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The Word of God is meant to transform us, first in thought, then in deed. Its contents serve in stirring the heart for service because of all that has been accomplished in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ our Lord. I encourage you to take a moment and pray before studying this wonderful epistle, asking the Holy Spirit to be your teacher.
When investigating any book of the Bible, it is vital that the Bible student have some understanding regarding the historical background, authorship, the approximate date of writing, along with any other areas that might serve us in gaining a greater understanding. We need to be informed in order to have a better understanding when interpreting the text. Hopefully, the following comments will aid in our study.
Authorship and Date of Writing
The epistle to the Ephesians was written by the Apostle Paul (1:1; 3:1). There has been great debate in the past 250 years over whether Paul was truly the author of this letter. For many years throughout church history, there was no real dispute regarding Pauline authorship (the first claim against Pauline authorship seems to be found in 1792 by Edward Evanson). “Ephesians, then, was unhesitatingly assigned to Paul from the time when the NT corpus began to be recognized as such in the mid-second century. Since Clement of Rome reflected its language when he wrote to Corinth in AD 95, it is likely that this attestation runs back to the first century.” For the conservative Bible student, the evidence that has been provided concerning Paul’s second missionary journey and his heavy involvement with the people of Ephesus should serve to still any doubts concerning his claim to this epistle. Bruce’s comments are encouraging for this viewpoint:
If the Epistle to the Ephesians was not written directly by Paul, but by one of his disciples in the apostle’s name, then its author was the greatest Paulinist of all time—a disciple who assimilated his master’s thought more thoroughly than anyone else ever did. The man who could write Ephesians must have been the apostle’s equal, if not his superior, in mental stature and spiritual insight.
At this, some scholars have followed the “disciple of Paul” theory. But, along with Bruce, we would conclude that “Paul’s disciple” would have been better versed in Pauline theology than Paul himself, which is a ridiculous conclusion. Further, this viewpoint fails when the testimony of early church history is considered, as Mare demonstrates:
Strong support for Pauline authorship of Ephesians comes from external attestation given by the early church, exampled by the witness to its language given by Clement of Rome (ca. ad 95), Hermas, Barnabas, Ignatius and Polycarp early in the second century; and by clear references to the letter in Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen in the second and third centuries. The letter was included as Pauline in the canon of Marcion (ca. ad 140, although he listed it under the title ‘Laodiceans’) and it is also found in the Muratorian canon (ca. ad 180).
Some scholars have discredited the divine work of the Holy Spirit by not taking Him at His word. This has been the case since the 1800’s. While there is no harm in asking questions, and equally no fault in pursuing investigations, it may be proper for the Bible student to simply accept the Spirit’s intentional inclusion of Paul’s name in the letter (Eph 1:1; 3:1), accepting His testimony as true.
Ephesians stands as one of the four “Prison Epistles” (the others being Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon) which Paul wrote while on house arrest in Rome sometime between AD 61-63. However, some have reached as far as AD 64 for the authorship of this book. Wood provides a chronological determination, writing:
Although three of the captivity Epistles were penned about the same time, it seems clear that Colossians and Philemon preceded Ephesians. Epaphras had brought disturbing news from Colosse. Meanwhile, Paul was anxious to return Onesimus to his master without delay. It was the combination of these circumstances that prompted Paul to write Colossians and Philemon and dispatch them with Tychicus and Onesimus. He seized the opportunity also to write Ephesians, to be delivered along with the other two. A date in the middle period of Paul’s imprisonment is therefore to be preferred, and A.D. 63 is probable.
Reading through the epistle to the Colossians, immediately one would see the similarities that parallel the themes of Ephesians, more so than simply identifying the common staples of Pauline theology as found in the rest of his writings. Some have sought to date Ephesians somewhere around AD 80-AD 90 due to the linguistic differences and uses as compared to Paul’s other epistles. Such speculations fail to consider the obvious parallels between Ephesians and Colossians, and therefore Colossians and Philemon. The similarities between them serve to establish that the writing of each epistle points to a similar date.
