The Apostle Paul in Contemplation, Rembrandt, 1630, Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Public domain.
New Testament · Book 49 of 66
Ephesians
Ephesians is Paul's letter on what God has done for believers in Christ and on the church as his body. The first three chapters teach, and the last three call believers to live worthy of their calling.
Ephesians is Paul's letter on what God has done for believers in Christ and on the church as his body. The first three chapters teach, and the last three call believers to live worthy of their calling.
What is Ephesians about?
Ephesians is a letter Paul wrote in chains to the saints at Ephesus and the churches around it. It opens with one long blessing of God, who chose, redeemed and sealed his people in Christ. The first three chapters say what God has done: the dead made alive by grace, and Jew and Gentile made one new man in one body. The last three chapters call the readers to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received” (4:1), in the church, in the home and at work. The letter ends with the armour of God and a call to pray.
All 6 chapters
Every chapter of the book, in one grid. Each cell opens that chapter.
- What God has done in ChristChapters 1 to 3
- Walk worthy of the callingChapters 4 to 6
The colour is the half of the letter the chapter stands in, and every cell opens that chapter's Study level.
Who wrote it, where, when, for whom, and why?
The letter names its writer twice: Paul, an apostle by the will of God (1:1), and Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of the Gentiles (3:1). He says the mystery of Christ was made known to him by revelation, and that he was given grace to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ (3:3, 3:8). Tychicus, a beloved brother, carries the letter and will tell the readers how Paul is (6:21 and 22).
Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
Ephesians 3:8, Berean Standard Bible.
Paul writes in chains. He calls himself the prisoner of Christ Jesus (3:1) and a prisoner in the Lord (4:1), and asks for prayer as an ambassador in chains (6:20). The place is learned from Acts and Colossians. Acts closes with Paul two full years in Rome under guard, welcoming all who came to him (Acts 28:16 and 30), and Colossians, carried by the same Tychicus, ends with remember my chains (Colossians 4:7 and 18), so Rome is the likely place.
The date is reckoned from Acts. Paul came to Ephesus and taught there, so that everyone in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord (Acts 19:1 and 10), and he later called the elders of Ephesus to Miletus and reminded them of three years of warning (Acts 20:17 and 31). A letter written in chains after those years fits the two years in Rome at the end of Acts, about AD 60 to 62 on the usual count.
The address names the saints in Ephesus (1:1), and some of the oldest copies address the saints alone, with the words in Ephesus first in later copies. The readers are Gentiles in the flesh, once far away and now brought near (2:11 and 13). Paul says he has heard of their faith (1:15), and that they have surely heard of the grace given to him (3:2).
Paul was given the stewardship of a mystery hidden for ages in God: that through the gospel the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body and fellow partakers of the promise (3:6 and 9). The letter sets that mystery before the church, and then tells one body how to live (4:4).
Ephesus was the city of Artemis. Acts tells of books of magic burned there in front of everyone, and of a riot raised by a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis (Acts 19:19 and 24). The letter speaks into that world of powers: Christ is seated far above all rule and authority and every name that is named (1:21), and the church stands against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (6:12).
Sources. Ephesians 1:1, 1:15, 1:21, 2:11, 2:13, 3:1 to 3, 3:6, 3:8, 3:9, 4:1, 4:4, 6:12, 6:20 to 22; Acts 19:1, 19:10, 19:19, 19:24, 20:17, 20:31, 28:16, 28:30; Colossians 4:7 and 18. Every verse is read in the Berean Standard Bible.
How is Ephesians arranged, and what is it for?
The two halves the letter falls into, then what it teaches and what it was written to do.
- What God has done in ChristChapters 1 to 3, 66 verses, the turn at 2:8
Every spiritual blessing in Christ, the dead made alive by grace, the two made one, and the mystery revealed to Paul.
- Walk worthy of the callingChapters 4 to 6, 89 verses, the turn at 4:1
One body and its gifts, the new self, the walk in love and light, the household, and the armour of God.
