New Testament

Ephesians

Ephesians unfolds God’s eternal plan “to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ” () and shows the church, Jews and Gentiles made into one new people, as the place where that plan is put on display. The first half praises what God has done in Christ; the second half describes the life that fits it, in the church, in the household and in spiritual conflict. It belongs in the Bible as the fullest New Testament picture of the church as Christ’s body, God’s temple and Christ’s bride.

Author: The letter names Paul as its author and calls him a prisoner (1:1, 3:1). The early church accepted it as Paul’s without question, but many modern scholars think a disciple wrote it after his death, pointing to its long sentences, distinct vocabulary, developed teaching on the church and close overlap with Colossians, while others argue these features fit Paul writing a general letter, perhaps with a secretary.
Audience: Gentile believers (2:11, 3:1), traditionally the church in Ephesus. The words “in Ephesus” (1:1) are missing from some of the earliest manuscripts and the letter has no personal greetings, so many think it was a circular letter for several churches in Asia Minor.
When: If written by Paul, during an imprisonment, most often placed in Rome around AD 60–62, about the time of Colossians and Philemon; Tychicus carried it (6:21–22). Scholars who think a disciple wrote it usually date it around AD 80–90.
Where: Ephesus was the leading city of the Roman province of Asia and home of the famous temple of Artemis; Paul worked there for about three years (Acts 20:31). The letter names no place of writing beyond Paul’s chains (6:20).
Genre: Ephesians is a letter, but much of it reads like worship and teaching. In Greek, 1:3–14 is one long sentence of praise, and Paul prays at length twice (1:15–23, 3:14–21). The first three chapters describe what God has done; at 4:1 the word “therefore” turns to how believers should walk. The household instructions (5:22–6:9) follow a familiar ancient form but reshape it around Christ. Read the second half as flowing from the first, never apart from it.

Shape of the book

Every Spiritual Blessing in Christ · ch 1Paul praises the Father for choosing, the Son for redeeming and the Spirit for sealing, then prays that believers will grasp the power that raised Christ above every authority.
One New People and the Revealed Mystery · ch 2–3God makes the dead alive by grace, brings far-off Gentiles near, and joins Jew and Gentile in one body and temple; Paul explains his calling to make this mystery known and prays for strength and love.
Walking in Unity and Newness · ch 4One body with one Spirit and one Lord, gifts from the ascended Christ to build up the church, and putting off the old self to put on the new.
Walking in Love, Light and Wisdom · ch 5Imitating God, living as children of light, being filled with the Spirit, and marriage shaped by Christ’s love for the church.
Households and the Armor of God · ch 6Instructions for children, parents, slaves and masters, then the call to stand firm in God’s armor and pray, with closing words about Tychicus.

Themes

God’s Plan in Christ. The phrases “in Christ” and “in Him” run through . God chose His people in Christ before the foundation of the world () and purposes to unite all things in Him (). Readers differ on election here: Reformed readers see God’s free choice of particular people for salvation, while Arminian and Wesleyan readers stress that the choice is “in Him,” either of a people in Christ or based on foreknowledge. All agree the passage ends in praise and in a call to holiness (, ).
Saved by Grace Through Faith. Those who were dead in trespasses have been made alive with Christ (, ). “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast” (). The next verse adds that believers are created in Christ for good works God prepared beforehand ().
Jew and Gentile, One Body. Gentiles who were once without hope and without God have been brought near by Christ’s blood (). He tore down the dividing wall of hostility to create one new man out of the two (), and this is the mystery now revealed: Gentiles are fellow heirs and members of the same body ().
The Church as Body, Temple and Bride. The church is Christ’s body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all (), a holy temple where God dwells by His Spirit (), and the bride Christ loves and cleanses (). Through the church God’s manifold wisdom is made known to the powers in the heavenly realms ().
Standing in the Spiritual Battle. Believers struggle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of evil (). Christ already sits far above every power (), so the call is to stand firm in God’s armor: truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the word of God and prayer ().

Where Christ is

Christ is the center of Ephesians: the one in whom all things will be brought together (), raised and seated at God’s right hand above every power (), and head over everything for the church. He “is our peace” (), the cornerstone of God’s temple (), and the bridegroom who gave Himself up for the church ().

