Paul's Letter to the Ephesians

Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians in about A. D. 60 to 61. There have been few serious challenges to the authorship of the letter, and most of the ones that have been made can be accounted for by the spiritually mature state of Paul at this late point in his life.

In the Revelation, John also mentions the church at Ephesus at Revelation 2: 1-7. Evidently the admonitions to the Ephesians were not heeded. Today there is no church of Christ at Ephesus in Southwestern Turkey.

The first three chapters of Ephesians could be hard to outline. The first three chapters make a contrast to the latter three, and could be contrasted as: Chapters one through three, The Position of the Christian; Chapters four through six, The Practice of the Christian. The first three chapters have to do with the beliefs of the Christian and the latter ones have to do with the behavior of the Christian.

Ephesians and Philippians have been contrasted in this way: Ephesians is about the church of Christ; Philippians is about the Christ of the church.

A. Chosen by the Father (1: 3- 1: 6) What an honor to have been chosen by none other than God Almighty! Compare to I Peter 2: 9-10.

B. Redeemed by the Son. Compared to I John 2: 1-5. C. Sealed by the Spirit. This is not a seal like a baggy, but rather like an authentication with a ring on a parchment.

D. Old Condition: Dead to God. Compare to Colossians 3: 1-20.

E. New Condition: Alive to God.

F. Reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles (2: 11-22).

G. Revelation of the Mystery of the Church (3: 1- 13).


A. An exhortation to unity (4: 1 - 16)

B. Off with the old self (4: 17 - 22) and on with the new (4: 23- 29).

C. Grieve not the Holy Spirit (4: 30 - 5: 12)

D. Walk as children of light (5: 13 - 17)

E. Be filled with the Spirit (5: 18 - 21)

F. Husbands and wives: responsibilities to each other (5: 22 - 33)

G. Children and parents (6: 1 - 4). See Colossians 3: 20, 21.

H. Be Christians while on the job. Ephesians 6: 5- 9.

I. Put on the armor of God. (6: 10 - 17).

J. Pray for boldness (6: 18 - 20) as the apostles did in Acts 4: 23 -31.

K. Conclusion (6: 21 - 24).

We hope that by visiting this website, you have been blessed.

Sid Womack, webmaster, Dover church of Christ.

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