Introduction

Paul wrote his letter to the church in Ephesus while he was imprisoned (Ephesians 3:1; 4:1; 6:20). Though scholars debate which period of imprisonment he was referring to, it is widely believed that he wrote this during his house arrest in Rome, as described in Acts 28. The letter was delivered by Tychicus (Ephesians 6:21), who travelled alongside Onesimus to Colossae (Colossians 4:7-9). Onesimus, a runaway slave who had found salvation, was returning to his master, Philemon, in Colossae. Paul wrote letters to Philemon and the Colossian church at the same time as Ephesians, sending them all with Tychicus. Later, towards the end of this imprisonment, Paul also wrote to the Philippians. These four letters—Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon—are collectively known as the “prison epistles.”

Paul first visited Ephesus during his second missionary journey (Acts 18:18-21). Though his initial stay was brief, he left behind his co-workers Priscilla and Aquila. He returned on his third missionary journey and spent two to three years there (Acts 19:8-10, 22). Ephesus, the capital of the province of Asia, became the site of a significant church. God performed extraordinary miracles through Paul there (Acts 19:11-12), leading many to abandon their practices of magic and sorcery as the word of the Lord “continued to increase and prevail mightily” (Acts 19:18-20). The impact of the gospel was so profound that it sparked a riot, as many Ephesians forsook the worship of Artemis (Acts 19:23-41).

After nearly three years in Ephesus, Paul moved on to Macedonia and Corinth. From there, he returned to Jerusalem, summoning the elders of the Ephesian church to meet him in Miletus (Acts 20:17-38). From Jerusalem, Paul was sent to Rome, where he was placed under house arrest—likely the setting from which he wrote this letter.

The Vision for the Church

Ephesians is a letter filled with vision, purpose, and encouragement. Unlike his letters to the Corinthians or Galatians, Paul did not write to address specific problems in the Ephesian church. Instead, he sought to make the believers fully aware of their identity in Christ and the magnificent calling they have as part of his church. The first three chapters present a glorious vision of the church’s calling, purpose, and destiny. The remaining three chapters then apply this grand vision to everyday life within the church.

Ephesians 1 can be seen as a vision statement for the church. Paul reminds the Ephesian believers that they have been chosen and blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ, called to be holy and blameless before God. He highlights that they have been forgiven and redeemed through God’s abundant grace, all in alignment with God’s plan for the fullness of time—a plan to “unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” (Ephesians 1:10).

The letter firmly establishes Christ as the head (1:22) and the cornerstone (2:20) of the church. The church exists to be Christ’s body, “the fullness of him who fills all in all” (1:23). Through the church, God intends to reveal his manifold wisdom to the rulers and authorities in heavenly places (3:10). Paul’s prayer is that Christ would be fully formed in his church (3:14-20), so that God may be glorified through her: “to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:21).

Living in the Good of Our Calling

Paul then transitions to the practical application of this incredible calling: “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called…” (Ephesians 4:1). Knowing what Christ has done and the hope to which we are called is only beneficial if we choose to live it out. Christ has given the gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip and mature the church (4:7-16). These gifts are meant to help us understand our calling and walk in it together.

Members of God’s church must put off the old self and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness (4:22-24). This transformation affects how we speak, behave, work, and live in community with one another. We are called to reject the “unfruitful works of darkness” (5:8) and instead live in the light, continually being filled with the Holy Spirit (5:18). This is the practical outworking of our calling to be the fullness of Christ.

In Ephesians 5:18-21, Paul provides guidance on how to remain filled with the Spirit, which includes submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. He then outlines how this submission should shape relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, and even slaves and masters—a dynamic we might also apply to modern-day employers and employees.

Paul concludes by reminding the church that they are engaged in a spiritual battle, not a physical one. This conflict is between the Kingdom of God and the spiritual forces of evil (6:12). As he urges believers to stand firm in the full armour of God, we see that this is not just symbolic language, but a practical response to the mission we’ve been called to. Ephesians is a powerful letter, rich with spiritual truth, designed to inspire and equip every member of God’s church to live practically, powerfully, and effectively for him.