Brief Commentary on the Letter to the Ephesians

The Epistle (letter) to the Ephesians was written by the Apostle Paul, a convert to Christianity who become perhaps its most influential evangelist and theologian.

Paul was a Jew and a Roman Citizen, who was originally opposed to the new Christian faith. In fact, he was on a trip to find and persecute Christians - the faith was still so new at the time, the word "Christian" was not yet in use - when he had a divine encounter on the road to Damascus and converted to the new faith, probably in around 35-36 A.D. Paul would then travel around the Mediterranean region, starting new churches and sharing the Good News about Jesus Christ. It is important to note that Paul never actually met Jesus while Jesus was living and did not convert until after the Resurrection.

In the early 60s A.D., he was jailed in Rome and wrote several letters during this time, including the one to the Ephesians. His first Epistle, at least in terms of those that were incorporated into the Bible, had been written about 10-12 years before, around 50 A.D. It is highly possible that the Epistle to the Ephesians was actually meant to be a "circular" letter, intended to be passed on from church to church, as it does not appear to address any issues specific to the church in Ephesus (which Paul helped found), but deals with issues of interest to all Christians. In addition, the very earliest manuscripts available do not include the verse addressing the Epistle to the church in Ephesus.

While Paul's sentences are very long and complex in Ephesians, his themes and ideas are incredibly rich and full of meaning.

It is my prayer that you will gain as much from reading this commentary as I did from writing it. In this commentary, a key verse or two is offered, from the various sections of the text, with my commentary below it. All Scripture is from the NIV Bible.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:2)

There are a number of items in this letter that are particularly of note to those who part of the Calvin branch of Christianity (I am a PC(USA) Presbyterian).

Before we get too far, though, it is worth it to take a moment and examine the greeting.

Here, Paul is indicating that grace comes from God. Certainly, this introduction sentence is not the primary source in Scripture where we learn about grace, but what we read here does reinforce what Paul writes elsewhere -- Grace is from God!

Here, we also get a partial support of the concept of the Trinity. Paul is clearly referring to God and Jesus as distinct entities.

And we note the titles given to each: God the Father. How do we read Father here? Creator? Overseer? All-powerful? Decision-maker?

And then, "Lord Jesus Christ." Here, Paul is giving Jesus -- a real person who lived not all that long before Paul wrote about him -- two titles. One is Lord. Paul is saying that he will submit to Jesus and treat him as a Lord, a person of great power, authority and respect.

Paul is also calling Jesus "Christ." By saying so, Paul, a Pharisee (a Jew), is calling Jesus the fulfillment of the Jewish prophesy that a great deliverer would be sent by God. Paul acknowledges here that Jesus is The Christ, the great redeemer.

Obviously, elsewhere in his writings, Paul goes on to discuss these various concepts and ideas at some length, but it is worthwhile to note that he supports his arguments of God as creator and Jesus as messiah even here in his more informal greetings to friends.

I believe every word in the Bible was included for a reason -- and those words not there were excluded for a reason. What is Paul's reason in writing this greeting in this way? I believe little sentences like this help provide insight into the person of Paul.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. (Ephesians 1:4-6)

Paul leads off his letter to the Ephesians with this opening, which is packed full of ideas and thoughts.

Let's look at it bit by bit. First: He (God) chose us in him BEFORE creation. This passage in Ephesians is an important passage to understand for those who believe (or even those who dispute) that God has predestined what will happen with us.

Do we have Free Will? Or is our future already determined? According to Paul here, God chose us before creation to be holy and blameless in his sight.

One question that always comes to mind here is who is "us"? in this passage? We can assume it is Paul and... who? The Ephesians? Anyone who reads this? All Christians everywhere anytime? All people? How we answer this question helps define what we believe about God.

Here it says that God chose us. No the question becomes how do we respond to that. Do we also choose God? Do we seek to be holy and blameless in his sight (at least to the best of our ability)?

The next two words -- "in love" -- are very interesting. In the original writings of the Bible, there are no punctuation marks. It is possible that the words "in love" actually go with the preceding sentence. That God chose us "in love" before the creation of the word, etc...

While I believe that most modern translators got it right and placed "in love" with the next sentence, it is interesting to stop and ponder where they best belong.

The next sentence, beginning with "In love, he predestined..." is the one all of the Calvinists have been waiting for.

Read this line several times slowly: In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ...

God is love. He acts solely out of love.

Predestined: "to fix upon, decide, or decree in advance."

We are called to be God's sons/daughters THROUGH Jesus Christ. We cannot then be fully in communion with God, except through Jesus Christ.

We are called to be his sons/daughters in accordance with his pleasure and will. It pleases God when we turn to God.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. (Ephesians 1:7-8)

Redemption definition: deliverance from sin; salvation. Atonement for guilt.