The theme
God the Father has blessed his people in Christ with every spiritual blessing, and the letter counts them out: chosen, adopted, redeemed and sealed with the Spirit (1:3 to 14). Those who were dead in trespasses are made alive and saved by grace through faith (2:1 to 8). Gentiles once far away are brought near and built with Jewish believers into one household and one temple (2:13 to 22). The church, his body, is to walk as that one people, in love and in light, and to stand in the armour of God (4:1, 6:13).
The purpose
Paul writes so that his readers will know what they have in Christ and live by it. He prays that the eyes of their heart may be enlightened to know the hope of God's calling (1:18), and that they may know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge (3:19). He then urges them to keep the unity of the Spirit (4:3), to put off the old self and put on the new (4:22 to 24), and to stand against the schemes of the devil (6:11).
One sentence, seven things God has done
- 1BlessedEphesians 1:3
“who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms”
- 2ChoseEphesians 1:4
“He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world”
- 3PredestinedEphesians 1:5
“He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ”
Refrain, 1:6: “to the praise of His glorious grace”
- 4RedeemedEphesians 1:7
“In Him we have redemption through His blood”
- 5Made knownEphesians 1:9
“He has made known to us the mystery of His will”
- 6Chosen as His ownEphesians 1:11
“In Him we were also chosen as God’s own”
Refrain, 1:12: “for the praise of His glory”
- 7SealedEphesians 1:13
“you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit”
Refrain, 1:14: “to the praise of His glory”
Where the sentence opens into the letter
- The heavenly realms, first at 1:3, again at 1:20, 2:6, 3:10, 6:12.
- The mystery, first at 1:9, again at 3:3, 3:4, 3:9, 5:32, 6:19.
- The seal of the Spirit, first at 1:13, again at 4:30.
- The inheritance, first at 1:14, again at 1:18, 5:5.
What God has done in Christ, Ephesians 1 to 3
What the text says in these 66 verses, and the pages they open on.
Paul opens by blessing God, who has blessed his people in Christ with every spiritual blessing. They were chosen before the foundation of the world, predestined for adoption, redeemed through his blood and sealed with the Holy Spirit (1:3 to 14). He prays that the eyes of their heart may be enlightened to know the power that raised Christ and seated him far above every power, head over everything for the church (1:15 to 23). The readers were dead in their trespasses, and God, rich in mercy, made them alive with Christ; they are saved by grace through faith and created for good works (2:1 to 10). Gentiles once far away are brought near by the blood of Christ, the dividing wall is torn down, and Jew and Gentile become one new man, one household and one temple (2:11 to 22). Paul tells of the mystery made known to him, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs (3:1 to 13). He prays that they be rooted and grounded in love, and closes with praise to him who is able to do more than all we ask (3:14 to 21).
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God,
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Ephesians 1every spiritual blessing, and the prayer for the eyes of the heartShow the summary and 6 pagesShow summary, 6 pagesHide the summary
Paul blesses the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Chosen in him before the foundation of the world; predestined to adoption. Redemption through his blood; the mystery of his will made known; an inheritance sealed by the Spirit. Paul prays that the eyes of their understanding be enlightened to know the hope of his calling, the riches of the glory of his inheritance, and the exceeding greatness of his power. Calvin reads the chapter as the believer's treasury inventoried.
On this chapter (6)
- In Christ
The phrase the letter's blessings all stand in.
- Predestination and election
Chosen in him before the foundation of the world, and the readings of it.
- Did Paul write Ephesians, and what do its style and the oldest copies of its address show?
Answered under Where do readers disagree, lower on this page, with each reading and who holds it.
- Was it a circular letter, and is it the letter from Laodicea of Colossians 4:16?
Answered under Where do readers disagree, lower on this page, with each reading and who holds it.
- What does 1:4 and 5 teach of election?
Answered under Where do readers disagree, lower on this page, with each reading and who holds it.
- Ephesians 1:3
The verse on its own page, with the commentators on it by era.
