repent”, He asked us to change—to change our mind, knowledge, and spirit-even our breath.” King Benjamin said that to change one’s breath is to breathe with grateful acknowledgment of Him who grants each breath. (Mosiah 2: 23-24) (Russell M. Nelson, CR Apr. 2006)

This next part has many women questioning this very gospel, but I testify that this is what each of us MUST come to understand and accept in order to truly Come Unto Christ.

Paul tells women to submit and obey their husbands. The very word “obey” means to “listen under”. In the temple, we see very clearly the line of authority, or rather the line of submission. Jesus submits to Heavenly Father as Adam submits to Jesus Christ. This order brings unity and oneness.

Heber C. Kimball said, “When a wife is obedient to her husband there is union, there is heaven, that is, there in one heaven, though it is a little one; and a righteous union is what will make a heaven. There are many kinds of sin, among which is the sin of confusion; and I tell you there is plenty of confusion in a family where each one wants to be head. Just look at it, what a heaven that is! We all have to make our heaven, or do without one.” (Nov. 1856)

The priesthood places upon the fathers the responsibility of being the head of the family and the home… Nowhere does the doctrine of this church declare that men are superior to women…We holders of the priesthood should honor good women in and out of the Church as true sisters…I believe that of the two parties in a male-female relationship, the bearer of the priesthood has the greater duty to see that the commandments of God, the standards of the Church, and parental authority are honored. Likewise, when male and female violate these commandments, I believe the priesthood holder is generally more blameworthy because he has been entrusted with the great, righteous power to act in the name of God. One who violates this trust demeans both this ultimate power and himself and seriously injures the woman who has his confidence.” (James E. Faust, CR, Apr. 1988)

As we humbly approach our Savior, he clothes us with His “armor of light”. As all things point to the temple, we now put on the Holy Robes of the Priesthood that mark us His.

“Real disciples absorb the fiery darts of the adversary by holding aloft the quenching shield of faith with one hand, while holding to the iron rod with the other (Eph. 6: 16, 1 Ne 15: 24, D&C 27: 17). There should be no mistaking, it will take both hands! (Neal A. Maxwell, CR Apr. 1987)

Who doesn’t love Bro. Maxwell’s poetic voice? I leave you with one final meaty verbage from his lips.

“In the agonizing atoning process, Jesus let His will be ‘swallowed up in the will of the Father.’ (Mosiah 15: 7). As sovereigns, choosing to yield to the Highest Sovereign is our highest act of choice. It is the only surrender which is also a victory! The putting off of the natural man makes possible the putting on of the whole armor of God, which would not fully fit before! (Neal A. Maxwell, CR Apr. 2001).

This painting is called “King and Queen”, and is by Mongolian sculptor, Sukhbaatar Badral