In him (Jesus) we have redemption. But the redemption did not come easy, did not come cheap. It came through Jesus' blood, Paul reminds us here.

Our redemption is in accordance with God's wishes. God is a God of love. All action he takes is taken out of love. He is not a God who seeks to punish us, but to love us.

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:11-12)

In Christ, we were chosen.

It is according to God's plan that we should be saved. That we should enjoy salvation, made possible by the Christ.

Our choosing to worship God glorifies God and pleases God.
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:11-12)

In Christ, we were chosen.

It is according to God's plan that we should be saved. That we should enjoy salvation, made possible by the Christ.

Our choosing to worship God glorifies God and pleases God.

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. (Ephesians 1:17)

Further indication here on the Trinitarian nature of God, though -- interesting trivia alert! -- the Bible never uses the word "Trinity."

But we see here where Paul refers to the three distinct aspects of God -- Father, Savior and Spirit.

In this passage, Paul is hoping that his readers would receive the Spirit and therefore gain wisdom and revelation.

It is through the Spirit that we are strengthened and able to come to know God better.

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. (Ephesians 2: 1-3)

Paul states that we ALL -- including him -- sought to gratify the cravings of our sinful nature.

The difference is that we have chosen Christ. We are now called -- and strengthen by the Spirit -- to turn away from our sinful nature and to become a new creature.

As we work to set aside our sinful nature, what other actions must we take? We steps are there? Let's look at what else we can learn from the letter to the Ephesians.

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4)

This is so logical, it almost defies any additional comment.

We were miserable creatures, but made alive -- given new life! -- by 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. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Central to Paul's theology, and later reinforced by the early Reformers such as Luther & Calvin, is that it is only by the grace of God that any of us will receive salvation.

Salvation is not a thing that can be earned or in anyway obtained, but through the grace of God.

So then, we might ask, who will God redeem? To whom shall he grant eternal life? And -- more to the point, perhaps -- will I and the ones whom I love the most be among those who are saved? That is God's business and God's alone.

It reminds me of the story of Jonah. After Jonah arrived in Nineveh and how worked up he got after his big shade vine died from a worm. Jonah was indignant that his shade would be ruined.

God got a little angry with Jonah and asked Jonah what right did Jonah -- who had not made the vine, weeded or watered it -- but what right did Jonah have to be upset over the vine.

I suppose in a way, we are like the vine. We have a special purpose. God knows what it is. God knows how things will play out. We can't get too worried and we, like Jonah, don't have much right to demand how things will be.

But if we look back at the first chapter of Ephesians, we really don't have too much to worry about. Looking back at verses 4 & 5, we are told that we were chosen by God, in love, to be his special children.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will (v.4-5)

As we are chosen to be children of God, how much truly do we need to worry about worldly things or even about our ultimate fate?

All is in God's hands. We are called to love him and to glorify him. God will take care of the rest.

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13)

In verses 11-22, Paul talks about how those who were outside of the Jewish faith are united with those Jews who follow Christ. Jesus is the combining factor.

Just as there was tension during Paul's day between Jew and non-Jew, there is tension in our day between races, nationalities, etc. The one thing that can peace and fellowship to all is a shared love for Jesus Christ.

As Paul points out in v. 17: (Jesus) came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

Jesus reached out to all people and loved them all the same.

In Mark 12:31, Jesus told us to do likewise: ''Love your neighbor as yourself." He said that, along with loving God before all things, there are no greater commandments than to love your neighbor.

What does that mean, to love your neighbor? Luke 10:25-37 (the parable of the Good Samaritan) gives us some insight.

‎For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles (Ephesians 3:1)

Again, what at first glance seems just like a transitional line or an introductory phrase (verse 1 here is not even a complete sentence, but is continued in verse 2), is packed with meaning.

Paul states here that he is a prisoner of Jesus Christ! What does this mean?

Paul, who had no shortage of experience of being a prisoner of the state (and is in fact likely in prison as he wrote these words), says that he is bound to service by Christ. Paul has heard the Good News and has now become "prisoner" to it.

There are various times in Paul's writing that some of the metaphors and images he uses to describe life as a Christian may not always make us want to jump up and immediately sign up for life as a Christian. After all, who wants to be a prisoner?

But Paul goes on to describe victory over death, sanctification by grace and the eternal rewards enjoyed by those who have put their faith in Christ. Once we consider these gifts, who would not want to stand with the Christians.

In the second half of this little phrase, Paul states that he is a prisoner for the "sake of you Gentiles" (i.e. non-Jews). Paul firmly believed that he was instructed by God to bring the Good News to the widest possible audience.