- In Christ
- Study
Ephesians 2made alive by grace, and the two made oneShow the summary and 3 pagesShow summary, 3 pagesHide the summary
You who were dead in trespasses and sins, walking according to the prince of the power of the air. God, who is rich in mercy, has made us alive together with Christ. By grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Now in Christ Jesus, you who were far off are brought near by the blood. Christ is our peace, who has broken down the middle wall. Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Henry marks the chapter as the great Scriptural portrait of salvation.
On this chapter (3)
- Faith and works
Saved by grace through faith, and created for good works.
- Why God is not finished with Israel
The Gentiles brought near to Israel's promises, which stand.
- Ephesians 2:8
The verse on its own page, with the commentators on it by era.
- Faith and works
- Study
Ephesians 3the mystery made known to Paul, and the prayer to be rooted in loveShow the summary and 2 pagesShow summary, 2 pagesHide the summary
Paul the prisoner of Jesus Christ for the Gentiles. The mystery, hid from ages, now revealed: Gentiles fellow-heirs of the same body. Less than the least of all saints, yet entrusted with the unsearchable riches of Christ. Paul bows his knees to the Father, that they may be strengthened by the Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith, that they may be able to comprehend the breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge. JFB reads the prayer as the apostolic high point of Ephesians.
On this chapter (2)
- The church
The body, the household and the temple of God.
- Ephesians 3:6
The verse on its own page, with the commentators on it by era.
- The church
The far brought near, and the two made one
- BeforeEphesians 2:12
“alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise”
- 1Far and near2:13
“you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ”
- 2The wall torn down2:14
“has torn down the dividing wall of hostility”
- 3One new man2:15
“to create in Himself one new man out of the two”
- 4One body2:16
“reconciling both of them to God in one body through the cross”
- 5Peace preached2:17
“preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near”
Explicit quotation, Isaiah 57:19: “Peace, peace to those far and near”
- 6Fellow citizens2:19
“fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household”
- 7A holy temple2:21
“grows into a holy temple in the Lord”
Characters (4)
Who the text names. A name with a page carries its door.
- Paul
An apostle by the will of God, and a prisoner for the sake of the Gentiles (1:1, 3:1).
- The saints at Ephesus
The faithful the letter is written to (1:1).
- The Gentiles and the Jews
Once far away and near, now one new man in one body (2:13 to 16).
- The apostles and prophets
The foundation of the household, with Christ the cornerstone (2:20, 3:5).
Places (3)
Where the chapters stand.
Themes (6)
What these chapters raise, each on its own page where one stands.
- The blessing in Christ
Every spiritual blessing counted out in one sentence (1:3 to 14).
- Election
Chosen in him before the foundation of the world (1:4).
- Grace through faith
Saved by grace through faith, the gift of God (2:8).
- The one new man
Gentiles brought near to the commonwealth of Israel and its covenants (2:12 to 19).
Show the next 2
- The mystery of Christ
The Gentiles fellow heirs, made known to Paul by revelation (3:3 to 6).
- The church as body and temple
His body, the fullness of him who fills all in all, and a holy temple (1:23, 2:21).
The earlier Scripture these chapters use (2)each marked as a quotation or an allusion, with the evidence
- Probable allusionPsalm 8:6 at Ephesians 1:22. God put everything under the feet of the raised Christ, as the psalm says of man, made ruler of the works of God's hands. The words everything under his feet are the psalm's, set in Paul's own sentence; Paul reads the psalm the same way at 1 Corinthians 15:27.
- Explicit quotationIsaiah 57:19 at Ephesians 2:17. Christ came and preached peace to those far away and to those near, the two Isaiah names. Peace spoken twice, to the far and the near, is Isaiah's line; Paul sets it in his own sentence and reads the far as the Gentiles.
Acts 19 tells how the church at Ephesus began, and Colossians 1:13 to 22 sets out the same work of Christ: redemption, the forgiveness of sins, and peace made through the blood of his cross.