Recipients
There has been some debate about the recipients of Ephesians and what type of letter Paul had intended it to be. Hoehner writes:
Some scholars view this epistle as encyclical, a circular letter to be distributed to several undesignated local churches in the province of Asia or some other area. This is supported by two observations: (1) the words ‘in Ephesus’ (1:1) do not appear in three early Alexandrian Greek manuscripts, and (2) it is strange for Paul not to mention by name any of the individuals in a church where he had lived and worked for three years (Acts 20:31).
Tom Constable writes:
Paul knew Ephesus and the church in that city well. He had ministered in Asia Minor, the Roman province of which Ephesus was the capitol, with Ephesus as his headquarters for about three years, 53–56 A.D. (Acts 19:1–20:1). It appears that he sent this epistle to the Ephesian church so the Christians there would subsequently circulate it among the other churches.
The Ephesian letter (or epistle) was delivered by Tychicus (Eph. 6:21-22), who also seems to be the one that delivered the epistle to the Colossians (Col. 4:7). Being an encyclical letter, this is not a reason to believe that the letter did not have any intention of going to the Ephesian Church.
In the earlier Epistles they are dealt with in the context of the problems that have arisen in the life of the churches the apostle is writing to in the midst of his travels. In Ephesians, he displays a measure of detachment and seeks to relate the great evangelical doctrines he has previously handled to the concept of the church as the body of Christ through which the purpose of God is fulfilled.
The general nature of this letter’s contents allows for the encyclical understanding to remain plausible without discrediting its intention for the Ephesian Church. Due to the absence of any personal mentions and because of the lack of rebuke and general nature of the themes within its contents, it seems that Ephesians is indeed a cyclical letter and we’ll proceed accordingly. Griffiths gives this helpful summary that should be satisfactory for our understanding:
It is a general Letter with a minimum of personal information and an absence of local reference. The words “at Ephesus” (1:1, AV) are not present in all the oldest manuscripts and it would appear, therefore, to be a circular Letter which could be read and enjoyed in any local church situation in the first century, and equally, of course, today.
Meaning and Purpose
The book of Ephesians is rich! One could spend his entire life in this one epistle and never exhaust the depth of all that it affirms for the Christian. Times of despair and apathy can be resolved by pondering its truths. What has been revealed in this wonderful letter should be lauded within the assembly of believers regularly. Ephesians is about what the church should be about: namely praise, worship, prayer, love, and unity, all of which are encapsulated in six chapters of pure truth. The benevolence of God’s good grace, which has been secured for the believer in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, takes center stage. Beal and Radmacher write, “Ephesians is not polemic or confrontational as are some of his other epistles, for he is not facing a crisis of doctrine or behavior in a church but is reflecting on some of the deepest realities of the Christian life.” Paul focuses on the spiritual blessings in the heavenlies with which every believer has been graced (Eph 1:3) while concentrating on living out those graces by the Body of believers.
It has been said that Colossians exalts the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ, while Ephesians exhorts the Body of Christ. Tom Constable writes:
His emphasis on the church as Christ’s body in which both Jewish and Gentile believers are one suggests that Paul wrote to promote unity in the Ephesian church and in the universal church. The emphasis on the importance of love is also strong. More than one-sixth of Paul’s references to love in his 13 epistles occur in Ephesians. This also shows that he wanted to promote Christian unity in the church.
As a general address meant to be copied for numerous congregations, this letter contains truth for all congregations. These beautiful truths that are meant to fuel the Body of Christ and instruct believers as they move forward doing the work of the ministry and maturing in its mutual pursuit in building one another up (Eph 4:12-16). Paul desired that believers walk according to their heavenly calling (4:1) by juxtaposing the wealth of their position in Christ (Eph 1—3) with their earthly responsibilities and privileges (Eph 4—6).
One would benefit by reading Ephesians at least once a week, while concurrently reading Colossians. The parallels between these two letters will help bring a greater understanding of both letters.
