Ephesians

Author: The apostle Paul

Audience: Believers in the church at Ephesus and probably other Christians in western Asia Minor

Date: About ad 60

Theme: Paul summarizes his gospel of salvation by grace through faith alone and describes the nature and role of the church as a unity of Jew and Gentile in God’s eternal plan.

Introduction

Author, Date and Place of Writing

The author identifies himself as Paul (1:1; 3:1; cf. 3:7,13; 4:1; 6:19–20). Several reasons have led many to doubt authorship by the apostle Paul. First, the usual personal greetings are absent, while 3:2 and 4:21 sound like the author is not sure everyone in his audience knows him, which is strange for the community to which Paul ministered the longest (three years, Ac 20:31). Second, the style of the letter, especially with many extremely long sentences in Greek, is very different from Paul’s other letters, while the style and contents are strikingly similar to Colossians (another letter with disputed authorship). Third, some early manuscripts do not contain the words “in Ephesus” in 1:1 where Paul consistently indicates his addressees. However, this was probably a letter that was circulated and intended for other churches in Asia Minor as well as the one in Ephesus (see notes on 1:1,15; 6:21–23). Paul may have written it about the same time as Colossians, c. ad 60, while he was in prison at Rome (see 3:1; 4:1; 6:20; see also chart), accounting for the significant similarities to that letter.

The City of Ephesus

Ephesus was the most important city in western Asia Minor (now western Turkey) and the fourth largest city in the Roman Empire, with several hundred thousand inhabitants. It had a harbor that at that time opened into the Cayster River (see map), which in turn emptied into the Aegean Sea (see map). Because it was also at an intersection of major trade routes, Ephesus became a commercial center. It boasted a pagan temple dedicated to the Roman goddess Diana (Greek Artemis); cf. Ac 19:23–31. Paul made Ephesus his base of operations for over two years, during which he and his associates evangelized western Asia Minor (Ac 19:10), and the church there apparently flourished for some time, but later needed intervention because of the presence of false teachers (1 TImothy) as well as requiring the warning of Rev 2:1–7. All seven churches of Revelation may have been founded by Paul and his associates during the two years and three months Paul spent in Ephesus (see note on Ac 19:10; see also Introduction to Colossians: Colossae: The Town and the Church). For additional photos of the ruins of ancient Ephesus, see here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Theological Message

Unlike several of the other letters Paul wrote, Ephesians does not address any particular error or heresy. Paul wrote to expand the horizons of his readers, so that they might understand better the dimensions of God’s eternal purpose and grace and come to appreciate the high goals God has for the church. In many ways, it reads like a compendium of the most important themes that Paul stresses elsewhere. At the same time, the theme of spiritual warfare, which climaxes in 6:10–20, fits well as a response to the many mystery religions and their “magical” (occult) practices in Ephesus (Ac 19:11–19).

The letter opens with a sequence of statements about God’s blessings, which are interspersed with a remarkable variety of expressions drawing attention to God’s wisdom, forethought and purpose. Paul emphasizes that we have been saved, not only for our personal benefit, but also to bring praise and glory to God. The climax of God’s purpose, “when the times reach their fulfillment,” is to bring all things in the universe together under Christ (1:10). It is crucially important that Christians realize this, so in 1:15–23 Paul prays for their understanding (a second prayer occurs in 3:14–21).

After explaining God’s great goals for the church, Paul proceeds to show the movement toward their fulfillment. First, God has reconciled individuals to himself as an act of grace (2:1–10). Second, God has reconciled these saved individuals to each other, Jew and Gentile, Christ having broken down the barriers through his own death (2:11–22). But God has done something even beyond this: He has united these reconciled people in one body, the church. This is a “mystery” not fully known until it was revealed to Paul (3:1–6). Now Paul is able to state even more clearly what God has intended for the church, namely, that it be the means by which he displays his “manifold wisdom” to the “rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms” (3:7–13). It is clear through the repetition of “heavenly realms” (1:3,20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12) that Christian existence is not merely on an earthly plane. It receives its meaning and significance from heaven, where Christ is exalted at the right hand of God (1:20).

Nevertheless, that life is lived out on earth, where the practical daily life of the believer continues to work out the purposes of God. The ascended Lord gave “gifts” to the members of his church to enable them to minister to one another and so promote unity and maturity (4:1–16). The unity of the church under the headship of Christ foreshadows the uniting of “all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (1:10). The new life of purity and mutual deference stands in contrast to the old way of life without Christ (4:17—6:9). Those who are “strong in the Lord” have victory over the evil one in the great spiritual conflict, especially through the power of prayer (6:10–20; see note on 1:3).

Paul wrote Ephesians to expand the horizons of his readers, so that they might understand better the dimensions of God’s eternal purpose and grace and come to appreciate the high goals God has for the church.

Outline

I. Opening Greetings (1:1–2)

II. Theological Exposition: The Spiritual Privileges of the Church—Making Unity Among Believers Possible (1:3—3:21)

A. Praising the Triune God (1:3–14)

B. Praying for the Ephesians (1:15–23)

C. The Blessings Believers Share (2:1–10)

D. Unity in Christ (2:11–22)

E. Further Prayer for Empowerment (3:1–19)

F. Doxology (3:20–21)

III. Ethical Implications: The Spiritual Responsibilities of the Church—Making Unity Among Believers Actual (4:1—6:20)

A. Achieving Maturity Through Spiritual Gifts Used in Love (4:1–16)

B. Putting Off the Old and Putting On the New (4:17—5:21)

C. The Domestic Code of Conduct (5:22—6:9)

D. Arming Oneself for Spiritual Warfare (6:10–20)

IV. Closing Greetings (6:21–24)