Walk worthy of the calling, Ephesians 4 to 6
What the text says in these 89 verses, and the pages they open on.
Chapter 4 turns on the word then: as a prisoner in the Lord, Paul urges the readers to walk worthy of their calling and keep the unity of the Spirit, for there is one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all (4:1 to 6). The ascended Christ gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip the saints until the body grows up into him (4:7 to 16). They are to put off the old self and put on the new, speak the truth and forgive as God forgave them in Christ (4:17 to 32). They walk in love as Christ loved them, walk as children of light and walk as the wise, filled with the Spirit (5:1 to 20). Under submission to one another out of reverence for Christ, Paul speaks to wives and husbands, children and parents, slaves and masters (5:21 to 6:9). The letter closes with the full armour of God, a call to pray at all times, Tychicus sent with news, and grace to all who love the Lord Jesus Christ (6:10 to 24).
As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received:
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Ephesians 4one body and its gifts, the old self put off and the new put onShow the summary and 4 pagesShow summary, 4 pagesHide the summary
I therefore beseech you walk worthy of the calling you have received. In lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing. One body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father. He gave some apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. For the perfecting of the saints. Speaking the truth in love, grow up into him. Put off the old man; put on the new. Be angry, and do not sin. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth. Be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving. Calvin reads the chapter as the worthy walk defined.
On this chapter (4)
- The fivefold ministry
The gifts the ascended Christ gave to equip the saints.
- Sanctification
The old self put off and the new self put on.
- What does 4:8 do with Psalm 68:18, which reads received where Paul reads gave?
Answered under Where do readers disagree, lower on this page, with each reading and who holds it.
- Ephesians 4:11
The verse on its own page, with the commentators on it by era.
- The fivefold ministry
- Study
Ephesians 5walk in love, light and wisdom; wives and husbandsShow the summary and 4 pagesShow summary, 4 pagesHide the summary
Be therefore followers of God, as dear children; walk in love, as Christ also has loved us. Fornication and all uncleanness let it not be once named. Do not be partakers with the sons of disobedience. Walk as children of light. Be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms. Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it. This is a great mystery. I speak concerning Christ and the church. Henry reads the marriage section as the pattern of bridal theology.
On this chapter (4)
- Marriage and family
Husbands and wives, and Christ and the church.
- Women in ministry
The readings of the household passages and the church's offices.
- What is the household order of 5:22 to 6:9, and how has submit been read?
Answered under Where do readers disagree, lower on this page, with each reading and who holds it.
- Ephesians 5:25
The verse on its own page, with the commentators on it by era.
- Marriage and family
- Study
Ephesians 6children and slaves, the armour of God, and the farewellShow the summary and 2 pagesShow summary, 2 pagesHide the summary
Children, obey your parents in the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath. Servants, obedient as to Christ; masters, forbearing threatening. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world. Stand therefore, having your loins girt with truth, and the breastplate of righteousness, shod with the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, and prayer. Calvin reads the armor as the Christian's daily dress.
On this chapter (2)
- The whole armour of God
Each piece of the armour and what it is.
- Ephesians 6:11
The verse on its own page, with the commentators on it by era.
- The whole armour of God
The armour of God, and the Isaiah line each piece takes up
- 1The belt of truth6:14
“with the belt of truth buckled around your waist”
Probable allusion, Isaiah 11:5, worn by the Branch of Jesse: “Righteousness will be the belt around His hips, and faithfulness the sash around His waist”
- 2The breastplate of righteousness6:14
“with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed”
Probable allusion, Isaiah 59:17, worn by the LORD: “He put on righteousness like a breastplate”
- 3Feet ready with the gospel6:15
“with your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace”
Probable allusion, Isaiah 52:7, the feet of the messenger to Zion: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace”
- 4The shield of faith6:16
“take up the shield of faith”
The verse, Ephesians 6:16, what the shield does: “with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one”
- 5The helmet of salvation6:17
“take the helmet of salvation”
Probable allusion, Isaiah 59:17, worn by the LORD: “the helmet of salvation on His head”
- 6The sword of the Spirit6:17
“the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”
Probable allusion, Isaiah 49:2, the mouth of the Servant: “He made My mouth like a sharp sword”
Characters (5)
Who the text names. A name with a page carries its door.