Structure
It is commonly noted that Ephesians consists of two major sections. The first section is doctrinal (1:1-3:21), while the second section is practical (4:1-6:24). When the word “doctrine” arises there are usually feelings of boredom, intimidation, and fear. Doctrine is simply a truth that is being taught. A simple statement like “God is the Creator of the heavens and the earth” is not a scary statement at all, but it is foundationally important so that we might understand our surroundings for what they really are: An intentionally and intricately designed place in which we dwell. So the doctrinal section of Ephesians is simply bringing truths into the mindset of the reader for the purpose of correcting wrong thinking, or inspiring worship and adoration for God and the Lord Jesus Christ. “Make no mistake about it,” writes Earl Radmacher, “truth leads to the experience of being free; any experience not based on truth results not in freedom but enslavement!” That being said, we must be in agreement with the Scriptures that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Prov 1:7; Psa 111:10), seeing that all that we will ever know must be handled in light of the truth of God’s Word, affirming His inspiration of it, and holding fast to its inerrant and infallible status regardless of the issue(s) that presents itself.
Concerning the first three chapters of Ephesians, Beal and Radmacher write:
The believer in the Lord Jesus receives from God an astounding station, one in which he or she has been fully forgiven and is indissolubly united with Christ. God provides this bounty through His great love. His love is unveiled in Christ’s death on the cross. It is expressed in His absolute grace, grace poured out in measure beyond comprehension. The truth of God’s love leads Paul to teach what love amounts to in the relationship each believer should have toward others, which is the major burden of the last three chapters. Practicing love toward fellow believers does not purchase salvation. Instead God’s grace, when truly understood and accepted, leads compellingly to a life of love.
The first three chapters of this book are a stalwart of positional truth, a concept which seems to be greatly lacking in the modern evangelical age. These chapters should serve the Church well in settling the issue of assurance, or the lack thereof. All that the believer has and is finds its roots in Christ and His atoning work on Calvary. Seeing that no merit secured such a position equally a lack of performance is not required to sustain such a position. The giving of such gifts should not be met with the stipulation to reform the flesh, or else. The position given to the believer is not upon a tightrope of obedience, but of a limitless landscape of acceptance; an acceptance which is based on the merits of Christ found in His sinless life, perfect death, and glorious resurrection. All modes of acceptance are answered “in Christ.” All development in one’s sanctification is answered “in Christ.” The culmination of one’s salvation, being glorification, has been predestined “through Jesus Christ” (Eph 1:5) and not with a view that it is conditioned upon the performance of the believer. The truth of the believer’s position throughout all three tenses of salvation should be rest to the heart and mind. Such beautiful truths show chapters 1—3 to be the wealth and riches of the Christian’s “already-blessings” in the heavenlies!
Chapters 1—3 of Ephesians are glorious truths that are meant to be instilled in our thinking, changing the mind and heart to gratefulness toward God for His immeasurable grace in Christ Jesus. These chapters are meant to change the mind and correct the thought-life of believers. Being settled on the “astounding station” that Christ has freely provided, we must conclude that right thinking leads to right living. This is not only a “spiritual truth,” but a truth for all of life. It is the reality of our existence. From something as simple as a hot burner on the stove we find that an understanding of the danger in touching it leads to an apprehensive demeanor regarding the burner for the rest of one’s life. Now that right thinking regarding the burner is in place, right living in relation to the burner will proceed. The Apostle Paul is keenly aware of this fact, which leads us to the second section: practical application to our daily living (Eph 4-6) resulting from a change of thinking brought on by chapters 1—3. Lawless summarizes this concept, stating:
The first three chapters of Ephesians lay the theological foundations for the remainder of the book. The practical exhortations of the second section of the book are extensive, but those ethical instructions are subordinated to the theological themes of the first section.
Ephesians 4:1—6:24 deals with the outworking of the Body of Christ as believers are living in the new life that they have been granted when they believed in Christ (Rom 6:4). The Church is always preaching a message. Too often this message can go astray when infighting and egos take the place of truth and charity within the Body. Legalism has become endemic in today’s churches because much of the “good works” done in the name of the Church are performed in the power of the flesh. “Rule-keeping” and “fruit inspecting” are means of gauging “holiness” or “true salvation.” Ephesians serves as the cure for this hard-hearted attitude. The Church is to shine forth the hope of the gospel to a sin-sick world system. This can only be done when the doctrinal section is embraced and “given feet” so that it can run. “What motivates and stimulates our behaviour in attempting to live worthy lives is the grace by which we have been saved.”
