About Ephesians
In Christ, God is creating a new unified humanity - and the church, filled with the Spirit, is meant to display the wisdom of God to the watching universe.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."
Ephesians 2:8
Written
circa AD 60-62
Author
Paul
Genre
Epistle / Theological
Position
10th NT book - Paul's Letters (Prison Letters)
Authorship
The Apostle Paul, written from prison (possibly Rome, Acts 28). Some manuscripts lack 'in Ephesus' in 1:1, suggesting it may have been a circular letter to multiple churches in the region.
Historical Context
Paul spent three years in Ephesus - more than anywhere else - and the church there was mature. This letter addresses the cosmic dimensions of the gospel and the unity of Jew and Gentile in the one new humanity Christ creates.
Purpose
To articulate the full sweep of God's eternal purpose in Christ - uniting all things in Christ, creating one new humanity, and equipping the church to live out this calling in every sphere of life.
Key Message
In Christ, God is creating a new unified humanity - and the church, filled with the Spirit, is meant to display the wisdom of God to the watching universe.
Book Structure
Interesting Facts
Ephesians 2:8-9 - By grace you have been saved through faith - is the clearest single statement of salvation by grace in Paul.
The armor of God (Eph 6:10-18) is one of the most preached metaphors in Christian history.
Ephesians 1 contains one of the longest sentences in Greek literature - verses 3-14 are a single sentence in Greek.
Ephesians 5:25 - Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church - set an entirely new standard for marriage in the ancient world.