- Paul
An ambassador in chains who asks for prayer to speak boldly (6:19 and 20).
- Tychicus
The beloved brother and faithful servant who carries the letter (6:21).
- Husbands and wives
Wives to submit, and husbands to love as Christ loved the church (5:22 to 33).
- Children and parents
Children to obey, and fathers not to provoke them (6:1 to 4).
Show the next 1
- Slaves and masters
Both serving one Master in heaven, who shows no favouritism (6:5 to 9).
Places (3)
Where the chapters stand.
- Rome
The likely place of the chains of the ambassador (6:20).
- The heavenly realms
Where the spiritual forces of evil stand against the church (6:12).
- The lower parts of the earth
Where the one who ascended first descended (4:9).
Themes (6)
What these chapters raise, each on its own page where one stands.
- The gifts of Christ
Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers given to equip the saints (4:11 and 12).
- The new self
The old self put off and the new self put on (4:22 to 24).
- The walk
Walk in love, as children of light, and as the wise (5:2, 5:8, 5:15).
- The Spirit
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit (4:30), and be filled with the Spirit (5:18).
Show the next 2
- The church as bride
Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (5:25 to 32).
- The armour of God
Truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation and the word of God (6:13 to 17).
The earlier Scripture these chapters use (6)each marked as a quotation or an allusion, with the evidence
- Explicit quotationPsalm 68:18 at Ephesians 4:8. The one who ascended on high and led captives away gave gifts to men, and Paul reads the gifts as the ministries of 4:11. Introduced as Scripture with This is why it says. The psalm reads received gifts from men where Paul reads gave gifts to men; the difference stands under Where do readers disagree.
- Probable allusionZechariah 8:16 at Ephesians 4:25. Each is to put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbour, as Zechariah told the returned exiles to speak truth to one another. The command to speak truth is Zechariah's, set in Paul's own sentence, with Paul's reason added: we are all members of one another.
- Explicit quotationPsalm 4:4 at Ephesians 4:26. Be angry, yet do not sin, with Paul's own charge after it not to let the sun set on anger. The five words stand word for word as the psalm gives them, set in quotation marks in the Berean text.
- Explicit quotationGenesis 2:24 at Ephesians 5:31. A man leaves father and mother and is united to his wife, and the two become one flesh; Paul says the mystery is profound and speaks of Christ and the church. The verse is reproduced almost word for word, and 5:32 names what Paul reads in it.
- Explicit quotationExodus 20:12 at Ephesians 6:2 and 3. Honour your father and mother, which Paul calls the first commandment with a promise, given to children in the Lord. Paul names it a commandment, and its promise that it may go well with you follows the wording of Deuteronomy 5:16.
- Probable allusionIsaiah 11:5, 59:17, 52:7 and 49:2 at Ephesians 6:14 to 17. The belt, the breastplate, the feet ready with the gospel of peace, the helmet of salvation and the sword are the pieces Isaiah gives to the LORD, his King and his Servant. Five pieces and their virtues are Isaiah's, set in Paul's own sentences; each pair is drawn in the figure of the armour above.
Acts 20:17 to 38 gives Paul's farewell to the elders of Ephesus, and Colossians 3:5 to 4:9 carries the same old self and new self, the same household order and the same Tychicus.
- Author
- Paul (1:1)
- Date
- c. AD 60–62, from Roman imprisonment
- Audience
- Ephesian church (and likely a circular letter among the Asian churches)
Where do readers disagree?
One list: the readings with their holders, and the point still argued in each.
Did Paul write Ephesians, and what do its style and the oldest copies of its address show?
- Paul wrote it from prison, as the letter says. Held by Tertullian, Against Marcion, Book V, who reads it as Paul's, and by Harold W. Hoehner, Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary (2002).