Watchman Nee provides a thoughtful summary:
Of all Paul’s Epistles, it is in Ephesians that we find the highest spiritual truths concerning the Christian life. The letter abounds with spiritual riches, and yet at the same time it is intensely practical. The first half of the letter reveals our life in Christ to be one of union with Him in the highest heavens. The second half shows us in very practical terms how such a heavenly life is to be lived by us down here on the earth.”
Embracing Ephesians combats the lethargy and slothfulness that has plagued Christians who have neglected to apply the Word to everyday life. The Scriptural truths within should serve to prompt the mind for changing and quicken the diligence of the Church of God to live in response to the matchless grace of God as found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed are those who are “in Him.”
This divine formula must be maintained in the thinking of the believer. Ephesians 1-3 explaining our position and chapters 4-6 expounding upon our condition sets the pattern for a life that will please the Lord, bearing fruit in every good work that is undertaken. It must never be reversed. To think that one’s performance must be the modus operandi by which one attains an accepted position before the Most High is to conclude that the cross is an unnecessary appendix in the life of the Christian. We must remember that God does not operate to the exclusion of grace, for it is the part and parcel of His divine dealings with mankind.
PART I: The Infinite Wealth of the Body of Christ (1:1-3:21)
A. Salutation
Ephesians 1:1-2
As with many of Paul’s letters, the book of Ephesians begins with the customary greeting of the day. It was common to introduce a letter of this sort with the author’s name and credentials followed by the name(s) of the recipients and a greeting. In beginning, we are readily familiar with Paul and the historical account of Acts that documents his conversion and commissioning (Acts 9:1-31). And Paul’s personal retelling of his conversion is found in Acts 26:2-29. Both accounts are worth reading and both shed great details on both God’s plans for Paul’s life and Paul’s motivation for following the Lord with the fervency that accompanies his missionary journeys and writings.
Out of all the designations or credentials that Paul could have offered, he first settles on the title of “apostle.” “’Apostle’ primarily means ‘one sent out.’ Derived meanings are ‘delegate,’ ‘envoy,’ and ‘messenger.’” The word “apostle” has a significant history in the first century and the fact that Paul has described himself as one holds a great deal of weight. In its secular usage, the word apostolos was employed in reference to the “sending out” of a fleet of ships for a mission or destination. Regarding its biblical use, “apostle” finds a distinct calling attached to it. Wood writes, “It is applied first to the original disciples and then to other Christian missionaries. Paul claimed that, like that of the Twelve, his commission came directly from Christ (Acts 26:16–18; 1 Cor 9:1). The title stresses the authority of the sender and the accountability of the one sent.”
The term “apostle” is used four times in this epistle (1:1; 2:20; 3:5; 4:11), but only the first instance is used in describing Paul. If we take a moment to look at the other instances, we gain an understanding of Paul’s mindset regarding the office of “apostle” and the role that an apostle would play in establishing the foundational workings of the early church. “Paul gives no suggestion that the apostle’s special position (e.g. as an example, 1 Cor. 4:16; Phil. 3:17, etc.), exalts him above the church and distinguishes him from the others with spiritual gifts.” This can be seen in the commonplace filing of the office of apostle alongside prophets, evangelists, and pastor/teachers in Ephesians 4:11. One thing is clear: “Paul met the risen Lord as last of the apostles (1 Cor. 15:8); if we are to take ‘last of all’ absolutely, then there was no possibility of continuing the apostolate by calling others to it.” This limitation in the calling of an apostle demonstrates the unique nature of this designation in that it held authority and was a calling to speak authoritatively as the Lord Jesus had commissioned each one. Due to the significance that comes with this office, Paul’s use of this title is not one of arrogance, but of fact. Paul clearly understands his calling and office as an apostle. Paul is not just an apostle of anyone, but of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.