This is one of many places in the New Testament where the idea that Christ came into the world for all people is confirmed.

One side note, speaking of verse one not being a complete sentence, the idea of chapter and verse was not developed until the 1200s, some nine-plus centuries or so after the New Testament was written. Stephen Langton, archbishop of Canterbury (England), devised the system of chapters & verses that is in use today. He was archbishop from 1207-1228. He was also a central figure in the writing of the Magna Carta.

This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 3:6)

Not only is the gift of Jesus Christ meant for all people, but we are all together, members of one body.

That means a pirate in Somalia is just as much a child of God as I am or as you are. It is therefore imperative that we share with each other the love that Christ shares with us.

We are heirs TOGETHER. What does this mean? Does this mean that we must stand together to receive the ultimate inheritance that God has intended for us?

What actions must we take to be truly together with each person?

His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Ephesians 3:11-12)

This is a perfect time to interject Dan Heaton's 3 Tips to Bible Study: 1) Every word is in the Bible for a reason. 2) The words not there are not there for a reason. 3) Slow down and read it again.

Applying rules 1 & 3 above, I note that "through the church the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities..."

As we are called to be church (Eph. 1:11, In Him we are also chosen...), we have a big responsibility. We -- using the gifts of the Spirit -- must together make God's manifold wisdom known.

I believe there is no one right way to go about that business.

Sometimes, I am saddened by the fact that there are so many different churches, all claiming to be Christian, rather than just 1-2 per town, just enough to accommodate the town's population.

His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Ephesians 3:11-12)

At the end of this sentence, we are reminded that God accomplished his "eternal purpose" via Jesus Christ. The redeeming act of Christ is of ultimate importance.

One Lord, one faith, one baptism. (Ephesians 4:5)

As Presbyterians, we believe baptism is a one-time events. Other branches of Christianity may have their reasons for the practice of repeated baptism, but we choose to believe that it is a one-time Sacrament.

This verse, part of a larger comment by Paul, which the translators of the New International Version of the Bible have entitled "Unity in the Body of Christ," is a key reason why we see baptism as a "once & done" event.

Baptism is a symbol that, in life and in death, we belong to God.

Baptism marks us as not only people who belong to God, but who belong to each other, as God's church.

"In the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body . . . and we were all made to drink of one Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:13).

In church, we often talk about ideas such as being part of "God's family" or we mention our "church family."

Reading Paul's words in Ephesians, 1 Corinthians and elsewhere, we understand that we are marked as being of all one spirit through our baptism.

I am of two minds when it comes to the editors and compilers of the various editions of the Bible adding section titles, such as "Unity in the Body of Christ," for this section. On the one hand, seeing such a title can easily prevent us from drawing our own conclusion about what the text is telling us.

On the other hand, it is hard to imagine a more clear statement about what this section of Ephesians is about than the "Unity in the Body of Christ" and that may help some readers to focus their thoughts.

What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe. (Ephesians 4:9-10)

The logic of Paul is ironclad. In the books of Acts, we read in Chapter 1 about Christ ascending into heaven.

Here, Paul spells it out in the simplest terms -- Christ could not ascend into heaven had he not first descended to Earth, to walk among the people.

I know this sounds like simple, 2+2=4 kind of stuff, but the basics are of vital importance. We can never be reminded enough that God cared about us so much, that he sent Christ into the world to walk among us.

And as if that wasn't amazing enough, Christ then DIED for us -- and was resurrected to give all victory over death!

Indeed, the love and actions of Christ were enough, as Paul says here to "fill the whole universe."

Of what value is it to study the Bible. What purpose does it serve? Look at this line from Ephesians 4:14 -- Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

Once we know the truth, are fully grounded in the truth, we can respond to that which is not truth. As we come to know our relationship with the true God better, it will be more difficult for us to be swayed away from that relationship.

A solid foundation in God's word, prayer & worship -- individually and as a group of God's people -- helps to keep us from going astray.

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. (Ephesians 4:17-18)

Working through this commentary on Ephesians, it is difficult to pick out just a verse or two per chapter. This epistle is just loaded with valuable words, thoughts and ideas.

In addition, Ephesians is pretty complex. It seems as if each sentence has several ideas embedded in it. This is exactly why we are called to God's Word. There is so much here for us. And it takes time to understand it.

In the second half of Ephesians, chapter 4, Paul is telling us that once we become believers in the true God, and accept Christ is Savior, we must change. We must no longer live as one who has not heard the word.

To not change who we are, based on what we have learned about Christ, would in essence be to reject Christ.

So we are called to speak in truth, avoid corruption, not to steal and to "put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." (v. 24)

Reading it, in the relative quiet of home, office, church, or where ever we open the Bible, it all sounds so easy.