- A follower of Paul wrote it after his death. Held by C. Leslie Mitton, The Epistle to the Ephesians: Its Authorship, Origin and Purpose (1951), and by Andrew T. Lincoln, Ephesians, Word Biblical Commentary 42 (1990).
- Paul wrote it, and its style follows from its kind. Held by F. F. Bruce, The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians, New International Commentary (1984).
What the evidence does not settle: How much a writer's style may change with his subject and his scribe; Papyrus 46 and the first hand of Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus address the saints alone, and the mass of later copies carry the words in Ephesus.
The argument in full
Paul wrote it from prison, as the letter says. The letter names Paul at 1:1 and 3:1, the early church quoted it as his with one voice, and every surviving title carries his name.
A follower of Paul wrote it after his death. The long sentences of 1:3 to 14, a vocabulary of its own, the close tie to Colossians, and the apostles and prophets named at 3:5 as a fixed body are read as the marks of a later hand.
Paul wrote it, and its style follows from its kind. A letter of praise and prayer sent round several churches explains the long sentences and the general tone, and Paul stands as its author.
Was it a circular letter, and is it the letter from Laodicea of Colossians 4:16?
- Written to the church at Ephesus. Held by Harold W. Hoehner, Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary (2002).
- Sent to the churches of Asia, Ephesus among them. Held by John Wesley in his Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament, on 1:1, who says it was directed to all the other churches of Asia as well.
- The letter from Laodicea. Held by Marcion, whose collection titled it to the Laodiceans, as Tertullian reports and answers in Against Marcion, Book V.
What the evidence does not settle: Where the letter first went, since the address is the only witness and its copies differ; the letter from Laodicea is named at Colossians 4:16 alone.
The argument in full
Written to the church at Ephesus. Nearly every copy carries the words in Ephesus, and the letters of the time that survive put a place in the address.
Sent to the churches of Asia, Ephesus among them. The oldest copies that address the saints alone, a close that greets the brothers as a whole (6:23 and 24), and Paul writing that he has heard of their faith (1:15) fit a letter carried round a province.
The letter from Laodicea. Colossians 4:16 tells the Colossians to read the letter from Laodicea, and a letter going round the churches of the Lycus valley would reach Laodicea before Colossae.
What does 1:4 and 5 teach of election?
Predestination and Election, argued in full→- God chose particular persons by his will alone. Held by Augustine, On the Predestination of the Saints (429), and by John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (1559), Book III, chapter 22.
- God chose those he foreknew would believe. Held by Jacobus Arminius, Declaration of Sentiments (1608), and by John Wesley in his Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament, on 1:5, who reads it that all who afterwards believed should be sons of God.
- Chosen in love, with the believer's response joined to it. Held by John Chrysostom in his Homilies on Ephesians, Homily 1, on 1:5, the Orthodox reading, who says it comes of love and of our virtue also.
- Election free, eternal and bearing fruit. Held by Thomas Aquinas in his Commentary on Ephesians, on 1:4 and 5, the Catholic reading, who calls the election free, eternal and fruitful.
- The church chosen in Christ. Held by Markus Barth, Ephesians 1 to 3, Anchor Bible 34 (1974).
What the evidence does not settle: Whether the us of 1:4 names persons one by one or the church as a body, and how God's choosing and a person's faith are joined; the text states both the choice (1:4) and the hearing and believing (1:13).
The argument in full
God chose particular persons by his will alone. God is the one who acts in every clause, he chose before the foundation of the world, and the choice is according to the good pleasure of his will (1:5), so the choice rests on God.
God chose those he foreknew would believe. The choice is in Christ, and a person is in Christ through faith (1:13), so God's choice and the believer's faith stand together.
Chosen in love, with the believer's response joined to it. The words in love join the choosing to God's love, and holy and blameless (1:4) names a life the chosen live.