Secondly, Paul writes that he is an apostle of Jesus Christ “by the will of God.” Paul’s apostleship was not the result of a commissioning service, nor was it ordered by a church council. Paul’s designation was by the will of God Himself. This is the divine authority which presides over Paul’s ministry and mission. Chester McCalley writes, “This made Paul the prisoner the freest man in the Roman Empire, for man’s true freedom lies in the cheerful acceptance of God’s will as his own.” Whereas many Christians today are in bewilderment of God’s will, or are refusing to claim the name of Christ and to be recognized as God’s child, Paul proudly recognizes and embraces the fact that the Creator has commissioned him for service. Paul was truly free!
The recipients of this letter have been explained above. The designation given is that of “saints” which is a term mentioned all throughout the book (1:15, 18; 2:19; 3:8, 18; 4:12; 5:3; 6:18). The word “saints” is hagios meaning, “being dedicated or consecrated to the service of God,” and “holy.” While much of Roman Catholic thought has placed stipulations and special “powers” and designations on certain individuals in declaring them saints, the word is used in the New Testament to refer to anyone who is a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. This furthers the verse in the understanding that these saints are “in Christ,” which is found to be thematic in various forms (“in Christ,” “in Him,” “in the Beloved”) in the first fourteen verses of this first chapter (1:1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13). This phrase “in Christ” is in the locative case. “The locative case denoted place where, or rest at.” Therefore, “it would therefore be correct to say ‘in union with Christ.’” This point will be salient when addressing 1:4.
These saints are also designated as those who “are faithful.” This designation could be used in a general way in exhorting the readers, which would be understandable considering the encyclical nature of the epistle. While the ESV uses the word “faithful” here, Hoehner has translated the word pistos as “believers.” McCalley writes, “This word may have an active meaning, to be trusting, or a passive meaning, to be trustworthy and dependable. Both ideas are probably present here. One obtains a position in Christ by trusting Him (active idea), and one who is in Christ should be trustworthy and dependable (passive idea).” Fowl notes that, “Grammatically, this clause is unusual. The absence of a definite article before ‘faithful’ seems to indicate that ‘the saints’ or ‘the holy ones’ and ‘faithful’ are to be taken together as a common designation of a single group, as in the very similar usage in Col 1:2.” This is the most plain and logical reading of the text seeing that one being designated as “holy” and another being addressed as “faithful” would require some leading by the author in order to consider each party as a separate entity. The text does not allow for this. Furthermore, the notion of positional and practical truth has not presented itself in these opening verses and should not be implied. Even if one were to understand this verse in this way, to be a “saint” is the foundation of being faithful in Christ Jesus. But we would not conclude that one could be considered “faithful” without first being a saint.
With the second verse, the customary salutation of “grace” and “peace” from God and the Lord Jesus is also seen in similar forms in Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, Philippians 1:2, Colossians 1:2, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 2 Thessalonians 1:2, 1 Timothy 1:2, 2 Timothy 1:2, Titus 1:4, and Philemon 1:3. In all of these instances we see that Paul writes “grace” first, then “peace.” There is an old adage in the church that you cannot experience the peace of God until you have first experienced the grace of God. This is simply how God operates. He distributes grace every day to the saved and the unsaved in something as simple as sunshine and rain (Matt 5:45), but His peace is only found in the midst of those who trust Him.
In noting grace and peace, it is important to understand that context determines the details of how the believer should understand these words and Paul’s intended usage. First, we are acutely aware that Paul is writing to believers in Christ, leading us to conclude that issues of needing eternal life and the forgiveness of sins is a done deal. They are “in Christ,” and in being so they are set for sanctification truths, not justification truths. The use of “grace” would be that which is needed for daily living in this sin-sick world. Chafer writes, “Grace is neither treating a person as he deserves, nor treating a person better than he deserves. It is treating a person graciously without the slightest reference to his deserts. Grace is infinite love expressing itself in infinite goodness.”
