David Thomas is Professor of Practical Theology & Apologetics. He has been a member of the faculty at WWU since the summer of 2001. He served as Dean of the School of Theology for seventeen years (2001-2018). He is now focused on full-time teaching and writing. Prior to joining the faculty, Thomas spent some 24 years in pastoral work in New England, and in Washington. His pastoral experience ranges from multiple church districts to large, multi-staff churches. While pastoring in the east, he taught as an adjunct professor at Atlantic Union College for six years. He has served on many administrative committees at conference, union, and institutional levels. He has been a member of the Walla Walla College Board of Trustees.
Read: Eph 6:18-24 Before the concluding recommendation of Tychicus and the concluding wish of peace and grace, Paul exhorts his addressees to prayer in Eph 6:18-20. The exhortation goes from the general to the more…
Read: Eph 6:10-12; Luke 22:31; Rom 7:15-20; Rev 12:7-12; 1 John 5:18-20 Comments on Eph 6:10-12: At the conclusion of Ephesians Paul focuses his exhortation on the Christian war against spiritual powers of darkness. The…
Read: Eph 6:1-9 Comments on Eph 6:1-9: Most English translations have difficulty expressing 5:21 as is stands in the Greek which is a participial clause that connects with what precedes it grammatically but with what…
Read: Eph 5:1-21 Comments on Eph 5:1-21: This passage opens with a call to be “imitators of God.” This is made more specific in terms of living “in love” which is made even more specific…
Read: Eph 4:17-32 Comments on Eph 4:17-32: In 4:17 Paul turns to focus on the Christian’s social conduct. Actually, 4:17-5:20 forms one unit of text unified by repeated admonitions to “live” (4:17; 5:2, 8, 15)…
Read: Eph 4:1-16 Comments on Eph 4:1-16: With this passage Paul’s letter makes a transition from exposition to exhortation, from theology to practical application. This two part form and type of content actually has its…
Read: Eph. 3:1-21 Comments on Eph 3:1-21: This passage divides naturally into two parts, an autobiographical and theological defense of Paul’s ministry (3:1-12) and prayer report (3:13-19) combined with a more direct wish-prayer (3:20-21). This…
Read: Eph 2:11-22 Comments on Eph 2:11-22: This passage divides easily into the following three parts which form two outer panels (2:11-12 and 2:19-22) framing a central passage (2:13-18). Eph 2:11-12: The initial focus on…
Read: Eph. 2:1-10 Comments on Eph 2:1-10: In this passage there is a powerful contrast between the kind of life lived before and after their salvation in Christ. Paul starts off by referring to them…
Read: Eph. 1:15-23 Comments on Eph 1:15-23: Having opened the letter of Ephesians with a more formal, lofty blessing paragraph, Paul reverts to his more usual and personal thanksgiving and prayer report paragraph with which…
Read: Eph 1:3-14 Comments on Eph 1:2-14: Ephesians and 2 Corinthians are the only two of Paul’s letters that open after the initial prescript with a blessing formula that is expanded into a lengthy introduction….
Read: Eph. 3:11,12; Acts 26:9-19 Overview of Ephesians: In Ephesians Paul states that he is in chains (3:1; 6:20). Although it is possible that this is in Caesarea where he was in prison for “two…
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