Enthroned Over Every Power. Fulfillment. God raised Christ and seated Him at His right hand (), language from , and put everything under His feet (), quoting , where the destiny of humanity is to rule God’s works. Paul sees both fulfilled in the risen Christ. (; ; )
Peace to the Far and the Near. Fulfillment. Isaiah promised peace to those far away and to those near (). Paul says Christ came and preached peace to Gentiles who were far away and to Jews who were near (), and that believers’ feet are fitted with the gospel of peace, recalling the messenger of (). (; ; ; )
Cornerstone and Temple. Type and fulfillment. God’s presence once dwelt in the tabernacle and temple. Now Jew and Gentile are built together into a holy temple and dwelling place for God by His Spirit, with Christ as the cornerstone (), an image other apostles draw from and . (; ; ; )
The Ascended King Who Gives Gifts. Fulfillment. pictures God ascending on high in victory and receiving gifts. Paul applies it to Christ, who ascended and gave gifts to His people: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip the church (). (; )
The Mystery of Marriage. Type. Paul quotes , where a man and his wife become one flesh, and says, “This mystery is profound, but I am speaking about Christ and the church” (). The prophets had pictured God as Israel’s husband, and Paul finds the first marriage pointing to Christ’s union with His people. (; ; ; )

Voices

John Calvin. Reading that God chose us in Christ (), Calvin insists that election must never be sought apart from Christ. He calls Christ the mirror in which believers may safely contemplate their own election. Read the full commentary ↗

Reading well, key terms and common misreadings

Read it well

Read 1:3–14 aloud as one sentence of praise. Notice the work of the Father, the Son and the Spirit, and the refrain of praise to His glory (1:6, 1:12, 1:14).
Mark the hinge at 4:1. Everything after “therefore” rests on what comes before it.
Follow the verb “walk”: once in trespasses (2:1–2), now in good works (2:10), worthy of the calling (4:1), in love (5:2), as children of light (5:8) and wisely (5:15).
Read Ephesians beside Colossians. The two share many phrases and themes, and both were carried by Tychicus (6:21, Colossians 4:7).
Read the armor of God against Isaiah 59:17, 11:5 and 52:7. The armor is first the Lord’s own, which He now gives His people.

Key terms

Mystery μυστήριον (mystērion) — Not a puzzle but a purpose once hidden and now revealed. In Ephesians it is God’s plan to unite all things in Christ and to make Gentiles fellow heirs with Israel (1:9–10, 3:3–6).
In Christ ἐν Χριστῷ (en Christō) — Paul’s shorthand for union with Christ. Every blessing of chapter 1, from election to sealing, comes “in Him” (1:3–13).
Bring together, sum up ἀνακεφαλαιόω (anakephalaioō) — To gather under one head or sum up. God’s plan is to bring all things in heaven and earth together in Christ (1:10).
Heavenly realms τὰ ἐπουράνια (ta epourania) — The unseen spiritual realm where Christ is enthroned, where believers are seated with Him, and where hostile powers still operate (1:3, 1:20, 2:6, 3:10, 6:12).
Fullness πλήρωμα (plērōma) — Completeness, what fills something up. The church is called the fullness of Christ (1:23), and Paul prays that believers be filled with all the fullness of God (3:19).
Church ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia) — An assembly or gathering. In Ephesians the word usually means the whole people of God united to Christ, not only a local congregation (1:22, 3:10, 5:25).

Easy to misread

Reading “not by works” (2:9) as if good works do not matter. The next verse says believers are created in Christ Jesus to do good works (2:10); works are the fruit of salvation, not its cause.
Reading 5:22–24 apart from 5:21 and 5:25. Complementarian readers see a lasting pattern of a husband’s loving headship and a wife’s submission, modeled on Christ and the church, while egalitarian readers emphasize mutual submission (5:21) and see the passage reshaping an ancient household pattern. Both readings agree that the husband’s role is defined by Christ’s self-giving love, never by domination.
Using 6:5–9 to justify slavery. Paul addresses households where slavery already existed; he tells masters they serve the same Master in heaven, who shows no favoritism (6:9), and elsewhere he lists slave traders among the lawless (1 Timothy 1:10).
Treating spiritual warfare as a matter of special techniques. The armor Paul lists is truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, the word of God and prayer (6:14–18), all of them ordinary gifts of the gospel.

Further reading: David Guzik, Enduring Word · Matthew Henry on CCEL · BibleProject overview video