Here are some common questions people have about the book of Ephesians in the Bible and what it teaches:
Who wrote Ephesians?
The book of Ephesians was written by the apostle Paul (Ephesians 1:1, 3:1). Paul was one of the most influential early Christian missionaries and writers, responsible for much of the New Testament.
When was Ephesians written?
Scholars believe Paul wrote Ephesians around 60-62 AD while he was imprisoned in Rome (Ephesians 3:1, 4:1, 6:20). This places it among Paul’s later writings.
What is the purpose and message of Ephesians?
A key theme in Ephesians is unity in the church. Paul emphasizes that both Jews and Gentiles are saved by grace through faith in Christ, and brought together into one body, the church (Ephesians 2:11-22). He calls believers to live in unity and love.
Ephesians also focuses on living the Christian life. It contains teaching about imitating God (5:1), living by the Spirit rather than the flesh (5:18), spiritual warfare (6:10-18), and relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and slaves (5:22-6:9).
What are some key verses in Ephesians?
– “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
– “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6)
– “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)
– “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” (Ephesians 5:25)
– “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)
How is Ephesians structured?
Ephesians follows a typical Pauline structure:
– Chapters 1-3: Doctrinal teaching about God’s eternal plan, salvation by grace, unity in Christ
– Chapters 4-6: Practical instruction for holy living and relationships
What are some important doctrines in Ephesians?
Key doctrines include:
– Election – God chose believers in Christ before the foundation of the world (1:4-6)
– Redemption – Forgiveness and salvation through Christ’s blood (1:7)
– Unification – Jews and Gentiles brought together in the church (2:11-22)
– Grace – Salvation is by grace through faith, not works (2:8-10)
– New identity – In Christ believers are “God’s handiwork” (2:10)
– Mystery of the Gospel – God’s plan to unite all things in Christ (3:3-6)
– Spiritual powers and authorities – Rulers and authorities Christ triumphed over (1:20-21)
What are some repeated words or themes in Ephesians?
– In Christ/in him – union and identity with Christ (over 30 mentions)
– Grace – emphasis on salvation by grace (ex. 2:5, 2:8)
– Calling/called – God’s calling on believers’ lives (4:1, 4:4)
– Walk/live – exhortations for how to live as believers (2:2, 4:1)
– Unity/one – oneness in Christ between Jews and Gentiles (4:3, 4:13)
– Love – God’s love and the need for believers to walk in love (1:4, 3:17, 4:2, 4:16)
– Spiritual blessings – every blessing is spiritual in Christ (1:3)
– Heavenly places/realms – seated with Christ in the heavenlies (1:3, 1:20, 2:6)
How does Ephesians compare to Colossians?
Ephesians and Colossians share some similar language and themes, likely because Paul wrote them around the same time. Key similarities include:
– Emphasis on Christ’s supremacy (Eph 1:20-23, Col 1:15-20)
– Christ as head of the church (Eph 1:22, Col 1:18)
– Discussion of mystery and unity (Eph 3:6, Col 1:27)
– Exhortations for holy living (Eph 4-6, Col 3-4)
However, Ephesians does not focus as much on false teaching as Colossians, and has more extended teaching on topics like predestination, grace, spiritual powers, and unity.
How should studying Ephesians impact how we live?
Studying Ephesians should lead to:
– A deeper understanding of God’s redemptive plan
– Growth in godly attitudes and actions
– Strengthened evangelistic zeal to spread the gospel
– Commitment to unity, humility, and maturity in the church
– Reliance on God’s resources to resist temptation and spiritual forces of evil
– Passion for Christ-like love, courage, and moral purity
– Greater appreciation of God’s grace
– Increased intimacy with God
What are some ways Ephesians challenges cultural values and norms?
– Upends ethnic divisions, cultural barriers, gender roles, and social classes (2:11-22, 5:21, 6:5-9)
– Condemns sexual immorality, greed, impurity, idolatry (4:17-19, 5:3-5)
– Challenges materialism, self-indulgence and worldly attitudes (2:2-3, 4:17)
– Emphasizes serving others, kindness, compassion, forgiveness (4:2, 4:32)
– Prioritizes unity, humility, integrity over self-interest and personal gain (4:1-3, 4:25)
– Redefines human worth/identity – not status or achievements but God’s workmanship (2:10)
– Calls for radical transformation by renewing our minds and putting off old self (4:22-24)
How does Ephesians point to Christ?