It is difficult in the extreme, however, not to share a piece of gossip, not to comment in judgment on the action of others or to find ourselves with our hands in the cookie jar.

By making a habit of things that build us up and strengthen our relationship with God, such as regular Bible reading/study, we increase our ability to not be separated from a life with God, as Paul describes in v. 18.

To separate ourselves from a life walking with God is a hell of our own making.

Instead, Paul calls on us to "be made new in the attitude of your minds" -- a mind which is focused on Christ. God be praised!

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:1-2)

Continuing his theme from the second half of chapter 4, Paul goes in the first half of chapter 5 to talk about how we should live. (Chapter 4 was the DON'Ts, Chapter 5 is the DOs)

Paul calls us -- as Christ himself did -- to live a life of love. Who have you loved today?

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)

Now we come to perhaps the most challenging part of Ephesians, in which Paul talks about the relationships of husbands & wives and the relationships of slaves & masters.

He opens this section with the above line, saying that in all we do, in every way that we interact, we must submit to one another out of a reverence for Christ,

What does this mean? How are we to act? To answer these questions, Paul looks at the everyday life around him, where there were husbands & wives, parents & children and, yes, slaves & masters. He looks at each situation and suggests that we are to attempt to deal with the others in our relationship in a straightforward, honest, loving way -- be we husband, wife, parent, child, master or even slave.

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:22-24)

What does this mean? How are we to interpret this in our modern society?

Paul has just concluded a lengthy session about how we are to live our life as an imitator of Christ. Christ who loved all. Christ who's love was the most pure and sincere love there is.

Then Paul said (v.21) that we are to submit to one another, out of reverence for Christ.

Next he says wives should "submit" to their OWN husbands. Out of love. The Greek word used here, ἴδιος, is difficult to translate in this context. Note my words in CAPS -- OWN.

I believe this speaks about a special love and respect that can exist between a husband and wife. As we see in the next couple of verses, this is no one way street, however, with all the demand on the wife.

The husband is called to equally love and cherish the wife, just as Christ loves his church -- and what love could be more pure or intense than that?

Because we are imperfect -- unlike Christ -- we people will make errors as we attempt to live to this standard set out by the Bible. Nonetheless, it is a standard we are called to strive for.

We, made in the image of God, are still called to live as imitators of God.

Mentioning translating from the Greek in the Bible, there are a couple of great web sites that allow even the very beginner to look at the Bible in multiple translations and versions side by side. My two favorites are greattreasures.org and The Five Gospels Parallel at http://www.utoronto.ca/religion/synopsis/syn-ini.htm

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. ... And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. (Ephesians 6:5, 9)

Paul advocates slavery. Right? Wrong.

Paul is looking at the world around him. He is forced to respond to the world in which he lives.

Paul is also a 1st century citizen of the Roman empire. Slavery is a way of life. This DOES NOT make slavery right, but we can see how Paul may not be able to conceive of a world without slaves.

Christ, however, came to liberate ALL. In Him (God), there is no favoritism, Paul says.

Sadly, verses such as these were used for too long by the church to support the institution of slavery. It is part of our shameful history of hearing the Word of God, but not fully responding to it.

Our true Master is indeed in heaven. We are called to imitate Him, as Paul stated early in chapts. 4 & 5. No matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, we are called to treat the other person with dignity & respect.

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. (Ephesians 6:11)

Perhaps one of the more popular memory verses from Ephesians, this is the second place in his writings where Paul talks about "armor."

We get this line in Romans 13:12: "The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light."

This section of Ephesians is just tremendously illustrative of how we are called to live as Christians. Paul goes on here to tell us in v. 14, for example, "Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place."

If we are called into God's service, it only makes sense that we would equip ourselves with God's armor.

A week or two ago at First Presbyterian Church of Mount Clemens (Michigan)'s Morning Glory service, our music leader Sue Peters commented on how if one were to don the armor Paul talks about in Ephesians 6, the only part of our body that would be unprotected is your back. She suggested that was because the church has your back.

It is in such concrete examples, from Paul and from Sue, that it can be easiest, at times, to visualize what God's kingdom is all about and what our role is in it.

Let's let Paul speak for himself here: v18: And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. (Ephesians 6:19&20)

This is one of several times in Ephesians in which Paul makes reference to being a prisoner or being in chains. Ephesians is one of several of Paul's epistles that he wrote while either in prison or under house arrest. Mostly likely in this case, Paul wrote this letter from Rome while he was in prison there.

Even though he is imprisoned there, Paul is asking for prayer from the faithful to help invigorate Paul so that he will never stop spreading word about the Good News of Christ.