Election free, eternal and bearing fruit. He chose us in him is free, before the foundation of the world is eternal, and that we should be holy is its fruit.
The church chosen in Christ. Every clause says in him or in Christ and speaks to a congregation as us, so the elect are those who are in the Chosen One.
What does 4:8 do with Psalm 68:18, which reads received where Paul reads gave?
- Receiving and giving are one act. Held by John Chrysostom in his Homilies on Ephesians, Homily 11, on 4:8, who says the one is the same as the other.
- He received in order to give. Held by Theodoret of Cyrus in his Interpretation of the Epistle to the Ephesians, on 4:8, and by Albert Barnes in his Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on 4:8.
- Paul follows a reading already current. Held by F. F. Bruce, The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians (1984).
What the evidence does not settle: Which reading of the psalm Paul had before him, since the Hebrew and the Greek of the psalm both read received, and the Targum that reads gave was written down after Paul.
The argument in full
Receiving and giving are one act. The whole is of God; the conqueror who receives the spoil is the one who shares it out, so the psalm and the letter tell one scene.
He received in order to give. The psalm says he received and the apostle says he gave, and both happened: Christ obtained gifts on his ascent and poured them out on his people (4:11).
Paul follows a reading already current. The Aramaic Targum of the psalm and the Syriac version render the line as giving, so Paul cites a known reading of the verse.
What is the household order of 5:22 to 6:9, and how has submit been read?
Women in Ministry→- Submission within love, bounded by God's will. Held by Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710), on 5:22 to 24, and by John Wesley in his Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament, on 5:22, who adds unless where God forbids.
- Submission to one another governs the whole. Held by John Chrysostom in his Homilies on Ephesians, Homily 19, on 5:21, and by Jerome in his Commentary on Ephesians, on 5:21.
- A household form of the age, turned toward Christ. Held by Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Ephesians, on 5:22, who sets the three pairs beside Aristotle's Politics.
- A word to the home that leaves the church's offices open. Held by Kenneth E. Hagin, The Woman Question (1975).
What the evidence does not settle: How the order of 5:22 to 24 and the submission to one another of 5:21 are joined, since the verb of 5:22 is carried over from 5:21 in the Greek; the passage speaks of the home: wives and husbands, children and fathers, slaves and masters.
The argument in full
Submission within love, bounded by God's will. Wives submit as the church to Christ, in everything lawful, and husbands love as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (5:25).
Submission to one another governs the whole. Submit to one another (5:21) stands over every pair, so there is an interchange of service, and those who lead are servants.
A household form of the age, turned toward Christ. The three pairs of the Greek household are named, and Paul speaks to the wife, the child and the slave in their own right and gives the master a Master in heaven (6:9).
A word to the home that leaves the church's offices open. The passage is addressed to husbands and wives in the home, and the gifts of 4:11 are given as Christ gives them, to women as to men.
The Text and the Spade
- The temple of Artemis at Ephesusthe archaic temple from the 6th century BC, rebuilt after 356 BC; excavated by J. T. Wood from 1869 and by later expeditions
The Artemision was counted among the seven wonders and was the largest Greek temple ever built, standing on a marshy site outside the city and drawing pilgrims, deposits and trade from across the province. Its foundations, column drums and votive deposits have been recovered. The temple explains the riot of Acts 19, where the silversmiths who made shrines saw their business threatened, and it gives point to a letter that calls the church a building that 'grows into a holy temple in the Lord' (2:21). The readers knew what a great temple looked like, and they were told they were one.
- The great theater at EphesusHellenistic in origin, enlarged under the emperors through the 1st century AD
The theater cut into the slope of Mount Pion held a crowd usually estimated at twenty-four thousand and opened onto the marble street running down to the harbor. Acts places the demonstration against Paul in it, and the excavated building matches the account: a space large enough for a city to gather in, a stage from which the town clerk could be heard, and an exit to the harbor road. Standing in it gives the scene in Acts 19 a place that can be walked and measured.