– Christ established the church through His sacrificial death (5:25)
– All spiritual blessings are found in Christ (1:3)
– Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ (2:8)
– Believers are God’s workmanship created in Christ (2:10)
– Christ broke down the dividing wall between Jews and Gentiles (2:14)
– The mystery of the Gospel is Christ dwelling in believers’ hearts (3:4,17)
– We should walk in love as Christ loved us (5:2)
– Marriage reflects Christ’s relationship with the church (5:32)
– The armor of God helps us stand firm in Christ’s strength (6:10-18)
So Christ is central as the source of unity, salvation, spiritual blessings, new life, mystery revealed, and victory over evil.
What are some ways we can apply Ephesians to our lives today?
– Build unity in the church amid diversity (4:3)
– Walk in purity, integrity, and love (4:1, 5:2)
– Let no corrupting talk come out of our mouths (4:29)
– Forgive others as God forgave us (4:32)
– Imitate God by walking in love as His dearly loved children (5:1-2)
– Submit to one another and authority figures (5:21-6:9)
– Strengthen marriage relationships (5:22-33)
– Parent children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (6:4)
– Put on the full armor of God to stand against evil (6:10-18)
– Pray at all times in the Spirit (6:18)
– Be thankful for every spiritual blessing we have in Christ (1:3, 5:20)
What controversies have arisen over the book of Ephesians?
Some key debates include:
Authorship – Some critical scholars believe Ephesians was written later by a follower of Paul. But the letter claims to be from Paul (1:1, 3:1) and has many similarities with his other writings.
Predestination – Does Ephesians 1 teach double predestination (election for some to salvation, others to damnation)? But verses like 2:8-10 suggest human responsibility too.
Gender roles – Do verses calling wives to submit (5:22-24) justify abusive patriarchy? But it also calls for mutual submission (5:21) and love.
Slavery – Does Paul approve slavery by giving rules for masters/slaves? Or was he leading cultural change by teaching slaves are equal in Christ?
Borrowed ideas – Does Ephesians borrow concepts like Christ’s cosmic supremacy from Gnosticism? But these ideas predated Gnosticism.
How does the language and style of Ephesians compare to other Pauline letters?
Some distinctive features of Ephesians:
– Long, flowing sentences (ex. Ephesians 1:3-14)
– Few personal references to his readers
– Emphasis on cosmic, heavenly realities more than earthly concerns
– Focus on the church as God’s community more than false teachers (like 1 & 2 Timothy, Galatians)
– More doctrinal meditation, less imperatives/commands
– Less clarity on the specific historical situation than other letters
– Very positive tone praising God, with prayers, doxologies and other lyrical features
So Ephesians has a more reflective, theological, cosmic style compared to Paul’s other practical, gritty, doctrinal letters addressing controversies and false teachings.
How should we interpret some of the difficult passages about submission and slavery?
We must understand these culturally and historically. The Roman household codes (5:21-6:9) sought to elevate the status of women, children, and slaves by giving them dignity and moral instructions. And taken in light of the rest of scripture, passages on submission should not justify abuse. They teach mutual submission and Christ-like love, not domination. With slavery, Paul sows seeds for equality while meeting people within their cultural context to bring revolutionary change from within.
What are some interesting details about Ephesus during the time of Paul?
– Important port city on west coast of Asia Minor (modern day Turkey)
– Center of Roman administration for Asia province
– Home to temple of Artemis, one of seven wonders of the ancient world
– Major center for magic, sorcery, exorcism and the occult (Acts 19:17-20)
– Riot started against Paul by silversmiths profiting from the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:23-41)
– Church probably founded by Paul on his second missionary journey (Acts 18:18-21)
– Paul spent about 3 years in Ephesus on his third journey (Acts 20:31)
So Ephesus was a diverse, idol-worshiping city marked by sorcery and cult practices that Paul radically confronted with the gospel.
What are some key places we see Ephesians influencing the wider church?
– Helped establish Trinitarian doctrine – heavy emphasis on roles of Father, Son and Spirit
– Shaped Protestant reformers’ views of salvation by grace
– Inspired Puritan depth and mystical aspects of faith
– Provided liberation theology critiques of socioeconomic oppression
– Renewal movements’ focus on Spirit-led holiness and unity
– Egalitarian views of gender – mutual submission in Christ
So Ephesians has richly contributed to the church’s understanding of theology proper, soteriology, pneumatology, social justice, and men/women in ministry over the centuries.