Oh, do we need grace! God’s unmerited favor on our lives is a daily necessity for us to live godly, well-pleasing lives unto the Lord Jesus as our Sovereign. The powers and world forces wage a serious warfare against us on all fronts. But it is the blessing that Paul issues forth upon his recipients that sustains the Christian above these dark waters. May we take our cues from the apostle to the Gentiles and pronounce God’s daily grace upon our brothers and sisters around them, for we all need such encouragement in our times of wealth and need.
Much should also be said about “peace.” This word is used in the greetings of all of Paul’s epistles without exception (Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:3; 2 Cor 1:2; Gal 1:3; Phil 1:2; Col 1:2; 1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:2; 1 Tim 1:2; 2 Tim 1:2; Titus 1:4; Phlm 3). In the same way that “grace” is seen to be concerning our justification and our sanctification (depending on the author’s usage and intent), “peace” can be understood in the same way. Bridges writes, describing the peace in justification as the base for sanctifying peace:
This is an objective peace. The war is over. The alienation and divine displeasure toward us because of our sin have been removed. We’re no longer objects of wrath. We have peace with God whether we realize it or not. However, to the extent that we understand and believe the truth regarding justification, we’ll experience a subjective peace within our souls. We’ll know that we’ve been brought from a state of condemnation and the prospect of eternal judgment into a state of forgiveness and favor with God.
This peace with God would be something that we see in Romans 5:1. We are now on His side and no longer battling against His love for us. Moving deeper into the waters of Christ living His divine life within and through us, we find the peace of God which rests upon us when we are trusting Him in life’s situations and choices. This would be seen in Phil 4:6-7, being understood as a peace that is incomprehensible. By first having peace with God, made possible by the removal of sins by the cross of Christ, we are now in a position to experience that peace of God, holding us in life’s trials and dispelling all fears in life’s unknowns. Such blessed peace is ours in Christ Jesus, if we want it.
We could easily make a serious mistake in not considering the implications of Paul’s calling and how this helps us in discerning our calling in this life. Hopefully, the Scriptures compel us to study more! Thinking through the concept of Paul’s calling and not allowing myself to take off into the depths of 1:3-14 was something that I found very helpful. This made me go back and look at Acts 9:1-31 and Acts 26:2-29; the first being Luke’s account of how things happened to Paul and the second being Paul’s retelling of what happened to him. These accounts coupled with Ephesians 1:1-2 reveal some helpful insights regarding the nature of the believer’s calling that are general enough to be applicable to every Christian, yet specific enough to satisfy the “yes, but” that we all suffer from. Here are my observations:
1. Paul is called to be a messenger for Jesus. This is a pure calling. Jesus will NEVER call us to something that involves sin to accomplish it.
2. Paul’s call is in perfect alignment with the “will of God.” Our calling will NEVER contradict who God is or what He has said in His Word.
3. Paul is called to people. “The saints” are his focus. This is no different for you or me. We are called to people.
4. Paul’s calling promotes truth with “grace” and “peace.” Our attitude plays a part in gaining an audience for the gospel. Quarreling never accomplishes conversion.
5. Paul mentions his general calling in Acts 26:15-18. This serves as a pattern for the call of every Christian. While Paul was called to be the apostle to the Gentiles specifically (Acts 26:17), this did not stop him from speaking to the Jews (Acts 17:1-2). We, too should project the truth of Christ and His cross-work in order “to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me (Jesus).” – Acts 26:18
This general calling is no different for us today. We read in Second Corinthians 4:3-4 confirms this saying, “even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” Simply put, we are called to speak forth the gospel of Jesus Christ to a world who has been blinded by Satan. We are to speak the truth to others, “so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God.”
Some may say, “why bother?” So that “they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith” in Christ alone. This is the nature of our calling. Maybe we are so unfulfilled in this life because we have sought out every calling but the one that God has designated for us. Let us use this time to repent from this grave mistake and make an about-face that verbally projects the grace of God to dying humanity. Let us be used for His will and His purposes.
God’s will: Nothing more, nothing less, nothing else!