- The temple-warden title on Ephesian coins and inscriptions1st and 2nd centuries AD
Ephesian coins and civic inscriptions carry the Greek title neokoros, temple warden or temple keeper, as the city's own boast. Acts uses that exact word in the town clerk's speech: 'the city of Ephesus is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis' (Acts 19:35). The match between a narrative written in the first century and the official self-description stamped on the city's money is a small point of accuracy, and small points of that kind are how the historical value of a narrative is tested.
The pages Ephesians opens on
Studies91
- In Christ
- Predestination and Election
- Why God Is Not Finished With Israel
- The Church
- The Fivefold Ministry
- The Whole Armour of God
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- Women in Ministry
- Marriage and Family
- Faith and Works
- The Letters of Paul
- 1 Corinthians, the Study Guide
- 1 Timothy, the Study Guide
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- Doing the Will of God from Your Heart
- Philemon, the Study Guide
- Put Off, Put On
- Reconciliation
- Saved by Grace Through Faith
- Song of Solomon: the Study Guide
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- Taw: The Mark of God
- The Gifts of the Spirit: 1 Corinthians 12-14
- Bridegroom
- The Tabernacle
- Angelology
- Ephraim and Manasseh, the two tribes of Joseph
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- Eternal Security, and the Five Warnings of Hebrews
- Redemption
- The Right Hand
- The Seal & the Signet
- Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism
- Cut Off from Among His People
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- Entering the Kingdom
- God and the Nations, from Abraham to the New Jerusalem
- God Dwelling with His People, from Eden to the New Jerusalem
- The Words Philoxenia and Ger
- How Greek Works
- Jesus on Discipleship
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- Kindness
- The Kindness of God Leads to Repentance
- The Words Chesed and Chrestotes
- Love
- God Is Love
- The Words Rachamim, Chesed and Eleos
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- Blessed Are the Peacemakers
- The Words Shalom and Eirene
- Born Again
- Ruth
- The Names of Satan
- The Fall & the Protoevangelium
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- The House
- The Mixed Multitude and the Foreigner
- The Peace Offering
- The Solas of the Reformation
- The Stone
- True and false prophets
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- Afterlife Vocabulary
- Anger and Murder of the Heart
- Forgiveness and Health
- Grieving & Quenching the Spirit
- Be Kind to One Another
- David and Mephibosheth
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- Kindness and the Body
- Love Is Patient
- Meekness
- The Words Erek Appayim and Makrothymia
- The Christian Traditions
- The Golden Rule
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- The Image of God
- The Spirit given for craft: Bezalel and Oholiab
- Truth-Telling and the Hard Cases of Deception
- Who the Holy Spirit Is
- Work and Vocation
- The Words Tov and Agathosyne
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- In All Circumstances
- Joy in the Spirit
- The Marriage Supper of the Lamb
- The Sacrificial System
- The Body and Sexual Ethics in Scripture
- The Bride & the Jewish Wedding
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Words8
Books beside it5
Sources for this page
The painting in the band is The Apostle Paul in Contemplation, Rembrandt, 1630, Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Public domain. The movements, the chapter entries, the figures and the Context are read off the text of Ephesians. The works behind the readings under Where do readers disagree are Tertullian, Against Marcion, Book V (about 207); Augustine, On the Predestination of the Saints (429); Jerome, Commentary on Ephesians; John Chrysostom, Homilies on Ephesians; Theodoret of Cyrus, Interpretation of the Epistle to the Ephesians; Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Ephesians; John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (1559); Jacobus Arminius, Declaration of Sentiments (1608); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical (1832 to 1869); C. Leslie Mitton, The Epistle to the Ephesians (1951); Markus Barth, Ephesians 1 to 3, Anchor Bible 34 (1974); Kenneth E. Hagin, The Woman Question (1975); F. F. Bruce, The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians (1984); Andrew T. Lincoln, Ephesians, Word Biblical Commentary 42 (1990); and Harold W. Hoehner, Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary (2002). Every verse quoted on this page is the Berean Standard Bible, read from the store.